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GaugeFace – the iPhone App for Your Harley

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GaugeFace iPhone app for Harley Davidson motorcycles
GaugeFace iPhone app for Harley Davidson motorcycles

Got a Harley? Got an iPhone? Download the GaugeFace app and you’ll have a digital dash. The unit plugs into the ECU. It charges the phone and displays a speedometer, tach, engine temperature, signal indicators and what gear you’re in. There are plans to add more gauges to the display in the future.

What models are supported?

Generally, all Harleys since about 2001 with EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) based Delphi ECU’s should work just fine. New 2011 Harley Softails are not yet supported as they have changed to a new HDLAN protocol and have a different data port connector.

Cost of the app and connectors is $250 Canadian.

There have been a lot of companies and individuals working to interface the iPhone and Android based smartphones to motorcycles and cars. I would expect to see a lot more of this in the near future.

Link: GaugeFace via Engadget

Video below:

Posted on Filed Under: Motorcycle Accessories

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Comments

  2. Wow – I love this. Think of the possibilities!! Plug my smart phone into my dash, use it as a tach and:
    – have the app auto adjust miliage if you have a sprocket conversion
    – have the phone log your times around the track via GPS
    – have the phone draw your tourning route on google maps as you ride
    Love it!!

  3. One possibility that jumps to mind is being able to build a custom bike that shaves the stock gauges, but when it’s time to ride, just plug in the iPhone and you are safe and can stay legal.

    • If the refresh rate is fast enough, and you dotn’t get a call. I have a few of these set up for in car use, and it is less than perfect. Still tells you more about the car than the stock gauges and is a great diagnostic too, but not a replacement for good dedicated gauges.

      • I am getting near real-time ECU data and the display runs usually at around a 30-40 frames per second refresh rate. How can I tell??? Ran it on a Dyno to confirm results visually. Also, with an iPhone 4 attached, I can see that the signal indicators turn on & off (based on the actual ECU data coming in) at nearly the exact same time as the stock physical signal indicators blink at.

        GaugeFace is an iPhone or iPod touch based digital gauge for Harley-Davidson that really works!

  4. It’s cool until you need to do something with it. The screen doesn’t respond to a gloved finger.

    I was going to use my Droid for Nav, Pandora, etc., but discovered the problem when I went to answer a call.

    • You can get gloves now that will work with these screens, I have the same issue when trying to use a computer outside in sub zero temps. they are called touch gloves.

  6. After watching this I have decided that Harley must have bought stock in Apple. Although it is kind of trick I can’t see it lasting very long and you will probably need a new Iphone. Having ridden Hogs in the past I would say that the vibration most Harleys produce ought to rattle the guts out of that phone within a thousand or so miles and Harley cashes in on you one more time.

    • this makes no sense
      This isnt something that HD is offering, its an aftermarket thing that someone produced who has no ties to either HD or Apple (other than the agreement to sell the product through apple)

  7. $250 for an app and cable? I don’t begrudge the developers trying to make back the time and resources it took to develop the app, and I imagine their market of late model Harley riding iPhone users (I’d like to see that venn diagram) is relatively small, but sheesh. But we are dealing with Harley owners, who have become accustomed to paying outrageous prices for accessories, so maybe the price is right. Add a chromed mount and case and they could sell the package for $550.

    • Any cable that attaches to an Ipod has to have a special chip in order to function correctly, so the cable also has a licensing fee tied in, and then you add software development costs.

  8. Don’t forget the leather tassels.

    I don’t think you can legally use this to replace your odometer. The OEM unit would still need to be mounted somewhere and it’s part of the speedometer. Wait, that’s in the gas tank anyway. Right?

    There is more potential for this unit. It could contain the entire CPU of the motorcycle and also serve as the ignition key. It would include user preferences like suspension settings and fuel mapping. It could house GPS and a rear-view monitor. I imagine it should also include a breathalyzer.

    -todd

    • Seriously? A rear-view monitor on a motorcycle? Unless I guess you’re talking about car use.

      For 250 canadian it should have a waterproof housing.

      And personally, cellphones are enough of a distraction already.

    • Todd, while I think some of those ideas are good, I dont agree with others.
      At least on the HD, the suspension part wouldnt be reasonable. And really any bike for that matter. Hell, you can write down your suspension settings, and few people outside of a trackbike change them often or at all.

      For the engine mapping, I love that idea, would be cool to do some light tuning with it. And for that price it ought to.

      The speedos arent in the tank area of all HDs

      I also agree with some sort of rubber mounting to keep it working for many thousands of miles.

      Cool idea, and think it’d be good for the people doing custom bikes and dont want big gauges but still want to know whats going on when they are actually riding.
      Good it charges too

  9. What about a babe-o-meter? There’s an app that would cross all brands.

    OK, I’ll settle down. Yeah, the vibration would make this unit look like it went through the blender. Definitely make a rubber-mount kit for it. Put the Harley logo on it and sell a zillion of ’em.

  11. Wow, I’m actually ashamed to be a motorcyclist right now.

    Those of you who are actually excited about plugging your phone into your motorcycle (or scooter) – you are all very sad.

    Really.

    You are probably the same people who think that your motorcycle is a “technology demonstrator” or your “canvas” for that short ride from your basement apartment you share with your parents to the coffee shop to talk about how cool your bike is.

    Could you be one of those who buys used tires from the motorcycle shop and then installs them on your bike to fake actually being able to ride? The same for sanding knee pucks and other foolishness.

    Wow, you poor souls have lost your way.

    It’s a motorcycle. You ride it. In the sun. In the rain. At night.

    You should not have “modified” the motorcycle to the point where it cannot accomplish these tasks.

    Continue to do this on a regular basis and maybe you’ll figure out that mounting your phone is beyond stupid.

    If; however, you still think this setup is good, whatever…

    • Couldn’t have said it better.
      This is a total wank. Standard instruments are cheap as free and waterproof.

  12. I’m with Ken on this one.
    I don’t get the loud stereo thingy eithier.
    Just another distraction from the riding experience.

  13. I thought the Wee was for this sort of thing .Gaget geeks living life through thier devises instead of enjoying the simple pleasures of motorcycling. I’ve travelled many parts of the world by motorcycle and non of these distracting devices could have added anything to the enjoyment of the ride.

  14. Despite being a slowed-down 67 year old gadget freak, I’m kinda disposed towards the point of view expressed so eloquently by Ken, Butch S, and joe. That said, I’m fortunate enough to be riding two very modern motorcycles: on my SuperDuke, I have to admit I love the big, easy to read digital speedometer readout – helps avoid those unpleasant encounters with the Vidar – equipped CHP……. And, on my BMW F800s I actually know which of the three closely-spaced top gears I’m in when dealing with good ol’ California stop ‘n GO (stopped dead one minute, 80+ the next….. !), thanks to the digital gear readout. Not to mention the digital tire pressure monitor; surprised me how much peace of mind that feature offers. Viva technology!! Just make it rugged…………

    Mike

  15. Whilst I agree to some point, and wouldn’t bother myself, it’s this kind of thing that is going to attract young riders into bikes. It’s all about the technology and social aspect in future and bikes need to integrate into peoples lives if they are going to accept them.

    Might struggle a bit at $250 though. I got a similar android app for the car which does all this (but more importantly for me also reports error codes and does some diagnostics) for about £6 with a £20 bluetooth ECU dongle off ebay. Way cheaper and its wireless!

  16. I find most Digital/Screen readouts to be LESS visible in actaul use… Most performance minded Auto and Bike builders have gone back to analog Speedometers because they WORK better, DUH. This may be good for the “Appasexuals” out there, but the vast majority of riders just want to ride and leave the distractions at home.

  17. I can’t really speak to this technology — the most I have is an old Razr phone that I carry zipped inside a jacket pocket to shield it from vibration while riding. My B50 doesn’t even have a tach; just rev the engine until the bike turns into a haze of vibration, and shift.

    I’m old enough to remember telephone operators putting our calls through, but I agree that the younger crowd is likely to be attracted by technology like this. If it gets them onto bikes (more likely scooters), so much the better. There’s an entire demographic now that has lived the technology since birth, and hand-held devices to them are as natural as dialing a phone was to my generation. They’ll take the stuff to new levels, and who knows what they’ll do with it when they marry it to motorcycles?

  18. Meh. Some folks love this stuff and it’s innocent enough if they want to spend the money. I admit I don’t get the stereo thing either, but whatever makes you happy. I can understand GPS or even weather, however. That useful riding information. My problem with music is, assuming that I could really hear it, it would be way too distracting.

  19. Was told by some tech at the local Apple emporium that shaking an iPod while it is playing is terrible for it.

  21. It’s bad for a hard-drive-based iPod to shake it while playing, but this digital gauge setup is for an iPhone. iPhones use flash memory and have no hard drive. They’re solid state devices just like all other smartphones.

  22. No, No, a thousand times, No! Those who would strap an iphone on their motorcycle for ANY reason are already missing out on one of the most sublime and satisfying reasons for riding in the first place!!

    No reason to go on about it…..as words cannot explain to those who do not wish to understand…….

    I guess I might strap one on my rear tire if I ever feel the need to do a burnout,,,,otherwise the incesant calls, emails, voice mails, text messages, pictures, and on and on, can reside gleefully ignored in my pocket…….”Oh geez!…sorry I missed your fb post that “”You’re soooo ready for the weekend!””, I was on the bike, you know?!?!”

    • Much better put than Ken. In terms of adapting technology, you can still do this w/o the annoying phone calls: put it on airplane (bike) mode. I won’t be doing this, but paying attention to any tech could be useful.

      • Definitely the Iphone. All I can think of is someone getting blindsided because they’re busy checking the “OMG my cat just…” on crackbook.
        The vibration issue on some harleys would make it unreadable without a serious shock mount system. I wonder how long the internal motion sensors will live?

  24. Hmmmm. An iPhone out in the sun, out in the rain (oh, HD rides don’t ride in the rain so that one is okay ;-). I can think of a few problems around the environment (I don’t think Apple warranties will cover this kind of use), but still….

    The other part of the fun is you have an internet connected-device that plugs into your ECU. Assuming that the protocol is 2-way, you could have all sorts of hacking fun. Think that someone won’t do to these kinds devices what the government is doing to centrifuges in Iran? Just a matter of time. I think I will pass on that one, thanks.

  25. THIS JUST IN !
    Rider dead from trying to upload to facebook a screen shot of his speedometer showing that his HOG can go over 100mph, all while going 100mph, texting his buddy and reading an e-mail from another app notifing him that a new article had been posted on KNEESLIDER.

    Isn’t technology grand!

  27. I’m beginning to think some of you aren’t fans of this iPhone app.

    Most all motorcycles have lots of electronics onboard already which have proven plenty durable and the various GPS units that mount to the handlebars of bikes, including Harleys, seem to do just fine, so I’m not sure if there’s something uniquely fragile about the iPhone that makes it unsuited to this application.

    Whether you like the app itself is something else altogether but I remember some time back when Michael Czysz used an iPhone dash on his E1PC digital superbike and it looked like a pretty neat install. The huge versatility of smartphones, which are almost more mini computer than phone, is probably going to be something we see a lot more of. If you prefer not to use one, that’s fine, but remember, that’s your preference, not a technical issue.

    • ya Paul I don’t think the I-phone was designed with the same paramaters as a GPS. I can also see a cop taking the I-phone after a traffic stop for evidense aka GPS proof of the “crime. Oh ya and an app approved by congress to use it for speed regulation, as in limiter’s. Big pass on this, just like my pass on my provider wanting to UP grade me to one.

      • In all reality, it would actually be pretty neat….I DID NOT JUST SAY THAT!
        It’s just that I am a service coordinator for an HVAC manufacturer, and I have an I-phone, and it never stops…even on weekends. Not really against the app, and not really against the I-phone…Just a real bummer on Sunday afternoon when you check the phone and have 25 emails and 30 calls waiting for you to deal with on Monday morning. Sunday blues, deluxe!

    • Thanks for posting the GaugeFace article on your site. The comments are very interesting. I think acceptance will come gradually over time as more and more people find their mobile devices to be indispensable and they get a chance to try GaugeFace out, find value and spread the word.

      p.s. I’ve been riding with this for a year now and haven’t been beaten-up for it as a result. No problems with glare or other technical issues except for rain upon which I just stick my iPhone in my pocket. I’m sure though that someone will come out one day with a case/mount to handle the rain problem.

  29. I think I saw in the video how it locks into the ap when you turn on the ignition. All phone and web features are then disabled. I’m sure their product liability lawyers already were keen to that.

    I have a wall phone in my kitchen, maybe I can hook that up to my R75/5.

    -todd

  30. I don’t think it’s really supposed to be practical. Browse some of the other iphone apps available and you’ll see that a distracting, hard to read replacement for perfectly good existing gauges that shakes apart within 1000 miles is one of the more useful ones out there.

    It’s too easy to make jokes about Harley toughguys vs. iphone ownership and the idea of a Harley or iphone being used in the rain, so I’ll decline this time.

  31. Fancy looking, but terribly expensive gimmick. Give me a normal set of gauges and I will be happy. That thing better be secured, otherwise it will shake out of seat like crazy on those HDs.

  32. I wonder if it could have just used the iPhone accelerometer to judge engine RPM. You could also record lean angles with the gyro…

    -todd

  33. I wonder how many people commenting actually ride. How many have ridden a newer harley? My Fatbob doesn’t shake anywhere near as much as my 96 Sportster did.
    I’d like a tach on my fatbob. Harley sells a speedo/tach combo for almost $500. $250 for this does seem high at first but if it offers multiple functions than it may be worth it for some. I have to carry a phone with me anyway. How else would I call for help if I broke down, needed to help someone else or let my wife know everything is good.
    I like useful apps. I’d like to see it in person though. Nice to see a Canadian company come out with something like this.

  34. I’ve been hoping for an iphone app/interface that would allow TTS data gathering for the tuning runs. Right now it requires a laptop running the program and I do not really have a good place for strapping a laptop to the seat. It would be perfect to have an iphone gather the tuning data and then download it to a pc for map generation.