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Speedo reading????

Technical help for Series one, two and three Lambrettas. Models include the Li, Li Special, TV, SX, GP, Serveta and API/SIL models

Speedo reading????

Postby inch71 » Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:38 pm

Hi

I've just bought an MPH speedo for my Series 2 from Scootopia, the one that has a top speed reading of 90mph. This is to replace the old KPH speedo I had. The reason for the new speedo is, I've just fitted a Mugello 198 kit over the winter, & the old speedo was going off the clock, so I didn't know how fast I was going after 62mph/90kph.
Now, I know Lammy speedo's aren't the most accurate, but this seems pretty decent, in that it gives a nice steady reading, & not waving all over the place. The problem I have is it seems to be giving a much higher reading than the speed I'm actually going. Yesterday, I took it for a spin after fitting it, & it was showing 70mph, even though the real speed felt a lot more like 40-50mph.
My question is, do I need to change the speedo drive at the hub, or is there something else I should be looking at that I may have overlooked?

Cheers
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby Mel K » Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:52 pm

A gps speedo is what you should be looking at for an accurate reading of how fast you're actually going . Not sure there's anything different you can do with your Lambretta speedo, they're only good for knowing how many miles you've ridden in my experience .
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby inch71 » Fri Apr 03, 2015 11:02 pm

This is just a temporary speedo until I get the money together for something like the SIP speedo. I just wondered why the speed reading was so far out, & maybe the drive gear was a kph set up rather than mph
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby rossclark » Sat Apr 04, 2015 12:37 am

Are GPS speedos / apps all they are cracked up to be?

One of the guys at work was out using one of these GPS apps while cycling with one of his mates. They were both using the same app and both cycled side by side for a number of miles. The difference in the average speed reported was 15 mph. One was on a Samsung phone the other on an iPhone ...

Thoughts?
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby rossclark » Sat Apr 04, 2015 12:40 am

inch71 wrote:This is just a temporary speedo until I get the money together for something like the SIP speedo. I just wondered why the speed reading was so far out, & maybe the drive gear was a kph set up rather than mph


The ratio at the wheel is the same the calibration of the speedo is different. Lambretta speedometers are notoriously unreliable, especially pattern ones.
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby Digger » Sat Apr 04, 2015 5:29 am

rossclark wrote:Are GPS speedos / apps all they are cracked up to be?

One of the guys at work was out using one of these GPS apps while cycling with one of his mates. They were both using the same app and both cycled side by side for a number of miles. The difference in the average speed reported was 15 mph. One was on a Samsung phone the other on an iPhone ...

Thoughts?


I have a Hilux with a factory GPS, a Tom Tom and a Garmin - all consistantly read the same.

Our cars all read + 4 on their speedo's against the GPS's.
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby Mel K » Sat Apr 04, 2015 7:43 am

I have a Speedhut gps speedo and use a Tom Tom rider both exactly the same, and "dead on balls accurate" to quote "a technical term". I've never used an app. Top speed on the trip stats from the Tom Tom can be less than what you have seen whilst riding unless you hold your top speed for a few miles, I think that has something to do with how it measures your speed between satelites every mile. Apart from wagons, which are callibrated regularly , in ny experience, most vehicles speedos are out by a few miles, My daily ride Yamaha T Max says I'm doing 82 mph but the gps says 75 is an example .
I've never used the app method so can't comment on them .
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby CHRIS in MARGATE » Sat Apr 04, 2015 7:46 am

Yep my car reads 33 against GPS of 30. One evening about 20 of us were on a ride out and when we stopped the guys were so excited about their "70" + MPH blast down the dual carriageway, until I showed them on my GPS that the fastest I had gone was 59 MPH and I was at the front !
That's why the guys recall doing 80 on their scooters over the decades.
I've got lots of GPS apps, they all work brilliantly but the reason for differences between phones is that just occasionally they might lose the GPS signal for a while and miss some of the input.
I wonder if you could get a lower max speedo face to "correct" the MPH display.
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby Meds » Sat Apr 04, 2015 11:58 am

I calibrate mine against my car/sat nav
Follow the car at 30/40/50/60
That gives me a rough calibration
Hope this helps
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby MickYork » Sat Apr 04, 2015 12:48 pm

Meds wrote:I calibrate mine against my car/sat nav
Follow the car at 30/40/50/60
That gives me a rough calibration
Hope this helps


What about doing as above then having a new face made to match the speeds.....
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby Mel K » Sat Apr 04, 2015 1:13 pm

MickYork wrote:
Meds wrote:I calibrate mine against my car/sat nav
Follow the car at 30/40/50/60
That gives me a rough calibration
Hope this helps


What about doing as above then having a new face made to match the speeds.....


Do you mean like a grimace as you realise you've only been doing 45 instead if The 65 indicated ? Image
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby crooky » Sat Apr 04, 2015 7:08 pm

I use a garmin forerunner 101 its a runners watch with Velcro strap I put it round the headset has large mph with average speed and Max. At kelso one of the lads was saying he had cruised at 65plus but reality was 49. Sometimes ignorance is bliss :)
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby inch71 » Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:16 pm

I'm wondering if there's anyone or anywhere out there that calibrates Lambretta speedos, so we can at least get a proper reading from a standard cable driven speedo.
I'd be interested to know if any of you guys know of anyone
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby rossclark » Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:21 pm

Jem Booth refurbs speedos, I presume he calibrates them somehow.
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby HxPaul » Sat Apr 04, 2015 8:30 pm

inch71 wrote:I'm wondering if there's anyone or anywhere out there that calibrates Lambretta speedos, so we can at least get a proper reading from a standard cable driven speedo.
I'd be interested to know if any of you guys know of anyone

Why do you need to know ? All you need is a rough estimate of 30mph ( 50 kph ) 40 mph ( 65 kph ) 50 mph ( 80 kph ) for the speed cameras.
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby inch71 » Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:00 pm

Why do you need to know ? All you need is a rough estimate of 30mph ( 50 kph ) 40 mph ( 65 kph ) 50 mph ( 80 kph ) for the speed cameras.[/quote]

So we don't even need speedos at all then if that's the case. We can all just have a rough idea how fast we're going.
'Sorry officer, I must of guessed I was doing the right speed, when I wasn't'. Hmmm, can't see that working somehow
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby MickYork » Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:20 pm

Unless you go GPS you may as well guess your speed......
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby HxPaul » Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:30 pm

inch71 wrote:Why do you need to know ? All you need is a rough estimate of 30mph ( 50 kph ) 40 mph ( 65 kph ) 50 mph ( 80 kph ) for the speed cameras.


So we don't even need speedos at all then if that's the case. We can all just have a rough idea how fast we're going.
'Sorry officer, I must of guessed I was doing the right speed, when I wasn't'. Hmmm, can't see that working somehow[/quote]
I have a series 2 with a kph speedo,all standard speedos read under the actual speed.
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby missing lynx » Sat Apr 04, 2015 10:17 pm

here's a thought could your speedo be a lower speed mechinism thats been assembled with the wrong face? . I would contact who you bought it from and ask for a replacement
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Re: Speedo reading????

Postby Digger » Sun Apr 05, 2015 6:11 am

inch71 wrote:Why do you need to know ? All you need is a rough estimate of 30mph ( 50 kph ) 40 mph ( 65 kph ) 50 mph ( 80 kph ) for the speed cameras.


So we don't even need speedos at all then if that's the case. We can all just have a rough idea how fast we're going.
'Sorry officer, I must of guessed I was doing the right speed, when I wasn't'. Hmmm, can't see that working somehow[/quote]

With most Lambretta speedo's "a rough idea" is exactly what you'll get.

I've an Italian S1 which hasn't got one - never causes me a problem.

A speedo isn't a legal requirement for an MOT or Mr. Plod.
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