darthandy Posted April 11, 2011 #1 Posted April 11, 2011 This has probably been done before but since I haven't yet seen it mentioned, I thought I'd pass it on. I wanted to do a quick speedo check on my Triumph using my Garmin 255. While looking for a way to do a "quick and dirty" temporary attachment, it occurred to me to use the included suction cup bracket and attach it to the face of the tach. Worked like a charm and puts the GPS unit in a great line of sight position! Unless I'm racing (Wife says I'm too old for that anyway!) or looking for a problem at a specific RPM, I don't use the tach much since by now I can shift by ear (As can any of us who've been riding for a while). I tried it on the Venture and the only other thing it hides is the volt meter and that can be seen by rotating the unit on it's bracket. It's also a good idea to attach some type of line just in case it somehow vibrates loose, but for a short hop such as a speedo check, it works quite nicely. It might even work for a longer haul, although the lack of waterproofing could be a problem. Oh, I couldn't test the Venture as it's jacked up awaiting a fork seal change...boy that oil does come up nicely in an air fork doesn't it? As for the Triumph, it was about 5.5% optimistic - 85 KPH on the GPS at an indicated 90 KPH. Not too bad since I've heard that many bikes are as much as 10% optimistic.
Flyinfool Posted April 11, 2011 #2 Posted April 11, 2011 The GPS works good for a speed check, for checking the odometer I go to a stretch of county road where they have measured mils marked out. this is not the typical mile markers along the highway. this is miles surveys and measured out for accuracy within a few inches and they put up signs and markers, this course covers 10 miles. I have found that the odometer on my bike is also optimistic and reads about 6% high. Before GPS I used to use this course to check the speedo by setting the cruise to 60 for the 10 mile run, it should take exactly 10 minutes.
darthandy Posted April 11, 2011 Author #3 Posted April 11, 2011 The GPS works good for a speed check, for checking the odometer I go to a stretch of county road where they have measured mils marked out. this is not the typical mile markers along the highway. this is miles surveys and measured out for accuracy within a few inches and they put up signs and markers, this course covers 10 miles. I have found that the odometer on my bike is also optimistic and reads about 6% high. Before GPS I used to use this course to check the speedo by setting the cruise to 60 for the 10 mile run, it should take exactly 10 minutes. Yeah, nice idea. Unfortunately, the only road I could find around here that had been surveyed and marked properly like that, only had 3 km (Just under 2 miles) marked. I found it kind of short for getting a decent reading.
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