Lazy speedometer head

VMAX  Forum

Help Support VMAX Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

jinks

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2015
Messages
280
Reaction score
2
Location
prince albert
Its not the cable "new" its not the drive gear "new".
My speedo is lazy "slow at catching up to speed" but reads accurate on stable cruising speed. I'm guessing there is no quick fix for this. Something in the head isn't working proper. Time for a new speedo ???
worked 100% in the fall when I parked it. There is only 23000 kms on it.
 
Make sure your cable is in one piece, that the square ends aren't rounded, that the cable is greased, and that the steel helix casing the inner cable rides-in, doesn't have any kinks.
 
The needle on a speedometer is not directly connected to the cable. There is a gear train which connects the odometer directly, but the needle is attached to a hairspring, and a little round magnet. The speedo cable spins another little magnet, closely spaced to the one on the needle. As it spins, the cable magnet generates a pull on the needle, causing it to swing. The hairspring puts enough resistance to rotation to ensure the needle reads correctly. I'd bet if the needle is "slow", something is sticking. If the odo is working, and no noises are coming out of the speedo or cable, I'd think that's your problem. Ride the bike a while, maybe the lube in the mechanism got stiff from cold or sitting. There must be some lubrication in the needle pivot area..


Of course, this only applies to old fashioned analog speedometers.
 
I had a cable howl like a wolf at any speed-lube it and it last 2 weeks before it snapped.
The needle was slow like jinks said then bounced and snapped.
Motion pro makes a replacement.
 
Make sure your cable is in one piece, that the square ends aren't rounded, that the cable is greased, and that the steel helix casing the inner cable rides-in, doesn't have any kinks.

Yep. I had one that was slow to respond...and the started bouncing. One of the ends was chewed off.

If it is that...it's easier to change the whole thing. You can pick up a used one from Kyle or Sean. Or.....there are several bikes on here that are being parted out. See what they want for the cable.
 
The needle on a speedometer is not directly connected to the cable. There is a gear train which connects the odometer directly, but the needle is attached to a hairspring, and a little round magnet. The speedo cable spins another little magnet, closely spaced to the one on the needle. As it spins, the cable magnet generates a pull on the needle, causing it to swing. The hairspring puts enough resistance to rotation to ensure the needle reads correctly. I'd bet if the needle is "slow", something is sticking. If the odo is working, and no noises are coming out of the speedo or cable, I'd think that's your problem. Ride the bike a while, maybe the lube in the mechanism got stiff from cold or sitting. There must be some lubrication in the needle pivot area..


Of course, this only applies to old fashioned analog speedometers.

I think that you are correct. Everything else was all changed out a year ago.
I put the drill to the cable & the speedo didn't respond for about 3 seconds.
I will ride it for a while & see if it gets better,....but not for a while,..we just got hit by a freak snow storm....arrg !
 

Latest posts

Back
Top