Switching instrument clusters on a 550R Seca

Okay, so I've been fiddling with my bike a LOT this summer, mostly because I guilted my wife into letting me by purchasing her a new Zuma scooter. So far, I've redone the fuses (PO had torn out the airbox and fuse box and put in a bunch of in-liners that kept shorting out; I mounted a blade box under the seat and wired that up, NO blown fuses or shorts since), stripped the paint off most of the plastics, got a new rear cowling piece, put on new(er) shocks, and had my seat professionally recovered. I also swapped out the stock handlebars and added a pair of clip-ons, as well as completely redid the headlight/turn signal mount on the front of the bike (speaking of, anyone need a set of stock handlebars or headlight mounts? Cheap!)

So, my next and final step (other than the repainting) is to replace the Seca instrument cluster with a smaller can speedo. I've been riding the bike long enough that the tach isn't really needed, and the speedo I've bought wires in to everything else. My questions are:

1) Since this speedo runs off a magnetic reader, and not the stock speedometer cable, do I need something to cap off the spot on the front fork where the speedo cable connects, or can I leave that open? If I need to cap it, does someone make an aftermarket cap, or do I just cobble something together using the base of the old cable?

2) Ditto the tachometer, except I know that has to be blocked off. Does anyone know of an aftermarket cap, or do I make one out of the old cable?

And one other (probably dumb) question: the brake line for this bike runs from the MC into a connector on the fork, and then another line runs from the fork to the connector. Is there something in-between those two junctures that's critical to the brake operation, or would I be able to run a stainless hose that bypasses it, directly between the MC and the brakes?

Any and all info and advice is appreciated!

 

1) you want to cap it so your grease doesn't come out and water doesn't go in. I don't know of a cap for it. I cut the end off my cable, ground it down a bit, and welded the end shut.
2) no idea if there is a cap out there

It is just a junction block. I heard they were put in place to help with line swell on the rubber brake lines. Shouldn't be any issue running 1 SS line the whole way.

 

Thanks for the info, Maverick. Now all I have to do is Dremel the mount for the speedo's sensor into shape - they included a mount for an 8mm axle bolt and a 10mm axle bolt, but the 550 is apparently 12mm or so. >.<

I was especially concerned about the brake line; part of the problem with going to fork-mounted clip-ons is that it compresses the existing brake line, to the point that if I take the handlebars hard right (which I'm usually only doing at slow speed) the brakes begin to enage and drag. If I can get a stainless line that runs straight to the fork, then that'll go away.

Thanks again!

 

1: the drive unit at the wheel is a separate piece; no need to cap it off. You can remove it altogether, but you will need to make up its "installed thickness" (NOT its entire thickness) with an appropriate spacer/washer. Take it off and look at it closely and how it relates to the axle/fork; you'll see what I mean.

2: chacal does offer a cap or blocking plug for the tach drive. Or you can use a coin and a glob of RTV, and the ferrule from a cable. Although how you can get the optimum performance out of a 550 Seca without a tach is a mystery to me; the engine makes peak HP right AT redline, 10K. If you ride it by "the seat of your pants" you'll never see redline.

The junction block was simply a concession to manufacturing flexibility, with Yamaha producing so many different bikes using the same or similar parts. It can be eliminated with no adverse effect. (Or you could just order a shorter, custom SS upper line from XJ4Ever.)

What'd you do with your CLUTCH CABLE? Re-routing doesn't work all that well. If you still need a solution, the 750 Seca clutch cable, while significantly shorter, offers the same sheath:cable ratio and is what I used on my 550 Seca with Euro bars.

 

Hey Fitz in reference to the speedo drive hub, is that true on all the xj's or a 550 thing. I was told it was part of the grease seal for the wheel on my 750. If all I need is to pull it and put in a spacer I would like to.

 

They're all pretty much the same. In the stock configuration, if it is acting as a grease seal, simply installing sealed bearings would solve that. I think the only grease it's sealing is for its own drive flange. I'll have to look more closely the next time I pull a front wheel.

Sorry I can't provide a more definitive answer, it's been a while since I've had a front wheel off.