MSRP: $199.99
www.svd.tools/motorscan

By Thomas Garner

The Motorscan MSDKHD6 Harley-Davidson CAN-Bus Smartphone Diagnostics Adapter is a Bluetooth-enabled diagnostic tool that uses a smartphone application.

The product was installed and tested on a 2014 Harley Davidson Street Glide Special FLHXS. This device works with any Harley-Davidson with six-pin OBD data link connectors. Check the company’s website to see if the device is compatible with your bike.

Installation was pretty straightforward using the included instructions. The device installs directly to the bikes data link connector.

I had never used this connection, so I did a quick internet search and found it was underneath the bike’s left-side access panel. I removed the seat, the left saddlebag and the access panel. No tools were needed to do this.

The diagnostic tool plugged right into the port, and I reinstalled everything in the reverse order. Total time was about 15 minutes.

I downloaded the application from the company website. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices. I used a smartphone with the Android operating system. After quickly installing the application, it was just a matter of starting the bike and opening the app.

Make sure the Bluetooth on your smartphone is enabled. The app detected the device on the bike, and made the diagnostic information available quickly.

For my bike, information was available for the following systems: injection, ABS, body computer, handlebar commands, DTC Global and data logger. Each system feeds directly into the app for real time information.

As you operate the bike, information is displayed about the current status. Any fault codes that are generated are easily read and can be reset via the app.

The dashboard feature is a great representation to the actual status on the bike.

Pros:

• Easy to install
• Application displays abundance of information
• Can be left on motorcycle at all times (if you take your bike in for servicing, let them know it is on the bike so they don’t discard it)
• Great diagnostic tool

Cons:

• The price of $199.99 may be steep, depending on how much you may actually use the information. But, the device can be used on any bike with the six-pin connector. So, if you have multiple bikes or get a new bike, you can reuse it multiple times.
• This is a great tool for the everyday rider who does a minimal amount of work on a bike and wants to be informed on the status of the bike’s systems. It also is well suited to the full-fledged wrench turner who is looking for an in-depth diagnostic tool.