K11 Owners Group

Saltcreek · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:19 pm Post subject: Speedometer error

I calculated my speedometer error today versus a handheld gps as 65/59.6 or about 9%. Is this about normal? Has anyone figured out anything to do about it? I know it's a common problem with motorcycles in general but you would think the engineers that designed such a fine bike could do better than 9%.

Jim
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Jim

1994 K1100LT Mystic Red, bfd, 37000 miles, sold Sad

2009 Wilderness Systems Zephyr 155 ST
2002 Litespeed titanium

Flying Duck · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:39 pm Post subject:

All K bike speedos are off by about 10%.

How to fix it:

http://www.ibmwr.org/ktech/speedo-cal.shtml

http://www.ibmwr.org/ktech/speedo-cal2.shtml

http://www.ibmwr.org/ktech/speedo-cal3.shtml

Here's how I do it:

Pull the speedo sensor. Turn the bike on, doesn't have to be running, just on. Hold a soldering iron an inch away from the sensor. See what the speedo says. For example 45mph. That's what your speedo reads at 60 Hz.

Go for a ride with a GPS. (One that you think has reliable speed measurement. I"m pretty sure my TomTom is about 1 mph slow.) Ride with a consistent indicated speed at the speed above (45mph). Look as the GPS - let's say the GPS says 41mph. Now you know what the speedo should indicater at 60 Hz.

Pull the speedo apart as described in the above articles. Adjust the potentiometer in the speedo until it reads 41 phm when you put the speedo sensor next to the soldering iron.

Put everything back togather and go for a ride with the GPS to verify it worked.

I calibrate mine so they just run a bit high. That way I can run at an indicated 70 and know that I'm doing 68 or 69 and won't get a ticket.

Option 2: Buy speedo-healer and put it in the speedometer sensor circuit. That allows to adjust how many pulses get to the speedo. BUT, on our bikes it will also screw up your odometer.

Option 3: Pay a speedo shop to calibrate it.
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chopper_harris · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:39 pm Post subject:

Yep, that is within spec (0% to -10%)

UK police bikes are calibrated to +/- 0.5% by an independent specialist, using a signal generator and a small screwdriver Wink

Also chaps, dont forget that electons move at the wrong speed in the US - British electrons move at a more leisurely 50 Hz.

It is worth noting that the generating companies can legally change the output frequency of the supply by several percent during times of high demand, so you cannot guarantee the Hz count at any PiT.

That's why the signal generator is used for law enforcement calibration.
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SugarHillCTD · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 8:11 pm Post subject:

Hey, I'm kinda' getting used to the optimistic speedo. I feel sooo fast......

Actually, on the (65 mph) interstate, I can run at an indicated 80 and know that most troopers won't be interested. 'specially in my area- lots of Canadian cagers running a true 80-85mph. I like that almost as much as the trooper in the median.
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fnord · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 8:53 pm Post subject:

I like the little extra hash marks just above and below 80, they're mighty handy on the slab. Clever little addition, imho.
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SugarHillCTD · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 9:15 pm Post subject:

Saltcreek · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 7:58 am Post subject:

Off the grid · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:13 pm Post subject:

Meh you get used to it.

I am extremely comfortable cruising around with my speedo showing 80-85.
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Saltcreek · Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 7:46 am Post subject:

Had the soldering iron out for the Sugarhill-Saltcreek organ swap. Tried waving it around the sensor and nothing. Tried waving a transformer. Nothing. Thought about waving other things. Got distracted. Now on review I see I'm supposed to remove the sensor! But I have to fix my master cylinder first so I can stop when I'm going 9% slower than I think I'm going. At least its not 9 mph slower cause then you'd be ripping in reverse when it says 0. I'm getting a little frustrated. Soon my new rear tire is coming. Hope I don't find anything wrong when I open that up.

By the way I still can't find reverse and my friends are getting tired of towing me around when I park wrong.
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Jim

1994 K1100LT Mystic Red, bfd, 37000 miles, sold Sad

2009 Wilderness Systems Zephyr 155 ST
2002 Litespeed titanium

MakaSichu · Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:05 am Post subject:

I just use the GPS.

BTW, I didn't believe it when I first heard they were off, so with the help of an officer, I checked.
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Scott_Anderson · Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:56 am Post subject:

I did my '95LT yesterday, was crappy out and rainy so I was just putsing in the garage and thought what the heck.
Wasn't too bad to do.
Like Drake says, just be extremely carefull when handling the cluster assy in it's disassembled state.
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