Odometer weirdness

[jmerlino]

I just repaired my non-functioning odometer as per the article on airheads.org. Today, I took the bike out for a little test ride, and compared the odometer to my GPS. The Odometer is running fast. Over the course of about 12 miles (per the GPS), the odometer racked up just over 14 miles.

Here's the weird part: The trip odometer, which hasn't worked since I bought the bike, was pretty close to the GPS. This seems weird to me because the trip odometer and the main odometer are mechanically linked. You would think there would always be a 1:1 relationship between them.

So... A) is there any way to calibrate the odometer so that it's more accurate, and B) can I change the relationship between the trip odometer and the main odometer?

[cjack]

I just repaired my non-functioning odometer as per the article on airheads.org. Today, I took the bike out for a little test ride, and compared the odometer to my GPS. The Odometer is running fast. Over the course of about 12 miles (per the GPS), the odometer racked up just over 14 miles.

Here's the weird part: The trip odometer, which hasn't worked since I bought the bike, was pretty close to the GPS. This seems weird to me because the trip odometer and the main odometer are mechanically linked. You would think there would always be a 1:1 relationship between them.

So... A) is there any way to calibrate the odometer so that it's more accurate, and B) can I change the relationship between the trip odometer and the main odometer?

I don't know what the article said to do, but errors of this type with an airhead speedo are usually only due to the odo drive gear not being tight enough against the digits and allowing the digits to become disengaged from each other so they don't rotate or may rattle to any random number. Check the odo again and that silver pot metal gear that drives the odo. See if it is loose and/or pushed outward on it's shaft.

[Polarbear]

Been there, done all that, too many times before for me. I've had the same R100 for 28 years now and finally gave up the speedo battle to poor design...I know many folks go after the perfect speedo, but I submit it isn't out there, at least a fix that lasts. At 280000 miles on my R bike (approx.), I gave up my speedo, tach, meaning I took them entirely from the bike and left them off. Have not missed them at all, in the 5+ years they've been gone. I know this is extreme, but works for me just swell. I've gotten very good at approximating my miles for gas stops and if you really miss the speed,odometer thing, buy a good GPS and mount it, as you may have already done. Happy Trails PS; the low charging light indicator has to be bypassed for the charging system to work properly, if in fact one does eliminate guages. I mounted a nice ditty bag(zippered one) where my guages once were; much more usefull,imo :)

[SCQTT]

Time warp? er.....well, distance warp?

[Polarbear]

Yeah, I guess so.....Polarbear. I'm not old enough to remember when bikes had no speedo's, tachs, etc., but until you've ridden a bike without them, you don't realize they are gone after a while. I've got other Beemers and wouldn't think of dismantling their speedo's, as the newer stuff seems to be better than the older machines, regarding speedo's and tachs. I consider the older bikes by BMW better built, overall! I can't imagine riding the newer Beemers in my garage as far as the R100 has gone and staying together as well...Enough said. Happy Trails, Randy