Here's your chance

I know I'm missing something or simply being dumb, but I can't figure it out!

Working on a 850 MKII. Had it built with the speedo mounted on the right and the cable was just long enough without routing under the bottom yoke and too short when under the bottom yoke.

When the speedo is mounted on the left, the cable is too short even with the steering straight ahead and it must be routed under the bottom yoke. The cable measures 5' 9.5" - 5' 9" seems to be correct for all Commandos. Yes, it's routed under the bottom yoke and yes it's routed along the bottom timing side frame rail. It's too short even when not tied to the frame.

So, anyone have their cable off and speedo on the left and can measure. I measured as shown in the diagram:

did you route it above the timing side frame rail, take the short cut....? , i just did a replacement and it was long enough.

I have 3 laying around all 5' 9" housing. I guess two magnetic and one chronometric (atlas) as the instrument square inners are different length .
Tach mounts on the right and speedo on left.
Declare your exact frame routing and 2 attachment points?

I have interest in this outcome.
My Mk2 has the speedo on the left, the axle almost all the way back.
Originally ran above the yoke and was too long, now under the yoke.
Better, still seems long.
At one time I compared the ferrells with VBC website, they are not Smiths.
Memory tells me it measured at 5'9". Can't remember for sure now.
Will measure again when I get too it.

While we're on it. How is the original speedo cable configured at the gear box?
Mine has the aligator steel on it.
Seems to me the original had a rigid piece tube to hold it parallel to the swing arm.

Did you get it from “vintage cables” have got 2 from them , fit was bang on , euro bars ‘72 .... good luck !

MB are you refering to the spiral wrap?
I figured it was to be positioned next to the tire to prevent rubbing a hole in the plastic sheath. Then it rusts?

I tie wrap once below the kicker shaft and once below the crankshaft on the frame rail then over the front frame cross bar and up in front of the ISO tube.

71 Commando here with Speedo on the left side. Recent AN cable with updated ends measures up at 5'9-3/4" as shown above with the nuts retracted. Routed under bottom yoke and along left side frame rail as OP describes.

dynodave said:

MB are you refering to the spiral wrap?
I figured it was to be positioned next to the tire to prevent rubbing a hole in the plastic sheath. Then it rusts?

I tie wrap once below the kicker shaft and once below the crankshaft on the frame rail then over the front frame cross bar and up in front of the ISO tube.

Click to expand...

Yes, Mine has the spiral wrap.
Looking at the pix on AN, it appears to be a rigid tube.

My foggy memory seems to recall a rigid tube on a former Commando. Not sure if it was original or not.
My current one droops as it exits the gear box, as the spiral won't stay put.
My parts book picture shows nothing.

Was wondering what was original.

I just took out the rubbish with a broken Venhill speedo cable (not the cable's fault - the drive housing broke and took the end off the cable) last night after I switched over to my old one from the spares bin. If you had asked yesterday I could have given the exact lengths of the 2 yo vs. 30+ yo one. Ah well.

The old one has no wrap/tube on the drive end.

The Venhill always was a little long - timing side frame rail, over centre rail. along the under the bottom yoke, crossing with the tach cable. The old one is a shade shorter, as seen in the loop at the swingarm. It also has a spiral wrap.

Maybe get a Venhill if you are running short in length.

Spent a long time on this tonight. Found a routing that just works and is under the yoke - don't like it much since it's rubbing on the engine . I'll try to get pictures tomorrow.

Yes, from Vintage British Cables - great guy - does all my instrument restores and I buy my speedo and tech cables from him. He does have 5' 10" and 5' 11" in stock. 5' 11" would allow a much cleaner routing along the bottom frame tube, up the front tube, under the yoke and straight up.

Since I was a "Triumph Guy" long before a "Norton Guy", I'm used to the speedo on the right - it's logical to me since the speedo drive is on the right. Of course on Norton both the speedo and tach drives are on the right (Pre-MKIII) so my logic is flawed on Norton.

My rider has what appears to be an OEM cable. I measured it and it is 5' 9" but with speedo on the right - maybe the PO was a "Triumph Guy" too.

Anyway, I can make the 5' 9" cable work now - just don't like the routing so I'll probably start ordering longer cables when building bikes to sell.