Works Connection Tach/Hour Meter with Resettable Maintenance Timer

While we usually spend most of our time talking about what bike upgrades we want to spend our hard-earned dollars on, general maintenance is always in the back of the mind, nagging away. While we all attempt to keep a mental note of how many hours we've placed on our beloved machines, it's pretty hard to keep a accurate count. I think many are surprised by how many hours they're actually putting on their bikes, which makes a quality hour meter a fairly helpful part to add to any bike.

Works Connection Tach/Hour Meter with Resettable Maintenance Timer Features:

• Record max RPM every ride.
• Usable on fuel-injected/carbureted two-strokes or four-strokes, ranging from one to eight cylinders.
• Can be mounted with adhesive pad or with optional bolt-on bracket.
• Five different display modes.
• Resettable maintenance timer.
• MSRP: $44.95.

First Impressions

While Works Connection has had a fairly popular hour meter for quite a few years now, they recently updated it by adding a few new features. The most notable added feature is the resettable maintenance timer, which goes along with the other four viewing modes available. These modes are max RPM (from your last ride), current RPM (if the bike is running), total hours, maintenance hours, and a clock setting.

Spending some time actually reading the instructions goes a long way with this little meter, as all the functions are controlled by one button. How long you hold it, and how may times you press it, make a large difference on what will happen. There are multiple settings for EFI, carbed, and multi-cylinder bikes to get accurate time counting, along with adjusting the clock, and resetting the maintenance meter. Being able to reset the maintenance hour meter is definitely the most handy function that this model has. This allows the standard hour function to record endlessly and keep track of the total combined hours. While the maintenance meter can be reset after every oil change and service, which is as simple as holding down the white button for three seconds.

In the Shop/At the Track

Installation isn't too difficult, but does require a bit of parts removal. With most models, you'll have to remove the gas tank and some other hardware to be able work at the top of the engine. The wire from the hour meter needs to be wrapped around the spark plug/coil five times and then secured. To do this, simply pull the spark plug cap out of the valve cover, wrap the wire around it, secure the wire, and slide the plug back into place. Once this is done, you can route the rest of the wire and meter along the frame to its final destination, before reinstalling the tank. While Works Connection does sell a mounting kit, which allows you to mount the meter to the single bolt at the front of the gas tank, I tend not to use them.

I personally prefer using the 3M adhesive pad that's provided, so I can mount it to the side of the frame, in a tucked-away position. Also, I remove my fuel tanks often during service, so it just adds extra labor to remove the meter, then the mount, then the tank.

Long-Term Durability

In terms of reliability, I've had many Works Connection hour meters over the years. In that time, the only one that failed gave up the ghost at over 140 recorded hours. With the newer batch, I currently have two in place. One has just a couple of hours on it, while the other just cracked 15, and I've yet to have any problems.

The Last Word

An hour meter is a cheap and quick install to ensure that you know how many hours are truly on your bike. Works Connection takes it a step further by giving you the ability to keep further track of maintenance intervals, along with the ability to use the meter on a host of applications; from dirt to street. While there are some wireless options on the market, they also don't host the amount of features that a wired unit such as this one does. For me, personally, I find some of the added info in the Works Connection version quite handy and would definitely recommend picking one up.

Vital MX Rating: 4 Stars - Very Good

For more information on all the settings and options, check out WorksConnection.com.

About the Test Rider

Michael Lindsay- is a born-and-raised moto freak and gearhead from the heart of motocross in Southern California. First swinging a leg over a bike at the age of five, he immediately caught the racing bug, spending nearly every weekend behind a gate…and a lot of time on the couch while injured. While swinging back and forth between moto and the off-road scene, giving him a wide range of experience on the bike. Of course, all of this led to one thing: Lindsay loves working on his bikes almost as much as he loves talking about them. When he’s not in the Vital MX forum or writing his latest product review, you can find him out at the track taking dirt naps, snapping some pictures, or drooling over the latest parts for his bike. With an outspoken personality, gearhead background, and as Vital MX’s guru for product, Michael is here to share his unbiased opinion.

Review and Photos by Michael Lindsay