Swapping a km/h speedo for a mph one

[SamCrow]

I want to replace the gauges - specifically the speedo, but I'm considering replacing the whole instrument cluster - on my '82 GS650GL.

The primary reason I want to change them is quite simply the speedo is in km/h only, and for some reason us brits decided to measure speed and distance in miles.

I've been eyeing up various replacements on eBay, but I wasn't sure if it was just a case of fitting the existing cable to the new gauge and be done with it, or if there was more work to be done.

I did search, but most posts were about fixing broken speedos or swapping like for like, and I specifically want to know if the km/h to mph will cause me pain.

TIA

[hampshirehog]

The MPH gauge will just swap straight over. If you want to change the odometer reading to equal your KM reading in miles I put a thread on here a while back showing how to do it - it's easy.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=160855&highlight=change+mileage

Or you could avoid changing clocks and just pop on a speedo converter. Converts your KMH clocks to MPH and it just plugs into the speedo cable. Costs ?30 -40.

[SamCrow]

The MPH gauge will just swap straight over.

Will that work with non-Suzuki speedos?

[razor02097]

IIRC the speedo drive units produce the same ratio on cable driven speedometer bikes 2240RPM on the cable = 60MPH so any Japanese cable driven speedometer should work as long as the speedometer drive is original to the wheel that is driving it.

[hampshirehog]

Will that work with non-Suzuki speedos?

Not all the time - some manufacturers used different drive ratios and cable fittings. Don't forget the electrics won't plug in either. You shouldn't have any trouble finding an original - Ebay is littered with them.