The CB1100 Community Forum

Can anybody tell me how to remove the needles from the instruments so I can fully open the inside of the panel?

Something like this tool.

https://www.amazon.com/Electronix-Chevro...569&sr=8-3

(02-01-2026, 01:06 AM)Randy B Wrote: [ -> ]Something like this tool.

https://www.amazon.com/Electronix-Chevro...569&sr=8-3

I could have used one of those a number of years ago. The needle on my KLR650 warped at the tip and curved to the speedo surface--to such a degree that it no longer moved because it was making contact.  I couldn't figure out how to get it off to see about a replacement, so I just cut the last 3/4" off.

I've never done this job, hope this link will be sufficient:

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+s...e&ie=UTF-8

You're a wonderful lot. Thanks for the help.

I wimped out in the end. With my ham-fistedness, there's at least an even chance that the operation would end in tears, and I was spooked by the recent discussion elsewhere on the forum about the rarity and awful cost of new instrument clusters. As I was able to find another way through, I decided not to take the risk.

The back story? Riding along the other day, I looked down and saw an ant on the instrument cluster. No, actually that wasn't right. It, and a good few of its mates, were IN the instrument cluster. I'm pretty sure they haven't been there long and I had parked the bike for a day with the left mirror touching a shrub at a house where the owners had been having trouble with ants. I kept an eye on it while I was away and one time at lest thought they'd gone. But, no, they were hiding. So, when I got home, I pulled the back off the instrument cover and found ...







Most of the cluster was easy to clean, but I couldn't get the circuit board off the panel without removing the needles. In the end, I loosened it enough to get a compressed air needle valve in and gave it a good blow out. I then left it sitting next to a bait (thanks rdprdp01) until I was satisfied there were no more ants in there.

I was very relieved when I reinstalled it, turned on the ignition and the neeedles swept normally around the dials.

I'd still like to know when they got in there. I've been on the bike a lot these past days and I didn't see them until 7 or eight days into it.

I've heard of "ants in your pants" but in your harness, in your cluster? Just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Wow, that is very unusual! Never saw anything like that.

pulling the gauges appart is a chore how or where where they getting in at? i had a mouse in my bike the other week he ate my charge cable ! got him with a trap same day

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(02-03-2026, 08:19 AM)1973cb750 Wrote: [ -> ]pulling the gauges appart is a chore how or where where they getting in at? i had a mouse in my bike the other week he ate my charge cable ! got him with a trap same day

also i have repaired quite a few honda gauges and done smd led swaps where you have to de solder and solder new leds in cbr's and other bikes the needles arent bad to remove i typically use two spoons and equally press the needle out the trick when re installing them is to return them to the 0 position by turning them to the click spot and making the needle at 0

(02-03-2026, 08:19 AM)1973cb750 Wrote: [ -> ][quote pid="272814" dateline="1770128374"]
...the trick when re installing them is to return them to the 0 position by turning them to the click spot and making the needle at 0

[/quote]
This little tidbit could be invaluable for someone.  Had it been me, I would likely have forced the needle on at whatever position, expecting it to automatically reset to zero.  

I can't count the number of times I read something like the above--on this forum and others--where someone casually mentions a tip, and then at some point I come across the very thing that was mentioned.