140 mph speedo odometer roll back

[BigDick]

I have lots of spare time, but not THAT much spare time

[fredintoon]

I would LOVE to roll the odometer back so it matches my 85 mph speedometer. Does anyone know an easy way to do this without taking the bezel off/prying it apart?

Gawdelpus BigDick,
can't you find something meaningful to fuss about? Years ago buddy wound 150 miles off his VW speedo to get it back under the warranty mileage to get his tranny fixed but he had serious financial motivation. (He set the speedo on a lathe bed with a drive from the lathe chuck and let it run all weekend)
What you can do is set the speedo to be turned by an air driven die grinder (air tools self-cool, unlike a Dremel which could overheat & burn out) until the numbers match.
If it were mine to do I'd get a Dymo tapewriter and make a stickon that said:- "replacement speedo. real mileage is minus (whatever number)"
and put it next to the ID sticker on the steering head.

[BigDick]

sorry bitching is one of my pastimes, it keeps me sane.

[DGXSER]

sorry bitching is one of my pastimes, it keeps me sane.

It's ok, thats what makes you ....who you are.

[renegade_xs11g]

Hey, Dick:
glad you got the speedo, just do us a favor....
don't post any pics of you putting it on.....don't need to see that!


BTW, that canceler does work

[cajun31]

I have tried to do both. I burned a drill up and only backed off about 5000 miles before it died. I have also tried to take one apart and ended up messing the carb up. As was stated earlier they are made to not be tampered with. The way I feel about it now is what difference does it make how many miles are showing on it. The bike is almost 30 years old and as long as it works that's what is important.

[b.walker5]

little choice but..

I'm just about to replace my damaged speedo with an ebay replacement and unless i want to fill out reams of archaic paperwork and pay an exorbidant fee I have to adjust the new to match the old.

When the bike goes for it's six monthly safety inspection (warrant of fitness) the milage is recorded and god help you if its less than the previous recorded reading. It send the inspectors into a frenzy and you start getting questioned on the evils of speedo tampering. So to avoid all this I've got to tamper with the speedo.

[Ivan]

Ummm, you could just leave it alone. If the DMV causes any scoff, tell them it fell over in transport and destroyed the original and they will note it on the title with some warning.

Or, as on my bike, the DMV people won't even look a second time when they see something from the early 80s. I have a 160 speedo with 47,000 on the odo and have no idea what the actual mileage is. The DMV didn't seem to even care about the mileage.

[DGXSER]

Hey Ivan, that is probably true in most of the USA, but folks in New Zealand play by their rule book.

[Ivan]

Hey Ivan, that is probably true in most of the USA, but folks in New Zealand play by their rule book.

Well, I guess I was referencing Big Dick's original posting. Sorry. If you're not confused yet, try reading more of my random mumblings that are counted on my stats.

[Crazcnuk]

Just replace it, and when you go for your inspection, bring the old one with you and tell them it's theirs

"To have and to hold and to hug and call George".

Then they can fill out whatever paperwork they deem appropriate.

**** happens, speedos die, they have to be replaced. They will have to learn to live with it.

I beleive there are places you can send them to to have them 'legally' tampered with, but I would imagine it's pricey.

[b.walker5]

Just replace it, and when you go for your inspection, bring the old one with you and tell them it's theirs

"To have and to hold and to hug and call George".

Then they can fill out whatever paperwork they deem appropriate.

**** happens, speedos die, they have to be replaced. They will have to learn to live with it.

If only it were that simple... Speedo's do die but it's actually easier (and possibly cheaper) to replace the vehicle than it is to jump through the stupid bloody hoops that our LTSA (equivalent of DMV) put in our way.

[Crazcnuk]

For a stupid speedometer?

If they balk, tell them to go do something important.
NO ONE onn the face of the planet cares what the odometer on a 30 year old motorcycle says. Period.

Go see a lawyer. Take a letter with you from the lawyer, swearing the true mileage and if they don't like it go out in the parking lot and smash the speedos out of a few of their cars!

Just change it, take it in for your next safety and defy them to PROVE the mileage is incorrect.

If none of this will work, get the hell out of that stupid country.

[b.walker5]

About 10 years ago we had a group of unscrupulous vehicle importers that, over a period of 3 or 4 years, bought several thousand second hand japanese cars into the country that had the odometers wound back, up to 100,000 kms in some cases. By the time LTSA and Customs caught on most of them had been flogged off to unsuspecting buyers. The result was a whole bunch of new rules around proof of mileage and screads of documentation to prove it. Penaties for tampering went from a slap on the hand to an imprisonable offence, all in the name of consumer protection, and everyone was caught up in the net. Hot rodders (me), restorers, repairers, salesyards, importers, the lot. One rule for all. I don't have a problem with the intent (consumer protection) but it sure as hell makes life difficult for times like these.

[fredintoon]

Those bastards are everywhere

- - - Penalties for tampering went from a slap on the hand to an imprisonable offence, all in the name of consumer protection, and everyone was caught up in the net. Hot rodders (me), restorers, repairers, salesyards, importers, the lot. One rule for all. I don't have a problem with the intent (consumer protection) but it sure as hell makes life difficult for times like these.

Hi Brian,
NZ does not have a monopoly of total f*ckheads writing legislation.
Recent US laws that forbid the sale of children's toys coated in lead-based paints (and that's a good thing, right?) are so written that they also forbid the sale of mini-bikes to 12 year olds. (presumably because they must be protected from sucking on the crankcase castings which may have a small %age of lead in the alloy?)