Most folks know the speedometer is inaccurate on thse and most other motorcycles. I've seen a post recently saying the figures they showed for fuel economy was actually adjusted due to the speedometer being off. I've also read were others had suspected the odometer was independent of the speedometer on these digital clusters. Awhile back I checked my 1000RR between several mile markers and my trip meters 10th of a mile inidicator. Seemed to me is was nearly right on even though the speedo on that bike reads 70 mph when I am actually doing 65 mph. Welltoday I went for a little ride on my F4i and this is what I found out.

I went on a ride of about 175 miles. I took my Garmin Zumo along for the ride for some listening music. I reset the fuel stop and trip on the Zumo and the trip on the bike (I took my F4i, which the speedo is off a bit more than my RR on average). At my first gas stop my trip on the bike registered 115.2, the Zumo registered 114.9. I reset both units again and proceeded home. When I got home the Trip on the bike read 60.8 and the Zumo read 60.6.

According to my wifes Bravada and the Zumo, the F4i is doing 65 mph when the speedo reads 72 mph.

Seems to me the odometer is independent of the speedometer, and is fairly accurate.

 

Makes sense that the odo is more accurate. I would think that manufacturers are required by law to have their odo's accurate within a pretty small margin of error. But there's only one cable running from the instruments to the wheel, so I don't know how one would be accurate and not the other.

 

They use a speed sensor, not a cable, unless your referring to the old mechanical gauges, which would work like the old car and one would be in sync with the other.