Speedo drive

[mdole]

I replace my speedo drive unit on my 1981 GS750L with on from the junkyard just before I left for Washington a little over a month ago.

Monty at Northern New Mexico Motorcycle said that he though some of these were pretty weak units that failed frequently.

I put about 4000 mile on from the time I installed this unit until it failed on my way back from Grants this Saturday.

I have ordered a new unit from Ron Ayers, which means I'll probably be down for at least a week. The part number that I looked up on bike bandit said it had been superceded by a number that appears to be earlier in the series. 54600-45200 superceded by 54600-49100.

My question is what anyone knows about these drives. I am wondering if this is in fact an improved drive or an older drive used before they had problems. Any other information on speedometer drives would be appreciated.

Mike

[Anonymous]

you might be able to rebuild the speedo drive. I did this for mine. Basicly just needed some grease if I remember correctly. Also, make sure it's not the speedo cable that is not the culprite.

[deano]

Mine striped the tags where it fits into the wheel rim, i built it up again with mig weilder and filed it to suit. I flicked the seal out in the drive and found the reason it did this was that the grease in it was very dry this made it very hard to turn, i cleaned it out with kero and re greased it, now its good as new easy to turn

[Anonymous]

My speedo failed after the two bolts on the bottom of my fork tube came loose (one fell out). This allowed the speedo drive to turn upwards and jam against the caliper. I haven't taken it apart to see whats broken yet...how do you add a few thousand to the odometer?

Steve

[nayasoldman]

Wow- I have the same problem----after riding on a rough dirt road in outhere Nevada the speedometer gearbox tilted upward and aparently broke somehow----I tested the cable and it still turned the speedometer----do I have to replace the entire gearbox or can you replace the insides?

[crag antler]

On my 83 GS1100E, I was getting a clicking sound. I put this to maybe bad bearings. Eventually I lost the speedometer reading. Thanks to the forum it turned out to be the speedo drive gear box.
I was able to get a NOS from Paul Miller motorcycles @ vintagesuzuki@attbi.com
His price was $39.00. Everyone else, Suzuki, my local shop, Dennis Kirk and even BikeBandit was quoted at $69.00.
You have got to email Paul first to check on our vintage parts :twisted:

[Anonymous]

Speedo Drive

On my '80 GS850G I took the drive unit off and removed the clips holding the seals and washers in, washed the whole unit in kerosene, blow dry, re-greased. Those two small tangs referred to were a little rough, so I cleaned them up with a bit file, and re-assembled. That was 40K miles ago and I've done one other the same way (GS1100G); still going strong.
Usually, the grease is old and dried out which may cause the cable to seize.
Try it, it sure can't hurt.
Bob Young
GS850G
'86 Concours

[Hap Call]

On my 83 GS1100E, I was getting a clicking sound. I put this to maybe bad bearings. Eventually I lost the speedometer reading. Thanks to the forum it turned out to be the speedo drive gear box.
I was able to get a NOS from Paul Miller motorcycles @ vintagesuzuki@attbi.com
His price was $39.00. Everyone else, Suzuki, my local shop, Dennis Kirk and even BikeBandit was quoted at $69.00.
You have got to email Paul first to check on our vintage parts :twisted:

That is a great price. Ron Ayers has it for $44.54 plus shipping and they are normally the least expensive to by from.

http://www.ronayers.com/browseparts.cfm?searchstring=54600-18402

[mdole]

get a NOS from Paul Miller motorcycles @ vintagesuzuki@attbi.com
His price was $39.00. Everyone else, Suzuki, my local shop, Dennis Kirk and even BikeBandit was quoted at $69.00.
You have got to email Paul first to check on our vintage parts :twisted:

That is a great price. Ron Ayers has it for $44.54 plus shipping and they are normally the least expensive to by from.

http://www.ronayers.com/browseparts....ng=54600-18402

I already ordered one from Ron Ayers but wanted to see what I could get in the way of information on keeping them working. Also any information on the difference on the old one I had compared to the replacement part that superceded it.

Mike

[dpep]

Deano:

Mine striped the tags where it fits into the wheel rim, i built it up again with mig weilder and filed it to suit. I flicked the seal out in the drive and found the reason it did this was that the grease in it was very dry this made it very hard to turn, i cleaned it out with kero and re greased it, now its good as new easy to turn

I have exactly the same problem. I would be interested in the details of how you fixed the little tabs. I am not familiar with mig weilder.

[dpep]

Is the speedo drive the same for all GS models?

[Anonymous]

Naysayoldman:
I pulled my cable tonight and found that it had snapped before it broke the drive system. :P My speedo is working up to 20km/h (driving indoors, road test will come later) and all I had to do was swap the cable and return the drive to the proper position.

Steve

[mdole]

Is the speedo drive the same for all GS models?

I've seen two styles one that I have fits over a raised lip to center on the wheel but I have seen a version that sits in a depression. Mine has the tabs that were mentioned previously. I haven't seen the other style off of a bike so I am not sure how they attach to the wheel to turn the drive gear.

Mike