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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1202169470 Message started by jk on 02/04/08 at 15:57:49 |
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Title: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by jk on 02/04/08 at 15:57:49 I'm moving my speedo up the handlebars and I'm looking for a longer cable. I did a search here, for "speedometer cable" but could only find a reference to a tach cable of an older Suzuki GT 750 triple. Any one have any idea what year I should look at? Or other solutions? Thanks! |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by jk on 02/04/08 at 16:11:37 According to BikeBandit, the tach cables for a GT750 have the same part number from 1972 to 1977. It's only fifteen bucks. I'll try eBay as well... |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by Jack_650 on 02/04/08 at 21:31:04 I moved mine up to the handle bars last year. I changed to a Harley tank but wanted to keep the old speedo as I knew how much it was off and wanted to keep track of the real miles on the bike. I'm not sure of the model number but I picked up the tach cable from a Suzuki 3-cyl at a bike pre-owned-laying-on-the-ground parts emporium for somewhere around $10.00. The local dealer who couldn't tell a bass from his (well, you know) was less than no help, but the yard dog at this bike salvage place just had me hop on the golf cart and took me right to what I needed. If you have any doubts about it take your old cable to make sure the ends are a match. Just make sure to pull the cable out, wipe it down good, do the slush-pump thing with oil on a rag to clean out the cable housing and lube with whatever motor oil you use in the bike. I do the synth oil thing so I'm sure there'll never be a problem. I re-new the cable oiling every year or so. As a side note, if you want to save some bucks, instead of spending $30-$50 for a housing from an auto parts store you can do what I did. I took a PVC pipe coupling fitting and rough sanded it so the plastic type paint would stick to it nicely. The tach from our bikes fits in it almost perfectly. perfectly when you add a few layers of duct tape around it. There's a few more steps involved in the process and it's all written up here somewhere on this site from when I did the job. there's hints on what I did to keep the original lights, making a back protective cap and mounting it to the bars. jazzcarter's 2000 Suzuki Savage (http://bikepics.com/members/jazzcarter/00savage/) http://w2.bikepics.com/pics/2007%5C04%5C18%5Cbikepics-869174-full.jpghttp://w2.bikepics.com/pics/2007%5C04%5C18%5Cbikepics-869171-full.jpg Jack |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by demin on 02/05/08 at 16:37:23 With a tank that big on the back shouldn't you have flammable placards on there and a hazmat license? ;DNow that's a gastank. 8-) |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by rocky on 02/05/08 at 17:21:34 What Harley tank did you get to work? |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by Jack_650 on 02/05/08 at 20:17:52 The front tank is a five gallon one piece from a Harley softtail that I picked up with a dent in it from a Harley shop for $50.00. It was an insurance take-off. The whole process of the change over is written up on here somewhere. The tank on the back is a four gallon aluminum tour tank from a company that makes a few different versions AND will make them to just about any capacity you want. If I have to I can go well over 400 miles before having to find a gas station. Makes it easier to shop for the two cent saving on down the road. Jack |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by Savage_Greg on 02/05/08 at 21:20:48 Man, that's a cool tank setup (I know, I read about it before)... But did you find the cheese? ;D |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by KwakNut on 02/06/08 at 01:05:49 That rear tank looks great, but if it came within a mile of a traffic cop in the UK you'd be arrested and the bike impounded! |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by Reelthing on 02/06/08 at 07:46:28 why? - because of the placement ? |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by KwakNut on 02/06/08 at 08:37:48 46717178607C7D7A73140 wrote:
A traffic cop would go ape over dangerous placement/insecurity of that fuel tank. it may be strapped down, but it doesn't look like it would stay connected to the bike long if there were an impact, so you'd have a leaking gas tank rolling round the accident scene. I'm sure it does the job and it's been well fitted - but not to whatever government or industry-approved standard is required for type aproval. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea and I for one would happily strap something like that on if I were going touring round some remote region. Think back to the massive punitive damages that were awarded against one of the motor manufacturers in the States a few years ago when a pick up truck’s tank exploded after side impact from a car – that woke the industry up a little in terms of fuel tank safety, and the law as well. I suspect an enthusiastic cop your side of the pond could be just as interested in that tank! |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by Reelthing on 02/06/08 at 09:33:54 Seems difficult to be cordial, so be it. We sure are pleased someone finally came to tell us the errors of our ways no idea how we managed to survive this long in our state of ignorance. |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by KwakNut on 02/06/08 at 09:40:55 794E4E475F4342454C2B0 wrote:
I just suggested it might not please a traffic cop, that's all! No offence intended. |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by Gary On A Savage on 02/06/08 at 15:24:15 7C40565C794243370 wrote:
I just suggested it might not please a traffic cop, that's all! No offence intended. [/quote] No offence, but it looks to be better attached than the couple of bolts that hold the stock tank in place! Besides, I think he's put enough miles on to have one or two police notice it. We're not as stringent as you...we are just "sue happy" is all. |
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Title: Re: in Germany (and other EU countries) Post by Stimpy on 02/06/08 at 17:14:03 Quote:
Yes that bike is awesome. :) In Germany, where I used to live and are going back to soon enough, there would probably be a bit more tolerance from the cops side, BUT you would have to remove it every year before taking your bike to the government's "TUV" check-up that certifies yearly your vehicles roadworthiness (since theoretically you are not supposed to do any unauthorized modificatios to any vehicle by yourself) OR in the case of an accident your insurance could be invalidated. |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by Jack_650 on 02/06/08 at 20:59:41 Oh my, what have I done here? I guess a little anecdotal info might help calm the waters here. The rear tank is sold in this country by a company that sells a lot of them. Their mounting straps are 1/4" steel held onto the bike by four bolts, usually to a luggage rack. In my case those four bolts go through a sheet of 1/4" steel that's bolted very securely through my stock solid steel sissy bar. I don't want to test it, but the site of the company that makes and sells these tanks has comments from folks who have flipped their bikes with these tanks on them and they've stayed attached and spill-proof. Got to be better than those PVC tanks those lads use just sitting on their four wheel off road toys. I can attest to the fact that when my bike was lying on it's right side after a semi blew it over on the gravel shoulder of a country road the stock tank leaked a lot more gas from around it's cap than the tank on the back did. The aux tank can be had with an internal splash baffle and an over-flow catch tank so as to be legal in CA. As for a rear end ramming caused explosions, I guess if I'm hit that hard, I doubt I'll be the one worrying about a fire. But as stated above, I don't think the tank is going anywhere without the bike still attached. and it's way sturdier than the thin sheet metal of the stock tank on this bike. The Harley tank on front is stronger than stock on this bike as well. Now, as to the state by state legal issues, I've not gone around and asked the various local constabularies as to their local ordinances. I have ridden in and through around 2/3 of the eastern half of the country with nary a second glance from the police, even when I was passing them on the big slabs. I think if anyone would be interested in pulling me over Georgia, Alabama or Florida would have been all over me like stink on doo-doo. If I get it together enough for the trip I want to do next summer I'll let you know about California. Bottom line for me is that I've never given any thought to the idea that that back tank would come off, rupture or be anymore dangerous than carrying a quart of gas in an aluminum container in a saddle bag. I put it on to stay and trust me it's not going anywhere easily. The tank sits high enough that it'll go on top of pretty much any hood should I get hit. And if somebody doesn't see that big honkin' red oval light on the tank then I'll have the painful pleasure of knowing they were in the wrong. A little facetious on the light thing, but if we want to ride we take some chances. We prepare the best we can and (at least most of us) obey the laws. And at least here in MN my buddy the police chief hasn't told me I should take it off. Of course he's a Gold Winger and only knows comfort anyway. Straddle the saddle and keep on pedaling, Jack |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by KwakNut on 02/07/08 at 04:06:57 Sounds like sense to me Jack - I just wish we had the freedom to do that sort of thing in the UK. We have Police pulling you over to check whether your exhaust silencer has a steet legal stamp, or if your helmet visor is within an approved range of tint shading, and we can't wear any of the cool and comfortable cruiser-style helmets because they don't meet our nanny-state safety regs, so everybody has to wear a great big race-approved helmet. They'll even pull you over to measure the height of the letters on your license plate on a bike, because the standard issue plates are so big they look silly on most bikes, and half of all motorcyclists have a smaller one made. It's all very well my government being obsessed with safety (blame the fools who signed us up for the European Union) but I'd much rather be riding a bike with an add-on tank wearing just sandals and a pair of shades. |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by jk on 02/07/08 at 04:35:51 I'm sure a tank like that would come in handy during my trip this May... As to the speedo cable- I've found a half dozen online that might work- these guys took really good pictures of the connectors and what not, but they left off the length of the cable. They must not want to sell them that badly, 'cause not a single one of them has responded to my emailed queries. >:( And the bone yards 'round here have very slim pickin's (or are just plain clueless) Frustratin'. |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by Jack_650 on 02/07/08 at 09:37:53 The less than alive-in-the-head Suzuki dealer here in town was going to order me a new cable but couldn't/wouldn/t tell me the length. In fact he wouldn't even tell me the price, but since it was to be a special order item I wouldn't even be able to take it back if it didn't work. One thing I did try was to modify a version of a Honda (of some kind I think) cable. The end that goes into the tranny is a round plug about 1/2" long with a slot in it. I soldered a small washer into the slot and used a grinder to get the shape right to duplicate the shape of the "bumps" on the tranny end of the stock cable. The speedo end of the cables seems to be pretty standard. Then I had to cut the cable housing off and splice the Suzuki bottom of the outer sleeve (to keep the fitting that screws onto the transmission) and the Honda top together to cover the cable for it's full length. I'm pretty sure the industrial tape and clamped on fitting at the join would have kept everything intact over the long haul, but the fella at the yard with the go-cart let me end up with a more elegant solution when he took me to the Suzi-que 3 cyl. tach cable. Important either way is to clean the inner cable and pathway and to keep it lubed with oil, the same you use in the motor is just fine. If all else fails, let me know and I can check at the yard here. It's a fair piece up the road, but I go that way from time to time. Back then they had three or four of those bikes rusting in the rain with cables still attached. Jack |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by jk on 02/07/08 at 17:18:17 Thanks for the offer Jack! I appreciate it. However, I found one this afternoon! Huzzah! 43" tach cable off of a GT250 or something... I forget. I'm supposed to be QCing some Boomerang packages right now... Yogi Bear ain't gonna watch himself. ;) |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by Savage_Greg on 02/08/08 at 05:18:59 Did we find the cheese yet? ::) |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by bsdnfraje on 02/08/08 at 10:17:42 (buuuuurp) Nope, still looking. I don't think anyone checked waaaaay over there... |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by jk on 02/08/08 at 18:40:06 Want some coffee? http://w3.bikepics.com/pics/2008/02/08/bikepics-1176623-full.jpg Ha! It's not coffee... http://w3.bikepics.com/pics/2008/02/08/bikepics-1176625-full.jpg Newly relocated speedo... http://w3.bikepics.com/pics/2008/02/08/bikepics-1176624-full.jpg Just needs some paint and a cable. I bought one off of fleaBay, but the guy hasn't sent me the invoice for shipping yet... :P |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by verslagen1 on 02/08/08 at 19:03:04 That'll be a cup of joe that really wakes you up! |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by bsdnfraje on 02/08/08 at 19:09:31 That speedo is too cool for preschool |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by jk on 02/08/08 at 19:44:36 The stock speedo fits right in there, pretty tight. With the rubber gasket, the seal was d@mn near airtight before I cut the can. I may just paint it, or I may wrap it with some polished sheet aluminum. Probably just blast it and paint it. |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by YonuhAdisi on 02/08/08 at 19:55:29 What kind of clamp did you use to mount it to the bars and how did you attach it to the can? |
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Title: Re: Who moved my cheese, er... speedometer? Post by jk on 02/09/08 at 04:37:02 I used a one inch rubber insulated clamp, like for mounting conduit. I just drilled a hole in the can, used a 1/4-20 by 1/2" nut and bolt and some washers to connect it all together. I still need to drill the hole for the cable to go through. Can't really do that until I get the cable, but the way I'll do it is to cut a slot in the two halves and when they're pressed together- a round hole. I'll put a rubber grommet around the cable (and wire for the light) I'll probably go back during final assembly and use a larger diameter washer, solder it to the can- to reinforce the hole. |
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