Moisture in dash guages

[JD Hog]

Did a search and found nothing so this may be good news.

Do the Voyagers and Vaquero's have any issues with moisture showing up behind the glass after riding in the rain or washing the bike?

I had an '01 Ultra Classic that did this. When I purchased the '08 Ultra I made sure that the dash was covered when I washed the bike and that solved the problem. I had to sell the bike before it was ridden in the rain so don't know if it was an issue on the '08 for the rain.

Maybe this is a Harley issue only

[HwyRider]

I think it's an issue with any older bike that has a rubber gasket around the gauges. The gasket gets brittle and keep keep the moisture out any more.

[JD Hog]

Originally Posted by HwyRider

I think it's an issue with any older bike that has a rubber gasket around the gauges. The gasket gets brittle and keep keep the moisture out any more.

My '01 Ultra did it from the start and many other Electra Glides had the issue back then.

[Gypsy Dragon]

I haven't had any moisture my gauges, but I got some in he display of my radio after riding thru torrential rain, and hitting a puddle so big it killed the bike.

[cnc]

It may not always be the fact that rain is leaking into the gauge. Condensation will form on any object when the temperature of the object is at or below the dew point temperature of the air surrounding the object. Dew point temperature is the temperature at which water vapor, when cooled, will begin to condense to the liquid. So for example the gauges and the air inside is at 80F and a relative humidity of 75%, not hard to achieve on a warm day. Suddlenly it starts raining and the rain drops cool the glass of the gauges to 71F, your going to get the moisture in the warmer air inside the gauge condensing on the glass.

[MET-RICK]

Originally Posted by Gypsy Dragon

I haven't had any moisture my gauges, but I got some in he display of my radio after riding thru torrential rain, and hitting a puddle so big it killed the bike.

That must have really sucked (hope you can swim), also hope it started back up right away. Drove thru Ohio a couple of weeks ago in real heavy rain storm, no water or moisture got inside anywhere on my Vaq. ... and I'm ridin with Chucksters BAK with a K/N and stock"dog bowls" w/ no rain sock. Cheers.

[MET-RICK]

Originally Posted by cnc

It may not always be the fact that rain is leaking into the gauge. Condensation will form on any object when the temperature of the object is at or below the dew point temperature of the air surrounding the object. Dew point temperature is the temperature at which water vapor, when cooled, will begin to condense to the liquid. So for example the gauges and the air inside is at 80F and a relative humidity of 75%, not hard to achieve on a warm day. Suddlenly it starts raining and the rain drops cool the glass of the gauges to 71F, your going to get the moisture in the warmer air inside the gauge condensing on the glass.

I think it should be called 'con-damed-sation' !

[Boscoe]

I wash my Voyager with the self-serve carwash sprayer and I have no problems, even spraying the instrument panel directly.

[Gypsy Dragon]

Originally Posted by MET-RICK

That must have really sucked (hope you can swim), also hope it started back up right away. Drove thru Ohio a couple of weeks ago in real heavy rain storm, no water or moisture got inside anywhere on my Vaq. ... and I'm ridin with Chucksters BAK with a K/N and stock"dog bowls" w/ no rain sock. Cheers.

Luckily I was able to get it started before I slowed down enough to have to put my feet down...I was still in the puddle...er, small lake. The water level was actually up to the frame. When I hit it, the splash came up between the tank and my knees and went over my head. Helmet kept me from drowning... The radio freaked out for a couple days, but no permanent damage.

[MET-RICK]

Originally Posted by Gypsy Dragon

Luckily I was able to get it started before I slowed down enough to have to put my feet down...I was still in the puddle...er, small lake. The water level was actually up to the frame. When I hit it, the splash came up between the tank and my knees and went over my head. Helmet kept me from drowning... The radio freaked out for a couple days, but no permanent damage.

Glad to hear it wasn't any worse....you probably would have needed a trolling motor . Cheers

[Gypsy Dragon]

Originally Posted by MET-RICK

Glad to hear it wasn't any worse....you probably would have needed a trolling motor . Cheers

[mattman]

I had it in my 02. I would just face the gauges into the sun and it would be gone in a few minutes. Never any harm to gauges.