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If your motorcycle’s speedometer doesn’t work, there’s usually some pretty easy fixes.
There are 3 main reasons why your mechanical speedometer is not working:
- Broken cables.
- Broken/misaligned drive.
- Broken speedometer mechanisms.
If your motorcycle speedometer (or odometer) is not working, check out the tips below to find a solution.
Broken Speedometer Cables
In most cases, a broken speedometer is due to an old, worn, or broken cable.
The first thing you should always try with a broken speedometer is replacing the cable.
Broken or Misaligned Speedometer Drive
The next thing to check if your speedometer isn’t working is the drive gear that’s attached to the wheel.
Somewhere around the front axle attached to the fork, there should be a gear housing that the end of the speedometer cables screws into.
If you or a previous owner have taken apart and reassembled this unit, it’s possible that it was reinstalled incorrectly.
The gears need to match correctly and need to be aligned the right way.
Broken Speedometer Unit
If you’ve tried everything above and have determined that the actual speedometer is the issue, your best bet is to replace it.
Speedometers are really not designed to be opened up and repaired.
Getting to the inside of the speedometer involves prying off the metal retaining clip, loosening the tiny screws, and sliding everything out.
Even if you’re careful, your chances of damaging the unit or the glass face are pretty high.