Speedometer Stopped Working

[IanDMacDonald]

I searched the forum and found no definitive answer to my question. I was on my way home from work and my speedo just stopped working. I got home and pulled the cable from both ends and they looked okay. What checks can I perform to see if it's the gear or the clock? I guess I know how to check to see if the pinion gear is stripped by leaving the cable attached and checking to see if the cable spins. I really hope my speedo is not toast!

[b.walker5]

Take the cable off the drive on the front wheel and spin your front wheel. That should tell you if the drive is working, reconnect the cable and and disconnect at the speedo, spin the wheel again. Grip the cable end in your fingers to give some resistance when its turning. That should rule out any stripping that may have gone on. If it all works to that point then check the tech tips and speedo dissasembly, 'cause yer goin to be doin some surgery...

[DGXSER]

Brian has you pretty well covered on the diagnosis. Make sure to that your speedo cable was not just lose to start with. I have had one come completely off the Speedometer and just hang behind the headlight, thankfully not the bike.

Opening up the speedo is not impossible, you just have to use a small blade screwdriver. Realize that the under side of the rolled lip is not visible once you mount the speedo inside the housing with the rubber gasket, cause it is going to get torn up a bit. It will probably split the metal in places as you slowly and carefully work the rolled lip out.

I was havign issues with my odometer. It would roll the hundreds digit with the tens digit every so often, same for tens when it rolled the ones. Opened it up, sprayed it good with electronics cleaner, then some WD40 or similar stuff. I also took the opportunity to put some red back over the faded out area on the dial. Put it all back together and it works like a champ ever since.

[IanDMacDonald]

Yup, ended up being a broken cable at the sensor side. I missed it last night as it stayed in-tact when I pulled the cable out. But, when I actually tugged on it, it pulled right out. Phewww. Thanks God it was not the speedo. I'll swap the cable out tomorrow from one off my 750 if it's the right one.

[fredintoon]

Yup, ended up being a broken cable at the sensor side. I missed it last night as it stayed in-tact when I pulled the cable out. But, when I actually tugged on it, it pulled right out. Phewww. Thanks God it was not the speedo. I'll swap the cable out tomorrow from one off my 750 if it's the right one.

Hi Ian,
speedo drive cables usually don't simply bust off, your speedo may still be the cause. Before you bust off the replacement drive cable shove the remaining square cable end into the speedo and see if it spins real easy. If the speedo has any internal drag, that will overload the cable.
Hopefully a dragging speedo can be fixed with a squirt of oil.

[jetmechmarty]

I had a Speedo lock up. I replaced the broken cable and it lasted about 20 feet.

[IanDMacDonald]

Maybe I should admit to the reason it busted. The other day when leaving work, I forgot the front caliper lock was still on the bike. Short story: I started riding the four feet before the lock hit the caliper. It did not immediately bust the speedo cable, but caused enough stress that it broke the next day.

[skids]

Maybe I should admit to the reason it busted. .

Yeah, you should have explained that from the get-go.