White face instrument panel

Today I am going to attempt to post a mod that I did to my KLR. I have found that I really like the white face a whole lot better that the old black face with red numbers, as we all get older our eye sight gets worse and worse.....

I will not digress any longer, and get right to the point of this blog.

This Mod is for the First Generation Kawasaki KLR 650.

First of all, just TAKE YOUR TIME on this one, when you remove your needle make sure that everything is aligned and flat, you do not want to break the needle. Below is a pic of the tool that I use when I do this mod.

 

Fine line Sharpie,10mm socket with extension,small Phillips screwdriver,
8mm open end wrench, real small Phillips screwdriver, larger Phillips screwdriver, and the 2 shims.

The Mighty KLR and all it's glory.

Remove the 3 screws on the out side of the cowling and then the 2- 10mm bolts on the inside, you can unplug the
turn signal wires if you like or just let the cowl rest on the front fender as I have in this photo. All you need to do is
be able to access the screws and nuts and speedo cable.

Remove the 2 screws the hold on the cover for the wiring harness, the speedo cable, and the 2-8mm nuts that hold
the cluster on the front bracket.

Now the cluster can be removed from the bracket to access the back side.

 Do not forget to remove the reset knob for the odometer, there is a SMALL screw in there, so don't loose it.
unscrew the screw and pull the know straight out.



Now with the cluster removed from the bracket, undo the 3 screws that hold the front bezel (the black thing) in place.
There is one screw on the right and one on the left and then one just to the left of center on the top.



We will start with the speedo first, This one is the most trickiest one to do so just have patients. Remove the 2 screws on either side of the speedo cable connection, and carefully slide out the instrument without disturbing the magnets in the housing.

Once you get it apart, mark with the sharpie a line on the outer ring of the mag to line up with the tab on the magnet and a line on the housing so everything is lined up, this is for reference for being able to put the needle back in the right spot.

Now unscrew the 2 screws on the front of the plate and insert the 2 shims, skinny ends first, in between the plate and the housing making sure that the 2 shims are opposite and placed as close to each other as possible.

 One shim pushing, one pulling.
                              



 

Notice how the shims are together and opposite each other and close to one another, also the hole in the plate and the bottom of the needle are flush to one another. Now apply SLOW and even pressure from Both sides of the shims and re-adjust if necessary, Just GO SLOW AND CAREFULLY WITH THIS, you do not want to break the needle.

WHEW!

Now the the plate is off, you can breathe a breath of fresh air. Also be careful of the black tabs on the wheels for
the speedo, you don't want to break these.

Next, screw on the new plate, almost there.

Once the new plate is on, make sure that all the marks that you made are still lined up in
a row. Then put the needle back on so it is just resting on the pin, everything needs to be lined up, I guess I all ready said that
but I guess that I needed to just say it again.

This is the way that it should look, with the needle just resting on the pin. Now you can re-install the speedo

back into the cluster and screw it down.

Next, undo to wiring from the back of the tach, and the 2 screws that hold it in. Don't forget the 2 screws that
hold the face on in the front of the plate where the temp gage is.

Housing with the tach removed, you do not have to remove the needle from the temp gage, just very carfully work the unit out.
It just takes a little wiggling and it comes out, do not force it.

 The process for the tach is the same as for the speedo.

Just slow and easy.

Screw the new face on.

When you put the needle back on, place it just touching the pin on the underside, press it on and then take
the needle and gently move it over the pin to it's resting place, this is because if there was not a pin
to stop it, it would relax down to aproximatly this position, so it needs to be reset to rest on the pin, at least
that was the way it was on my tach.

The needle in it resting place.

Now just ease everything back in place and screw the screws for the temp gage back in.

Now just re-install all of the wires back into there proper place, if you can't remember the sequence, it is molded into the back so
you can't mess up. Now is the best time to turn over the cluster and turn on the ignition and fire it up to make sure everything
is working properly, lights, tach, etc...
Its a real bummer getting everything all buttoned up and find out you forgot to re-attach something. Don't ask me how I know that.

Everything all buttoned up and ready for a ride, don't forget the re-set knob...


I would like to do this mod for the 2nd generation, but I do not have access to one, so if anyone
is in the Bend area that would like to let me use there's for a template, let me know.

I find that the speedo is just about dead on at 60 and just a little shy at 55 with my gps, but it is a lot better than the OEM ever was.


I hope that all went well for you and your installation, If you have any questions E-mail me at
rwquiring@yahoo.com




ENJOY