Clocks. Left or right?

[Mosin]

I am in the process of fitting a tachometer to my A7SS as it continues to resemble a baby RGS. I have finally managed to obtain a timing inner case, Smiths tachometer, brackets etc etc and I'm now putting it all together. My question is an extremely simple one...

Does the speedo go on the left and the tacho on the right, or vice versa? I realise that this is largely a matter of personal preference, and I doubt that it makes any difference in the general scheme of things. But presumably there is a definitive answer? I have looked at dozens of photos of RGSs, Super Rockets, Road Rockets etc and roughly half have the tacho on the right and roughly half have it on the left.

Can anyone shed any light on this please? It will only niggle away at me otherwise.

[chaterlea25]

Hi Mosin,
Tach on the lefthand side is correct according to this BSA brochure pic.
That said I have mine the other way 

If i had known you were going about the conversion, I have 2 spare rev drive inner cases available if anyone needs one or two

John

[muskrat]

G'day Mosin.
To my way of thinking tacho on the left as per Johns picture. Reason being the tach drive is higher on the motor than the speedo drive on the g/box so cable length would be similar. I don't think it would make any difference if the correct length cable is used.
Cheers

[berger]

musking rat the drive from the oil pump needs a shorter cable whether putting the clocks left or right as i found out on mine.

[chaterlea25]

Hi All,
It was a long time ago but I think maybe the cable length decided that my tacho is on the righr , there's certainly not a lot of slack on it??
John

[trevinoz]

Have a look at the road test of the RGS in Motor Cycle from 22 Nov 1962.
The tacho is on the left.
I have seen the brochure with the opposite but it is only a brochure after all, the photo of the actual bike is definite.

[JulianS]

This earlier forum post includes a contemporary road test of a 1954 Road Rocket from US Cycle magazine and seems to show the tacho on the right.

https://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=11390.0

Below advert for the 1957 Super Rocket, from US Cycle magazine September 1957, a photo of the bike, not an artists impression, appears to show the tacho on the left.

Below again a shot from the Road Rocket test in Motor Cycling magazine 19th July 1956. Showing tacho on the right

[Adler]

Hello together,
maybe a strange idea, but could it be possible that the makers had a focus on the country's driving side to decide, where to mount the speedo?
Best regards, Manfred

[groily]

I wondered that too Manfred, when I was looking for my left-handed screwdriver!
My tachos have always been on the right, usually for reasons to do with optimising cable runs, but I've never had one on a Beesa.

[Rex]

Velo Venoms, fine machines that they are, have tacho's on the right when equipped with Geoff Dodkin's (a well-known tuner of the time) after-market clock and mounting bracket.
As I recall, many/most bikes with after-market tacho's have them on a higher bracket on the right.

[JulianS]

I think you can just see the tacho on the right in this RGS road test from 1962.

[Billybream]

Tacho on the right on my bike, main reason cable run and length from oil pump take off and wiring run to speedo bulb