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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: applecrew on October 04, 2012, 10:38:15 AM

Title: Don't even think about it...
Post by: applecrew on October 04, 2012, 10:38:15 AM
I was cruising along on my way to work Tuesday morning, and was thinking to myself- "I'm so lucky, just passed 60,000 miles, and this bike doesn't owe me a penny. She's been perfectly reliable". Still cruising along at 70 mph, I look down to scan my gauges... speedometer reads 0 mph. Trip odometer is not turning over.

Ratballs!  :technical: Stupid speedo... That's what you get for thinking about THAT!

The geared driver at the wheel has given it up. New one lists for $60... so I checked out EBay... and found a replacement for a ridiculously small amount of money... it's well worth the gamble...

We'll see... should have it in a couple of days. All I need to do now is figure our which way to spin the cable with my drill to add the miles. Should be easy...

I'm a stickler for accurate mileage. I've tracked the mileage for every single drop of gas I've put into her (over 250 tankfulls!) from new. I'm not letting this stop me...

:cheers:
Title: Re: Don't even think about it...
Post by: ohgood on October 04, 2012, 12:00:35 PM
Quote from: applecrew on October 04, 2012, 10:38:15 AM
I was cruising along on my way to work Tuesday morning, and was thinking to myself- "I'm so lucky, just passed 60,000 miles, and this bike doesn't owe me a penny. She's been perfectly reliable". Still cruising along at 70 mph, I look down to scan my gauges... speedometer reads 0 mph. Trip odometer is not turning over.

Ratballs!  :technical: Stupid speedo... That's what you get for thinking about THAT!

The geared driver at the wheel has given it up. New one lists for $60... so I checked out EBay... and found a replacement for a ridiculously small amount of money... it's well worth the gamble...

We'll see... should have it in a couple of days. All I need to do now is figure our which way to spin the cable with my drill to add the miles. Should be easy...

I'm a stickler for accurate mileage. I've tracked the mileage for every single drop of gas I've put into her (over 250 tankfulls!) from new. I'm not letting this stop me...

:cheers:

get a wireless bicycle speedometer, set the wheel size and milage. $20, done.


or get a vapor/similar wireless one. some have gps built in... and with 60K miles, you definitely know by now YOU don't need a tachometer ;-)
Title: Re: Don't even think about it...
Post by: applecrew on October 04, 2012, 07:50:21 PM
The new (well, used, actually, but has less than a 1000 miles) geared driver was embarrassingly cheap. It would have been stupid to pass it up. It was less than $5 (yup - 5 bucks!). If it doesn't work... well I won't miss the $5 too badly. 

:cheers:
Title: Re: Don't even think about it...
Post by: applecrew on October 09, 2012, 04:55:58 PM
A quick follow-up: Got the part today, installed it, and it works great!

What a score! Retail (new) = about $60. Bought used for $4.14 (plus 4.80 shipping). I guess I got lucky: the part is from a 2008 with less than 1000 miles and looks brand new. Based on the listing history, the seller has had the part listed since April 2011. Guess I was at the right place at the right time!

:cheers:
Title: Re: Don't even think about it...
Post by: snOhio on October 09, 2012, 05:50:47 PM
you didnt happen to take any pictures, did you?  the other day when i was riding, i started hearing a horrible noise from the front end and noticed that my speedo needle, odometer, and trip meter were shaking like crazy.  wonder if mine is about to give up the ghost.
Title: Re: Don't even think about it...
Post by: applecrew on October 09, 2012, 06:16:56 PM
If you're lucky, it'll be the cable. I think the vibration is a good indicator. With mine, it was a silent failure. Looked down and was doing 70 mph. 30 seconds later, looked down again and was doing 0. No warning whatsoever. Really wasn't anything worth taking pictures over. Took off the front wheel, removed the screw locking the cable into the driver, pulled the cable end out of the driver and disconnected the other end from the speedo housing and saw that the cable was intact. Turned the driver gear by hand and saw that the cable driver did not turn at all. Case solved, needed a new driver.
Title: Re: Don't even think about it...
Post by: piresito on October 10, 2012, 02:39:19 AM
Quote from: applecrew on October 04, 2012, 10:38:15 AM
I was cruising along on my way to work Tuesday morning, and was thinking to myself- "I'm so lucky, just passed 60,000 miles, and this bike doesn't owe me a penny. She's been perfectly reliable".

Every time I though or spoke something like that in my car, I had to get a lift home.   >:(
Really...something broke! Now, to me, that's science, just like 1+1=2.
Lesson learned, I can never think or say something nice about my car or bike when "they" are hearing me.