[josey088]

I think that the voltmeter and the water temp are enough . I have the Revo voltmeter / water temp kit and it works great .
The voltmeter let me know if everything is working the way it is suppose to (piece of mind) , and the water temp also let me know how hot the engine is working , if it is ok or a little hot or if the temp is hot enough for the fan to start working , and also after the fan starts and stops again , on how fast the engine temp is getting down to a normal parameter , etc … very , very useful info .
For example , If I am stopped at a long intersection waiting for the green light , I can see the increase on the engine temp since the engine is idling at a stop , and once I start moving again , I can check how fast the temp goes down … I am so used to it that I wouldn`t want to ride without any of the two gauges .

 

[josey088]

I am definitely considering one of those for my Nine. Was the install pretty easy DIY.

Well... no . It is not too easy . You don`t have to be a genius to be able to do it , but is definitely not an easy task .
For starters , you have to install the unit to the handlebars (in my bike it was on top of the risers ) but that is the easy part .
The instructions are clear and with some pics , but nothing to brag about it .
Then, you need to empty (or lower, if you will ) the level of the coolant on the system . Since I had to disassemble it , I also flushed the system 3 times until it was perfectly clean , took out and washed the plastic cooling bottle , checked that the hoses were in perfect condition , etc etc . and after I assembled everything , I filled the system with new coolant fluid (expensive stuff) .
I also modified the coolant bottle cap by inserting a hose on top of the discharge tube, so the overfilling discharge would not be affected , and now I can fill up the bottle with the help of a skinny funnel very easily if it ever needs coolant . It hasn`t need any yet , but hey , just in case , lol... Getting access to the radiator cap requires disassembly and it is a royal pain in the ass to get to it , so , with the hose I avoid all of that trouble .
But getting back to the kit install, you will need to cut the upper hose to insert the sensor adapter . That is where "lowering the coolant level " on the system comes from . It is tricky because of the lack of space and you will have to shorten the hose a piece the exact size of the sensor adaptor , but it is doable … just be careful about it .
Then , re-route the cables to the handlebars , tight up everything , clamps , etc , check for leaks , etc etc .
Filling the system with coolant is also a tricky thing because it can hold air , so it has to be done with patience . So, there you go … it can be done by a regular handy guy if you are neat and precise .
The work is all done on the left side of the engine . :drool: In your case, if you are thinking in ordering the Revo kit , I suggest you don`t install the Q5 on the left side because it will have to be taken out in order to install the Revo kit , so , save yourself the hassle and install the Revo kit first and then the Q5 .
Cheers...:bigthumbsup:

 

[josey088]

Too late on not installing the Q5 intake, it is already on the bike. I will be picking it up tomorrow morning in New Hampshire which is a two hour ride from where I am located in Massachusetts. I am so excited, I cannot wait. It sounds like the install is time consuming but straight forward, I can definitely do what you described in the directions you provided. Does the sensor adapter come pre wired, including the connections to plug into the revo display unit on the handlebars? What about the volt meter, does it include the wiring that goes to the battery? Thanks for your help, appreciate everything, I feel more comfortable pulling the trigger on this one after hearing from you. As you know with most of these mods sometimes you end up paying more for the labor than the actual part itself. So doing it yourself will save you a ton cash. The more cash you save the more you have left for mods. Makes sense to me. Thanks again.

Yes, the kit comes complete with everything needed , no problem there . The sensor comes pre-wired, of course and the voltmeter cabling comes complete , too .
In my opinion , just be very careful on the size of the piece of the upper hose that you have to cut off in order to install the water sensor … measure well and , specially , be careful in choosing the spot where you will be cutting the hose and installing the sensor in the hose , taking care it would not touch anything .
Make sure the cables won`t touch the engine or they will melt when the engine heat up … That will ruin your day for sure , lol...
Also (very important) leave enough cable loose so the steering can turn right or left without straining the cables .
Cheers