Modern Buddy

Have many of you checked your Buddy speedometer against a GPS?

Not having a mount, I put my GPS in my pet carrier and checked the maximum speed against the highest speed I saw on the speedometer. I got up to 75 Buddy miles per hour and my GPS showed my max speed was 65 mph. Fairly close.

I recall an old thread but remember must posts were anecdotal. How accurate have you found your speedometer to be, as registered by GPS?

Until I get going really fast its only about 2-3mph off. After 70MPH it starts to get wildly off. When I hit 88MPH, its well into the Genuine logo.

oops

My Buddy speedo seems to run about 10% high across the board.

Rob

Ghetto Buddy is 73 mph GPS when indicated 80 on the speedo. With shinko whitewalls mounted.

What few times I've managed to check against a police "you're going this speed" board, I'm about 10% optimistic.

Mine is pretty consistently 12% off.

Skootz Kabootz wrote:Mine is pretty consistently 12% off.

That sounds about right, although I just consider it 10%, cause it makes it easier.

bluebuddygirl wrote:

Skootz Kabootz wrote:Mine is pretty consistently 12% off.

That sounds about right, although I just consider it 10%, cause it makes it easier.

Ya me too, 10% then add a bit... 12% is a best guestimate.

15 % high no matter what the speed. I have checked this against two GPS units.
35 speedometer = 30 gps
46 speedometer = 40 gps
69 speedometer = 60 gps

I wonder what the explanation could be, why there's such a disparity in the speedometer readings. Except for my top speed, I haven't checked mine against the GPS. But based on the flow of traffic, I think mine is like Kaos' and pretty accurate, especially at lower speeds.

rondothemidget wrote:I wonder what the explanation could be, why there's such a disparity in the speedometer readings. Except for my top speed, I haven't checked mine against the GPS. But based on the flow of traffic, I think mine is like Kaos' and pretty accurate, especially at lower speeds.

It's greatly affected by what type of tires you have, how they're inflated, how you ride and other variables.

There have been a few threads about this. I'm sure if anyone is interested, they're findable using our [admittedly cruddy] search function.

There's a pretty thorough ('cause I wrote it! ) post about speedos, why they're inaccurate and so on in the FAQ section:
topic10818.html#139168

gr8dog wrote:15 % high no matter what the speed. I have checked this against two GPS units.
35 speedometer = 30 gps
46 speedometer = 40 gps
69 speedometer = 60 gps

Looks more like 14%
So much better then 15%

I am running the same as gr8dog. Or as lil pointed out 14%.

after looking over the Genuine website today i found this statement about the speedometer...

Q: According to my GPS, your speedometer says I'm going faster than I really am. Is that covered under warranty?
A: Practically all scooter and motorcycle manufactures calibrate their speedometers to read optimistically. This is because several safety studies conducted by the motorcycle industry proved that if the speedometer read slightly fast, accidents are dramatically reduced.

People also have found that their fuel economy goes up because they are traveling at slightly slower speeds, and they are less likely to get tickets for speeding. [top]

http://www.genuinescooters.com/genuine_faqs.html#Q5

i have a 09 Rattler which has a diggie display that just goes crazy with the reading,,, at true 25mph it reads 33on the display,,, at 35mph it reads 42 on the display,,, at true 50mph it reads 55 on the display...

why would a company make something that did not work right... there explanation in the FAQ just dont get it... when i look down to see how fast im going i dont want to have to do math to make sure im at the right speed for the road... im still trying to figure out how "the manufactures" get the understanding that giving me the wrong information is going to keep me from crashing...

Major Redneck wrote:why would a company make something that did not work right... there explanation in the FAQ just dont get it... when i look down to see how fast im going i dont want to have to do math to make sure im at the right speed for the road... im still trying to figure out how "the manufactures" get the understanding that giving me the wrong information is going to keep me from crashing...

I think they explained the "why" pretty clearly. They calibrate the speedometer to read high because they have read studies that show that it leads to fewer accidents. You disagree with their decision, and I see your point, but if your question is "why" and "where do they get the idea", there's an answer right there in the text you quoted.

TVB wrote:I think they explained the "why" pretty clearly. They calibrate the speedometer to read high because they have read studies that show that it leads to fewer accidents.

The speedo on my Yamaha scoot is spot on. I think this explanation by Genuine is a happy talk alternative to just acknowledging that their speedo is not very accurate (they are hardly the only ones , of course)

TVB wrote:

Major Redneck wrote:why would a company make something that did not work right... there explanation in the FAQ just dont get it... when i look down to see how fast im going i dont want to have to do math to make sure im at the right speed for the road... im still trying to figure out how "the manufactures" get the understanding that giving me the wrong information is going to keep me from crashing...

I think they explained the "why" pretty clearly. They calibrate the speedometer to read high because they have read studies that show that it leads to fewer accidents. You disagree with their decision, and I see your point, but if your question is "why" and "where do they get the idea", there's an answer right there in the text you quoted.

reword the question... what gives the manufacture the right to calibrate the speedometer to an untrue factor??? or to what they think it should be???

in the state of North Carolina there is a inspection done once a year,,, one question is the odometer calibrated proper? now granted how would a tech check this would be hard to do,,, im sure the law is drawn more to the pickup trucks and cars with oversized tires and such.

yes my yamaha scoot is dead on the spot 35mph is 35mph,,, 45mph is 45mph...

I checked mine the other day and I found it's more like 15% faster then what my GPS says.

Dooglas wrote:

TVB wrote:I think they explained the "why" pretty clearly. They calibrate the speedometer to read high because they have read studies that show that it leads to fewer accidents.

The speedo on my Yamaha scoot is spot on. I think this explanation by Genuine is a happy talk alternative to just acknowledging that their speedo is not very accurate (they are hardly the only ones , of course)

Right. Vendors calibrate speedos to read high because most people won't notice, and it makes most people happier to think that their 50cc scoot can hit 50 mph.

Jet ski makers do the same, only closer to 25% optimistic. In the jet ski world, they are called "Dreamometers."

gps,,, vintage windup time machine,,, cigar holder... telephone holder...

I found this solution for speedo error:

http://www.healtech-electronics.com/

Click on SpeedoHealer...


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Roose Hurro wrote:I found this solution for speedo error:

http://www.healtech-electronics.com/

Click on SpeedoHealer...


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From what I can tell, I don't think it'll work with our scoots. We don't have electronic speedos; ours have cables.

Well, from what I read, it does allow you to replace your original (mechanical) speedo with an electronic version you can calibrate to your individual bike. So, it can have some application, though it would take someone willing to convert, with the attendent extra expense.

Besides, I know some people here have motorcycles as well as scooters, so this could work for them, if not for their scoots.


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Last night I was thinking, "Didn't I post a reply to this? Maybe I forgot to submit it." I thought I was having a "senior moment." Just realized you posted this here and on MV.

Yep, posted it both places, so everybody would have a chance to see it.


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TVB wrote:I think they explained the "why" pretty clearly. They calibrate the speedometer to read high because they have read studies that show that it leads to fewer accidents. You disagree with their decision, and I see your point, but if your question is "why" and "where do they get the idea", there's an answer right there in the text you quoted.

Yeah, I get that, but I wonder how many of us adjust our speed assuming this overestimate. I know I do.

I assume my spedo is off by 10mph at least. Mine is pretty bad. Going 35bmph and the magic sign that says how fast you are going tells me I'm going 26/27. (this is on an access road with a speedlimit of 25... I'm not that much of a slowpoke)

I seem to be having a bigger problem here than some of the other people. Last night i drove past 3 different "speed signs" the last one I went back and made a few passes. Looks like I am running 25% off. 40 buddy was showing 29-31 on the sign. 50 buddy was showing 37. Ok so I need to be watching the flow of traffic more now. The other question I have. So does this mean my odometer is 25% off as well? Please don't tell me that the 65-70mpg I have been getting is more like 50-55mpg. I already had some of the worst milage reported but now it may be worse.... Sad days indeed.

okcgravity wrote:I seem to be having a bigger problem here than some of the other people. Last night i drove past 3 different "speed signs" the last one I went back and made a few passes. Looks like I am running 25% off. 40 buddy was showing 29-31 on the sign. 50 buddy was showing 37. Ok so I need to be watching the flow of traffic more now. The other question I have. So does this mean my odometer is 25% off as well? Please don't tell me that the 65-70mpg I have been getting is more like 50-55mpg. I already had some of the worst milage reported but now it may be worse.... Sad days indeed.

Don't know how accurate those sensors would actually be with such a small, mostly plastic vehicle as compared to a car. GPS would be your most accurate depiction of your actual speed. You may not be as far off as you think.