Speedometer Error

Discussion in '6th Generation 2002-2013' started by RobVG, Oct 17, 2019.

  1. RobVG

    RobVG Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2013
    Messages:
    1,450
    Likes Received:
    31
    Trophy Points:
    78
    Location:
    Seattle
    Map
    Anyone figure out the speedometer error on a 6th Gen?
    Probably varies a bit from bike to bike but was wondering what you came up with.
     
  2. vishwo707

    vishwo707 New Member

    Country:
    Australia
    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2016
    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    12
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Bunbury, Western Australia
    Map
    I tested my VFR speed with Speedometer GPS app and it came around 6-7% higher than GPS speed.

    Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
     
  3. FJ12rydertoo

    FJ12rydertoo Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2008
    Messages:
    2,245
    Likes Received:
    270
    Trophy Points:
    83
    Location:
    Platte City, MO
    Map
    Probably about the same as any Japanese motorcycle, around 5-10%.
     
  4. Camp

    Camp New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2018
    Messages:
    200
    Likes Received:
    53
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Location:
    Easton, PA
    Map
    8.3 on mine, speedo healer.
     
  5. Boosh63

    Boosh63 Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2009
    Messages:
    425
    Likes Received:
    27
    Trophy Points:
    73
    Location:
    Timmins, Ontario, Canada
    Map
    My 08 is out about 6%.

    I read that SpeedoHealers are not recommended on bikes equipped with ABS... this true?

    Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
     
  6. Doug7200

    Doug7200 New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    May 25, 2017
    Messages:
    123
    Likes Received:
    156
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    El Segundo or Gardnerville!!!
    Map
    On my 2 6th gens, one was around 7%, the other is 9%+.

    Manufacturers were sued years ago for 2 reasons - showing speeds less than actual, and inaccurate mileage totals. People sued after getting tickets for speeding and speedometers showed lower than actual speeds due to tire wear and sizing. The other reasons is when MC's are leaned over, the diameter of the tire changes, resulting in inaccurate mileage totals.

    Accordingly, most MC speedometers/odometers read 7-10% fast.
     
    Boosh63 and vishwo707 like this.
  7. FJ12rydertoo

    FJ12rydertoo Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2008
    Messages:
    2,245
    Likes Received:
    270
    Trophy Points:
    83
    Location:
    Platte City, MO
    Map
    I don't think anybody sued anyone over their speedometer being inaccurate and builders then made their
    speedometers all read high. I've been riding bikes since 1963 and every Japanese bike I've ever owned
    has indicated a higher speed than actual speed. I've never heard of any such litigation, but I may have
    missed it. I had three Triumph's and they all read dead-on accurate, even though the speedo drive was
    off the rear wheel.

    I think the main reason was to make the Honda's and such seem to be much faster than they really were.
    Japanese bikes were pretty small displacement compared to the Norton, Triumph, BSA, and Harley, so
    they were always trying to show that even though their bikes were small, they could still be fast. And I
    think it just stayed that way over the years. Honda was big on saying their CB350 could "do the ton" and
    it could, according to the speedometer. So there were real benefits to it reading high.

    All JMO of course.
     
  8. RobVG

    RobVG Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2013
    Messages:
    1,450
    Likes Received:
    31
    Trophy Points:
    78
    Location:
    Seattle
    Map
    Judging from other traffic, I 'm guessing 75 is actually 70. That's in line with the 7% estimates.
     
  9. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Nov 20, 2013
    Messages:
    3,522
    Likes Received:
    391
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    East Bay, California
    Map
    8th gens are fairly accurate, I check mine against the radar speed signs around our area all the time, dead on,
     
  10. Camp

    Camp New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2018
    Messages:
    200
    Likes Received:
    53
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Location:
    Easton, PA
    Map
    It's a habit it seems with Japanese vehicles. Maybe in the conversion. I've had a couple Kawi's, a Susuki, even a Honda Civic that all read high. Tolerable. It's when you get into gearing changes that a healer is great. Quick ride with the gps or phone, find the error %, enter it in... Fixed.
     
  11. dbuzz77

    dbuzz77 New Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2017
    Messages:
    161
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Location:
    South Lake, Saskatchewan
    Map
    My 03 was 6kph high according to my gps. 2 is usually the norm on cars so i don't know why they have to be that far out
     
  12. 577nitroexpress

    577nitroexpress New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2012
    Messages:
    155
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Mines off +5 mph .

    used to be you could adjust tension on the needle spring, tighten to slow the MPH down, etc... That was in the cable days, now I'm not sure how it works inside the clock.
     
  13. Camp

    Camp New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Nov 27, 2018
    Messages:
    200
    Likes Received:
    53
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Location:
    Easton, PA
    Map
    The speedohealer works thru the diagnotic plug so tru the ecu. Just changed my gearing again to 45t rear. Wasn't completely happy with 44t. You take a ride with your phone of gps to get actual speed, also note the speed displayed. Then take the smaller number divided by the larger. Either lowering or raising the gearing. Enter that sum number as percent into the healer, done.
     
  14. Boosh63

    Boosh63 Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2009
    Messages:
    425
    Likes Received:
    27
    Trophy Points:
    73
    Location:
    Timmins, Ontario, Canada
    Map
    I've always read that It's not wise to fool around with a speedo healer when you have an ABS bike. Is this true?

    Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
     
  15. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    Wouldn't that depend on how the system was configured? If the wheel speed sensors for the ABS are also used for the speedo then it sounds plausible, but I do not think that would be the case with the VFRs. Certainly the 5th and 6th gen draw the speedo signal from the gearbox output shaft. If the wheel speed sensor was used, gearing changes would not affect the speedo.
     
  16. Boosh63

    Boosh63 Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2009
    Messages:
    425
    Likes Received:
    27
    Trophy Points:
    73
    Location:
    Timmins, Ontario, Canada
    Map
    That makes a ton of sense and that is what I understood as well. I imagine that I let a few articles spook me and just live with the inaccuracy.

    Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
     
  17. raYzerman

    raYzerman Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2019
    Messages:
    1,228
    Likes Received:
    450
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Millgrove, ON
    Map
    No problem with ABS, except when both front and rear sensor signals are used, ie, for factory cruise control on an FJR. In that case, TWO speedohealer units are required and a side effect was cruise worked only in 5th and 6th, no longer worked in 4th...... but that's a unique situation.
     
Related Topics

Share This Page