speedometer is off by 10%

[Zuan]

I got my bike last week and noticed that my speedometer reads high by almost 10% when compared to my gps. I find a 10% error to be a bit excessive and beyond what I would consider to be acceptable. What is your experience with your bike? Are there any options besides a Speedohealer? Has anyone installed a speedohealer on a Super Tenere XT1200Z? Has anyone written up a "how to" on installation of a speedohealer. I have not yet checked my odometer readings, but I suspect them to be off as well.

 

[stevepsd]

I bet you will find the odometer is almost spot-on....on all my bikes with electronic speedos, the speed display is fast (usually 6%-7%) but the odometer reads correct.

On my Tiger, I can adjust the speedometer (using TuneBoy) so the speedo is dead-nuts accurate, but then the odometer will read slow. On the Tiger there is a pre-defined bias within the firmware of the instrument cluster that you cannot defeat.

I really dislike when mfg's do this thinking they are 'helping' us, I guess. My Porsche reads spot-on (both speed and odometer)...they way it should be.

 

[GrahamD]

I really dislike when mfg's do this thinking they are 'helping' us, I guess. My Porsche reads spot-on (both speed and odometer)...they way it should be.

In Australia it is Mandated by regulation that a Speedo will read over. Why do you think they all tend to be over by the same amount? There was someone on ADV rider who did a table of Mandated speedo error after a supplied the convoluted maths in the Australian Design riles.

I assume it might be a case of the manufacturers just supplying one setting to cover all markets. I don't know whether Zimbabwe would have this rule.

I think it can be fudged a bit if you provide a Analog and Digital Speedo together when one can be spot on and the "main" one is compliant.

 

[limey]

My bike is the same at 100 km/h the GPS reads about 90 km/h my V-STROM was the same. My Wife is a road captain for a Female bike club and tells my most of the Japanese bike the speedometers are out.

 

[rem]

A built-in radar deflector. R

 

[k woo]

Speedo compared to my GPS:

60=55
65=60
70=65

Odometer is accurate

 

[Yamaguy55]

My last three newer bikes are this way. So I add 10 to whatever it says. Last summer I went on an extended trip on the FZ, and managed to zip through one of those radar/camera things in Ohio, and for the next several months, expected to get a big-buck ticket in the mail. Never happened. I was running an indicated 85 when I did it, and was in the process of of being passed buy a Mercedes at the time. Then I regeared my WR250R, and used the wife's GPS Velcroed to the tank to set up the speedo-DRD as I knew the speedo would be wrong. Then I used the same setup on the FZ and proved what I always suspected, it was off by the amount stated above. But as also stated, the odometer is spot on. So if you're a "blitzing along" type, you can either do the mental math or just fit a GPS and use it. Silly thing to have to do, but that's the world we live in.

That would have been a pricey ticket. I was hot, tired and not paying attention to my rev happy bike. The FZ loved to run at 85 and above, climbed up there every time it got the chance. I'm going to miss that bike. The S10 isn't rev happy, but does like to creep up on speed in a very non-frantic way. It did it again today on a back road: I looked down, and noticed I was doing 75, and not trying. I backed off at that point. Sneaky fast bike. Bears considerable watching.

 

[Combo]

My last three newer bikes are this way. So I add 10 to whatever it says. Last summer I went on an extended trip on the FZ, and managed to zip through one of those radar/camera things in Ohio, and for the next several months, expected to get a big-buck ticket in the mail. Never happened. I was running an indicated 85 when I did it, and was in the process of of being passed buy a Mercedes at the time. Then I regeared my WR250R, and used the wife's GPS Velcroed to the tank to set up the speedo-DRD as I knew the speedo would be wrong. Then I used the same setup on the FZ and proved what I always suspected, it was off by the amount stated above. But as also stated, the odometer is spot on. So if you're a "blitzing along" type, you can either do the mental math or just fit a GPS and use it. Silly thing to have to do, but that's the world we live in.

That would have been a pricey ticket. I was hot, tired and not paying attention to my rev happy bike. The FZ loved to run at 85 and above, climbed up there every time it got the chance. I'm going to miss that bike. The S10 isn't rev happy, but does like to creep up on speed in a very non-frantic way. It did it again today on a back road: I looked down, and noticed I was doing 75, and not trying. I backed off at that point. Sneaky fast bike. Bears considerable watching.

I think you end up going fast because it is so darn smooth.

 

[Jakeboy]

I run with the traffic. I don't really care what the speedo is saying. On two lane stuff, I worry about critters more than anything, especially at night.

 

[GP]

well.........better over than under

 

[JHKolb]

There was a long thread about this same topic on the VFR Discussions forum. Seems Honda does the same +7% on all their bikes as well, apparently it is standard procedure for some reason or other.

 

[Don in Lodi]

Speedo compared to my GPS:

60=55
65=60
70=65

Odometer is accurate

Same as mine... something like 9% if my rusty math still works.

 

[Koinz]

I think most bikes are off by 5-10% including bmw's.

 

[Combo]

Speedo compared to my GPS:

60=55
65=60
70=65

Odometer is accurate

The same as my KLR so I am used to it. My FJR is much closer but no big deal. Better than the other way.

 

[3putt]

I have the speedohealer but not connected. It is not a plug and go deal, will have to find the blue wire going to dash then cut and replace with SH connections to complete hookup. Ignition hookup can be had at the auxiliary plug. I calculated mine to be about 9% which is a bunch. Still undecided if I will ride or cut. Really wanted to leave this bike mostly stock.

 

[stevepsd]

I have not had a opportunity to check the speedo accuracy yet....if it is indeed off by that amount it would drive me crazy.

Go ahead.....install it!

 

[retro]

Speedometer Accuracy?

Just wondering if anyone has checked their speedo accuracy with a GPS yet? In my experiance Japanese bikes seem to read about 10k faster than actual, mine seems to be out more than that, I can be doing 130km/hr with people still passing me, I keep forgetting to move my GPS mount from my other bike until I get on the road.

Just curious what everyone else is seeing out there.

Retro

 

[Slaine]

Re: Speedometer Accuracy?

5% to 10% seems to be about right, I havent heard of it being higher.

 

[Bundu]

Re: Speedometer Accuracy?

on speed mine over reads 8.5% and on distance it over reads 2%
That was when my tyres had about 8 000km on them

 

[3putt]

Re: Speedometer Accuracy?

Mine is off about 9% I figure and I have a speedohealer but it must be spliced into the blue wire going to dash. No plug and play for this bike.