Install KOSO DB-01RN on Honda 599 Hornet
Koso DB-01RN is an awesome multifunction gauge that is based on the predecessors DB-01R and DB-01R+ speedometers.
It looks very good and it is very little so it can fit on any custom bike. Usually, it comes with an active speed sensor so you will not have to install magnets on the wheel.
It does not have a temperature display, it has only an overheat warning light indicator and will need an adapter or a new sensor for some bikes.
It is bright and visible at night, but in the daylight the visibility is poor and the display contrast is not enough. Anyway, you shouldn’t stare at it while riding so this will not be a problem for most of us.
Koso DB-01RN for Honda 599 Hornet 2007 – 2013
The easiest way is to connect the Koso DB-01RN wire harness to the Honda 599 Hornet gauge meter wire harness.
If you want to make minimum changes to the original harness, you can solder the Koso DB-01RN wire harness to a connector (040 MULTILOCK socket male 174977-2) that fits the original Honda CB600 gauge connector.
| Type | Koso DB-01RN | Honda gauge meter wire harness | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turn left | Orange | Orange | |
| Turn right | Blue | Light blue | |
| High beam | Yellow | Blue/Black | |
| Oil light | Gray | Blue/Red | |
| Neutral | White | Light green/Red | |
| Fuel | Green | Gray/Black | |
| Engine light | Purple | White/Blue | |
| Water temperature | Yellow/White | Green/Blue | needs adapter |
| Power / Battery | Red | Red/Green | |
| Ignition | Brown | Black/Brown | |
| Ground | Black | Green/Black | |
| RPM | Brown/Red | Yellow/Green | |
| HISS | – | White/Red | not appliable |
| ABS | – | Red/Black | not appliable |
Koso DB-01RN software setup for Honda 599 Hornet
Circumference and sensing point setting
The tire circumference is about 1800mm.
There can be 20 sensor points max.
Fuel level
Use the manual settings, set the empty resistance to 234, set the full resistance to 12 and the fuel warning value to 10%.
RPM pulse settings
Set it to P2 – HiActive.
Using the VS sensor of the Honda cb600f instead of “Active speed sensor” from Koso.
The internal VS (vehicle speed) sensor of the Honda cb600f has the same pinout as the active sensor of the Koso DB-01RN.
This can be easily verified using the cb600f / cb600fa wiring diagram: the VS sensor has three pins, it is powered at 12V, the signal is 5v (pull-down) and the signal wire is split in two: one for gauge meter and one for the ECU. The VS sensor is powered from the meter gauge, so if you replace the gauge, you should power the sensor separately (from the ignition wire).
The Koso DB-01RN speed sensor has the following pinout:
Blue/White – signal cable 5v pulldown
Blue/Red – power 5v
White/Black – ground
The cb600f VS sensor is mounted on the gearbox and gives 60 signals on a complete wheel rotation (wheel diameter is about 1800 mm). The Koso DB-01RN can read 20 points max, so we will have to adjust the values to 20P and the wheel diameter to 600 mm.
It is very easy to connect the Honda 599 Hornet VS sensor to the Koso DB-01RN:
- connect the signal wires directly.
- connect the White/Black from Koso to the Green/Black of the Hornet wire harness.
- power the VS sensor at 12v (Yellow/Red to Black/Brown), both of them are on the Hornet wire harness.
- the Blue/Red wire on the Koso DB-01RN will not be used
| Koso DB-01RN | Honda gauge meter wire harness | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Blue/White | Pink/Blue | Speed signal |
| White/Black | Green/Black | Ground |
| Blue/Red | – | Not used |
| – | Yellow/Red | Power – connect to the ignition wire Black/Brown |
Warning!
You should be carefully connecting the wires, if damage will occur, KOSO will not cover it under the warranty.
Because the original Honda VS sensor is powered at 12V, there is a one in a million chance to fail and to put voltage higher than 5v on the signal wire. You can handle this by using a voltage regulator (LM7805 ? ) on the wire.
Because the speed signal wire is split between the gauge meter and the ECU, there is a one in a million chance that the ECU will fail and to feed back higher voltage. You can use a Zener diode to protect against this.
ENJOY!
Hello my friend. I need an advice for installing an Koso db-1rn on an hornet 600 1998.
When you can reply me please
Hello Pedro,
I had found an electrical scheme for CBR600F2 (U) from 1999 and I emailed it to you.
These are the connections:
If you want to use the internal speed sensor the pinout is:
PLEASE CHECK THE VOLTAGE AT Pink/Green WIRE BEFORE CONNECTING TO KOSO GAUGE!
IF THE VOLTAGE IS ABOVE 5V, THEN YOU SHOULD MAKE AN ADAPTER OTHERWISE YOU WILL DAMAGE
THE GAUGE.
hello. How did u set up the RPM cables? did you only use the yellow/green signal cable or did you connect it to one of the coils?
Hello Christian,
I had connected it directly to the yellow/green signal cable. In the Koso documentation, they say this is the most reliable method.
“The best signal source will be in order as C>B>A”
Hello
I’m trying to connect a DB-01RN koso to a suzuki sv 650 from 2002 and I can’t deal with the fuel reserve, do you have a reserve or a fuel level?
Ciao sto montando koso DB-01RN su hornet 600 2002. Ma la spia olio motore nn mi si accende quando accendo il quadro. Ho collegato grigio koso con blu rosso della moto. Mi puoi aiutare grazie
hello ,
how did you connect the water temperature gauge ?
thx for your reply
Hello,
I didn’t connect it because the koso dashboard doesn’t have this option (it has only an overheat wire).
But there are other options :
1 – buy a separate koso temperature gauge with sensor that can be installed on your radiator hose.
2 – build an adapter that connects to the Green/Blue temperature wire and reads the temperature. (I am currently working on this option and I will post an update soon) .