Spider in my Speedo!

[robertllr]

No, no tarantulas in my trunks.  But this little brown spider crept up into my CalVin's speedometer, then spun a web there, which you can sort of see in the photos. 

It's more like a case than a web.  I don't know the species of spider (any arachnidologists out there in Guzzi land?) but spider webs in general are said to be stronger than



steel (per thickness), and this web is certainly strong enough to prevent the speedo needle from going past the 20 mph mark.

I'm sure removing the speedo is fairly straightforward--but if you've been there and done that, I'd appreciate any tips.  I don't want to remove anything I don't have to.  There is no procedure in the shop manual, and the parts book is only a rough guide.

Also, if this speedo is like the Smiths instruments on my old Meriden Triumphs, then the bezel is crimped on and will need attention by a specialist--unless some wiz out there knows something I can do myself. 

So, if it comes to sending it out, who's a good, cheap and fast instrument repair person?  (Ha, I know--three mutually exclusive adjectives.)

And lastly, anyone got a spare for sale or rent that I can use till mine gets fixed?  I hate to miss the fall riding season while waiting for Nisonger or Bob's to get me in their queue.

[oldbike54]

 Man I don't know , this could make your Calvin famous like the Ducati fuel tank with the fly encapsulated in the clear strip 

 Dusty

[fotoguzzi]

1 will need attention by a specialist--unless some wiz out there knows something I can do myself. 

2 anyone got a spare for sale or rent that I can use till mine gets fixed?  I hate to miss the fall riding season while waiting for Nisonger or Bob's to get me in their queue.

#2.. can the bike only go 20 when the needle stops there? unhook the cable and
Just ride, don't look at your speed..

#1 if there is any holes in the bottom could you get the right nozzle and suck it out with a high power vacuum?

[Kent in Upstate NY]

It's a Spidometer!

[Farmer Dan]

I had the same problem with a 1970 Daytona that I had restored.  After about a 1,000 miles the vibration knocked the spider and web loose and all worked good again.  I say just drive it and try not to watch the spider move around while your driving LOL.

[ITSec]

Gee, when I read the title I thought this was another story like that one that came out recently! http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/09/30/man-bitten-on-penis-by-venomous-spider-for-second-time.html

[johnr]

The rim  does look like the Smiths one.  You might be able to get it off by yourself but you will need to replace it with a new rim and personally I would be hesitant to do that without the special bevel tool. Get it done for you.

How did the spider get in there in the first place?

You need a speedo to ride your bike? How so?

Check this out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHzdsFiBbFc

[Cam3512]

Without food, that thing is gonna have to crawl out the way it came in sooner or later.  I'd leave it alone.

[robertllr]

Removing the CalVin Speedometer

Remove 4 windshield attaching acorn nuts, hex crews and windscreen.
Remove two headlamp attaching hex screws and lower headlamp unit.
Unscrew speedometer cable.
Remove two hex screws holding speedometer “can” to speedometer.
Remove tiny Phillips head screw from center of trip odo reset knob and pull off knob and gasket.
Pull/push speedometer up through its rubber sealing gasket.  Liberal application of Rubaglyde helps.
Pop off chrome outer bezel.

Oops, this ITI speedo is non-rebuildable, because the plastic parts are solvent welded.  So.....

Cover all openings and lens with masking tape.
Using a coping saw with a thin blade to slowly cut around the lens just above the lip of the white speedo housing.  See pic



Do the cutting  slowly and continously aorund the housing, cutting in a little at a time until you can see the inner black bezel cone.  At this point the lens should come free
Pop out the black cone bezel.

Dislodge the spider and set her free outside in the yard. (No hard feelings. She was just trying to make a living, like the rest of us.)

I had to continue disassembly in order to reset one of the attaching nuts that has come loose inside the speedo housing.  This is done as follows.

Remove the two Phillips-head screws holding the drive to the housing.
Apply slight side pressure to the housing to oval it out enough to free it from the trip odo reset stem.

After resetting the nut and cleaning everything out, I had to decide hos to glue it back together neatly and possibly with and eye to being able to do it all again if necessary.  What I did was to tape the lens on with two cross pieces of masking tape.  I then used 5-min epoxy, applied between the retaining pips for the chrome upper bezel.  I worked this in as carefully as possible with  a tiny spatula to replicate the profile of the original plastic, cut away by the saw.  When this was dry, I used a thin coat of Shoe Goo in the pip area to help retain the bezel ring.

From reading around the web, I find that these ITI sealed instruments are notorious for failing, and are, in any case, evidently no longer available for toss and replace.  There was a post here some years ago ago on how to replace the  mechanical speedo with an electronic one.  http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=15550.0

But all the links are dead and the pics are all gone.  Fortunately there is a similar and very useful post on Guzzi Tech.   http://www.guzzitech.com/forums/threads/veglia-iti-speedo-replacement-options.4757/

Moderators, you, should encourage posters to upload pictures rather than use links so the post stays intact and remains useful down the road a piece.

Now, to answer all the silly questions my post evoked.:

How did the spider get in?  She got in to the can where the cable enters, and then into the speedometer through one of several openings in the speedo housing  There is a gap between the face of the speedo and speedo housing to allow for illumination.  She was obviously designed to creep into  small spaces.

Can't you ride a bike without a speedometer?  Well, where  I live we have things called police officers who give you something called a ticket if you exceed something called a speed limit.  Maybe you know the equivalent road speeds for a given RPM in a given gear on any or all of your bikes, but I don't, and I don't care to learn.  I do know after 50 years of riding motorcycles that cops will happily give one a ticket for 10 or even 5 mph over limit.  I don't want to spend the season without a license, because then I really can't ride.

Moreover, I have 5 bikes and they all feel like they are going different speeds even at the same velocities.  I guess you all can easily  tell what speed you are going merely by the pressure of the wind on your face.  My hat is off to you.

Why not just ignore the spider, and the non-working speedometer?  Because they are a distraction to guys like me who expect their bikes to look and run properly.  I learned the hard way that if you are not fully in the moment while riding, if something is bugging  you, you lose a bit of your edge and make more mistakes.  Such instances can be hurtful (my experience) or even fatal.  If vermin crawling around your dashboard don't distract you from your ride...again, hats off to you.

Why not let thirst take care of the problem?  The spider is unlikely to crawl out on its own, because it has set up shop to catch prey, from which it gets all the  moisture it needs.  It's not about to go looking for a new home no matter how slim the pickings.  So it's going to die in there.  Law of the jungle.  Even if it did leave, the web would still keep the speedo from working.

Lastly I just want to say I think it is great how one can post tripe on this list over and over and become a “Guzzi hero” on this list without once ever answering someone's honest technical question or making a worthwhile contribution to Guzzi knowledge.  Some of you post whores need to get a life.  Why not use the time you spend writing drivel, go work on your bikes  and figure out how to do something, and pass that knowledge on to other?  Never mind.  I'm just pissing into the wind here.

[wirespokes]

Once removed, turn it upside down and try pouring a little alcohol in through a hole for an illumination bulb. Swish it around and see if it'll break the web loose.

Riding it with the web in place will stress the needle, but that is all. If the needle can stand up to the stress, eventually it should knock the web loose as already mentioned.

[fotoguzzi]

    Some of you post whores need to get a life.  Why not use the time you spend writing drivel, go work on your bikes  and figure out how to do something, and pass that knowledge on to other?  Never mind.  I'm just pissing into the wind here.

like Travis Bickle said, "you talkin to me?"
I like writing drivel but from now on I won't do it to your posts.

I ride a Suzuki, it doesn't need to be worked on..

[Cam3512]

like Travis Bickle said, "you talkin to me?"
I like writing drivel but from now on I won't do it to your posts.

I ride a Suzuki, it doesn't need to be worked on..

I think he's talking to all of us.  Let him figure it out.

[oldbike54]

 Seriously , sounds like a first world. "Inconvenience" .

 Dusty

[johnr]

Am I detecting a touch of over reactivity? Anger even?

[Scud]

Am I detecting a touch of over reactivity? Anger even?

Are you using your spidey-sense?     << drivel

On a serious note - I have nothing technical to add, but I think it's rather funny that a spider has taken up residence in your speedo.  And I think your clever alliterative title, along with another clever alliteration "no tarantulas in my trunks" is an informal invitation to have a little fun alongside solving the actual "problem."

[redrider90]

I'd disconnect the speedo and wait for the spider to die, which it will and then the web will slowly degrade.

[fotoguzzi]

I'd disconnect the speedo and wait for the spider to die, which it will and then the web will slowly degrade.

naw, cutting the speedo in half, getting it out and gluing it back together is way more proactive..

[normzone]

I have nothing technical to contribute, so I guess I'm a ... what was that phrase? Post whore? And after eleven posts somebody is telling the mods how to run the forum? Perhaps just step away from the coffeepot...

But I am grateful for the picture [roberttllr], thank you. That's pretty cool. I don't think there's enough food to grow up in there, so the arachnid had to work to get there. Wonder what made it seem like a good place - could be a biker spider.

And does anybody have an image of that fly in the Ducati clearcoat ?

[fotoguzzi]

 

Moreover, I have 5 bikes 

BMW's?

[johnr]

Can't you ride a bike without a speedometer?  Well, where  I live we have things called police officers who give you something called a ticket if you exceed something called a speed limit.  Maybe you know the equivalent road speeds for a given RPM in a given gear on any or all of your bikes, but I don't, and I don't care to learn.  I do know after 50 years of riding motorcycles that cops will happily give one a ticket for 10 or even 5 mph over limit.  I don't want to spend the season without a license, because then I really can't ride.

Hmmm. Well I think I can probably guess my speed more accurately than my speedo does to tell you the truth. At least within the range of what may be considered normal road speeds. Certainly well enough to keep my licence.  I might get the odd ticket, but that happens with a speedo anyway.

[Guzzistajohn]

Did someone say DRIVEL?

[JayDee24ca]

I'm sitting here with a sh-t eating grin on my face, killing myself laughing at this bunch of postings. What a hoot! This is what makes this list so great! My wife is across the room wondering what the heck i am laughing at!
JD

[rodekyll]

"Lastly I just want to say I think it is great how one can post tripe on this list over and over and become a “Guzzi hero” on this list without once ever answering someone's honest technical question or making a worthwhile contribution to Guzzi knowledge.  Some of you post whores need to get a life.  Why not use the time you spend writing drivel, go work on your bikes  and figure out how to do something, and pass that knowledge on to other?  Never mind.  I'm just pissing into the wind here."

Where's the fun in that?  If I had to stop inventing things like transmissionless motorcycles and smoke houses and stop writing tripe about them just to learn something you should already know just so I can pass on the information to you, I'd get really bored.  I had a career doing just that -- tier 1 and 2 help desk.  Usually reading straight from the manual that the caller hadn't bothered to read.  I'd rather be homeless.

But until you jumped the rails, it was a good narrative on how you solved it.