Author Topic: Reset Speedometer  (Read 10952 times)

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gate2

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Reset Speedometer
« on: February 08, 2007, 07:12:02 PM »
I am restoring my K2 750 and have disassembled the guarges for cleaning and painting and would like to reset the mileage to 0.  Does anyone know how to do this.  I have it apart but am reluctant to start pulling gears out.  I've seen a number of them with reset odo's when restored and would like to do mine.

Offline cosmo

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2007, 07:37:56 PM »
I am restoring my K2 750 and have disassembled the guarges for cleaning and painting and would like to reset the mileage to 0.  Does anyone know how to do this.  I have it apart but am reluctant to start pulling gears out.  I've seen a number of them with reset odo's when restored and would like to do mine.
Hook a drill up to 'er, crank it around to 0
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gate2

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2007, 07:40:43 PM »
Always wondered if that drill thing would work.  Suspect it would trash those plastic gears running backwards.  Bet someone on here knows how to do reset that odometer.

Offline Blaize

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2007, 11:05:38 PM »
I think what he meant was run it forward untill it rolls over to zero. May take a while. Gennrally running backwards will do nothing. I have reset a few thru the years, and while I have never done a honda gauge I have done german and british and I can tell you they are all different and there is no real set of instructions. They are never that difficult to do you just need to stare at it until you can see how it works. And how to take it apart. In the past I have found that you can just remove, Or at least "bend" out of the way one peice and the gears will turn freely. You are on your own of course but if you look close enough they really are not all that complicated. good luck with it.
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gate2

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2007, 05:51:06 AM »
Well, I'm still staring at it and haven't figured it out yet!  Hopefully someone who has done this will still reply.

Offline Raul CB750K1

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2007, 05:59:26 AM »
I did it recently for my CB350. I stripped the instruments to paint the covers, and while I was and it and provided that I have fully rebuilt the engine and painted the bike, I thought it was fair to reset the speedo because it was something like a new beginning.

Never had done before, but it was not very difficult to figure out. The speedo gears are actuated by a screw, so you can't simply turn the digits to the desired reading. It's necessary to remove the digit units and set the reading manually. To do that, with a screw driver pry open the bracket -see atached picture- and remove the wheels. Be careful, there is a spring in the wheel's axis. Between every pair of wheels there is a small metal bracket whose purpose is to be an "index", a stop for the digit to be in the right position. The instrument face put all those small, tiny two-prong brackets at the same level.

Once you have the wheel numbers apart, it's a matter of turning wheels until you reach the desired reading. The indexing brackets must be all in the same position. It's not difficult but it's a little "tricky". I think I moved them backwards because it was a shorter trip than moving forward but I don't remember well. I set them to 99.999,5 or so to make some room for the first test drives...  ;D


Don't know how other speedos are built but i guess they are pretty much the same...


gate2

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2007, 06:19:07 AM »
Looking at your picture, you bent the tab up a bit to relaese the whels with the numbers on them, then moved the wheels back , set the wheels to desired miles, and keeping the alignment tabs at the top put the wheel back and bent the tab back?.  Is that pretty mcuh what we are doing?

Offline Raul CB750K1

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2007, 06:34:07 AM »
Looking at your picture, you bent the tab up a bit to relaese the whels with the numbers on them, then moved the wheels back , set the wheels to desired miles, and keeping the alignment tabs at the top put the wheel back and bent the tab back?.  Is that pretty mcuh what we are doing?


Correct. Bending the tab up and releasing the spindle alone won't do much, because at the other end of the spindle the gear would still be engaged. You have to remove the whole unit.

okie

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2007, 07:43:04 AM »
Most speedometers have a standard of 1000 revelutions per mile.  That is the basis for selecting the correct drive gears when wheel size or gearing is changed.  Using that figure of 1000 revelutions per mile and assuming your drill turned at 1750 RPM, it would take a little over 476 hours to advance the odometer from 50,000 miles to 100,000 miles (or showing 00000.0).  I believe the old story about turning back odometers with a drill is just an urban legend.  1750 RPM is equal to 105 miles per hour.  Going much faster than that is going to overheat and damage odometer parts.    I would sugest that you listen to Raul CB750K1 and do it the only correct way.


Offline BobbyR

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2007, 08:18:21 AM »
In my misspent youth I was aquainted with the "adjustment" of odometers. Forget drills. Once you have the unit open, you are 99% there. Just remove the number wheel shown in the picture above and manipulate the wheels till you get to 00000000.
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Offline heffay

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2007, 09:02:28 AM »
CHEATERS!!![/size][/color][/b]






 ;D
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Offline clarkjh

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2007, 07:02:42 PM »
that would put you in jail here if you try to sell it here after doing something like that even with disclosure.
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Offline siter81

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2007, 08:38:18 PM »
Bad Human.
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Offline Jugghead

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #13 on: February 09, 2007, 11:40:32 PM »
that would put you in jail here if you try to sell it here after doing something like that even with disclosure.
that's what I was thinking, but didn't want to rain on his parade...Tampering with an odometer is a big deal in (certain states?) of the USA.
9/72 CB350F...15k miles and rising

Heironymous Josh

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #14 on: February 10, 2007, 12:26:15 AM »
Am I the only one reading this post and wondering if the motor is being restored?  If it isn't don't roll back the odo, that's simply part of being a respectable seller.  If you plan on owning the bike the rest of your natural born life, then do whatever floats your fancy but if you plan on reselling it, don't roll back the odo.  This is something that has always effing bothered me about motorcycle owners and restorers.  With cars, it's the ultimate sin, with bikes it's the norm.  Personally, I think the miles a bike has are badges of honor.  Whatever, I'm for never rolling back an odo, personally

Offline turtle

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #15 on: February 10, 2007, 01:31:37 AM »
that would put you in jail here if you try to sell it here after doing something like that even with disclosure.

I was thinking that too. A used car dealer was fined thousands last week for doing the same thing.
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gate2

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #16 on: February 10, 2007, 06:40:00 AM »
In my state there is a place on the title you check "actual mileage unknown".  In my case, the K2 came with a K0 speedo on it where it had been replaced at some time in the past so I have no idea how many miles the bike has really traveled so keeping orgiinal mileage is a mute question on this one.  In putting the right K@ speedo on I will be wrong no matter what I do.  So I jsut thought it would be neat to start with 0 miles and I would be logging the miles I ride.  Hadn't given much thought to keeping it honest since it was already wrong.  This must happen every time a speedo gets damaged or quits working.  The old speedo I found has a lot of miles on it (60 thou), would you use it as is, or turn it to something you guess to be in the ballpark or go to 0.  Not doing any of this with resale thoughts, just for my own fun. 

Offline WJL75

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #17 on: February 10, 2007, 09:26:00 AM »
Depending on the state, the mileage is not needed required at time of sale.  At least in Wisconsin it was that way when I bought my bike.  We had it on the bill of sale, but my new title says Odometer Status Exempt.  Just check your local laws to be safe. 
wjl75

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Offline heffay

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #18 on: February 10, 2007, 09:46:36 AM »
just to clear something up.
most every time odometer tampering is a big no no
will they find out about it?  most likely not unless, they're watching you... on here.

the exempt status is not due to odometer resets but the limits of the odometer w/ respect to age of vehicle.

i would advise not resetting.  no matter whether you think you've taken the "miles" off of the bike you haven't.  the miles we rack up on these are the claim to sohc4 fame.  when someone asks how many miles you have on it what will you say?  hopefully, it will not be:

"Zero... I rolled back the odometer."

i hope that it will be:

"XX,XXX... let me tell you about all of the miles i've ridden since i bought it"

in real life... i mean no offense to you of course, i would think you were dishonest, a guy trying to make a quick buck, and i would never consider purchasing the bike from you.  i understand you may never sell it, but... 
Today: '73 cb350f, '96 Ducati 900 Supersport
Past Rides: '72 tc125, '94 cbr600f2, '76 rd400, '89 ex500, '93 KTM-125exc, '92 zx7r, '93 Banshee, '83 ATC250R, 77/75 cb400f

gate2

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #19 on: February 10, 2007, 02:48:44 PM »
Actually I have no idea the real mileage on my bike.  It had the wrong speedo on it when I bought it and since it did not match the correct tach I wanted to correct that.  Now, what about the mileage question?

Offline jevfro

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #20 on: February 10, 2007, 03:13:56 PM »
I'm from the "go ahead and reset it" camp... My odo was off a newer bike so I've never known the actual mileage on my engine.  I've replaced the speedo w/ the correct part and am thinking if i ever get the engine completely rebuilt I'll set it to zero then (along w/ some new faces). I don't ever plan on selling my 75' cb750 K5, but even if I did, mileage is not shown on titles in WA for motorcycle sales.  I'm guessing if you are doing a major restoration you're keeping it and want to start fresh.

I can see how the miles on the odo are like badges of courage,  but if you don't even know if they are correct then why worry about the legality of setting it back.  If you put aftermarket guages on are you required to open them and advance it to the "correct" number?

gate2

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #21 on: February 10, 2007, 04:01:00 PM »
Thats a good point.  Unless you bought yours new, there is now way to really know what the mileage is on a MC since the speedo unit is so easy to change.  And, quite a few go bad, and are up front and easy to be damaged.  A few replies I got were "flaming me for being a cheater".  I think to you would have be pretty dumb to buy a biike 35 years old and think it really had no miles on it. 

Offline Hockers Choppers

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #22 on: February 10, 2007, 05:13:23 PM »
It's like cars. I'd rather have one with a million miles that has be restored ( professionally ), rather than one that has 10 miles and been sitting in a barn and rusted to crap!!!
The thing about common sense is that, it's not that common.

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Offline heffay

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #23 on: February 10, 2007, 06:32:02 PM »
Thats a good point.  Unless you bought yours new, there is now way to really know what the mileage is on a MC since the speedo unit is so easy to change.  And, quite a few go bad, and are up front and easy to be damaged.  A few replies I got were "flaming me for being a cheater".  I think to you would have be pretty dumb to buy a biike 35 years old and think it really had no miles on it. 

if you think flaming includes a smiley... you might not have much luck on this forum  ;)
Today: '73 cb350f, '96 Ducati 900 Supersport
Past Rides: '72 tc125, '94 cbr600f2, '76 rd400, '89 ex500, '93 KTM-125exc, '92 zx7r, '93 Banshee, '83 ATC250R, 77/75 cb400f

Offline HITMAN

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Re: Reset Speedometer
« Reply #24 on: February 10, 2007, 09:21:36 PM »
My odometer readings are a great example of Honda engineering, with an CM250C with 40K original without a rebuild.  And a 74 CB550 in current rebuild the OD will still be 34K, so why mess with somthing that still works like a honda?
1974 Honda CB550F
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