What Every Rider Should Know About Their Motorcycle’s Instrument Panel

The motorcycle instrument panel is one of those essential parts of the motorcycle that every rider needs to be familiar with. This is in the interests of rider safety, from information related to speed to warning signs that indicate a malfunctioning system as well as fuel usage.

One of the best recommended tips for beginner riders is to familiarize themselves with the various switches and gauges displayed on the instrument panel to ensure they receive all the vital information they need that protects their safety on a ride. Locate one of your BMW Motorcycle Dealers in Southern California for more assistance on how to read your motorcycle instrument panel.

Key Aspects of Your Motorcycle’s Instrument Panel

The most opportune time to learn how to read your motorcycle instrument panel is when test riding a new model.  A knowledgeable customer representative can answer any questions you might have and show you what the key areas on the instrument panel to be always aware of.

Design and layout

Depending on the brand of motorcycle, the design and layout of the instrument panel may showcase either a digital display or dial gauges. The speedometer, fuel gauge and rev counter should be easily located and highly visible. A rider should also know where to look for warning as well as other vital information lights.

• The speedometer reflects the current speed of the rider.
• The Rev Counter lets the rider know the pace the engine is operating at. A high revolution per minute indicates the speed at which the internal parts of the engine system is working at as well as that the engine is burning more fuel. A very high RPM places more stress on the engine.
• The fuel gauge is used to indicate fuel consumption to avoid the rider running out of fuel

Instrument panel warning lights

It is not uncommon for the warning lights on a motorcycle’s instrument panel to reflect the traffic light color system:

• Green or blue indicates that all systems are in proper operational mode.
• Amber indicates that a fault exists and should be attended to as soon as possible.
• Red signifies a serious fault and a rider should stop riding as soon as it is safe to do so.

Particular lights to pay attention to include the ABS warning light, engine temperature light, oil pressure warning light and engine management warning light.

Find a BMW Motorcycle in Southern California

Find your next motorcycle at Southern California BMW Motorcycle Dealers. We can be found in several convenient locations around Southern California. Save at some of our dealerships throughout Southern California when you browse through some of our BMW promotions. We want you to take on the roads safely and in style, so don’t hesitate to check out our BMW apparel as well. We are looking forward to seeing you soon. Contact one of our dealers to schedule a test ride today!