How-to: CBX Gauge restoration - tips, techniques, suppliers, tutorial

[512tr]

Outstanding work and documentation.
Just wonder, it is not possible to get hold on a speedometer face plate that goes to 140 mph, or do you prefer the 80mph faceplate?

[tevan]

You can’t just change the faceplate from 80mph to 140 mph because the gearing is different. It will not register the correct speed.

[NobleHops]

Hey gang,

I have lubricated the mechanisms, and quieted them down. I’d say no more that 50% success with that. Sewing machine oil was suggested, or 3 in 1, or TriFlow.

What Terry said, you cannot mix and match faceplates between 80 and 155 mph speedos.

N.

[512tr]

You can’t just change the faceplate from 80mph to 140 mph because the gearing is different. It will not register the correct speed.

Yes of course, the gearing also has to be changed.

[mrcbx]

Excellent Nils.... Gracias

[pmcburney]

Trap for young players - ensure the needles are seated in the correct resting spot so that the gauges read correctly.

I had to set my speedo needle 'below' the stop peg to read correctly, which is easy to do - set the needle on the shaft with the faceplate unsecured and offset the required amount (approx two major divisions or in my case 20 km/h) then gently rotate the faceplate into position taking the needle with it and secure.

[herdygerdy]

Fabulous work Nils, I really love the humour, skill and good grace you bring to all your 'How to' docs.
Suspect this work is valuable 'mindful mechanical meditation' from your busy day job...
Hope you and family are well.

[NobleHops]

Thanks for all the good words guys, very happy if you found this useful.

Hey, here’s an update to this thread. Like many of you that work on these bikes we have several carcasses of old speedos and tachs that are busted - the damping fluid in the cup under the needle leaked out so the needle is jumping around, or the bushing in the main drive where the cable inserts is worn and noisy, and the mechanism itself is demagnetized and not working or inaccurate. When this happens you can send these to these folks and they can fix them! We sent a gauge to them a few months back and it came back perfect, accurate, quiet, needle rock-steady. It took a month end to end and cost about $220 in our case, all of which I felt was pretty reasonable. I think you could send them a repro face plate and maybe a repro or repainted needle too and they’d install those while they did their thing:

The Speedo Shop
https://www.sandiegothespeedoshop.com/
10027 Prospect Ave
Santee, CA 92071
(619) 375-0070

Highly recommended!