Speedometer on 3rd gen

[lragan]

When re-installing the front wheel axle, be sure to position the speedometer gear drive correctly with respect to the "bumps" on the case of the drive and the inside of the fork housing.  If you get the drive case bump on the wrong side, the gear drive can rotate and break your speedometer cable.  (The picture in the manual is a bit ambiguous, so just think how the wheel rotates, know that it can drag slightly on the gear drive case, and position the bump so rotation is prevented.)

Don't ask me how I know this...

[LIMagna]

Did you actually break something on your's Lawrence?  When I first got my bike four years ago, it needed a new set of tires so I took it to a local shop for the install.  I never checked that the front wheel was installed properly or not and probably put 1500 miles on it before I needed to pull the forks to install some Race Tech stuff.  It was at that point when I removed the front wheel that I noticed they had the speedometer gear tang on the wrong side of the bump in the fork leg.  Nothing got broken though in the process so I figured no harm done but needless to say, it's the last time I've had that shop touch my bike ... I mounted my own tires the last time it was necessary and will no doubt do the same thing over the upcoming Winter. 

[lragan]

Charlie, on the ride last week, Skyride and I had just pulled up on Hwy 473 in Kendalia, TX from another of my favorite low speed back roads, when I looked down and discovered that I wasn't moving at all!  Well, at least according to the speedometer.  The gear housing had rotated about 1/4 turn, putting the cable in a severe bind, and breaking it near the bottom.  So I rode the five day trip depending on others to monitor our speed.  Worst effect was not knowing how far I had gone since the last gas stop.  Fortunately the folks I was riding with were aware of my gas limitation, and never let me run out.

I usually do all my own work, but on this particular bike, the last time I took it in for inspection, the front tire was worn too far, and I let the stealership put on a new one, as I was only a day or so away from a planned several day ride, and didn't have time to get a new tire elsewhere.  About $50 premium over my usual replacement regimen.  Penalty for not paying enough attention.  I suppose the broken speedometer cable is my penalty for not inspecting their work immediately they said it was ready.

My usual practice is to remove the wheel and take it to Cycle Gear here in Austin.  They have excellent prices on tires, and will mount one I purchase from them for $20 -- if I bring them the wheel.

My guess is that the rotation did not happen all at once, but finally went far enough to break the cable.  This is just a guess, as I did not notice until it failed.

[LIMagna]

My shorter rides vs your longer rides might have had something to do with it.  It's likely that several hours of continuous twisting on the cable would be more problematic than a lot of short trips over a longer period of time.  In any event, I'm very glad it wasn't anything more than an inconvenience for you.  Bottom line is that no one is going to take better care of your bike than you are. 

[hootmon]

Penalty for not paying enough attention.  I suppose the broken speedometer cable is my penalty for not inspecting their work immediately they said it was ready.

I'd go speak to the manager and tell them they owe you a new speedo cable, and be thankful it wasn't worse (Thinking of MagnumMagna)...

[lragan]

Hoot, I fear the moral imperative has been lost due to the long time since this work was done.  The new cable is about $15, and it isn't worth a trip to New Braunfels, even if I thought I could win the argument.

I just need to be more alert.

[lragan]

New cable arrived last Friday.  I installed it today.  Of course, everything works swell, now.

The guide that mounts in a hole in the fender which the cable goes through keeps falling out of the fender, so it winds up down the cable.  I noticed that Lowell's was also out of place.  Is this a common problem on 3rd gen Magnas, and does anyone know how to fix it?

[TLRam1]

The guide that mounts in a hole in the fender which the cable goes through keeps falling out of the fender, so it winds up down the cable.  I noticed that Lowell's was also out of place.  Is this a common problem on 3rd gen Magnas, and does anyone know how to fix it?

It was with my 94, I cleaned the back side of the fender and put silicone glue on the retainer, just on the backside so the glue could not be seen, worked well. Make sure it is on the protruding part pretty well, easy to pull off the silicone once dry and try again if need be.

[lragan]

Thanks, Terry!

[Magniac]

I just took mine off and left the empty hole. That guide isn't really necessary, but I think I'll try the silicone thing and put it back on.

On my 13-day trip in August, my drive gear gave out on the second day, and the speedo stayed at zero the whole rest of the trip. Wife refused to let me stop to get it fixed, because she thought it would take a long time and we would hold up the rest of the group (6 bikes). No big deal, since I pretty well know the relationship between the tach and speedo, especially in top gear, so I just rode by the tach. When we got home, I ordered in a new drive gearbox ($72.00) and installed it myself. Jacked up the front end and 14 minutes later I put it back on the ground, finished. If I'd known it would be that fast, I would have insisted on stopping to do it on the trip.