I have an 883.

MPG was 58 on a 165 mile trip I just took today.

As an after thought I checked my Odometer against the last three mile markers of the trip and it appears that my odometer is off by about 10 percent.
1st mile marker was about 1.1 on my odometer
Second one appeared off 5%
Third one was again almost 1.1 mile on my odometer.

So, when I figure my MPG I have to assume it is going to be off by 10%
How many have checked their odometers against a GPS or against the Mile Markers?

Mine is a 2004, 883 Sportster Custom with a 21 inch front wheel

I will be checking mine again once I mount a GPS or mount my phone..
Just wondering if the Speedo/Odometer are accurate verses a bit too Liberal.

Thoughts?

Funny, but isn't the 883 Harley's pride and joy?
The original since 1947 the Sportster 883 was quite fast and nimble.
Not soft, but rugged,
cowboy rough and tough.

John Wayne would have ridden one. don't you think?
Evel Knievel thought the sportster was tough enough for wheelies and jumps.
Anyways, this thread is about accurate speed and distance not history and innovations.

 

ethanol or not, hard on throttle or not,,,,,,,my speedo is off the faster i go,,,,,,my gps shows me at home sometimes when im playing golf or at work when im home, gps slow to catch up............ive gotten 45ish to 50ish, im good with that

 

Perhaps you can have your speed sensor or speedometer itself calibrated? It is an electric speedo,

My 883 gets 50 mpg pretty much however I ride. I would expect on a long trip it might get 53-55 which is approximately what you get with 10% error factored in.

John

 

K model 1952 was 750 flat head.. In 1955 it went to 883. Sportster was borne in 1957. Was 883. Over head top end on a K model lower end.
I've have never checked my odometer for accuracy. I get 45 MPG but I'm pushing 110 HP.

 

 

58 is good mileage...even with a -10% drift, that's still great. My RKC gets ave 42 with a full load out on the open road, 38 in town. I've never though about checking the accuracy of the odometer though.

 

Just used waze to check MPH vs Speedo.
60 Speedo equals 57 MPH Waze (Constant speed)
80 Speedo equals 76 mph Waze (Constant Speed)

Appears to be off 5%
I can live with that..
This changes the MPG from 58 down to an adjusted 55 MPG.

I do stand corrected about the Sportster XL being introduced in 1957 and not 1947.

My Trip was on the interstate and most of it was 70mph but at times traffic would move me to 80 ish..
Saw two State Troupers, but even at 80MPH that would have been 76 on their radar if they targeted me.

 

 

Speedos are inevitable inaccurate for a number of reasons, it isn't possible for them to be 100% accurate. In some countries they are not permitted to encourage the driver to go faster than the speedo reads, so a speedo will always be made to read 'fast'. You can confirm this by using a gps while riding. Tyre diameter varies between brands and wear will reduce diameter during a tyre's life, so accuracy will also change over time.

The ohv Sportster XL was born out of the sidevalve model K, introduced in 1952.

 

Every Harley speedo I've checked reads 5-10% higher than actual. As grbrown says, I think it's by design if for no other reason than to keep you safely under instead of over the speed limit.
IF Harley's warranty was based on mileage, then we would have a right to complain.

TMK, there is no calibration of the speedo/odo possible with the stock ignition module. Some aftermarket modules allow this capability.