TT250 speedo

['16 TT250]

Originally Posted by simonjester

With all the electronic stuff we have nowadays, why are we using a spinning cable in a sheath? That seems like late nineteenth/early twentieth century technology for god's sake. I'm guessing the German, Japanese and American bikes built now use a better technology?

It's also got a 2 valve air cooled carbureted engine, so that should go away too; right? Many of the CBs have drum brakes, even more antiquated stuff there.

I don't know of any German, Japanese, or American bike using a cable, they run an electronic system. I also don't know of any of them offering 250cc bikes for $1800.

A cable can work perfectly fine for many years and miles as long as it's made right and installed right. I've had MANY cable speedo vehicles and, not counting the TT, I've only one failed one on a '78 motorhome that I quickly found was caused by a routing change by someone. There have also been cable tachometers on many engines that worked just fine.

The TT cable sheath probably needs to be redesigned with a longer curved part near the speedo to keep a smoother bend or maybe no steel section at all and make the whole thing flexible so there's no hard radius change at the transition. As it is now the flexible part is pressed against the headlight creating a mild kink at the transition between the steel tube section and the flexible section. Mine was worse before they re-routed it, but it still has a mild kink that may lead to another early breakage.


Edit: That transition also has the crimp holding the two sections together so the ID of the sheath is likely reduced and distorted a little adding to the problem of having a sharp bend there.

[oddthought]

Originally Posted by simonjester

With all the electronic stuff we have nowadays, why are we using a spinning cable in a sheath? That seems like late nineteenth/early twentieth century technology for god's sake. I'm guessing the German, Japanese and American bikes built now use a better technology?

IIRC, most newer speedometers use a magnet spinning past a sensor, so the wires transmit the signal to an electronic gauge, which is sometimes translated back to analog for us dial-preferring types. I've seen the magnet/sensor array set up in various locations on different vehicles, so I'm not sure where it is on most motorcycles.

[EachAdventure]

Mine also broke on Monday morning around 40 kilometers. Who have you been emailing at CSC for a replacement?

[SeerAtlas]

Originally Posted by EachAdventure

Mine also broke on Monday morning around 40 kilometers. Who have you been emailing at CSC for a replacement?

waaaay too many failed cables on this bike.gotta be not only a routing prob, but a basic defect in the unit. I don't recall hawks or bashans having this problem this often or this early.
Not exactly the best indication of the vaunted Zong superior quality we've heard so much about. :(

[simonjester]

Originally Posted by '16 TT250

It's also got a 2 valve air cooled carbureted engine, so that should go away too; right?

No, I wasn't saying it should, "go away." I was speaking from frustration of having a cable break, hoping there was something better out there and asking people who know more than me about it if there was.

It doesn't have a 1970's headlight or 1970's tires, so it's within the realm of possibility that it could have a more modern speedometer sensor and cable without it "going away."

Perhaps that's a mod I can try later. I think maybe the speedo/tach cluster MJ is selling is electronic.

[simonjester]

Originally Posted by '16 TT250

As it is now the flexible part is pressed against the headlight creating a mild kink at the transition between the steel tube section and the flexible section.

That's about where it broke too. Not sure how to re-route it because the headlight is right there pretty tight against it and there's very little room to route the cable anywhere else.

[simonjester]

Originally Posted by EachAdventure

Mine also broke on Monday morning around 40 kilometers. Who have you been emailing at CSC for a replacement?

You can call them or contact them through their website:

http://www.cscmotorcycles.com/Articles.asp?ID=83

[simonjester]

Originally Posted by SeerAtlas

waaaay too many failed cables on this bike.gotta be not only a routing prob, but a basic defect in the unit. I don't recall hawks or bashans having this problem this often or this early.

I'm no expert, but something doesn't seem to be quite right for them to be failing that much. In all fairness, I have heard some complaints on here about Bashan Storms having speedometer issues though.

[Slopeflyer]

Mine broke at approx 40 miles, 2 inches from the end. CSC sent out a new cable assembly quickly after giving them a call, I lubed it with chain wax and bent the speedo assembly bracket down so the cable doesn't press against the headlamp. Now over 350 miles, it's still spinning along.

[BlackBike]

Simon...The tach speedo will bea great add on once msjft gets it situated for your tt. Then you can just trash can the stock stuff. In the meantime just find that extra $100 to burn for it.

[simonjester]

Originally Posted by Slopeflyer

Mine broke at approx 40 miles, 2 inches from the end. CSC sent out a new cable assembly quickly after giving them a call, I lubed it with chain wax and bent the speedo assembly bracket down so the cable doesn't press against the headlamp. Now over 350 miles, it's still spinning along.

Yeah, that's about the same spot mine did. Thanks for the tips! I'll give that a try. CSC said they mailed a replacement to me today.

[kohburn]

Originally Posted by simonjester

I think maybe the speedo/tach cluster MJ is selling is electronic.

yeah it replaces the gear and cable with a magnetic pickup and wires. much more simple.

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by simonjester

I'm no expert, but something doesn't seem to be quite right for them to be failing that much. In all fairness, I have heard some complaints on here about Bashan Storms having speedometer issues though.

Historically, speedo cables on CB's over the decade have been snapping and also the speedo's themselves have also been non-functional. My X-Moto speedo wouldn't go over 28 mph. This is nothing new or different. Even on Doc's Q Link, back in the day, his broke quickly and he went to Suzuki and bought theirs. No problems afterward.

If these keep snapping, I'm sure there's a Honda replacement that will work just fine. I have a new one coming from Ryan. If it snaps again, I'm going with the new electronic setup that mjstef has made for us. Problem solved.

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by Slopeflyer

Mine broke at approx 40 miles, 2 inches from the end. CSC sent out a new cable assembly quickly after giving them a call, I lubed it with chain wax and bent the speedo assembly bracket down so the cable doesn't press against the headlamp. Now over 350 miles, it's still spinning along.

That's the key. If none of them were properly routed or lubed at the factory, they will all break. It's a matter of when.

[simonjester]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

That's the key. If none of them were properly routed or lubed at the factory, they will all break. It's a matter of when.

Some of us have re-routed and lubed and they still broke.