QuestionMike, Please consider this as a generic question about Motorcycle speedometer cables, and the expected life.
I'm driving a 1982 Honda CM450E twice a week 40 miles to work.
Over the last year, the speed needle has begun jumping about while under way at constant speed. This has gotten worse in the last month.
After having a front tire tube replaced, the center square cable slid out of the black neoprene housing, and was lost. I bought another via Ebay and installed it myself. Very satisfied. Works well.
But now I'm wondering about the expected life of speedometer cables. I KNOW I have put 11,000 miles over the last three years on this bike. But I am unsure of the prior history of the bike. I suspect it was being "parted out" and can't confirm the cycle's 14000 miles were all it had when I bought it. Don't know if the cable was original equipment, but it might be.
What should a street rider watch for? What signs that one should be replaced? How long would you expect one to last? I've been told tires have an average life of two years, dependant on your usage, etc. Mine have both been replaced in different years, once each during the four years I've owned the bike.
Thanks for looking at this genericly, Mike. I trust your experience.
AnswerI am not sure about Honda cables, but if they are like harley cables they should last for years. When I say years I have seen some as old as 20 years old and still working! When installing them you should put some grease on the cable before inserting into the housing. This will make them last longer.
Tires last by how much the rider weights, how he rides and the softness of the tire. Usually you replace the front tire every 2 back tires. Keep an eye on the tread and once the tread has about 1/4 of a inch its time to get another tire.
Mike
