Speedometer question

[2manybikes]

Got about 250 miles on my 79F after a multi year restoration. I can live with the slow response from the speedometer, I'm sure the grease in it has long since turned to sludge. My question is this, at 4000 RPM's in 5th gear, the speedometer is telling me 65 MPH. Does that sound about right? The RPM's might be a bit more (slight quiver in the needle), but 4000 is close.

[motoman]

Got about 250 miles on my 79F after a multi year restoration. I can live with the slow response from the speedometer, I'm sure the grease in it has long since turned to sludge. My question is this, at 4000 RPM's in 5th gear, the speedometer is telling me 65 MPH. Does that sound about right? The RPM's might be a bit more (slight quiver in the needle), but 4000 is close.

Your profile showing to be a Standard, which has the 17" rear wheel(Specials are 16"), that's close. Actual rpm at 4K is 61-62mph.

[TopCatGr58]

That's pretty close for a Standard. I think others have reported closer to 70 on their standards, but my special is right about there.

I can't recall exactly, so you'll need to do a search if nobody else posts about a way to squirt some lube into the speedo without messing up the glass. I know about squirting silicone oil into the GEAR portion, but I thought I remember someone posting about being able to squirt into it via a light socket opening??

T.C.

[2manybikes]

Speedometer

It's just slow to respond. Goes down about as slow as it goes up. Not sure about the rear tire size, but I will check it. I have been more concerned with what might be loose,and come apart! I have a fairly long list so far, but nothing major. Just tweeks. I am definitely going to dial down the sensitivity of the rear brake. Also going to rotate it a few splines forward. If that does not do the job, I am going to introduce the brake pedal to Mr Torch. I've had some fun bikes, but I can say, I've never ridden a bike that pulled like a freight train on steroids! Just have to get used to the higher than what I am used to RPM's. At about 150 miles, it occurred to me there was likely a correlation between the higher RPM's and the optimum shift points. (Slow learner). Listening to myself going through the gears was painful. Shifting now at higher RPM's is much better, but the learning curve is rather sharp.

[motoman]

That's pretty close for a Standard. I think others have reported closer to 70 on their standards, but my special is right about there.

I can't recall exactly, so you'll need to do a search if nobody else posts about a way to squirt some lube into the speedo without messing up the glass. I know about squirting silicone oil into the GEAR portion, but I thought I remember someone posting about being able to squirt into it via a light socket opening??

T.C.

Aso what he may also do. is to unscrew speedo cable from underside of housing and squirt a few drops very light weight oil down into cable housing.

[HalfCentury]

I replaced my XJ1100 speedo with an XS650 120 MPH speedo. The new speedo had 62 miles on it when I installed it. It was painfully slow to respond. On advice given here, I have left it alone and am watching it. It has gotten better with a couple of hundred miles of driving it.

[Steve_Sue_AZ]

speedo question

Yes, the prev post is correct. I am new to this site, but as an original owner of an 80 XS Eleven SG, I think I have some valid input. At about 4000 RPM, you should be just at or above 60 MPH.
We (hubby & I) have 106,000 miles on our Eleven, which is actually now a 'Twelve' after a re-build 3 yrs ago. We are probably even-steven on the mileage for being the drivers of the bike. It always depended on "who had to drive further to work got to ride the Eleven." He's retired now, so guess who gets the bike?
I'd love to offer input on our bike - rode to work today (as usual) and still loving it.
Sue

[motoman]

Yes, the prev post is correct. I am new to this site, but as an original owner of an 80 XS Eleven SG, I think I have some valid input. At about 4000 RPM, you should be just at or above 60 MPH.
We (hubby & I) have 106,000 miles on our Eleven, which is actually now a 'Twelve' after a re-build 3 yrs ago. We are probably even-steven on the mileage for being the drivers of the bike. It always depended on "who had to drive further to work got to ride the Eleven." He's retired now, so guess who gets the bike?
I'd love to offer input on our bike - rode to work today (as usual) and still loving it.
Sue

Nice!.........As far as speed and rpm, the Special(which is what you have) having a 16in. rear wheel will ALWAYS be at a bit higher rpm at any given speed than the Standard which has a 17in. rear wheel.

[ViperRon]

Your speed can be off a little by the size front wheel and how worn it is on the bike also. The standard 100 size on mine makes the speedometer register a couple of miles per hour faster then its going and with a 110 it registers about 1 mile per hour slow at 80 I use my GPS to check it against. When you say the speedometer is slow to respond I hope you are bot comparing it to the response of the tach which on many bikes can be a little flaky. If you do have a GPS you can use the mile markers on the interstate just use like 10 miles and you should be close to a mile a minute at 60.

[2manybikes]

Speedometer

Thanks for all the replies and responses. The only casualty thus far (308 miles) has been my nicely powder coated kick crank. Hopefully the only bolt (wingnut) on the bike I did not double check. I also forgot to verify the front and rear tire size before I rode it after work. Got to take the Mrs out for her first spin on it, and was quite surprised at her positive comments on how it rode. I am going to reserve comments till I get my "bug list" done. All in all, I am quite pleased thus far. Just having a hard time getting the hang of the optimum shift points.

[HalfCentury]

Thanks for all the replies and responses. The only casualty thus far (308 miles) has been my nicely powder coated kick crank. Hopefully the only bolt (wingnut) on the bike I did not double check. I also forgot to verify the front and rear tire size before I rode it after work. Got to take the Mrs out for her first spin on it, and was quite surprised at her positive comments on how it rode. I am going to reserve comments till I get my "bug list" done. All in all, I am quite pleased thus far. Just having a hard time getting the hang of the optimum shift points.

Shifting discussions will probably go the way of oil discussions and tire discussions. Its a religion as much as a science.

My two cents worth on shifting is that if you shift as if you are drag racing, its going to be noisy, possible mis-shifts, and eventual destruction of the dreaded second gear.

On my XJ1100, sifting at high RPMs from 1st to 2nd sounds like a *MASH* episode 1950's army truck no matter what the technique. The only way to for me make a smooth shift from 1st to 2nd is to allow the engine RPMs some time (a second or so) to die down after pulling the clutch before shifting.

The shift from 2nd to 3rd is never a problem.

If you are running high RPMs, after 3rd gear you are already exceeding the speed limit almost no mater where you are.

The weird part of motorcycling on the XS/XJ is that the RPM range is so much wider than a car. Driving a car at highway speed for me is 2000 to 2500 RPMs. Manually shifting a car is usually at lower RPMs than a motorcycle. Its counter-intuitive to drive a motorcycle at 3000 to 4000 RPMs. Driving the motorcycle at 2000 RPMs will get stalled in certain situations. I have done that more than once.

[rover]

speedometer question

If you want to reduce the revs per mph, change the final drive to one from XS850 (best) or XS750 (still good). The 11 has a 3.03 to 1 ratio, and the others a 2.8 to 1. Many of us here have done this, not very difficult, and is completely described in the tech tips.

[2manybikes]

Speedometer

I finally remembered to check the tire size. 17 rear, and 19 front. My after work ride today was cut short by rain again. I should have restored an ark!

[Rasputin]

Just had an image of someone Riding an Ark. Not good! ...

[Bonz]

If I remember correctly... My 80SG turned just about 4,000 rpm @60mph with the stock FD. It turns about 3,600 rpm @60mph with the 750/850 FD mod. Makes for a great running bike on the open road turning the lower rpm, especially at 70-80 mph where the rpm differential is even greater. I gained about 1.5 mpg with the FD Swap, so the economy differential isn't what doing the mod was about in the grand scheme but every bit helps with a 4 gallon tank.

A slow to respond speedo is a sign of a speedo cable needing lube, IMO. Either because it is "dry" or the lube is gunked up. My ZRX1200 was dropping slowly earlier this spring and would hang at 10 mph for a bit after I had stopped moving. Had the fairing off doing some instrument bulb replacement last week. I pulled the cable out of the back of the speedo in order to get the back cover off of the speedo to access the bulbs, and took some 15w-40 oil off the garage shelf and drizzled a bit down into the cable housing. Let gravity do the work to distribute the oil. I think Yamaha calls for using 30w oil on the XS1100 speedo cable, figured this would work too. Problem solved!