Bicycle speedos

[Gazdaman]

Anyone got one to recommend?

In an absolute ideal world I want one that I can wire into 12v with a backlight, but I suspect I'm not going to get that without splashing on on a motorbike specific one.

Gaz

[G]

They hardly use any power - battery lasts ages and is easy to replace.
The Cat's eye one on the zx9 works well, well into triple figures.
The cheap tescos one started to show half speed at around 50mph or so (then a third speed as you get faster).
Go for wired.

In fact, I'm not using the zx9 one now .

Make a separate LED 'front' light either way. (New ones may have back lights, I haven't seen any though.)

[Gazdaman]

You can get some with backlights for not alot. But you have to press a button, which I suspect would get annoying.

I'll probably just go for one of those.

Cheers!

Gaz

[G]

Yea, it is a bit annoying coming up to a Gatso and having to look at the speedo at just the right point as you pass a street light.
If this is for your dirt bike and you're only going to use it/ intending to use it in the day time I wouldn't worry - never had it questioned at MOT.

[Gazdaman]

Good point! I should have bought 2, I'll need one for the KX. This is actually for the SV. I just bought one with a backlight though. £11.95 inc postage.

Gaz

[MarkJ]

Are you avoiding the universal morocycle speedos for a reason? I had a generic 60mm one that had a backlight and odometer in it, think it cost £30. Seemed to be accurate too.

[Gazdaman]

Are they not cable driven?

Gaz

[MarkJ]

Ah, I thought the SV was cable driven. Go with the bicycle ones then

[Gazdaman]

You got me all excited! Nah it's electrically driven. I'm wondering if I can use the standard pulse from the speedo drive to run the cycle computer...

Gaz

[G]

They cost a bit more, but you can get motorcycle specific ones, that often have tachos and other functions. Look fairly neat.
There's a thread about someone fitting one in show & tell, reckon it'll be in the index thread.

[pa_broon74]

I bought one that purported to be for motorcycles but was in fact just an ordinary push bike model.

Didn't work well at all, it had magnets and shit you needed to attach to the spokes and whatnot. It looked good though, had loads of gadgets on it including a temperature gauge, oddly enough, it was 22 degrees everywhere I went which was nice...

What I mean to say is, if you're procuring one from eBay or the like, look very carefully at the discription, while they might say it's for a motorbike, that might not actually be the case.


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Didn't catch anything.

[TheDonUK]

[Gazdaman]

There are some proper motorcycle ones, with tachos and stuff. But the cheapest I found was about £80.

And some I found are marketed as being motorcycle ones, but when you look closer are just cycle ones.

And it's a construction and use issue to have a working, and accurate (within reason) speedo. Although I've never seen one tested! And it doesn't have any part in an MOT.

But annoyed I didn't buy one for my KX125 now though.

Gaz

[G]

I'm pretty sure there are laws about having a speedo - something about vehicles that can go over 30mph need one? (presumably from before 20mph limits.)

[TheDonUK]

I would be interested to know for sure.

I always thought its one of those things that if fitted, legally has to be working but there was no part of the road traffic act that stated you require a speedometer to use it on the public roads?
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[Current Bikes - GSXR-750 K5 & C90-97 ] [Previous Bikes: Runner 125, YBR 125, GS500, Bandit 600, Hornet 600, ZX6R-99, C90-99, R1-99, XT600E-04, GSXR-750 K4, CRF250L '16]

[Gazdaman]

It's in construction and use. Finding the proper legislation is a bit of a mission though:

https://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/vssafety/regulationsforpoweredtwoandt4564

Gaz

[TheDonUK]

3.6. Speedometers

Every motorcycle first used on or after 1 April 1984 and capable of more than 25 mph must have a speedometer which reads in both miles per hour and kilometres per hour either simultaneously or separately by the use of a switch. A speedometer which is approved to Community Directives 75/443/EEC as amended by 97/39/EC, 2000/7/EC or to UNECE Regulation No.39 is acceptable.

Guess you lot were right then.

Anyway it just seems very hard to prove no?, I mean so im stopped lets say by a really ratty traffic cop who hates my guts and is going over the bike with a magnifying glass for anything, whats he going to see? a speedo that reads 0, because the vehicle is stationary, i in no way would allow any authorities to ride my bike (even if they were allowed by H+S regs), so what they are going to bring a dyno out? naa mate...

Bit like the old 33bhp law
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[Current Bikes - GSXR-750 K5 & C90-97 ] [Previous Bikes: Runner 125, YBR 125, GS500, Bandit 600, Hornet 600, ZX6R-99, C90-99, R1-99, XT600E-04, GSXR-750 K4, CRF250L '16]

[Gazdaman]

Any Police officer can test a vehicle upto the level of his/her expertise. So it could be tested. The chances of it happening? Pretty much nil.

Gaz

[G]

I can remember (Ariel maybe?) getting through an MOT with a GPS when no speedo was questioned.

[Gazdaman]

Yeah I read that. I can't see any problems with that, it has a damn accurate speedo reading on it.

Legal. I suspect some MOT testers wouldn't like it though.

Gaz

[G]

[MarkJ]

I'm sure someone told me that speedos aren't needed for an MOT as they aren't checked - but they are a legal requirement (as stated above). Might be wrong.

[Gazdaman]

Yeah they're not tested in the MOT, so it doesn't have to work. but I'm not sure if it would still fail if there isn't one there at all.

Gaz

[MarkJ]

From here: https://www.motester.co.uk/CarOwnersGuidetoTheMOT/MOTQA/MOTQApage3.aspx