How can you tell when Shes Faking it?

[jrandom]

what do you all compare you guys against?

Go for a blat with a good GPS receiver. Haven't done it with the FXR yet, though.

[k14]

I tested mine against those mobile speed trailer thingys and it was within 1-2kms at 80kph, not sure if that means it is sweet everywhere or just at 80.

How is the speedo driven for your bike KK? Cause if it is off the front sprocket and you have changed your gearing then that could be the problem.

[vifferman]

Bad news, peoples. Speedos are deliberately set up by the factory to be optomistic (i.e., read faster than you're actually going). They're usually anywhere between 3 and 10% out. Why? Dunno, but one explanation I read that sounded reasonable is that because of regulations like the UK ones that say that they need to be correct or optomistic, so they err on the side of reading too fast so people can't bitch about the manufacturer being at fault if they get pinged for speeding.

If you've an electronic speedo, you can get devices to adjust them (Jaycar Electronics sell one such kit, and there's the more expensive Yellow Box made in Oz). I've recently dropped my gearing, so it's reading way too fast, but it makes no real difference as I ignore the speedo most of the time anyway. You generally *know* how fast you're going by how it feels, except when you're doing (unaccustomed) sub-light speeds.

What's up with those speed-displaying trailers? I liked the ones that told you how many dollars you'd earned by being impressively fast, and the ones that only displayed your speed. It was very entertaining seeing how fast you could accelerate between seeing the thing and passing it, but the last two I saw just went "SLOW DOWN" or summat once you were a few kph over the limit.
What a swizz....

[Eddieb]

The 888 runs at about 7-8% optimistic and is in MPH so it also can be fun working out what I'm really doing.

[DEATH_INC.]

Anyone remember the early gixx750 speedo's? you could wind them right off the end (280kph,I think) when they only ever did 230-240.......

[scroter]

Well you can check your odometer accuracy against the fixed distance markers down Ramarama way. Since speedos make my buns look... *ahem*...usually work off the same hardware, it would not be unreasonable to expect the speedo is accurate as the odometer.

Otherwise the next best thing is to test against an accurate measuring device, such as a correvitt (I think these only fit on cars), GPS speedo, a race-timer or against the track computer at the drags (although that will only tell you your speed at the trap, and you have to be looking at it at the instant you cross the line).

the speed trap at the drags wont work. it works on an average speed over the last 66ft before the finish line. I did the drags at meremere and was trying for a trap time of 200kph so did as you told looked at the speedo and was highly pleased to see 210kph at the finish line. however the trap time came in at 196kph and speedo was accurate.

[Drunken Monkey]

the speed trap at the drags wont work. it works on an average speed over the last 66ft before the finish line. I did the drags at meremere and was trying for a trap time of 200kph so did as you told looked at the speedo and was highly pleased to see 210kph at the finish line. however the trap time came in at 196kph and speedo was accurate.

O I C. Thanks for the heads up.

Anyone remember the early gixx750 speedo's? you could wind them right off the end (280kph,I think) when they only ever did 230-240.......

Neither my 86 or 88 had that problem. 86 read 235 at just under redline of 11,000rpm in 6th, the 88 could do 250+ on the dial, but I can't remember how many revs it was doing and it definately was going faster than the 86...

[Two Smoker]

Hey KK,

I took mine up against a calibrated police car, i know it is about 5 kmh out so stick around the 63-65 mark, and if i do that speed i am generally doing the same speed as everyone else (ie 55-60 kmh)........

[Kwaka-Kid]

ahh fair enough guys. interesting though hearing the stories. Its all good, i generally know what its doing, that GPS idea sounds a pretty good one though.

[jrandom]

Its all good, i generally know what its doing, that GPS idea sounds a pretty good one though.

Yeah. It's probably about as accurate a measurement as you're going to get without radar or laser.

KK, if you or anyone else wants to do the GPS thing on your bike, PM me and we'll set up a run sometime.

[merv]

How about this comment spotted on the Ulysses website http://www.ulysses.org.nz/wwwbbs/config.pl?read=5766

[Grumpy]

Also i just felt like starting a thread coz i havnt done in months.
oh and outside of bikes, how do you guys tell how she(the one that must be obeyed) is faking it?

You mean she could be faking it?!!

[FzerozeroT]

yay, got bike speedo on, speedo was 20kph out (reading high) at 100kph

[Lou Girardin]

Why was the cop doing 105km/h? That's speeding. Shurely a professional driver wouldn't 'accidentally' let their speed exceed the limit.
The electronic speedo on the Bandit is 5% fast, but it gives a margin for error. In case I 'accidentally' exceed the limit.

[Kwaka-Kid]

lou, i do agree a bit, but hey, we are human and make mistakes firstly - i have lots of consideration for cops but what made me a little worried is that he honestly admitted that straight to me, now in theory he could get stuffed in court too could he not? thought he was being a bit too honest, would ahve been better off to say he was doing 100 and i came past - outcome is no different, im still nontheless speeding.