VL Speedo Diameter

[Buster]

Can't afford a real Corbin on my VL and want to convert a old car speedo with bicycle speedo internals. Can somebody (or Steve) tell me the approx diameter of a typical VL speedo. Also, does the center of speedo line up approx with the pivot point at bottom of tank for gear shift and approx how high above tank is top of speedo. Thanks!!

[Steve Slocombe]

The Corbin head is about 3 1/8" (8 cm) in diameter. The centre of the head is about an inch behind the shifter lever pivot, and the top of the speedo is 4" above the tank. Good luck.

[wideglide38]

Can't afford a real Corbin on my VL and want to convert a old car speedo with bicycle speedo internals. Can somebody (or Steve) tell me the approx diameter of a typical VL speedo. Also, does the center of speedo line up approx with the pivot point at bottom of tank for gear shift and approx how high above tank is top of speedo. Thanks!!

Buster, I found an old Johns-Manville (Automobile type & on ebay) that I'm going to run on my VL. I had Terry Marsh remove brackets, do a CLA (clean, lube, adjust) and fit a corbin drive cable to the square drive on the speedo head. Terry did a great job on the head & cable fitment! Your biggest issue will be fitting the speedo head to the hub drive via cable. Best of luck!

[Jim]

Speaking of speedos, I have a speedo on my VL but it has never been hooked up (the gears in the rear drive are toast). Anyway, I always wondered if ANYONE has ever used an electronic bicycle speedometer on an antique? Would it work? (don't beat me up on that idea please) HAHA!

[Peter Cooke]

Anyway, I always wondered if ANYONE has ever used an electronic bicycle speedometer on an antique? Would it work? (don't beat me up on that idea please) HAHA!

My father is planning to do that on a Royal Enfield he's rebuilding. I can't see a reason for it not to work. The sender unit wont know it's a motorcycle spoke rather than a bicycle spoke it's connected to.

[marsh1915hd]

Jim, those bicycle speedometers work excellent. Been using them for years.
I do work on Corbin's and rear drives. You can buy gears for that rear drive.
Terry Marsh

[Steve Slocombe]

I've also used those cheap digital plastic bicycle speedos when breaking in a fresh bike. They work up to 70 mph and you just have to work out the circumference of your fitted tyre.