Dumb question - Are the needles on the gauges supposed to "cycle" upon turning the key to the "On" position?

[handkphil]

This one will probably win the "Dumb Question of The Day" award.  Are the needles on the gauges supposed to "cycle" upon turning the key to the "On" position?

I have many bikes. My 2000 VFR does not get ridden, other than a couple of times per year. This year when I broke it out for the first time, I noticed that the needles on the gauges did not "cycle" to the right, and back to their resting position, when I first turned the key to the "On" position.

 

Am I mis-remembering that my bike did this in the past, or am I confusing my VFR's start-up routine with one of my other bikes?

 

Thanks.

[Philois1984]

Hi Handkphil, I am sure they should, certainly on the eighth gen they do. 

[Grum]

Yes the 8gen Tacho does a sweep at switch on. But the 6gen does Not. So perhaps the 5th gen doesn't as well. 5gen owners come on own up!

[Cogswell]

1 hour ago, Grum said:

Yes the 8gen Tacho does a sweep at switch on. But the 6gen does Not. So perhaps the 5th gen doesn't as well. 5gen owners come on own up!

 

On a 5G, no.

 

I am curious if there's a purpose to it.  I can see in the aviation industry or some other application where function is crucial - wanting to demonstrate that the gauge has full range of motion capability or for calibration (to the extent aviation even uses analog gauges any longer) - or is it because "they can" and it looks cool . . . which it does.  Anyone have any intel on that?

[Marvelicious]

It's part of the startup diagnostic. I'm betting you're right... It is probably a holdover from the aviation industry. They have all the cool gauges first. 

[Grum]

The 8gen Instrument Panel power on self test is an excellent function. It shows you that all LCD segments are functional and the Tacho is capable of full scale deflection, its a great feature should you suspect a problem with any part of the panel or its inputs.

[Terry]

I was sure my 5G did the swingy needles thing, so I checked my video clips (from the day I first got my bike). I can confirm no needle action present, but the LCD does work through all segments on start up.

 

https://youtu.be/l5L-vm6fmk8

[handkphil]

Thanks, my LCD goes through a brief routine, but I'm getting no needle sweep. I must have been remembering my '16 Burgman from last season, when I was remembering the needles on the speedo and tach performing their little pre-start dance. Good to know nothing's gone wrong with my 5th Gen VFR...

[Ranger77]

5th gens dont cycle.