Hitchcocks Forum

Anyone got an Electra-X or EFI (or any other 1990's onwards Bullet) with a speedo which came new with the bike and is only marked in MPH ?

If so, that speedo is illegal in the UK, as would be one fitted since 1 April 1984. Yes I did say 1984.

Any bike first used since 1 April 1984 in the UK has to have the speedo dual marked with MPH and KPH

As far as I can tell, whilst such a speedo is not legal, it is not tested for dual markings at MOT in Great Britain, though I have suspicians that is going to change.

Not so, in another part of the UK - Northern Ireland.

My wife's Electra-X failed it's MOT last week for a speedo only having MPH and no KPH markings.

What annoys me most is that the Royal Enfield Importer, whom we all know, should not have sold the bike new in 2005 with that speedo fitted.

Neither Allen Hitchcock nor myself knew that the bike MOT is slightly different in GB compared with Northern Ireland.

Adrian

Hello BULLETEER ----- Yes, this business of speedometers is quite a minefield, isn't it ?? Your wife's bike must have had previous MoT's ?? I have recently bought a 1997 Suzuki Marauder 800... First registered in CANADA it was imported and registered here in the UK in 2000... Consequently its' speedo is in Kms only. I have all of its' previous MoT's and on one a tester has actually changed the MPH heading to Kms... My understanding of an MoT is that they ( VOSA )test a vehicle for its' road worthiness as seen at that time, but not necessarily for it's legality if it's a "Type-Approved" vehicle...Thus you can present a vehicle with a "correct" speedometer that isn't working and it will pass----but not the other way around---, as per your wife's bike... I believe it's an EEC ruling regarding the dual markings ?? I don't believe either that the speedo is actually tested to see if it works (it must be + or - 10% at 30mph)--they don't have the calibrated equipment to do this, and it's not a Vehicle-Safety related item anyway, more a Driving-related item I suspect. This should get some interesting replies-------------

----------Sorry, I forgot to add that my Suzuki had a fresh MoT on 16th MARCH, 2012 at Bognor Regis. It has a PASS with NO advisories. ----------

He! He! Just what this site needs - another point against the Electra X!! I don't care, I have one and it's great.....

Just checked my Dads Electra-X. That speedo is in MPH only. I've a feeling that that duel speedos is an EU ruling. That is: Any machine sold new within the EU must have their speedos marked in MPH and KPH. Any machine that is imported from outside the EU, the speedo must read the scale (In our case MPH) of the Country that the machine will be used in. My Lightning has a KPH speedo, but it's fitted with a Motrax speedo converter, so it reads in MPH (Sort that one out Mr MOT Tester!).

Alex,
Very defensive lot Electra owners aren't they.

Absolutely Norm!!

Hi guys----and BARRY Q, that's the ECU ruling I understood as well... ALEX, which end of the speedo cable is your Motrax device fitted ?? (I'm thinking of getting one on my Suzuki)and do the existing numbers on the dial now read as if MPH ??.. If you are careful try prising the bezel and glass off then use some transfers etc to give an "MPH" on the dial.... Aren't there firms who provide a stick-on dial face in MPH ??... I know an Electra X rider who regularly passes my Classic 500 at speeds of up to 85 mph----when they're good, they're very, very good------etc. Mind you, he CAN ride it PLUS he's YOUNGER than me (sob, Boo-Hoo,)--- where's all my reactions gone then ?? Anybody seen them ?? Coo-ee--where are you ?? Come to Daddy-----

Can of Worms here I fear!!!

I can see why dual marking of speedo is useful in Northern Ireland as on many roads bordering Eire you frequently move from m.p.h. to km.p.h. sections.
My Bullet has from new a speedo registering in m.p.h. only, so as I live in Dover am I breaking French law on trips over the water?
Incidentally, I also have a personal import 1979 350 with a km.p.h. only speedo, which has never been queried at MOT's. I also have a 2002 Lightning 535 personal import on which I had to have the speedo modified on the face (not allowed a sticker on the glass) to read in m.p.h. (only) to get through the MSVA test to get it registered here.
Are ANY of my bikes legal!!!!
REgards, Mick.

On my lightning, the Motrax gearbox fits between the speedo head and the cable. So, your KMH markings on the speedo head will now be in MPH. The distance recorder will now register in miles and not kilometers. Other than that, I've got two stickers (One says MPH and the other says Miles) stuck on the speedo glass. You can get speedo overlays from the likes of Ebay, but only the most common 'grey imports' seem to be covered.