R75/5 Speedo/Tach repair question

OK, I tried a search & got 40 pages of non specificaly related stuff, so here goes: I looked via google & my bookmarks & found these places as potential repairers for one of my 3 /5 speedo/tach combo units-

1. Overseas,Austin ,TX
2. North Hollywood
3. Palo Alto
4. Speedometer Plus,LA,CA
5.Southern Elec,VA
6. A guy on ADVrider
7.Joel Levine, ATL,GA
8. Maybe me-if I use the one that works and needs needles(I make them) and I come up with a face source to uplift the gauge. I also see these that are being sold on ebay by a few sources as redone units.Some with white & others in OEM black. I have not seen a source from India for the 1973 /5 unit as is common for older BMW's and certain British bikes. Having 3 of these as cores, maybe I can trade out a donor for some work too.
I've read various comments on a few of the above services but not all & none real recently. If you've had particularly good luck or care to PM me to stay away from one of them, please do so. PM will keep this above board ,yet help me choose whom to spend my money with. I rarely pay someone else to do anything bike/car repair related ,but maybe this is the time? Thanks!

kantuckid said:

OK, I tried a search & got 40 pages of non specificaly related stuff, so here goes: I looked via google & my bookmarks & found these places as potential repairers for one of my 3 /5 speedo/tach combo units-

1. Overseas,Austin ,TX
2. North Hollywood
3. Palo Alto
4. Speedometer Plus,LA,CA
5.Southern Elec,VA
6. A guy on ADVrider
7. Maybe me-if I use the one that works and needs needles(I make them) and I come up with a face source to uplift the gauge. I also see these that are being sold on ebay by a few sources as redone units.Some with white & others in OEM black. I have not seen a source from India for the 1973 /5 unit as is common for older BMW's and certain British bikes. Having 3 of these as cores, maybe I can trade out a donor for some work too.
I've read various comments on a few of the above services but not all & none real recently. If you've had particularly good luck or care to PM me to stay away from one of them, please do so. PM will keep this above board ,yet help me choose whom to spend my money with. I rarely pay someone else to do anything bike/car repair related ,but maybe this is the time? Thanks!

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I've heard nothing but good things about North Hollywood.

I've heard nothing at all about Southern Elec, Speedo Plus or Overseas

I've heard nothing but sad tails and complaints about Palo Alto for the last several years. Complaints included exorbitant prices and poor workmanship.

The last time I needed some custom work/repairs done, I sent my parts to Terry Vla (A board member here and on ADV.) and he did a great job for me.

I needed a late model electronic tach converted to black face to match my R90S speedo and I needed some rewiring done on the /6 circuit board. Terry evaluated the job, let me know what he was going to do and did a good job at at reasonable price.

One thing that we all need to accept these days is that our bikes are well on their way to becoming Antiques and the skills necessary to repair and service things like the mechanical gauges are disappearing.

Although it has been 5+ years since I've had an airhead speedo/tach repaired - I had very good success with both the speedo/tach on my R60/6 and R100RS at Palo Alto Speedo. My R75/5 had its speedo/tach reworked at PAS prior to my purchasing the bike some years back, according to the previous owner.

I can't comment of the current situation an PAS or any other shop.

I've used Palo Alto in the past and had good service, but it's been 7 or 8 years ago. I'm restoring a '74 R90/6 and needed the speedo and tach serviced. I travel for a livin and go thru Austin , Tx quite often. So I dropped those units off at Oversees Speedo. They were ready in about a week. Stopped back in and picked em up. Looked good. I havn't installed them yet. Well anyway at least I saved on shipping that way. I recommend them.

I've had good results with North Hollywood (speedo) and Oversees Speedometer (quartz clock).

Overseas speedometer was the first site that came up on a search, after browsing around their website and giving a call, I went with them.

I sent my tach down to Overseas speedo back in December. I had called ahead and spoke with Rick, friendly guy. I had explained that my tacho had crashed out and the needle spun 360 round, breaking the pin as it came around the 0RPM rest. Rick said he could fix the gears in the tach but he did not have any new needles. The needle off mine was still inside the gauge so I sent that as well.

Got this back just after Christmas, it looks good; unless you really took a long close look at the needle you dont notice where it's been put back together. I have since put it back on the bike and it's working fine.

Friendly quick service, hell they even had it shipped and on its way back to me before they called me up for a credit card number.

Palo Alto

They did my Porsche and now my BMW gauges. They do some of the best work!

Thanks,
Shane

After

After Palo Alto

Before

Before

I recommend using a shop that is in business to do this work and not a private individual doing it as a hobby. I went the latter route and didn't see my tach for four months and then it was mis-calibrated, badly, when I got it back. I sent it to Overseas and they turned it around quickly. I can't say whether they did it correctly until spring.

speedo/tach upgrade

Is it safe to assume that the mileage on the refurbished speedo will be adjusted to reflect the mileage on the original odo? I did a refurbish on an old Honda and they did it right (can't remember who I used). They sent me before and after photos and a certificate to document the change.

A repairer can put whatever mileage on it you want & really doesn't matter a lot if your honest! On my 1973, R75/5 with 51k original miles what say members about what to put on the odometer? Pictures or not , it's about honesty on mileage. I think all states have an opportunity to state if its accurate or whatever on title application. Most pro restorers turn them back. A few local car dealers did that & did some time , as did a guy I used to caddy for in Topeka-he owned the Buick dealership. I also know at least one guy that did it for someone else & remember his little theory as to how he thought it was OK. For a complete!!! restore I think it is.

Enjoying this thread....

I know there are variables here, but how much of a dollar investment have the posters made in their repairs?

Thanks in advance!

ccolwell said:

I recommend using a shop that is in business to do this work and not a private individual doing it as a hobby. I went the latter route and didn't see my tach for four months and then it was mis-calibrated, badly, when I got it back. I sent it to Overseas and they turned it around quickly. I can't say whether they did it correctly until spring.

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For my benefit & others it would be helpful to have at least a PM reaction on WHO??? kept it for 4 months & messed up! thanks

Just sent mine to Rick at Overseas.

Palo Alto did my motometer a couple of years ago and did great job.

tvtommy said:

Just sent mine to Rick at Overseas.

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I think you will be happy with the results.

Barron