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broken speedo?

  • Thread starter Thread starter shadowfist
  • Start date Start date
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shadowfist

Guest
now that i have worked out my running rich problem and changed my oil and such. I am tackling the next problem that my bike has. the speedometer doesn't work.... where do i start?

i know there are sort of three bits of the speedometer assembly there's the bit that goes on the wheel, the cord-ish thing that runs to the speedometer/tachometer assembly, and the actual speedometer. how do i go about figuring out which part is the problem? (tach works fine BTW but obviously the odometer and trip odometer dont work either)

thanks again you awesome people, you!
 
Can do one of two things:

1) Disconnect the cable "cord-ish thing" from back of speedo (thread off that collar), but leave exposed end out where you can see it. Go down the road, see if the rod in the cable is spinning, if its not the problem is the cable or the drive unit on the wheel. Even if the rod is spinning, try to hold it with your finger lightly, if that stops it, then is same problem.
Or if you dont like doing that while going down the road, you could put bike on cneter stand and have someone (not a small person) sit on back of seat to lift the front wheel up so can spin it by hand.

2) I havent tried this, but have heard of it. Find some way to drive the speedo with a variable speed electric drill motor. If the speedo registers some speed, then you know the speedo itself is okay.

Most often the cable is the problem. SOmetimes the cable is a problem if someone took the cable apart from the drive unit "bit on the wheel" and then just jammed it back together without lining them up properly. Or maybe its not really damaged, but just not put back together properly. The end of the cable/rod has a tab that needs to fit into the slot in the drive unit. When putting back togeter, need to line the tab up with the slot, or spin the wheel or spin the rod till they line up and fit together before tightning down the collar there on the end of the cable at the drive unit.


Note: Tach works from a different cable (to engine, not to wheel).

.
 
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unscrew the knurled nut that attaches the cable to the speedometer. either tywrap it up where you can see it and ride the bike or get the front wheel up in the air and spin the wheel. either way if you can see the internals of the cable spinning then your speedo is knackered.

if the cable doesn't spin then disconnect it from the drive off the wheel. again spin the wheel, you should see the drive spinning.if the drive spins then its the cable or if it doesnt spin its the drive on the front wheel
 
a broken speedo is beyond my knowledge...but i can relate this experience....i recently swapped on another wheel, hooked up the speedo at the wheel hub, and....nothing...so i unhooked it again, made sure it was lodged in the speedo hub properly, and it was fine.
 
Speedo's are pricey

Speedo's are pricey

I would make sure that if you use a square drive into the input of the speedo it doesnt show any deflection in the needle before assuming it is junk.

I agree with the first part as well, you should be able to see the cable turning when you turn the front wheel. You might even be able to see the speedo hub drive turn when you turn the front wheel (with the cable removed from the wheel).

Good luck, this should not be too tough to figure out. Fixing a broke speedo will be harder.


Pos
 
awesome! I will give that a try when i get back from my motorcycle safety course (which I got in to, thank goodness, yes you read that right, I don't even have my endorsement yet...:oops:)
 
And depending on how important cosmetics are to you, I've seen flat bike-mountable GPS units for less than $80 on techbargains.com. They aren't the good waterproof versions, so you'd have to keep a zip-lock baggie handy, but they're really accurate & have neat things to play with.
 
Easier way Hook the tack cable to the speedo & start the bike. Will tell you if the speedo works. Next remove the speedo cable & check it
 
SqDancerLynn1 said:
Easier way Hook the tack cable to the speedo & start the bike. Will tell you if the speedo works. Next remove the speedo cable & check it
Click to expand...


ohhhh, you serious? they are the same kind of cable? that is the coolest thing. :D haven't had a chance do try this yet though... because i was to bussy PASSING my motorcycle safety course!! now i can get my endorsement on .... wait TUESDAY? awwww...

does anyone know if having the completion card will work as a learners permit till i can get my endorsement? I really want to take my bike for a spin..
 
shadowfist said:
does anyone know if having the completion card will work as a learners permit till i can get my endorsement? I really want to take my bike for a spin..
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First of all, congrats on passing. :clap:

I don't know how it is in Washington, but here in oHIo, you go to the DMV office, take the written test. If you pass the test, they give you your permit. With that permit, you are only restricted to daylight hours, non-congested highways and no passengers. Beyond that, you are legal to ride. In fact, you have to have that permit before you are allowed to take the MSF course. When you pass the course, you take the signed card back to the DMV and get your endorsement. If you choose not to take the course, you have to do a driving test for an examiner, then have your permit signed off. It's is much easier to take the MSF course, probably cheaper, too. No idea how much the examiner might cost, but the MSF course is $25 here.

By the way ... just because you have completed "the course" does not mean you are done learning. One of my instructors for the ERC (Experienced Riders Course) said that some people that had been riding for 20 years did NOT have 20 years of experience. They had ONE year of experience and 19 years of repeating the same mistakes. :oops:

I try to go back every two years or so for a refresher. By doing it in the spring, it's a good tune-up for the upcoming season and it keeps the insurance rates down. :dancing:

.
 
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shadowfist said:
ohhhh, you serious? they are the same kind of cable? that is the coolest thing. :D haven't had a chance do try this yet though... because i was to bussy PASSING my motorcycle safety course!! now i can get my endorsement on .... wait TUESDAY? awwww...

does anyone know if having the completion card will work as a learners permit till i can get my endorsement? I really want to take my bike for a spin..
Click to expand...

I would really doubt that the card would be enough. Until the state gets your money, it doesn't count.
 
Shadowfist-

just wanted to say welcome to the forums, always good to have more folks from the northwest.

Well back when i did the safety course (out in the Rain in hoquium) i'm pretty sure they said no riding until you actually get the little number 3 on your card. until then you're SOL as far as the law is concerned, doesn't mean you can't ride, but i can't advise any illegal spins around the block :). Of course if the learners permit is still valid, then your all good.

Congrats on passing the course, make sure to give your fellow gs riders a wave when your out there...
 
just an update, i have gotten my endorsement officially and went for about an hour long ride last night, it was a blast! i am going to start riding it to work just about anyday that is not freezing or raining :D

changed my oil tonight which leads me to another question but, i'll post that in a new thread 'cause this one is getting a bit bloated and off-topic :oops:
 
just wanted to give you a little update on my speedo, and ask one more question.

first it was my "drive gear" that was busted, i pulled cable out of it and spun the wheel and the gear in there didnt turn at all.

i managed to get my hands on a cable and drive gear from a 1982 gs750 i think. it looked identical but this will work right?
 
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