1974 Speedos

[sleepy]

A bit of a trivia question for those that were around in 1974. When did speedos go from MPH to KPH in Australia ?
I thought that in 74 they were MPH and most went to KPH in 75.

[pokey]

It would depend on the brand and the model when they changed over. I have a 74 suzuki TS185 with what I believe to be the original clocks and its on KPH. I have a 73 which looks identical apart from the face and its MPH. if its american its going to be MPH as those guys cant count to ten yet.

Jumping into my wayback machine I have memories of a 74 suzuki  TS250 and it was MPH

 That could be for Suzuki at least, the change over was some time in 74

[sleepy]

I found info that states the change of speed signs happened in July 74. Not sure if the Government had any rules about sales of MPH speedos after that date or if there was a phase in period. Would have been difficult for importers to know what to order. I have an 73 RT3 Yamaha and it is MPH also just picked up a GT550L 1974 and it is MPH but currently having an argument with a chap that is telling me that because I have a MPH speedo it must be an American model. He obviously didn't live through the change over period.

[Wasp]

All my triples (69-74 ) are MPH . My Yamaha XS 650 B is MPH but my 650D is KMH . So I guess probably around 75 was the cut off time .

[pokey]

Suzuki  as a company dont waste parts and did  or probably still carry some parts over to the next year. This was more evident in the 70s. I have no doubt that some bikes were sold in 74 with MPH clocks.
They didnt change many things between the models apart from paint and decals but there are some very minor parts that did change like the gas cap pin going from a spread end peened rivet style to a circlip. The speedos were originally melt sealed then they went to a green glue. this is reflected in the part numbers sometimes with a suffix being added.

34100  is the base code for the suzuki speedo
34100-33618 is the GT550L speedo that it shares with 17 other models
 Now the interesting part
 There are 16 variations of that number all quoted to suit your model bike. Many of the variations are for changes in supplier  of components or face plate design or colour or destined market Im sure one of them is also for KPH

 The statement of It must be US if its MPH seems a bit naive when you look into it,

Best way to check is find the original importer of the bikes in the 70s and quote them your frame number and they just maybe able to tell you when it was imported. Not sure but I think it was Mick Hone,  Leith should find this topic and he will know who it was.
 Cheers

[Natroy]

I had a '74 DT 175, and it was in K's.

[GMC]

Professor google says the change over was July 74
It seems we made the decision to change in 1970 so all manufacturers would have had lots of notice of change but considering that 74 models would have been built in 73 and that the first half of 74 all street signs were still in Mph it would be reasonable to assume that early models would have been imperial and later imports metric.
It must have been a dilemma as to what to import in 74 so it wouldn't surprise me that both versions of the same model were brought in

I would assume that the change for manufacturers wouldn't have been a big deal as they would have already been producing metric speedos for the European market.

[Wasp]

I had a couple of Kawasaki speedos restored and converted to km/h at the same time .

[LWC82PE]

I dont think i have much info to add. If its a suzuki yeah Mike Hone or any other dealer can tell you what model it is from the frame number but i doubt they could tell you what month it was imported to Australia and what speedo it had fitted.
The Suzuki parts book may list a speedo with a certain part number up to a certain frame number and another speedo  part number for a later frame number range within that model run.

[John Orchard]

I seem to remember the speedo's ran with a dual scale for a number of years.

[pokey]

Just found some info that may sort it out as there were some differences between the  US E3 Canda E28 models
 Oz scored basically the export E1 version(almost UK E2 vers) or australian specific E24

E0 Japanese Domestic Market
E2 UK
E3 USA/E28 Canada
E4 France
E6 South Africa
E17 Sweden
E18 Switzerland
E21 Belgium
E22 West Germany
E24 Australia
E25 Netherlands

Check your headlight lens... Australia drives on Left so the lens will (excuse the pun) reflect this.
american bikes Used Nippon Denso elecrics and super rarely Kokusan.
 rear side reflectors were red
Us models had fr brake switch from K. Oz versions scored them on the A and B models.
US models had springs on the exhaust flange
 The blinkers had extenders fr & R
 I know its later but the US never scored the nikasil bores for any model where we did for the A and B

[sleepy]

I have a copy of the parts book and it list Mile and Kilo speedos for the 1974 models but no other notes as to frame numbers.
Those years we went away from the imperial system certainly caused a lot of confusion back then.

[LWC82PE]

if we are talking TS suzuki, then no the B model did not get nikasil bores. That was 76 only.

I seem to remember the speedo's ran with a dual scale for a number of years.

UK and USA TS and some PE had combo scales.