Motorcycle Repair: 1984 Honda Shadow VT700C Tachometer/temperature gauge., motorcycle salvage yard, v twins

Question
Just purchased a clean 1984 Honda Shadow VT700C.  The tachometer promptly quit.  After checking the price of a new one, I don't think I'll be buying one of those.  Have located a salvage tach from a 1985 Honda Shadow same model.  Will it interchanged?  Are there other Honda Tachs (w/temp gauge) which will interchange?  Where could I go to get a list?

Thank you!

TMC

Answer
Tom, Before you condemn the meter, check the ignition coils or ignitors/ignition control module, as the V-4s back then used the signal from the coil/ignitor and they had some problems and the V-twins may have had similar designed parts/problems. On a 22 year old bike, I would check every wiring connector on the bike for corrosion, including the instrument cluster.

http://www.powersportspro.com/partsfish/login.asp will get you to some illustrations, once you sign up and log in.

The VT700s were similar from 84 to 87, but may have had some wiring changes. Find a large-scaled motorcycle salvage yard to see if they have any kind of motorcycle interchange books. Or contact www.westernhillshonda.com and see what they can share with you about the various models.

Bill Silver