Speedometer needle pulsating

[823JIM]

Rode bike (2002 voyager) 270 miles yesterday and all was fine, short ride this morning still good. Took it out tonight and after a couple of miles noticed speedo needle pulsating. With this pulsation the cruise sets then kicks off or will not hold speed. Any thoughts on what's wrong? Is this signs of a bad cable or bad drive gears? The turn signal cancel still works as does the radio volume.

PS. Had cable out two weeks ago and lubed it. It looked to be in good shape to me.

[Highway Rider]

This is usually a indication that there is a tight spot some where between the inner cable and the outer sheath. When there is a tight spot the inner cable acts like a spring and it winds up a bit and then it releases and that will make the speedometer jump. Does not take much of a bind for this to happen. It can shorten the life of the speedo cable. Just a place to start.

[823JIM]

Thanks for the tip, Highway Rider. I will be busy tomorrow so it will probable be Tuesday night before I can work on it. Will start by pulling cable back off and rechecking it be sure it is all free with no binding.

[Tonyvdb]

Make sure your speedo cable runs between the two front forks not on the outside. This will put stress on the cable as the bend becomes to harsh.

[Mr Jensee]

Ensure that inner cable is lubricated. I suggest using white lithium grease.

[823JIM]

I believe I have resolved the problem. Removed cable cleaned with carb clean (inner drive cable and inside of outer sheath ) blew dry with compressed air. Greased inner cable with Mobile synthetic grease. Reinstalled cable on bike and all is fine. I believe the problem was in cable routing.

I have been told to route the cable outside the forks, and also have been told inside is best. I played with routing it both ways on reassembly. With the cable on the outside, front wheel turn to left to the stop the cable is stretched tight around the fork tube, and I mean tight to the point of having to force it to the stop. Routed between there is cable play turning to the stops either way.

The picture of the bike in the service manual (page 1-4) shows the cable inside (between) the forks, this is how mine is now routed.

But this is not the routing that was causing the problem. What was the problem was how I had routed it inside the fairing. I had the cable on the wrong side of the headlight adjuster cable. I had it to the right of the adj. cable (toward the center of fairing) when the headlight was reinstalled the back of the light pushed on the cable creating a sharp bend. My bad all along.

Rode 180 miles today and all is good.

Thanks to everyone for their input in helping me find the problem.