Converting km/h clocks into mph? help please

cicatrez · Crazy Courier Joined: 02 Nov 2007 Karma :

Hey guys.
I'm asking this on behalf of a friend who has a mid-90's CB400sf.
Being an Import, the speedometer reading is all in km/h. Can anyone advise me on how to go about converting the dials into mph for it to be legal?
Ideally, probably replacing the dials on the instrument panel to dials that have mph written on them. Does anyone know if the import CB400sf shares dials with a UK bike? so as to buy the same dials in mph?

Or by any other means (aside from marking on the dials where 30,40 etc... is), like a speedo converter.

Ichy · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Karma :

To the best of my knowledge there is nothing illegal with having a KPH speedo.

Easy fix is some stickers on the glass. You used to be able to get speedo convertors but the price of mechanical ones seems to have gone stupid. It may be possible to get an insert for the speedo but it means pulling it apart.

baldy · World Chat Champion Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Karma :

There is a place on the net that sells the dials in mph. I want one for my xr but they don't sell one.

I'll have a look for the site and get back to you.

Edit: clicky

Found it. It seems that they do sell one for your bike.
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One day i will rule the world, just not today.

Pete. · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

If your bike speedo is cable-driven you can buy a little converter doofer that screws into the speedo then you screw the cable into the converter. It's just a 8:5 ratio gearbox for the speedo. Your needle will then read mph and the odometer will count up correctly too. All you need do then is put a mph sticker on the face (if you want to).
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good Very Happy

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Think technically the speedo must show mph and kmh (so strictly speaking a mechanical converter to get it to display mph instead of kmh isn't legitimate).

You can get a new speedo face made up. Few people seem to do it. Redial UK used to do it but their web site appears to be down. Trouble with this is that the mileometer will still be in km.

All the best

Keith
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Pete. · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

Oh it'll still SHOW mph and kmh, it'll just under-read a bit (well a lot Very Happy

).

How does this ruling fare with the digital speedos, as they only show one or the other.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good Very Happy

Ichy · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Karma :

Any Good?

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

cicatrez · Crazy Courier Joined: 02 Nov 2007 Karma :

Thanks for the link baldy. Though I'm not sure, those dials looks like its for a much older CB400. my friends one is a '95 and is fairly modern-ish and the dials are completely different.

@Geri
Yeah, I did consider those mechanical speedo cable converter things. Though Ideally, like Ichy said, it would be nicer to get a dial insert. so we could just easily pull apart the speedo cluster and put in the insert.
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'02 Honda City Fly

binge · Emo Kiddy Joined: 03 Jul 2004 Karma :

My NC29 and NC30 both had KPH ONLY speedo's. They were both restricted to 180kph too.

The 29 had stickers put on the glass for MPH markings (30,50,70)
And I de-restricted it at the CDI so the needle would go past 180kph.

The 30 I ran the converter that Geri speaks about. So it de-restricted the bike by making the KPH clocks read in MPH. So when it was showing 100kph. You are actually doing 100mph. And obviously as it would never reach 180MPH. Then it wouldn't hit the restrictor.

Ben

Ichy · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Karma :

cicatrez · Crazy Courier Joined: 02 Nov 2007 Karma :

I suppose that's what he'll have to do.
but where to buy them? they hardly seem around on ebay. and like another person mentioned, the price seems to have sky rocketed these days
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'02 Honda City Fly

Ichy · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Karma :

There are at least three on ebay at the moment, just expect to pay £25-£30.

If your in the slightest bid artistic then there is no reason why you can't paint the one on there. You still have to pull it apart but a bit of careful painting and some transfers and you can have MPH and KPH.

Bikeless · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Karma :

I had a blue one up until recently and sold it on the bay for about £12,wish i had held on to it now seeing as the prices are going up.I used a stick on MPH sheet at first and then the converter on my gullarm.