Speedometer at 0mph as I'm accelerating...

un_designer · Post by **un_designer** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:33 pm

I just noticed earlier that as I am accelerating, the needle on the speedometer doesn't actually do anything. It just sits at 0mph. When I let go of the throttle, it jumps up, but when I accelerate it goes back to the 0mph position.

I've never really paid attention to the speedometer before so I'm not sure if this is normal behavior or if something's wrong? It seems like something's wrong to me ...

mattgordon · Post by **mattgordon** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:48 pm

Sounds like the speedo cable is partially disconnected at either the wheel, or inside the headlight binnacle.

My moneys on the latter, since it makes it a tougher fix (not tough, just tougher then down at the sending unit on the front axle)

un_designer · Post by **un_designer** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:56 pm

Aside from the nuisance of not knowing how fast I'm going, maybe this isn't such a big deal then? It's not like the Buddy's speedometer was all that reliable to begin with anyway LOL.

robby · Post by **robby** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:30 pm

It will affect your logged mileage as well.

Post by **ericalm** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 1:02 am

robby wrote:It will affect your logged mileage as well.

If it's the cable, yes. That's the most common issue.

If your odometer seems to be working properly, the speedo unit could be broken. The interior gears could be worn and slipping or something else could be wrong…

un_designer · Post by **un_designer** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 1:38 am

yep

so I went for a ride today and made a point to pay attention and found that the odometer is really off. A ride that I know is about 3 miles shows up as less than a mile in the odometer.

robby · Post by **robby** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 2:40 am

Nah, that's a happy face. A replacement cable is cheaper and easier to find than a replacement speedo.

un_designer · Post by **un_designer** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 3:14 am

Well idk... I think it might be both. As I mentioned in the title of this thread, the needle in my speedometer is at "zero" as I'm accelerating. When I let go of the throttle, it briefly jumps to "some speed" that I don't know is the correct speed or not. Doesn't that sound like something's wrong with the speedometer as well?

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 3:43 am

For the most part, the only thing the speedo & odom,ever share is the cable. This is why odometers are not off buy the same % speedos are—the error comes from the internal magnetic mechanism of the speedometer.

It's possible that the speedometer might be impeding the cable, but first things first, I'd just check to make sure the cable's properly attached at each end.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:05 pm

Check the top connection on the cable first and see if it just came loose. Common problem on bikes.

If that is tight, just purchase a new cable. Pretty cheap. You can check the cable by putting the bike on the center stand and sitting way back on the seat so the front wheel is in the air and have a friend spin the wheel. watch the disconnected cable end and see if it spins. If no spins, its a broken cable.

Modern Buddy

Speedometer at 0mph as I'm accelerating...

Speedometer at 0mph as I'm accelerating...

somewhat common..