Smiths digital speedo accuracy

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SteveBorland said:
Yes, but unless you are travelling rather fast :) you are still measuring the static circumference.
I wonder if there's a growth factor somewhere that can be used?
Click to expand...
I would guess if you're chasing the final 'nth' then ambient temperature, rider weight (+pillion?) and the speed you're travelling (centrifugal effect?) would all have to be factored in, so possibly in varying circumstances your indicated speed will only be true at those original specs....
 
Starting to tire of paying for rebuilds on magnetic heads and gearboxes and thinking that might be time to get some modern clocks.
....nope not after this thread!
 
I had original speedo rebuilt long time ago , realized not very truthful , so I put ram ball on handlebar and put my phone on it with speedbox app , showing in enlarged format, can easily read without my glasses and provides peace of mind ... when bike is just sitting it still looks great with the 2 original clocks in place ... simple cost effective , no rudeness .....
 
Where speed is a legal issue I'll go as fast as the car in front (but at a respectable distance). Where it's not I'll go as fast until I'm no longer enjoying the ride or a danger to myself or others...
 
Works in my town, but the buildings aren’t very tall.

It did seem to be affected by interference from the ignition, until I put a resistor plug cap on.
 
Ditto re the terrible instructions. I tried the tire circumference calculation but it never worked accurately. Did the one mile thing - took 4 attempts to get the button pushing done correctly - and it's been very accurate based on cross-referencing with other vehicles/GPS units. So I think the system (when finally set up) does work very well.

As mentioned, to do the 1 mile (or Km) thing, you need to install a pushbutton per the instructions. I did that, intending it to be temporary but ended up leaving it on mounted in a non-visible but reachable position.

While I was futzing around with installing/calibrating the E-gauges, I got so frustrated at one point I almost removed them an put the OEM's back on. The OEMs were working fine; I just replaced them with "modern devices" because I succumbed to the hype. BUT, to be fair, ONCE CALIBRATED, the tach/speedo work well. Just don't expect to be able to read the digital tripmeter in daylight! ;)
 
Calibrating electronic instruments doesn't need to be difficult.
Ive spent enough time on the Smith's electronic/Chronometric tach to rebuild a couple of engines.
I've also got a Dakota Digital device on the Glenli.
That one is a tachometer, speedometer. It can do Kms per hour or mph. It can show the rpm as a moving column or a number. It provides a gear indicator, shift light, turn indicator on warning light, high beam warning light, quarter mile ET, zero to 60 or 100 kmh ET, highest rpm per trip, low fuel warning ,low oil pressure warning and hour meter.

I calibrated the speed using a GPS and by riding the bike, then pushing the single control button that does everything. It was very simple to do, as is everything with that instrument.

It is easily the most complex gauge I've ever seen and yet it is very simple to use.
Its about the same cost as the Smith's single instrument.

Smith's should purchase a Dakota Digital product and do some copying.
Dakota Digital is built in the good ol' USA in .....South Dakota.

Glen

https://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=264/mode=prod/prd264.htm
 
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I’ve been something of an advocate of the Smiths digitals and have them on three bikes. But I’m really not sure I’d be in a hurry to buy any more in future.

Next time I’d like to try one of these, classic looking analog tacho cw idiot lights and digital speedo, distance, trip.

The only downside is the price.

https://motogadget.com/shop/en/chronoclassic.html
 
I used one of these to feed a Speedo normally fed by signals from a sensor picking up the steel disc brake bolts.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32892765800.html?spm=a2g0s.12269583.0.0.268b2f86DGZXJi

There is a calibration sequence which feeds a varying signal to the speedo, you stop the sequence when the speedo shows 60 kph.

So the speedo then becomes a GPS speedo. Andover Norton also use a box to feed their Smiths Electronic speedo but no details on the calibration sequence for that.

https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-details/20541
 
kommando said:
I used one of these to feed a Speedo normally fed by signals from a sensor picking up the steel disc brake bolts.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32892765800.html?spm=a2g0s.12269583.0.0.268b2f86DGZXJi

There is a calibration sequence which feeds a varying signal to the speedo, you stop the sequence when the speedo shows 60 kph.

So the speedo then becomes a GPS speedo. Andover Norton also use a box to feed their Smiths Electronic speedo but no details on the calibration sequence for that.

https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-details/20541
Click to expand...
Other than telling the speedo what 8/16 pulse frequency to use, nothing else to calibrate.
 
Dear me! That instrument isnt cheap but look what it can do! A veritable aircraft instrument panel. If you can out put the data to a usb key as you drive what a great tool that would be for diagnostic work.
Of course, Id have to have two to maintain that stock look! :-)
 
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