Speedometer question

[2manybikes]

Speedometer

New speedometer cable, with plenty of oil poured through it. I'm just going to live with it. Knowing it's relatively accurate, is comforting. I'm not likely to get a ticket for going a few MPH under the speed limit! Changing the final drive is a very interesting thought. Thanks again for all the suggestions and info.

[donebysunday]

careful

It's very easy to screw up a speedo trying to oil it !
I had one come back to life, why,how.
I realized the bike had been sitting in the hot sun on a hot day.
I've been using the wife's oven ever since, she even knows.

That's pretty close for a Standard. I think others have reported closer to 70 on their standards, but my special is right about there.

I can't recall exactly, so you'll need to do a search if nobody else posts about a way to squirt some lube into the speedo without messing up the glass. I know about squirting silicone oil into the GEAR portion, but I thought I remember someone posting about being able to squirt into it via a light socket opening??

T.C.

[jetmechmarty]

A slow to respond speedo is a sign of a speedo cable needing lube, IMO. Either because it is "dry" or the lube is gunked up.

Not necessarily. My SG busted the SF speedo this spring at indication of about 40K miles. It had been working fine albeit noisy at times. I swapped with an XS650/750 unit I found in a box in my basement. It is slow. I accelerate to 4k in 5th gear and it still says 25 mph until I'm a half mile down the road. The cable is not at fault.

My new slow one.

It's all MaximPhil's fault! It was fine until I let him ride it.

I run stock FD. If the RPM bothers me, I'll just park this other machine under me. 4,000 RPM is over 80 mph indicated.

[Bonz]

I had the speedo off the ZRX 1200 last weekend replacing instrument cluster bulbs like I mentioned a few posts ago. Granted, it is very easy to remove the speedo assembly, hold it in my hand and look right at the speedo gears on that bike.

Anyway I forgot to mention I had also put a few light spritz's of a Teflon/PTFE spray on the plastic gears. Between that and the oil in the cable housing, the speedo is working slick as can be.

I LIKE the idea of warming it up in an oven. Probably softens the gears, per se, and releases some lubricity in the process that had worn off the outer surface. I know sunlight (heat) causes plastic/vinyl car dashboards to release "vapor" over time that make the inside of the windshield get that dull haze, maybe a similar effect going on to revive the speedo gears.

[TopCatGr58]

I have taken the TACH apart, and found that the faceplate is PLASTIC, so I wouldn't set the oven too hot, lest you want to melt the plastic gauge face plate! JAT!

[Radioguylogs]

The Persitence of RPM

The thought reminds me of this:

[ViperRon]

Heating it in anything makes me worry about that little needle thing that likes to break off. And for god sake don't drop it cause if you do the needle will snap. The sun over the years has decayed these things and they are brittle.

[iowaXS]

I don't know if this is helpful or not, but you can get a good MPH reading from any GPS or modern phone these days. You know, if you want to confirm you speedo...

[MaximPhil]

Not necessarily. My SG busted the SF speedo this spring at indication of about 40K miles. It had been working fine albeit noisy at times. I swapped with an XS650/750 unit I found in a box in my basement. It is slow. I accelerate to 4k in 5th gear and it still says 25 mph until I'm a half mile down the road. The cable is not at fault.

My new slow one.

It's all MaximPhil's fault! It was fine until I let him ride it.

I run stock FD. If the RPM bothers me, I'll just park this other machine under me. 4,000 RPM is over 80 mph indicated.

Hi Marty,
Sorry We should have disconnected it when it started acting strange. You forgot to mention that was after the Guzzi blew up while I was starting it
Phil