Speedometer Accuracy

[W3JNP]

I am the happy owner of this new to me 2016 Freewheeler.

Every bike I’ve ever owned had a speedometer that read high.

My guess is that the Freewheeler is the same.

Can anyone tell me how accurate on average the speedo is?

Thanks

 

[JTJersey]

I am the happy owner of this new to me 2016 Freewheeler. Every bike I’ve ever owned had a speedometer that read high. My guess is that the Freewheeler is the same.

Can anyone tell me how accurate on average the speedo is?

I've been wondering that myself. I've only got 1000 miles on my 2021 Freewheeler, but I have yet to encounter one of those "This Is Your Speed" signs that I normally see somewhere on the road that I can check my speedo with. I know that the "Gentleman's Agreement" puts most autos at 5 mph faster than they are actually going, but my 2011 Triumph Thunderbird Storm was spot on whenever I checked it so I don't know if motorcycle manufacturers abide by that rule. The speedo can be calibrated if you find yours off, but you need the right equipment to access your ECM and know how to use it. I'm hoping somebody chimes in and we can get an idea of how HD deals with this. Like the color of your bike, by the way.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Harley gauges including the speedo have never been very accurate

If I had to make a guess I would say my 15, and 17 speedos were off by at least 2MPH

I dunno about my 21 Freewheeler, I am going to see if I can find one of those flashing your speed signs and check it out

 

[paws]

Possibly you could check your speed with your GPS?

 

[cScjhb]

I have had lots of Goldwings and the speedos were off on all of them. No different than HD bikes/trikes. On one of my previous bikes I installed a Speed-O-Healer that made my speedometer right on. That bike needed a 6.5% speedometer correction. I was really anal about that stuff, but I got over it when I got old. Now, I just ride more and care less. But, if you want your speedometer to be accurate, look into getting a Speed-O-Healer. The one I put on my bike was working well after more than 10 years when I sold the bike..... Jim

 

[paws]

We put a device on both our Gold Wings from Dakota Digital…plug and play.

They were still working when the trikes were sold 5 and 9 years later.

No more panic when spotting a radar trap.

 

[LadyonaMission]

The speedometer on my 2015 and my 2020 both show the speed 1 - 2 miles less than my Garmin GPS.

 

[Zammy]

One of these apps should do the trick with either iphone or android.

https://rxmechanic.com/best-speedometer-apps/

 

[JTJersey]

One of these apps should do the trick with either iphone or android. https://rxmechanic.com/best-speedometer-apps/

DigiHUD is excellent. I used to use it on my Droid phone when the speedo on my Jeep Cherokee was out, but I had a hands free bracket it would lock to so I could watch it. No such arrangement on my Freeewheeler. Still looking for one of those "This Is Your Speed" signs.

 

[DOKK]

According to an LEO friend's radar, my Tri Glide is 2-3 miles an hour slower than actual. This was done over a few test runs while he was "on break" and this was the average. This just means when I get a ticket, I'll deserve it.

 

[rhino 2]

According to an LEO friend's radar, my Tri Glide is 2-3 miles an hour slower than actual. This was done over a few test runs while he was "on break" and this was the average. This just means when I get a ticket, I'll deserve it.

:laugh:........Yep.....

 

[LadyonaMission]

DigiHUD is excellent. I used to use it on my Droid phone when the speedo on my Jeep Cherokee was out, but I had a hands free bracket it would lock to so I could watch it. No such arrangement on my Freeewheeler. Still looking for one of those "This Is Your Speed" signs.

RAM Mounts Tough Claw X-Grip Mount - RevZilla

 

[JTJersey]

RAM Mounts Tough Claw X-Grip Mount - RevZilla

Now that I've finally got my Batwing fairing from Memphis Shades I'm ready to mount my phone on a handle bar mount. Have my eye on one. Then I'll try out DigiHUD and check my speedo and I'll have my GPS available too. And someplace to put EZ Pass. Yay! Really, the GPS is what I'm looking forward to. I get lost going across town and I've lived here for 70 years

 

[rhino 2]

Now that I've finally got my Batwing fairing from Memphis Shades I'm ready to mount my phone on a handle bar mount. Have my eye on one. Then I'll try out DigiHUD and check my speedo and I'll have my GPS available too. And someplace to put EZ Pass. Yay! Really, the GPS is what I'm looking forward to. I get lost going across town and I've lived here for 70 years

Once you get regular plates and register them with EZ Pass you don't have to keep the EZ Pass with the Trike...They just read your plate and bill you on your monthly statement....Ive been doing that for a few years now...

 

[W3JNP]

Borrowed a GPS and ran tests at 10 mph increments. I was +2 mph on the speedometer from 20 mph up to 70 mph.

That's close enough for me.

Thanks for the suggestion to use the GPS.

 

[JTJersey]

Once you get regular plates and register them with EZ Pass you don't have to keep the EZ Pass with the Trike...They just read your plate and bill you on your monthly statement....Ive been doing that for a few years now...

Funny story about those regular plates. Seems NJ DMV assigned my 2021 Freewheelers serial number to a 2021 Ford pickup truck. I confirmed what the dealer told me with a phone call to NJ DMV this morning, so getting this straightened out may take a while. Meantime my temp plate expires in 2 weeks. Wonderful.

 

[rhino 2]

Funny story about those regular plates. Seems NJ DMV assigned my 2021 Freewheelers serial number to a 2021 Ford pickup truck. I confirmed what the dealer told me with a phone call to NJ DMV this morning, so getting this straightened out may take a while. Meantime my temp plate expires in 2 weeks. Wonderful.

When i first sent away to Trenton for Handicap Motorcycle plates..[Over 6 years ago]

They after waiting weeks sent me two Car plates....And when i called them...They said oh yea your Motorcycle plate is sitting here on my desk..So i said when are you gonna mail it out to me...Her reply was not till you send the wrong car plates back to us and we have them in our hands..:gah:..That took another 2+ weeks.....

 

[Jack Klarich]

Funny story about those regular plates. Seems NJ DMV assigned my 2021 Freewheelers serial number to a 2021 Ford pickup truck. I confirmed what the dealer told me with a phone call to NJ DMV this morning, so getting this straightened out may take a while. Meantime my temp plate expires in 2 weeks. Wonderful.

I have a Harley Dealer tag I have used on several bikes

 

[JTJersey]

Back to speedo accuracy,. Mounted my phone/GPS mount. GPS says my speedo is showing 1 mph faster. I can live with that. P.S. still waiting on my NJ license plate.

 

[rhino 2]

Back to speedo accuracy,. Mounted my phone/GPS mount. GPS says my speedo is showing 1 mph faster. I can live with that. P.S. still waiting on my NJ license plate.

When i sold my Slingshot i just took the plate off and put it on my Tri-Glide and drove around for two + months before i could get into an opened MV agency....that was a year and a half ago maybe more?...As long as i had insurance and all the old registrations, Most cops understood what was going on...Plus at that time, They worent going to pull anyone over...:afraid:As far as MV being slow a lot of it has to do with the shoddy mail service.....

 

[rhino 2]

Getting back to the speedometer accuracy my town has these little Solar powered boxes to check speed one road I go down The speed limit is 30 anything from 30 and slower It flashes green posts your speed And says thank you’ Anything over 31 it starts flashing red go five more miles per hour and white strobe light starts flashing.

When I keep my speed locked in at 30 miles an hour with my 2019 Tri-Glide the sign will say 30 mph but that doesn’t mean the town hasn’t set them to read a Little higher on purpose…

 

[JTJersey]

...As far as MV being slow a lot of it has to do with the shoddy mail service.....

I haven't even gotten to the mail service yet. MV still doesn't know what bank is holding the title to a 2021 Ford Pickup with my VIN, let alone getting a proper title for my 2021 Freewheeler, registration and plate in the mail to me. Sigh.