And the speedometer cable broke again :(

[JagLite]

A zip-tie to keep the knurled nut from sliding down the cable is an excellent tip! 

[drifter-paul]

Small tip for the next time you have the speedo off.

Changing my throttle cables to the longer R1. Damn knurl nut slid down the speedo cable inside the neck. forgot to put a rag there. 

Now I've got a zip tie a few inches down from the top end of the cable.  Better late then never.

[drifter-paul]

I went thru a few cables in the early years with my '99 - breaking down near the axle end. I removed the lower (axle) guide and just retained the top guide / wire loop, still using a Drifter cable. Routed it in a nice easy lower arc to the axle and sitting out from the mudgaurd, then tightened the 'nut' , then lined up the console-end and tightened that. Riding less miles / year now but it is the last one I've had to replace.

[RockinRollin]

 I tested it by hand then took it out on the highway for the last week. No funny noise or roughness in the speedo, seems to be working for now.

[RockinRollin]

Thanks, It turned by hand with the cable in the speedo so I hooked it up and went for a ride, it seems to be working but it does make you wonder why it failed at the top. Tomorrow I will take it out on the highway again.

[Troll]

That's where you would think it would break, mine had the end twisted off right at the speedo. How weird is that?

Just a little question for you about the speedo head...If the head seizes, it will twist the cable off right there..Speedo heads, especially those on old motorcycles do that...seize! Better check that the drag cup still turns. If it was a car, you would hear a chirping noise before the head seizes, but you probably wouldn't hear it on a bike....

[RockinRollin]

I just picked up the new Nomad speedo cable and compared it to the old one, it would appear they are both the same length.
Part number on the package checks out , it is for the Nomad. The only difference is the old cable lower end is slightly bent where the new Nomad cable is straight. I measured both to be approximately 41 inches. I was under the impression that the Nomad cable would be several inches longer than the Drifter cable. Maybe the old cable is a Nomad cable? Anyone else measure the length of the cables?

http://www.kawasakipartshouse.com/oemparts/p/kawasaki/54001-1236/cable-speedmeter

[RockinRollin]

That's where you would think it would break, mine had the end twisted off right at the speedo. How weird is that?

[Jobi]

I didn't lube mine. It snapped at the wheel end somewhere near where the housing was rubbing on the fender

[Old Drifter]

The automatic signal cancel feature works on 2 principals, one is time and the other is distance. Now that my speedo cable is broken my auto signal cancel is not working also. I'm going to assume that it needs the speedo working to count the distance to auto shut off?

Yes, the speedometer has to be working for the signals to cancel. They didn't cancel when mine was broken either...started working again when it was repaired. 

[RockinRollin]

The automatic signal cancel feature works on 2 principals, one is time and the other is distance. Now that my speedo cable is broken my auto signal cancel is not working also. I'm going to assume that it needs the speedo working to count the distance to auto shut off?

[JagLite]

Mine was broken at the bottom end.

[RockinRollin]

Thanks will do as soon as it gets in. I'm sure I routed it correctly, if you recall I produced a video of the disassembly of the bike so I had a pretty good idea on how to reassemble the speedo cable. It's important to get the slight bend on the cable end facing the right way and that the cable is fully engaged at both ends. I think that speed might have been a factor in the breakage of my cable as well as I routinely take the 401 highway home from work and may have exceeded the speed limit on several occasions (as a test to see if bike was performing optimally)   A question out to all, where did your cable break? Mine was broken at the speedo up top.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbsB1G2gCN8

[Troll]

Just got the bike on the road 2 weeks ago, but I will be lubing the new one.
What are you lubing it with?
I ordered the speedo cable for the 99 Nomad 1500. This the correct one?
http://www.kawasakipartshouse.com/oemparts/p/kawasaki/54001-1236/cable-speedmeter

I use white lithium grease...pull the cable core out and rub it with your fingers up to about the last 4" at the top, so the stuff doesn't work it's way into the speedo head...

[Old Drifter]

Just got the bike on the road 2 weeks ago, but I will be lubing the new one.
What are you lubing it with?
I ordered the speedo cable for the 99 Nomad 1500. This the correct one?
http://www.kawasakipartshouse.com/oemparts/p/kawasaki/54001-1236/cable-speedmeter

That should fit. I ordered this one, it's been fine so far. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2FastMoto-Kawasaki-Speedometer-Inner-Cable-Repair-Kit-Motorcycle-50-Speedo-/201307270282?hash=item2eded92c8a:g:w5gAAOSwPhdVA0r6&vxp=mtr

[RockinRollin]

Just got the bike on the road 2 weeks ago, but I will be lubing the new one.
What are you lubing it with?
I ordered the speedo cable for the 99 Nomad 1500. This the correct one?
http://www.kawasakipartshouse.com/oemparts/p/kawasaki/54001-1236/cable-speedmeter

[Troll]

Question: Are you people lubing these cables, and routing them correctly? I lost more speedo drive units on H-Ds over the years than cables. Put 3 drives on my 1980 FLT, and 1 cable in 200,000 miles....

[RockinRollin]

Yep, mine just went.

[Old Drifter]

Same problem I had. When I bought my '99 and rode it from South Florida to North Georgia, the spedo cable snapped.

[pcarrell]

Yeah, it's a known problem on the early 1500's.  The Nomad cable is a couple of inches longer and solves the problem.

[JagLite]

Mine was broken when I bought the bike so I ordered the longer Nomad (?) cable.
Considering how tight it is I can't picture a shorter cable lasting any time at all.

[Jobi]

Happened for the second time within one year apart. Both times were when averaging around 150km/h (93mph) (NOT my usual riding speed, but my riding buddies really wanted to get from A to B fast!). Both speedo cables were Drifter models. Just wanted to confirm that the higher speeds really do seem to kill these cables.

Now getting the Nomad