All I need is the LCD for mileage and trip. My speedo maintains the mileage in the speedo and not the ECM.
I am looking for alternatives such as a replacement speedo.
Your old one might work.

 

I understand completely. Yes, all I need is the LCD but considering a replacement HARLEY brand that is surplus that someone wants to sell cheaply.
You did get ripped off....sorry about that but that is the way dealers operate.

 

30 miles after installing new speedo it will show the correct mileage. 2000 or newer. Older models it was not stored in ECM

 

The HD dealer’s software can remap a previously married speedometer to your bike’s VIN - for a small fee of course.

 

It's not 2000, IIRC it's about 2004-2007. You can look at the wiring diagram for the bike and if the serial bus goes to the speedo, there is a good chance that the ECM and Speedo share the vin and mileage.. Bikes that don't have the serial connection don't have any mileage issue and you can swap speedos.

 

So can a 2012 speedo be mated to a 1997 bike?

 

You can only swap up to the date I specified. After that the I believe speedos are locked to bikes.. Also from that time up the ECU controls the speedo via a serial bus. It mean you can only use speedos up to that date.

There can be other issues..
Assuming we are electronic speedo and you have the speed sensor in the tranny, you will likely be able to interface to any electronic speedo made by HD and a number of aftermarket ones. The issue will be gearing selected on your bike compared to gear selected on the donor speedo. I interfaced a 2001 FXD speedo to an evo special construction. Since I was using different sized wheels. I adjusted the gearing to roughly produce the same speed as the stock bike.

There are adaptors to correct speedo / gearing but I didn't want to use one and the standard gearing after going to close ration 1st and 2nd was about perfect.

 

Thanks! I was pretty sure the swap wouldn't work.

 

Based on my research (which might not be that good), I think the Harley 67410-04A speedometer might work on my 97 Heritage if I buy the sub-wire harness.
The DRAG #2120-0250 states "Sub wire harness is required for FXST/FLST 96-98 applications; allows plug-in installation of late-style speedometer (407903) to 96-98 factory main wire harness".
Also, V-Twin #32-0587 shows "Speedometer connector kit is used to modify 1996-1999 OEM harness to the newer type Deutsch connectors.
Wiring harness can be used with the newer 2000-2003 electronic speedometers. Fits: FLST 1996-1998"

Both of the above appear to be plug and play for newer speedometers that are not controlled by the ECM.
On another forum, one of the members stated "speedo holds mileage until 09 or 10 model year then its stored in the pcm and speedo displays from pcm memory". Can anyone confirm if this is correct?

I maybe thinking about this wrong but wanted the expert opinions here before I shell out cash.
THOUGHTS??

 

Don't think so. Don't know where you are getting the info from but the 2019 old book says.. The Drag 2120-0250 sub harness is for a OEM #67027-99. You can buy Drags equivalent speedo, 2210-0104 and use it. If you are using some vendor like Dennis Kirk, it'll be wrong.