Motorcycle Repair: 74 Honda CB550-four speedometer not working, bike speedometer, speedo cable

Question
Great little bike - speedometer not reading at all. Tach reading, but sluggish and not super responsive with throttle. Don't think it's the cables. This bike sat for a number of years before I got it. Have got it working in great running order except for this. Any ideas

Answer
Hi Nikki.

With a bike that old and been sitting for years, just replace the cables.  They are probably rusted and stuck or sticking.

With luck, the speedo cable just snapped, the first time you used the bike, otherwise you may need a new worm gear at the wheel.  Inspect that assembly as well to see if there are any components that are worn away.  Get the repair manual, if you haven't already, and check it against the illustrations in there.  The repair manual will also be handy because there are VERY FEW shops that will work on bikes that old.

The worm gear assembly is the part that connects the wheel to the speedo cable so that it will actuate the speedo/odometer.

Good luck and ride safe.
FALCON