Hi guys,
Can anyone please help me with some information on the speedometer and rev counter for my A65 Lightning.
My bike is registered as a 1966 model but I know for a fact that very little on the bike is original.
I am currently carrying out an extensive 'second' restoration and am trying to correct a few things that I didn't quite get right the first time.
The speedometer and rev counter are mounted in the rubber cups on the alloy bracket. The speedo has a black face and is marked SSM 5001/06 1000.
The rev counter has what I think is a grey face (it's certainly not as black as the speedo) and is marked RSM 3003/01A.
The rear wheel is 18" and the speedo drive on the bike is on the rear wheel and is marked 15/12 ratio.
According to the BSA parts books the 1966 speedo drive for the 18" rear wheel is 41-6026 2:1 ratio and the speedo is supposed to be 19-2181 SSM 5001/03. The rev counter is 19-2189 RSM 3003/06.
In the parts books the rev counter is the same for all pre oil in frame models from 1966 to 1970.
The speedo changes in the 1967 to 1970 books to a 19-8936 SSM 5001/05 and the speedo drive is 19-9217 1.25:1 ratio.
I have attached photographs of my instruments.
I'm not really bothered if they have a black or grey face. It would be nice if they were both the same. What I would like is instruments that work correctly and I'm not sure if the ones I have are right, as the numbers on them do not match up with what is in any of the parts books from 1966 to 1970.
I would appreciate your help and recommendations as to where I can get hold of the right parts, or have the ones I have restored and corrected?
Thank you,
Kev Ev
US1966 (125 mph) and 1967 (150 mph) speedos need the matching drive for them to work correctly, the USA bulletin below may shed some light.
According to my Smiths catalogue the SSM 5001/6 is a Triumph fitment for 1967.
I think the 3003/1 tacho is 4:1 drive for a unit single.
The A65 is 3:1 drive.
Thanks Julian,
That's good information.
I honestly never took much notice of the instruments when I rode the bike (the last time was a few years ago now), as I had no confidence in their accuracy. I was never sure that they were right and didn't do any research on them at that time. The rev counter packed up after about 2000 miles and I remember the inner cable had twisted and sheared close to the rev counter head. I took the inner cable out and did without it after that.
I would like to get a set of the 1967 to 1970 instruments if possible, as they seem to be the ones that were used the most.
I believe, for the 18" rear wheel this should be the 19-2189 - RSM3001/03 Rev Counter, 19-8936 - SSM 5001/05 Speedometer and 19-9217 - 1.25:1 Speedo Drive.
Where to get them though?