Thinking of a new gadget...

[GoldOxide_imp]

Honda really could have squeezed in an ambient air temperature gauge. Many bikes of this caliber have them.

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Never had need for voltage or engine temperature (not that the CB needs it). Maybe oil temperature though - not sure. In any case, when any of these parameters are strained, the rider feels it and knows something just isn't right.

Yes, my Moto Guzzi and I think my Triumph did and I appreciated having them.

As an electrican, I like voltage reads. Both ranch trailers have push button voltage gauges...lets me use extensive LED lighting, charge Ipad and phone(s) and sometimes radio, without concern.

Understood. Maybe more useful would be overall current draw. But I reckon the battery/charging circuit voltage would sag if the battery was unhealthy.

Older cars (1950s) had ammeters...an indication of the charging system putting out more than was being drawn. Normal installation required heavy gauge wire, whereas voltage is light gauge wire.

An ammeter does not show an overcharge, such as when a diode fails in the regulator.

For running heavy added accessory load, an ammeter would be useful, but charging system voltage is easier (for me) to analyze.

See post one of this Sportster thread:
[url=http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?s=aee888f92e9f9b6737b6292bb3259a45&t=1784651]http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php...&t=1784651

Older cars (1950s) had ammeters...an indication of the charging system putting out more than was being drawn. Normal installation required heavy gauge wire, whereas voltage is light gauge wire.

An ammeter does not show an overcharge, such as when a diode fails in the regulator.

For running heavy added accessory load, an ammeter would be useful, but charging system voltage is easier (for me) to analyze.

See post one of this Sportster thread:
[url=http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?s=aee888f92e9f9b6737b6292bb3259a45&t=1784651]http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php...&t=1784651
Vintage vehicles had both amperage and voltage meters. Ammeters are definitely useful on critical branch circuits, especially in today's electronics heavy implementations. However, industry keeps cost down and user experience simple by using fuses. This helps prevent cabling fires, which voltage detection does not infer. In terms of the primary circuits, cable technology confidence can handle over-current situations to a point, unless the vehicle does not meet industry build standards (e.g. cheap gauge wires). Similarly, the voltmeter is absent from the majority of vehicles, replaced by a threshold indicator (e.g. the idiot light).

Today, a failed regulator can be detected electronically, so again, no need for any metering for the masses. In fact, all onboard component electronic devices may detect current and voltage independently and report only out-of-bounds events.

Nevertheless, a general meter indicating charging voltage will provide an early indicator of something suspicious with the primary circuit of the bike. With today's display technology, it could look quite cool to some.