BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

The fuel mileage poll reminded me how "optimistic" my speedometer is. Just curious- how accurate is your bike's speedo/odo?

When I pass a highway mileage marker my odo reads almost 1.1. Nearly a 10% deviation!

I run a Garmin GPS on my r much of the time. When I run an indicated 70mph on the speedo the Garmin tells me I am actually running 66.5 to 67 mph.

The error is slightly less from 30 to 50 mph.

Wayne
03 r

5% fast. means the 66k on the odometer is an actual 62700.
but who's counting? they were all fun.

Since I got my Garmin Zumo, I've noticed a big difference in the Speedometer (haven't checked the Odometer) at highway speeds. Same as tower, 70 on the dial indicates 65 on the GPS, 80 on the dial indicates 70 on the GPS.

I'm not at all sure that speedometer error will translate directly to odometer error. The speedometer reads a bit high so people won't be able to sue BMW over a traffic ticket. I'd think the odometer would be more accurate. Probably the most accurate way to check the odometer would be along a long stretch of highway with milage markers.

NoRRmad wrote:I'd think the odometer would be more accurate. Probably the most accurate way to check the odometer would be along a long stretch of highway with milage markers.

I doubt they would go to the trouble to intentionally make the speedo off, but make the odo correct. Easier to make them both off, for liability. I've confirmed mine being off by both GPS on long trips, and my checking the mileage markers on the interstates.

They both run off the same mechanism. And the rumor has it that BMW does it intentionally to avoid liability issues...of some kind. Not my bag. I have no idea what they're talking about, but before I got my GPS I always obeyed the speed limit for that very reason. I just thought I was going fast!

So when I was test riding the RT today with full luggage and wife, I "wasn't going 110? drat... and I thought this bike was kinda fast.