Try taking it to a speedo shop, if you have one in your area. I had a problem with my old Honda Civic reading slower than it was actually going and they cleared it right up for me.

 

I've found my speedo to read about 5% high, compared to my GPS.

If your speedo is reading high, it makes you less likely to get a ticket...

 

Actually it doesn't make you less likelyto get a ticket, because the cops know about it, so you're less likely to argue when they say you're speeding, and yes a lot of cops out here love to lie about how fast you were really going.

Also it's DEADLY for the speedo to be so low. If I'm on a road doing (what I think) is 75 or 80 (the speed limit in many places in the midwest) but I'm REALLY doing 68 or 72, then I'm in great danger of being run over and killed by those people doing the speed limit or 5 to 10 over.

The thing is, they can make these speedo's accurate. For 20 bucks I got a bicycle speedo on my other motorcycle that is dead on accurate to over 200mph. Making them read high is another one of those pieces of politically correct BS where they claim if they make them read high it will cut down on speeding. When all it really does it put our lives in danger because we have no idea how fast we're really going, we only know that the speedo lies, and if we use it, we are in danger for our lives.

Speeding is not dangerous, going slow is. To be completely honest, you're at your safest on a motorcycle when going faster than everyone in cars around you. Because it makes you more manuverable than they are.

 

Also it's DEADLY for the speedo to be so low. If I'm on a road doing (what I think) is 75 or 80 (the speed limit in many places in the midwest) but I'm REALLY doing 68 or 72, then I'm in great danger of being run over and killed by those people doing the speed limit or 5 to 10 over.

At +5 or +10? Even a moron on a cell phone has better reaction time than that.

Speeding is not dangerous, going slow is. To be completely honest, you're at your safest on a motorcycle when going faster than everyone in cars around you. Because it makes you more manuverable than they are.

Not at speed.

 

Banner has some interesting idea's what is safe and not safe ;D

I think your less likely to get a ticket because your actually going slower if your Speedo is reading fast.

You think a cop is going to pull you over if your going the speed limit because he knows your speedo is off so he can just lie about the speed.
I am sure it can happen but not likely.

Robert =)

 

At +5 or +10? Even a moron on a cell phone has better reaction time than that.

If you're doing 62 and think you're doing 70, and some one comes up at +10, well he's +18 on you. And you think they have better reactions than that? You haven't driven in California, have you?

Not at speed.

Most definitely at speed. It's just like flying an aircraft, the more power you have, the more you can outmaneuver your opponent. If you're in a car and I'm on a bike coming up on you at 20 plus, even if you try, you can't hit me. Because I'm faster than you, I move in -all- directions faster than you can. Top that with my higher acceleration and you can't touch me at all. Ask anyone who's done formation flying and air to air intercepts. The same exact principles apply here on the ground.

 

Banner has some interesting idea's what is safe and not safe ;D

Robert =)

30+ years of riding will do that to you
especially when a fair share of it took place in high traffic areas (NY, NYC, SF, Bay Area, Portland).

 

Seems like we're getting off topic here.

I'm not aware of a 'Speedo Healer' that fits a Monster, but I haven't looked for one either.

You can buy another bicycle speedo if you like.

 

well you got me there Banner ;D

I am a Noob compared to you. I only have 1/5 the road experience.

Thanks
Robert =)

 

I posted a link to an ad for a speedo calibrator this week someplace. It lists a kit for Ducati too.

 

Seems like we're getting off topic here.

I'm not aware of a 'Speedo Healer' that fits a Monster, but I haven't looked for one either.

You can buy another bicycle speedo if you like.

Speedo healer does make a universal kit that they claim will fixt the ducati's issue BUT, I don't know if that will also mess up the mileage. Both come off the same sensor. I may just buy another bicycle speedo, they're only twenty bucks and have a bunch of nice features. And the monster has a really good mounting point for it as well.

 

I find it interesting that the speedo is off but the odometer isn't...

 

you girls are forgetting something important. a speedo that reads high also puts on the miles faster.

 

you girls are forgetting something important. a speedo that reads high also puts on the miles faster.

hey, i like doing valve checks sooner than 6000 miles. how about everybody else?

 

you girls are forgetting something important. a speedo that reads high also puts on the miles faster.

That's not necessarily true.

Mechanical Speedo
The odometer is geared to the cable, so it's basically 'counting' revolutions of the cable.

The speedometer needle is attached to an aluminum disk, pivoting on bearings, and pulled down toward 'zero' by a spring.
The speedo cable attaches to a magnetic disk, mounted very close to the aluminum disk.
As the magnetic disk spins, it induces an electrical current and magnetic field in the aluminum disk.
The intereaction of the two magnetic fields rotates the speedo needle.

Electronic Speedo
The odometer reading is calculated by the electronics, which are counting the pulses from the sensor on your rear wheel.

The speedometer needle is driven by a servomotor, controlled by the electronics.

Either kind can give inaccurate readings of speed or mileage, independently.

I've found my S4's speedo to read about 5% high, but the odometer is *very* close, when comparing to my GPS.
In my truck, the speedo is only about 2% high, and the odometer is again very accurate compared to the GPS.
The mileage shown by the GPS corresponds very closely with what my Streets and Trips software shows for a particular route.

 

I had to put a Speedo Healer on my M800 when I switched to the S2R swingarm 'cuz the rear brake rotor and thus the # of pickups went from 5 to 4. Messed up the speed by 30%... or so...

The Speedo Healer just fakes out the speedo by "adjusting" the number of pulses from the sensors, so I don't know how it could adversely affect mileage readings. If the speed is right then the mileage should be too. It appears to be fine on mine. I haven't gotten all "scientific" about it, but my numbers match up pretty well with other bikes I've ridden with.

I got the Speedo Healer from Cal Sportbike I used the "universal" model.

 

Heh guys, new to the club. I got a warning with a couple of my buddies some where in Montana on this neat fast paced road last week. The man said I got three bikes with readings of 102, 98, and 92 mph in a 70. I can't prove it blah blah blah. I Was the 98, and as soon as I saw him my speedo said 160 kph. Close enough for me. S4RS ... mj

 

I find it interesting that the speedo is off but the odometer isn't...

Yes, it just shows that the inaccuracy of the speedo is intentional. ALL the manufacturers do this. I think they had their arms twisted or something. I'm wondering if I can just adjust the servo motor in the head unit to make it correct. Might take it apart and see.

 

That's not necessarily true.

Mechanical Speedo
The odometer is geared to the cable, so it's basically 'counting' revolutions of the cable.

The speedometer needle is attached to an aluminum disk, pivoting on bearings, and pulled down toward 'zero' by a spring.
The speedo cable attaches to a magnetic disk, mounted very close to the aluminum disk.
As the magnetic disk spins, it induces an electrical current and magnetic field in the aluminum disk.
The intereaction of the two magnetic fields rotates the speedo needle.

Electronic Speedo
The odometer reading is calculated by the electronics, which are counting the pulses from the sensor on your rear wheel.

The speedometer needle is driven by a servomotor, controlled by the electronics.

Either kind can give inaccurate readings of speed or mileage, independently.

I've found my S4's speedo to read about 5% high, but the odometer is *very* close, when comparing to my GPS.
In my truck, the speedo is only about 2% high, and the odometer is again very accurate compared to the GPS.
The mileage shown by the GPS corresponds very closely with what my Streets and Trips software shows for a particular route.

last time i looked at my spedo cluster, there was only wires coming out the back. no mechanical linkages.

 

last time i looked at my spedo cluster, there was only wires coming out the back. no mechanical linkages.

Prior to '02 (I think), the speedos were all mechanical driven off the front wheel. '02 and on went to electronic with a pick-up on the rear wheel. The Speedo Healer type fixes will only work on the electronic gauges.