Back in April, I was out riding my 1985 Honda VF500F Interceptor and admiring its dash for what felt like the millionth time. At the time, I lamented that the design, while iconic, could definitely be both brighter and crisper in the TFT era.
So I asked why more OEMs aren't recreating their iconic dashes of the past on the shiny new TFT dashes that are becoming more common on new bikes every year. I mean, it seemed like a no-brainer then, and even months later, it still seems the same way.
TFT dashes are brighter, more visible, and overall seem like great and important technological leaps forward. If you're a rider who likes having useful information just a blink away, it's hard to argue with them (unless the layout is poor, but that's not the TFT technology's fault; that's a UI complaint).
And while this isn't quite the same thing I was arguing in favor of months ago, the fact that Italjet is now offering a TFT retrofit dash kit for some of its older models is a significant step in the right direction.
For those unfamiliar, Italjet is a small Italian manufacturer that's been making scooters for some time. Most notably, scooters in its Dragster series have showcased completely unique designs in multiple small displacements. The 125 and 200cc versions came first, with a 300 coming later. Its most recent hotness (and I say that seriously; the thing is GORGEOUS) is the Dragster 700 Twin, which successfully blurs the line completely between scooter and motorcycle in a way that I deeply love.
Here, I'm gonna make you look at the video of the Dragster 559 Twin prototype that my partner shot at EICMA 2023 last year again. The production version won't be exactly the same (bigger and badder, apparently), but it'll be close.
Even though Italjet is smaller than a lot of other OEMs, its commitment to furthering its designs is clearly massive. But at the same time, it's also interested in bringing along its existing customers for the ride, in a way that clearly says it doesn't want to leave them behind unless they buy the new, shiny bike.
And you know what? I find that incredibly admirable, especially in 2024. In a time when it's increasingly more difficult to work on new bikes if you're the kind of person who's inclined to do so when it seems like you're actively discouraged from doing so by certain technological and/or design choices, I absolutely love that Italjet is like "nah, people who bought our older scooters can have a shiny new TFT dash if they buy it from us."
They even made it plug-and-play! So, if you're an Italjet Dragster 125 or 200 owner, and you really like what the company did with the TFT dash update on the 300, you can now join in the fun. It'll cost you €268,40 (about US $299 at the time of writing) plus shipping, but the kit comes with everything you need. You get the display, the wiring kit, the surround, and instructions for installation.
That's awesome, but I have to ask: Why don't more manufacturers offer kits like this to support their older bikes? Sure, I understand they want you to buy a new bike, but what if you love your slightly older bike otherwise, but just wish you had a nice TFT dash? Sure, there are aftermarket options, but there's a lot to be said for a simple, plug-and-play, direct-from-the-OEM solution.
And maybe, just maybe, they could even take it a step further and start recreating some of each brand's iconic retro dashes as options for the TFT retrofit kits? Hey, a rider can dream.
Anyway, if anyone from Italjet is reading this, nice work. Keep doing cool stuff. And I'm happy to test out a Dragster 700 Twin any time.
