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speedometer way off
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 8:39 am
by Rick
I've got a new 2005 KLR. For breakin, my wife and I rode it from
western Colorado to Moab last weekend taking turns. Keeping at the
recommended 4000 rpm for the first 500 miles, the speedometer was
reading 60-65 mph, but traffic was blowing by me. I finally had my
wife set the cruise in our truck at 65mph and followed her. To keep
up I was going 70-75mph on the bike speedo. Is this common on the
KLR's? Is there a fix? Is it warranty? Is the tach reading going to be
off too? See you in Moab this coming weekend.
speedometer way off
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:08 am
by Chris
It's totally normal, they are all like that. Speedo reads way slow,
odo is pretty accurate...who knows why.
Made me nuts too, was being tailgated constantly all over here doing
what I though t was 5mph over.
Got a Sigma Sport BC1600 bike computer, now I know how fast I'm going.
Tip, try to find that model as it allows custom wheel size
calibration, some don't, also try to get that model with the 'long
wire' or 'rear wheel pickup' option, so the stock pickup cable is long
enough.
Zip tie the pickup cable to the forks, epoxy the magnet to the disc in
a spot where it's clear, and you'll be all set.
On 6/1/05, rick wrote:
> I've got a new 2005 KLR. For breakin, my wife and I rode it from
> western Colorado to Moab last weekend taking turns. Keeping at the
> recommended 4000 rpm for the first 500 miles, the speedometer was
> reading 60-65 mph, but traffic was blowing by me. I finally had my
> wife set the cruise in our truck at 65mph and followed her. To keep
> up I was going 70-75mph on the bike speedo. Is this common on the
> KLR's? Is there a fix? Is it warranty? Is the tach reading going to be
> off too? See you in Moab this coming weekend.
>
>
>
>
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speedometer way off
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:25 am
by Jud Jones
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "rick" wrote:
> I've got a new 2005 KLR. For breakin, my wife and I rode it from
> western Colorado to Moab last weekend taking turns. Keeping at the
> recommended 4000 rpm for the first 500 miles, the speedometer was
> reading 60-65 mph, but traffic was blowing by me. I finally had my
> wife set the cruise in our truck at 65mph and followed her. To keep
> up I was going 70-75mph on the bike speedo. Is this common on the
> KLR's? Is there a fix? Is it warranty? Is the tach reading going to be
> off too? See you in Moab this coming weekend.
Most people find the stock speedometer reads a little fast, about 8%, more or less. This
can vary with temperature, humidity and relative tire size. You have to think a mechanical
tach would be similarly variable.
Somebody once posted about calibrating the KLR speeedo by demagnetizing it slightly. I
have also read articles about the calibration of BMW speedos by mechanical adjustment,
but don't know if the same techniques will work on the KLR.
A $25 Sigma or a GPS will give a more accurate reading. Or you can wait for the blue
lights, and ask the trooper.
speedometer way off
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 11:33 am
by j solo
>From: "rick"
>Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2005 13:37:59 -0000
>
>I've got a new 2005 KLR. For breakin, my wife and I rode it from
>western Colorado to Moab last weekend taking turns. Keeping at the
>recommended 4000 rpm for the first 500 miles, the speedometer was
>reading 60-65 mph, but traffic was blowing by me. I finally had my
>wife set the cruise in our truck at 65mph and followed her. To keep
>up I was going 70-75mph on the bike speedo. Is this common on the
>KLR's? Is there a fix? Is it warranty? Is the tach reading going to be
>off too? See you in Moab this coming weekend.
mine was about the same, until the point where it crapped out and joined the
odo and trip meter in KLR heaven. The probabilty of the tach having the same
level of inaccuracy is likely not realted in any way.
Although the only way to really know that is to have an alternate timing
device that will show the tach's level of accuracy; and a variance of even
10% is not gonna affect the way you ride.
Even though I don't ride with the tach as a point of religion, it does come
in handy when I'm wringin 651's neck tryin to keep pace with more sporty
iron, I give a glance at the tach occasionally, cause I'm in the upper rev
zone the entire time, and would prefer to not stay near that red zone for
any real length of time.
But onto a resolution for the speedo thing. One can 'compensate' , which I
did while the speedo was working
OR
Put on a Sigma 1200 bike computer. Great solution. Not only can you
calibrate it accurately for the tire /wheel diameter your particular bike
has; but like many modern instrument panels, you get ODO, trip meter, 'Day
ride' meter (a 2nd trip meter can be used to for 'daily' logs while the
primary trip meter captures the whole tour) or 'fuel level' gauge. It has an
elapsed riding timer (v-cool), meaning records time only while moving, stop
watch, and a few other things. And the accuracy is well inside of 99%. Very
cool.
Sits on a bracket I placed at the top left fork tree bolt, next to and level
with the instrument panel.
Reading magnet is epoxied to the rotor carrier of the wheel hub. Wire runs
up the front of the fork leg and is ziptied soz therez enough slack for fork
movement. After a few miles it sorts itself out and lays nicely against the
fork leg.
Itz so cool , I'm gonna keep it on there even after I put on a new
instrument panel.
js
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speedometer way off
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 1:48 pm
by CA Stu
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "rick" wrote:
> I've got a new 2005 KLR. For breakin, my wife and I rode it from
> western Colorado to Moab last weekend taking turns. Keeping at the
> recommended 4000 rpm for the first 500 miles, the speedometer was
> reading 60-65 mph, but traffic was blowing by me. I finally had my
> wife set the cruise in our truck at 65mph and followed her. To keep
> up I was going 70-75mph on the bike speedo. Is this common on the
> KLR's? Is there a fix? Is it warranty? Is the tach reading going to
be
> off too? See you in Moab this coming weekend.
It's common, don't even worry about it. It is the source of the "Myth
of the 110 mph KLR"

As your front tire wears down, the speedo will become more accurate.
But who gives a crap, really?
I'm more prone to judging safe speed based on a lot more factors than
the speedometer. Matter of fact, I'd say that the speedo is the least
important measure of reasonable and prudent speed from a rider's point
of view.
Of course, my front hub took a dump and I was without a speedo for 6
months or more, so what do I know....
Cheers
CA Stu
A13
A14
CMC99,00,01,02,05
speedometer way off
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 1:50 pm
by Keith Saltzer
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "rick" wrote:
> I've got a new 2005 KLR. For breakin, my wife and I rode it from
> western Colorado to Moab last weekend taking turns. Keeping at the
> recommended 4000 rpm for the first 500 miles,
I would be most interested in hearing how much oil your bike burns
after about 2000 miles. Braking in a motor the way that you described
is a big no-no in my book.
MrMoose
A8 (Barbie and Ken special)
speedometer way off
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 2:45 pm
by Mark Sampson
Is this common on the
KLR's?
No-- not common----they all do it---100% of them.
Is there a fix?
Nope
Is it warranty?
Nope
Is the tach reading going to be
off too?
Yep
I would give you a list of bikes that have accurate
speedometers---but I'm afraid it would be a blank piece of paper.
Mark Sampson
www.bigdogadventures.com
speedometer way off
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:11 pm
by j solo
...snip
> > up I was going 70-75mph on the bike speedo. Is this common on the
> > KLR's? Is there a fix? Is it warranty? Is the tach reading going to
>be
> > off too? See you in Moab this coming weekend.
>
>It's common, don't even worry about it. It is the source of the "Myth
>of the 110 mph KLR"

>
>As your front tire wears down, the speedo will become more accurate.
>ut who gives a crap, really?
>I'm more prone to judging safe speed based on a lot more factors than
>the speedometer. Matter of fact, I'd say that the speedo is the least
>important measure of reasonable and prudent speed from a rider's point
>of view.
>Of course, my front hub took a dump and I was without a speedo for 6
>months or more, so what do I know....
>Cheers
>CA Stu
>A13
>A14
>CMC99,00,01,02,05
>
true, since you're not likely to be tagged and 'awarded' for breakin the
ton, riding to the conditions is always the best approach.
speedo disfunction - no worries. But not having a working tripmeter or ODO
is really a bitch. Means you can't really judge what your tank gas level is.
Even a soft thump on the tank doesn;t tell you much. And given the spotty
nature of the petcock on my '93, itz always a guess if the res side will
feed any gas at all.
There are Lister claims that the Odo and Tripmeter are reasonably more
accurate. Can't attest to this claim, since the trip meter went on holiday
within days of me getting the bike (and the ODO was DOA before my purchase).
Having been inside the instrument panel to see Iff'n I could repair the Odo
or tripmeter, let me say that the quality level is that of 50s era Japanese
plastic toys, maybe not quite that good.
And thankfully, the needle on my tach has broken off down to the center
dial/hub, so there's no unusual weight burden that the tach gearing has to
move. Upside is no distractions from any needles, the speedo don;t work and
the tach has only a small spinning dial with a little red 1/2 inch marker
line on it, all close enough for handgrenades.
And the ijiot lights keep me well amused.
Don;t Worry, Be Happy!
Sigma 1200 - 'GPS' for the neanderthal klr'r
js - having just received a working 'instrument' deck, itz stayin in the box
til the tach and ijiot lights stop woikin - just TMI!
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speedometer way off
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:16 pm
by CA Stu
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "j solo" wrote:
> But not having a working tripmeter or ODO
> is really a bitch. Means you can't really judge what your tank gas
level is.
The Odometer and tripmeter are accurate from the factory.
They function independent of the "hopeful" speedometer.
I can guarantee this, I've ridden lots of dual sport rides with a roll
chart, and they've always worked perfectly.
As far as judging gas in the tank, open the cap for cryin' out loud!
Sheesh!
CA Stu
speedometer way off
Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:24 pm
by David Critchley
Thinking about the original letter, I just realized that the KLR speedo
was being compared to a super accurate truck speedo, probably of
unknown virtue.
DC
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