Analog Speedometer

[floridaboy]

I thought i would try one of the analog speedometers on my bike and see how it goes. As best as i can tell it reads about 10 mph fast. I base that on my FD with a Zenoah G430 and what i see on the Gear Rat . At 5500 rpms i should be going 18.41 mph. the speedometer says 28 mph. Just thought anyone else might like to know what i found out. My tech.is reading about right. I have a 1.125 dia. drive roller.

 

[crassius]

speedo is much easier to test than tach - have someone follow in car

 

[ZipTie]

I thought i would try one of the analog speedometers on my bike and see how it goes. As best as i can tell it reads about 10 mph fast. I base that on my FD with a Zenoah G430 and what i see on the Gear Rat . At 5500 rpms i should be going 18.41 mph. the speedometer says 28 mph. Just thought anyone else might like to know what i found out. My tech.is reading about right. I have a 1.125 dia. drive roller.

The analog speedos are just cool and look good. I doubt they are 10 mph off.
Maybe not extremely accurate, like at 40 your doing 39 or 38 at worst. Watch out when you buy them as some offer them cheaper like some sellers on eBay but if you look close they are not in mph but kh.

 

[MotorBicycleRacing]

speedo is much easier to test than tach - have someone follow in car

GPS app on your phone......no need to use a car.
I like DigiHUD.

 

[floridaboy]

ZipTie, I checked and you were right. I bought it from e-bay and it is reading in Kilometers. I checked a conversion table and it looks to be right. 30 Kilometers = 18.64 mph. Thank you

 

[ZipTie]

ZipTie, I checked and you were right. I bought it from e-bay and it is reading in Kilometers. I checked a conversion table and it looks to be right. 30 Kilometers = 18.64 mph. Thank you

Awesome, problem solved on the speedo, yes you got tricked by a slimy supplier. They almost got me to just the other day. The KH ones are being offered like 10 bucks cheaper. I double checked cause I thought. Hey something's wrong here...notice how they try to hide the fact it's not mph.

Another trick is watch for ...ones with resettable trip meters and without on the analogs too. Get the resettable trip meter one its the same price or a buck more as its very handy.

As cautious as I am,I get ripped off too frequently on eBay due to my own greed, not paying attention to details or stupidity. eBay is a awesome resource and the service is usually fast but a buyer needs to read the listing in detail and read what they don't say as much as what they do.

FIX. Make a new MPH speedo face in adobe photoshop and print a new paper faceplate. The glass just pops off with friction, the needle lifts right off as its only held on with friction too. Someone should come out with a cheap 2.00 sticker that converts them. The face plates on the factory ones are cheesy looking with the racing flags anyhow.



Zip

 

[floridaboy]

I like your idea of a replacement face plate. Hope someone that has the know how will do it. I just use the fact that i am old to excuse my mistakes it works for me.

 

[ZipTie]

I use the same excuse just as of late, ill even use it in front of people now too...
All you have to do now is memorize the entire kh to mph conversion chart and make calculations on the fly. Hehee

Zip

 

[floridaboy]

That would take some brain power. I think i will just rite down the ones i want and tape them to the handle bars. Can't wast to much brain.

 

[GT4494]

Or just use some pinstripe tape and put lines at 5,10,15 mph etc.. cheap and removable.

 

[Agreen]

Good luck with the eBay speedometer! I blew the guts out of mine, but I'm a maniac and sustained speeds over 40 for too long. Maybe the lower speed will help it last longer?

 

[Chaz]

I've been sitting on one of these speedos for a couple of years but was afraid to install because of the plastic washer/housing at the axle. I was about to ask how it was holding up in general. Now I know. I had thought to take it apart and lube it properly and then try it. My max speed would be 35 and mostly cruise at 30 mph.

Up here we have the metric system so it's ideal for me if it can stand the use.

 

[ZipTie]

Good luck with the eBay speedometer! I blew the guts out of mine, but I'm a maniac and sustained speeds over 40 for too long. Maybe the lower speed will help it last longer?

Agreen that's for sure a torture test for these cheap plastic speedos with a spinning cable. Did you keep it oiled upped often? Anyhow I'm glad I let you test out their durability for me. he-he-he. I have 3 bikes with these installed. I just added a digital style hard wired on one, so the verdicts out on what type lasts longer or I like better. I couldn't believe the magnet holder had to be altered a bunch to fit a wider 12 gauge spoke. Hope all is well.

 

[ZipTie]

Chaz , Just lube it up and give it heck. I had one that had a brass plate where it bolts up to the hub, others hard plastic, yep the plastic gave me pause too as if it failed the front wheel could become loose...? at least that's what my safety paranoia told me. I guess it cant disappear and nothing rubs on it.. or does it.....????

 

[Kletus]

Bought one of these cheesy things on Ebay. The dial has two checker flags with the word Sports above the trip meter. The dial is graduated in MPH with a wheel RPM scale. The innards is full of plastic gears. Construction is poor at best. The one I received was defective. The trip meter works but the speedometer pointer never moves. The rotating magnetic coupling jumps up and down when the spindle turned. But hey,WTH. You can't expect perfection for 16 dollars and free shipping, can you. I don't recommend this particular one. Don't know about others.

 

[Agreen]

Oil it?!! I didn't even get the chance to ride with it twice! I made it a gear grenade after the first use.

 

[Saddletramp1200]

I compared the analog on my trike with the phone. I got a difference of under 2mph. 26" wheels. Not bad for 35.00.