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odometer not accurate

897 Views 12 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  D Walker
I bought a 2005 VTX 1300 a few months ago and had a suspicion the speedometer was not accurate so today I tracked it with my gps and confirmed at 65 indicated on my speedometer, it says 55 on my gps unit. Is there a way to correct this? Has anyone ever run into this before?
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Yes, this is a VERY common issue - probably ubiquitous. For unknown reasons virtually all VTX bikes and most Honda bikes are off between 5-15% on the speedometer. More specifically, the speedo reads 5-15% high. Yours is the worst I've ever heard of (10/55 = 18% high). This can be fixed using something called a "speedohealer". Search the interwebs and this forum for more info. However, be aware that fixing the speedometer using a speedohealer will cause the odometer to be off. Most VTX owners just recognize that this issue occurs, do the math in their heads to know roughly at what mph they are riding, and live with it.
I run a Garmin Etrex 30x on my bars. It gives me speed and odometer information. I NEVER look at the bike's instrumentation. I find it not only more accurate, but also more in my field of view than looking down between my knees at 70.
I bought a 2005 VTX 1300 a few months ago and had a suspicion the speedometer was not accurate so today I tracked it with my gps and confirmed at 65 indicated on my speedometer, it says 55 on my gps unit. Is there a way to correct this? Has anyone ever run into this before?
This can also be remedied by changing tire sizes. This will true the speedometer, but not the ODO. For example, my stock 1800 C 180 x 16 is corrected to within 1 or 1.5 mph of true, by running a car tire 205-65-16.
Yes, this is a VERY common issue - probably ubiquitous. For unknown reasons virtually all VTX bikes and most Honda bikes are off between 5-15% on the speedometer. More specifically, the speedo reads 5-15% high. Yours is the worst I've ever heard of (10/55 = 18% high). This can be fixed using something called a "speedohealer". Search the interwebs and this forum for more info. However, be aware that fixing the speedometer using a speedohealer will cause the odometer to be off. Most VTX owners just recognize that this issue occurs, do the math in their heads to know roughly at what mph they are riding, and live with it.
Thank you for the info. The ride I did today clocked 43.7 on the gps but clocked 47 on the bike odometer, so they are both off a lot!
I am sure that you noticed the odometer is not off by the same percentage as the speedometer
yes I did and I can not for the life of me see how this is possible and allowed
I bought a 2005 VTX 1300 a few months ago and had a suspicion the speedometer was not accurate so today I tracked it with my gps and confirmed at 65 indicated on my speedometer, it says 55 on my gps unit. Is there a way to correct this? Has anyone ever run into this before?
My initial suspicion is that this bike has been altered in many ways. The mileage is horrible.as well. I have a newer 06 VTX1300r in Maine and it gets 45 mpg this one only 30 but that is based on incorrect speed and mileage which actually makes it less that 30 mpg. I also found this engine's pair check valves have been removed and block plated. the carburetor has been altered as well.
Removal of the pair valve system and rejetting of the carb are good things if they were done correctly.
is there a better jetting to use for use with oem pipes and pair valve removed other than the 195 and 55 jets
...tracked it with my gps and confirmed at 65 indicated on my speedometer, it says 55 on my gps unit. Is there a way to correct this? ...
Mentioned above universal issue. My speedo was off +10.0% and by measuring with electronic rangefinder found my odo off just slightly under +4%, both will vary a little bit with wear and possibly more with tire size, sensor measures rotation speed of the drive output gearing. Revolution pulses are on a single digital wire feeding the odo and speedo panel, can't be separated.

A speedohealer plugs into that digital signal and alters the frequency by a programmed percent. One programmed value, one wire, affects both speedo and odo by the same percent. With mine programmed at -10.0% my speedo was right on and now the odo was off by about -6% (+4% + (-10%)). So originally I was accruing about 4% more miles than actual, mpg would also be about 4% too high. Now I am catching up on those lost miles at a 6% rate and my mpg I have to add 6% to be accurate, maintenance intervals, tire wear, etc.

Below is with the speedohealer.on I-84 in Idaho.
Gauge Speedometer Motor vehicle Measuring instrument Vehicle
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I bought a 2005 VTX 1300 a few months ago and had a suspicion the speedometer was not accurate so today I tracked it with my gps and confirmed at 65 indicated on my speedometer, it says 55 on my gps unit. Is there a way to correct this? Has anyone ever run into this before?
Good morning. I have a 2006 VTX 1300 C. I keep my cell phone on the handlebar and use an app called Cool Niks Speedometer. It's accurate with speed, trip meter, gps, etc. and it's free to download.
CageyB
I decided to use an old smart phone. I downloaded a GPS speedometer app and it works very good. It keeps mileage in memory for trip mileage and is very accurate.
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