Ok, just picked this bike up form the original owner in Dec. The bike had sat for around 8 years, and showed only 3300 miles. The bike is clean with a DJ kit, Erion Racing slip-ons, and an undertail kit, among other little things...nothing electric though. So after cleaning the tank, replacing the petcock, rebuilding the carbs with new fuel lines...everything started and idled!! But after a couple of rides, and tanks of gas, I thought that I was traveling farther than the odometer showed. So I filled up and went for a ride on the "quick route"...28 miles long. The odometer only showed 14 miles. The bike came with the Honda manual, flipped to the section on the gauges and saw hand writen notes on wire colors and voltage numbers. The next page brought the same with notes on the speed sensor. I am at a loss on this one. Since itis cooler outside right now i have not been able to repeat this test again. The orginal owner is not in the country right now to talk to so I am stuck without knowing what he may have done to make the bike do this. Any ideas on what is happening, please spill the beans!!

 

does it have stock gearing,dont think it would throw it that much off,but its a small chance.16/41 with 102 links is stock.

 

what year bike,has the wiring or motor been changed out.could be wrong speedo sensor.

 

The bike is a 98. The motor has never been out/opened up. And the gearing/sprockets/chain is all stock.

 

On the UK VTR forum a member had somehow got his tripmeter/odometer to count instead of miles but kilometers when he changed a battery??

No known way AFAIK to reset it back but with the signs that the PO had tinkered in that dept is your biggest clue.

 

Leave it! It's a feature that will help with re-sale value!

 

Sounds like at some point the previous owner may have tried to splice in another cluster or a speedo corrector. Obviously it didnt work and if the sender isn't damaged, the sender wires aren't correct.