Speedometer calibration

My speedometer is 6% fast per my GPS. Is there any simple method of recalibration avaliable?
Merry Christmas everyone.

Simple? Nope.

Be grateful yours is so close, mine is off by a full 10%.

I don't have a GPS to guage my speedometer error with so... taking everyones' explanations into account, I just use my five MPH rule: If the sign says XX mph I just add 5 mph to the sign amount and call it even. I think for the most part that it still keeps me somewhat under legal speed limits. Of course, if I'm feelin' my oats, I go ahead and giv'er hell anyway.

I do the same - just add a few MPH (KPH's here).

I think it's fairly common knowledge that manufacturers factor in an allowance for inevitable inaccuracies in speedometers so they can't be blamed if riders and drivers inadvertently exceed speed-limits.

DickO wrote:

Of course, if I'm feelin' my oats, I go ahead and giv'er hell anyway.

Works for me DickO, .

Mine is like Dicko's I think too. When going at interstate speeds mine is off right at 5 mph. If I'm doing over 90 mph than it is about 6-7 miles over. But I think all bikes have this error built into them.

At highway speeds my speedometer-to-GPS variance is 7-8 mph. But since i usually keep my GPS in the left glovebox, I just fallback on the old 'speed + 10' rule: Whatever the posted limit is, you can (usually) ride hassle-free with an additional 10mph on the speedometer. (Doesn't mean I don't ride faster - but the 'hassle-free' warm and fuzzies start to diminish.

My vtx 1300R is off 6 to 7 mph at most ranges. However, my 2011 silverwing is right on. Not sure why, but I have mounted two different gps models and the speedo is right on at all speeds. Wonder why? I am wondering if they (honda) decided to make it all right. For what every reason I'm happy.

mrcaveman wrote:

My vtx 1300R is off 6 to 7 mph at most ranges. However, my 2011 silverwing is right on. Not sure why, but I have mounted two different gps models and the speedo is right on at all speeds. Wonder why? I am wondering if they (honda) decided to make it all right. For what every reason I'm happy.

You should be able to sell your speedo to someone who can't subtract.

Cheers,

My SW speedo is 5 off at 60 mph. I get better gas mileage that way?

For every 100 on the odometer, I have gone 8 less than actual? So my calculations are in favor of better mpg than it actually is. I really don't care what my odometer says how far it is to Portland.... but my GPS knows. Anyone calculate their gas mileage using the gps vs the actual gas used?

I have not done this and probably won't. I have to pay the fiddler anyway but thought someone has done it.

My Goldwing is spot on accurate as most of the 1500's are. The newer 1800's are off by 5 at 60.

Just looking at the statistics l.i.s. and you're in the lead with 112 posts so far this month. Considering the Silver Wing is your 'town bike' what are you posting on Gold Wing forums about your proper bike!

By the way I'm in what was East Germany at the moment, and my TomTom sat nav shows my speed varies by about 5-7 mph from what my speedometer says. I've also got a nice little sticker to put on my Airflow to give me an easy visual conversion of posted kph speed limits to mph. I remember there was some posts about similar aids a while ago.

Meldrew wrote:

Just looking at the statistics l.i.s. and you're in the lead with 112 posts so far this month. Considering the Silver Wing is your 'town bike' what are you posting on Gold Wing forums about your proper bike!

Meldrew,

I am honored you asked that question. I retired so I have some extra time.

Also, I felt I had to defend myself from some attacks, so I posted a little more than normal.

It really is none of my business whether or not anyone likes me, so this week, I am posting less.

I have noticed that people are posting on the side of politeness rather than rudeness.

Good manners applies anywhere, online, in the the grocery line or the firing line.

One final answer: You asked what I post on my other forum. Well this past week, I started a thread to assist a member who has fallen on hard times in Florida. I helped raise $1100 for this member to get back on their feet.

If you would like to read about that, here you go:

helping a member out

Thank you for taking the time to notice my self importance.

Meldrew wrote:

By the way I'm in what was East Germany at the moment, and my TomTom sat nav shows my speed varies by about 5-7 mph from what my speedometer says. I've also got a nice little sticker to put on my Airflow to give me an easy visual conversion of posted kph speed limits to mph.

I was in East Berlin three times during my high school days. 1968, 69 70. I played football for the Wurzburg American High School and we traveled to play the Berlin American High School team in West Berlin. Yes, we traveled into East Berlin, behind the Berlin wall. I learned about oppression there. From West Germany, we had to take the supply train through East Germany to reach Berlin.

It was very special to me to see the Berlin Wall come down.

Sorry to anyone who feels like this thread was hijacked....cuz it was!

Hi Meldrew,
Can you not change te read-out on the TomTom to read in kilometers? it's easy to do on the Garmin and avoids all the conversions etc.

To save Meldrew from having to reply about the TomTom being able to show kilometres and miles, the answer is yes it can. The speed can be shown in KPH (kilometres per hour) and route directions can be shown / spoken in kilometres. Considering that TomTom is actually a Dutch firm we should be thankful that they show imperial as well as metric.
Cheers,

I'm not blindly relying on the sat nav to do everything for me, if it was infallible it wouldn't have taken me on a tour of Kassel or direct me onto barriered off autobahn sections. Also the more info you want on screen, the harder it is to see.

As for speedo readings in kph, I could convert the digital speedometers of my Helix, and 650 Burgman to kph and occasionally done so.

The little sticker just tells me what a posted kph Speed Limit is in mph and I adjust my speed if necessary.

By the way Mühlhausen is a nice relaxing place to hang out, the old city walls are mainly intact and I had a good wander about yesterday. Somehow the visor ratchet on one side of my Schuberth J1 has broken and I've had to effect a temporary repair. Super glue didn't work, neither did melting a zip tie on the break, so I've made a tape and splint repair which should last until I get home.