If you like to race your friends likeI do, you'll need a tach. All of my friends have had some engine work done, and we all like to flex our muscle a little on the ride back.
My cam is good right up to 5K, and I use every drop of HP she can make. Without a tach, I would be a little scared to "guess" where the engine is at, and I'm not about to leave any HP on the table...


If your deal is to just putt around town, and never get racey, you'll never need a tach....

 

Igo at it all the time with my girl. She has a 1200 Custom and even after my engine work she beats me off the line. But on the highway forget about it. I chalk it up to the fact that she is 110lbs and I'm 260 plus that weight difference in the back, right? I am leaning towards the idea of a tach, not a nessisty but nice to know that it is there when you need it. Like a Springfield 45 under your bed.

 

While you are looking down watching the rpm's and admiring your dash tach, watch out for the pedestrian who just jay-walked in front of your because you were not keeping your head UP.......

NO friggin way would I have a "dash tach". I try not to even watch the speedo.... but that gets me in trouble also!

 

if you have money that just needs to be spent get a tach.
if you are that **** and need to know what rpm you are at at 80mph get a tach
if all your buddies have one and your bike looks naked with out one get a tach.
if you are like me and don't git a darn what rpm you are doing at 80mph
and have a limited budget don't get a tach..

 

In the first few yrs after building my chopper, I would run it at the local 1/8mi drags. An Evo with no rev limiter. After a number of runs I decided to not shift to 4th(had high gearing for max launch). It really wound out in 3rd, didn't find out til many miles later while pulling the top end apart that I had broken the front pushrod. It came out in 2 pieces. It was stll running well cause it was a compression break(floated valve?) and just held in place by the spring pressure. I don't know what RPMs I hit, but it was too many. A tach would have helped a lot. I don't do that kind of stuff anymore!

 

as long as it keeps pulling, I know I'm under the redline. I don't get why someone would need a tach with a factory rev limiter.

 

I don't need a tach. When I hear the valves float, I know that's about7000 rpm's and it's time to shift.

I'll save the $200 on a tach, and just buy newvalves later on....

 

The main benefit of my tach, is that it came with a Scremin Eagle Fat Boy, attached to it.

Ilook at the tach about as much as I look at the speedometer. It helps me to keep the engineat a better RPM range,for certain conditions. Right before I enter a curve I look at my tach to see what RPM I am at. If I am not around 2,800 RPMs, or higher I will downshift. When I amcruising slow through the neighborhood, I check to see that my RPMs are at least 2,200, so I am not lugging the engine. When I am in heavy traffic, I keep my RPMs up a bit higher. This way I can accelerate orengine brake quicker if I have to.

I could do without a tach, but once you get use to one, it seems kind of natural to have it.
Tom

 

Wow, seems to be a lot of pissed off, tactless; tach haters around here.

.......... please don't hate us 'cuz we have tachs.

 

I want one so bad, but there isn't a bracket made for the bike yet. I am waiting to see if HD is going to come through for me.