valve adjust question nklr

[Bill Watson]

THE PROBLEM: We re all familiar with the 7% to 10% speedo error on our KLRs. A few of you wrote me off-line with improvement ideas, and Don M. sent the best idea IMO and I just completed the work and have checked the results. Worked like a charm! THE SOLUTION: The odometers are generally right on, so we don't want to change the speedo cable ratio to the wheel. Since the speedo error grows with velocity (for discussion in general terms, 3 mph fast at 45, 4 mph fast at 55, 5 mph fast at 70), the goal was to spin the speedo needle on the shaft by about 4 to 5 mph to make it read slower. In concept, the end result would be dead on at 60 mph and within 1-2 mph between 40 and 80, where the huge majority of my riding occurs. THE METHOD: For the record, the needle is simply a snug fit on a tapered shaft, there are no gears to strip . The real risk here is breaking the needle, so be careful. I removed the instrument cluster and removed the speedometer from the cluster. Quite straightforward, just use your shop manual. Under the odometer face is a disc that controls the needle movement (the cup outside of it generates a magnetic torque proportional to velocity and moves the inner disc). The trick here is to do this once, not over and over again as a trial-and-error project so I wanted to establish some repeatable point before mods, then tweak until that same test resulted in a 4-to-5 mph lower reading on the workbench. On the disc is a tab that protrudes. It s the easiest thing to grab on the disc, and by looking through the side (come up with the method you prefer, just be consistent!) I would center the tab at a landmark under the speedo face. While holding at this location, my daughter said it read dead on 35 mph. I did this test a few times to see if we were repeatable at getting 35, and we were. So the goal was to tweak until this same test resulted in a 30-31 mph reading. You ll note that the needle assembly is a black hockey puck with a red/orange needle. You don t want to break off the needle, so your goal is to apply your twisting force to the hockey puck, if you will. The forces to spin the needle on the shaft were pretty high IMO so I was cautious and it took a number of tries. You can t do this fix at the zero mph point because of the zeroing pin in the speedo face. I put a small screwdriver in the mechanism, against the tab to hold the speedo needle in place (significantly above 0 mph), then grabbed the needle at its base and twisted CCW just a little. After the first try we still read 35 mph on our calibration test, indicating I had not budged the needle. One more try and I felt it slip just a little. We checked it, and bingo, it was barely above 30 mph! I assembled the bike, grabbed the GPS and went for a ride. Exactly what we hoped for 1.5 mph slow at 40, 0.8 mph slow at 50, 0.1 mph slow at 60 mph and about 0.8 mph fast at 70. Yesssssssssssss. For those of you who find the factory error annoying, this might be the right fix for you too. Bill Watson --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? All your favorites on one personal page Try My Yahoo! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Rodney Copeland]

Good effort Bill, thanks. I can understand how some may find this uninteresting but I have an 18 inch rear on the front, so my accuracy is a bit worse than most. My front is an inch shorter than stock. Rod --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, Bill Watson wrote:

> > THE PROBLEM: > > We're all familiar with the 7% to 10% speedo error on our KLRs. A

few of you wrote me off-line with improvement ideas, and Don M. sent the best idea IMO and I just completed the work and have checked the results. Worked like a charm!

> > > > THE SOLUTION: > > The odometers are generally right on, so we don't want to change

the speedo cable ratio to the wheel. Since the speedo error grows with velocity (for discussion in general terms, 3 mph fast at 45, 4 mph fast at 55, 5 mph fast at 70), the goal was to spin the speedo needle on the shaft by about 4 to 5 mph to make it read slower. In concept, the end result would be dead on at 60 mph and within 1-2 mph between 40 and 80, where the huge majority of my riding occurs.

> > > > THE METHOD: > > For the record, the needle is simply a snug fit on a tapered shaft,

there are no "gears to strip". The real risk here is breaking the needle, so be careful. I removed the instrument cluster and removed the speedometer from the cluster. Quite straightforward, just use your shop manual. Under the odometer face is a disc that controls the needle movement (the cup outside of it generates a magnetic torque proportional to velocity and moves the inner disc). The trick here is to do this once, not over and over again as a trial-and-error project so I wanted to establish some repeatable point before mods, then tweak until that same test resulted in a 4-to-5 mph lower reading on the workbench.

> > > > On the disc is a tab that protrudes. It's the easiest thing to

grab on the disc, and by looking through the side (come up with the method you prefer, just be consistent!) I would center the tab at a landmark under the speedo face. While holding at this location, my daughter said it read dead on 35 mph. I did this test a few times to see if we were repeatable at getting 35, and we were.

> > > > So the goal was to tweak until this same test resulted in a 30-31

mph reading. You'll note that the needle assembly is a black `hockey puck' with a red/orange needle. You don't want to break off the needle, so your goal is to apply your twisting force to the hockey puck, if you will. The forces to spin the needle on the shaft were pretty high IMO so I was cautious and it took a number of tries.

> > > > You can't do this fix at the zero mph point because of the zeroing

pin in the speedo face. I put a small screwdriver in the mechanism, against the tab to hold the speedo needle in place (significantly above 0 mph), then grabbed the needle at its base and twisted CCW just a little.

> > > > After the first try we still read 35 mph on our calibration test,

indicating I had not budged the needle. One more try and I felt it slip just a little. We checked it, and bingo, it was barely above 30 mph!

> > > > I assembled the bike, grabbed the GPS and went for a ride. Exactly

what we hoped for 1.5 mph slow at 40, 0.8 mph slow at 50, 0.1 mph slow at 60 mph and about 0.8 mph fast at 70. Yesssssssssssss.

> > > > For those of you who find the factory error annoying, this might be

the right fix for you too.

> > > Bill Watson > > > --------------------------------- > Do you Yahoo!? > All your favorites on one personal page Try My Yahoo! > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[rsanders30117]

The simplest solution is to install a digital bicycle computer. I put one on my A14 & love it. I use it to keep track of my dual sport route.

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Rodney Copeland" wrote: > > Good effort Bill, thanks. > I can understand how some may find this uninteresting but I have an > 18 inch rear on the front, so my accuracy is a bit worse than most. > My front is an inch shorter than stock. > Rod > > > > > --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, Bill Watson > wrote: > > > > THE PROBLEM: > > > > We're all familiar with the 7% to 10% speedo error on our KLRs. A > few of you wrote me off-line with improvement ideas, and Don M. sent > the best idea IMO and I just completed the work and have checked > the results. Worked like a charm! > > > > > > > > THE SOLUTION: > > > > The odometers are generally right on, so we don't want to change > the speedo cable ratio to the wheel. Since the speedo error grows > with velocity (for discussion in general terms, 3 mph fast at 45, 4 > mph fast at 55, 5 mph fast at 70), the goal was to spin the speedo > needle on the shaft by about 4 to 5 mph to make it read slower. In > concept, the end result would be dead on at 60 mph and within 1-2 mph > between 40 and 80, where the huge majority of my riding occurs. > > > > > > > > THE METHOD: > > > > For the record, the needle is simply a snug fit on a tapered shaft, > there are no "gears to strip". The real risk here is breaking the > needle, so be careful. I removed the instrument cluster and removed > the speedometer from the cluster. Quite straightforward, just use > your shop manual. Under the odometer face is a disc that controls > the needle movement (the cup outside of it generates a magnetic > torque proportional to velocity and moves the inner disc). The trick > here is to do this once, not over and over again as a trial-and-error > project so I wanted to establish some repeatable point before mods, > then tweak until that same test resulted in a 4-to-5 mph lower > reading on the workbench. > > > > > > > > On the disc is a tab that protrudes. It's the easiest thing to > grab on the disc, and by looking through the side (come up with the > method you prefer, just be consistent!) I would center the tab at a > landmark under the speedo face. While holding at this location, my > daughter said it read dead on 35 mph. I did this test a few times to > see if we were repeatable at getting 35, and we were. > > > > > > > > So the goal was to tweak until this same test resulted in a 30-31 > mph reading. You'll note that the needle assembly is a black `hockey > puck' with a red/orange needle. You don't want to break off the > needle, so your goal is to apply your twisting force to the hockey > puck, if you will. The forces to spin the needle on the shaft were > pretty high IMO so I was cautious and it took a number of tries. > > > > > > > > You can't do this fix at the zero mph point because of the zeroing > pin in the speedo face. I put a small screwdriver in the mechanism, > against the tab to hold the speedo needle in place (significantly > above 0 mph), then grabbed the needle at its base and twisted CCW > just a little. > > > > > > > > After the first try we still read 35 mph on our calibration test, > indicating I had not budged the needle. One more try and I felt it > slip just a little. We checked it, and bingo, it was barely above 30 > mph! > > > > > > > > I assembled the bike, grabbed the GPS and went for a ride. Exactly > what we hoped for 1.5 mph slow at 40, 0.8 mph slow at 50, 0.1 mph > slow at 60 mph and about 0.8 mph fast at 70. Yesssssssssssss. > > > > > > > > For those of you who find the factory error annoying, this might be > the right fix for you too. > > > > > > Bill Watson > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Do you Yahoo!? > > All your favorites on one personal page Try My Yahoo! > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Guy B. Young II]

Ditto, http://www.mindspring.com/~gbyoung2/misc/klrstuff/panoram02.jpg Guy A16 Richmond, VA -----Original Message----- From: rsanders30117 Sent: Dec 31, 2004 6:57 AM To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: Finally, a more accurate speedometer! The simplest solution is to install a digital bicycle computer. I put one on my A14 & love it. I use it to keep track of my dual sport route.

[js]

on 12/31/04 5:22 AM, Guy B. Young II at gbyoung2@... wrote:

> > Ditto, > http://www.mindspring.com/~gbyoung2/misc/klrstuff/panoram02.jpg > > Guy > A16 > Richmond, VA > > -----Original Message----- > From: rsanders30117 > Sent: Dec 31, 2004 6:57 AM > To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: Finally, a more accurate speedometer! > > The simplest solution is to install a digital bicycle computer. I put > one on my A14 & love it. I use it to keep track of my dual sport route. >

Guy, Which one is this? Rsanders, which one do you have? There's one on my KLR at the moment - Vetta, I think - and it has a difficult time keeping up at speeds above 70... I've contacted Sigma, and their entire 04 line is 'capable' of working up to 199 mph, and the Cateye Astrale is the only Catseye that will work through the entire speed range of the KLR. I like the horizontal layout of yours, Guy Has it worked under 'heavy weather' and low temps? js

[Guy B. Young II]

js, The version I have is the Topeak Panoram, PCC-1-XL, 17 function model. At least that's what's on the box. I think the "XL" indicates that the lead is longer than their standard version. It was definately long enough for use on the KLR. So far, so good. It stays on the bike all the time, which either resides on my carport or in the parking lot at work. It has also been on a couple of heavy-duty rides with no apparent ill affects. The ONLY problem I have had is an occasional error message when running through the readings (maximum speed). I have found that the clip contacts got a little grunge on them and needed cleaning off. The instrument head snaps off of the mounting base, which retains the lead; a couple of contact plungers connect the two. Guy -----Original Message----- From: js Sent: Dec 31, 2004 10:59 AM To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] Re: Finally, a more accurate speedometer! on 12/31/04 5:22 AM, Guy B. Young II at gbyoung2@... wrote:

> > Ditto, > http://www.mindspring.com/~gbyoung2/misc/klrstuff/panoram02.jpg > > Guy > A16 > Richmond, VA > > -----Original Message----- > From: rsanders30117 > Sent: Dec 31, 2004 6:57 AM > To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: Finally, a more accurate speedometer! > > The simplest solution is to install a digital bicycle computer. I put > one on my A14 & love it. I use it to keep track of my dual sport route. >

Guy, Which one is this? Rsanders, which one do you have? There's one on my KLR at the moment - Vetta, I think - and it has a difficult time keeping up at speeds above 70... I've contacted Sigma, and their entire 04 line is 'capable' of working up to 199 mph, and the Cateye Astrale is the only Catseye that will work through the entire speed range of the KLR. I like the horizontal layout of yours, Guy Has it worked under 'heavy weather' and low temps? js List sponsored by Dual Sport News at www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Yahoo! Groups Links

[Tom Komjathy]

Nice, Guy What unit is that, and how did you mount it. Also, do feel the voltage monitor is worth the install? TK

----- Original Message ----- From: "js" To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Friday, December 31, 2004 10:59 AM Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] Re: Finally, a more accurate speedometer! > > on 12/31/04 5:22 AM, Guy B. Young II at gbyoung2@... wrote: > > > > Ditto, > > http://www.mindspring.com/~gbyoung2/misc/klrstuff/panoram02.jpg > > > > Guy > > A16 > > Richmond, VA > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: rsanders30117 > > Sent: Dec 31, 2004 6:57 AM > > To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > > Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: Finally, a more accurate speedometer! > > > > The simplest solution is to install a digital bicycle computer. I put > > one on my A14 & love it. I use it to keep track of my dual sport route. > > > Guy, Which one is this? Rsanders, which one do you have? > There's one on my KLR at the moment - Vetta, I think - and it has a > difficult time keeping up at speeds above 70... > > I've contacted Sigma, and their entire 04 line is 'capable' of working up to > 199 mph, and the Cateye Astrale is the only Catseye that will work through > the entire speed range of the KLR. > > I like the horizontal layout of yours, Guy > Has it worked under 'heavy weather' and low temps? > > js > > > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > >

[Michael Silverstein]

One thing to be careful of is that many bicycle computers say they are water resistant but only to a degree. I've gone through a lot of computers in 16 years of bicycling and only one didn't die from water infiltration. I don't blame the one that died when I tried to toss my mountain bike across a creek and didn't quite make it. Good thing my KLR is too heavy for those kinds of antics.

> -----Original Message----- > From: Guy B. Young II [mailto:gbyoung2@...] > Sent: Friday, December 31, 2004 8:22 AM > To: rsanders30117; DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] Re: Finally, a more accurate speedometer! > > > > Ditto, > > http://www.mindspring.com/~gbyoung2/mis ... oram02.jpg > > Guy > A16 > Richmond, VA > > -----Original Message----- > From: rsanders30117 > Sent: Dec 31, 2004 6:57 AM > To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: Finally, a more accurate speedometer! > > > The simplest solution is to install a digital bicycle > computer. I put one on my A14 & love it. I use it to keep > track of my dual sport route. > > > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html >

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[Guy B. Young II]

"I don't blame the one that died when I tried to toss my mountain bike across a creek and didn't quite make it. Good thing my KLR is too heavy for those kinds of antics." You're right, other tactics are necessary (from a Devon Jarvis video): http://www.mindspring.com/~gbyoung2/misc/klrstuff/noab/NOAB_water_crossing.jpg Guy -----Original Message----- From: Michael Silverstein Sent: Jan 2, 2005 6:50 PM To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [DSN_klr650] Re: Finally, a more accurate speedometer! One thing to be careful of is that many bicycle computers say they are water resistant but only to a degree. I've gone through a lot of computers in 16 years of bicycling and only one didn't die from water infiltration. I don't blame the one that died when I tried to toss my mountain bike across a creek and didn't quite make it. Good thing my KLR is too heavy for those kinds of antics.

> -----Original Message----- > From: Guy B. Young II [mailto:gbyoung2@...] > Sent: Friday, December 31, 2004 8:22 AM > To: rsanders30117; DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: Re: [DSN_klr650] Re: Finally, a more accurate speedometer! > > > > Ditto, > > http://www.mindspring.com/~gbyoung2/misc/klrstuff/panoram02.jpg > > Guy > A16 > Richmond, VA > > -----Original Message----- > From: rsanders30117 > Sent: Dec 31, 2004 6:57 AM > To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [DSN_klr650] Re: Finally, a more accurate speedometer! > > > The simplest solution is to install a digital bicycle > computer. I put one on my A14 & love it. I use it to keep > track of my dual sport route. > > >

[denvowell@aol.com]

It got into the 40's today in Michigan . Rode 60 miles in a cold rain.My Joe Rocket jacket and pants keep me warm and dry. My boots and gloves got soaked. Really felt good to ride after a month of really cold weather.I envy you guys the warmer areas. Dennis A18 The Big Red 1 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]