Fun with the odometer! ("Faking" miles for CA registration)

Background: I'm moving to the Bay area (California) from BC, Canada in a week. I have a 2008 wr250x with just over 10k kms on the odometer.

Problem: I've switched my wr250x's instrument cluster to a MPH unit, but now the odometer is back to 0. (For some weird reason the Canadian WRs come with KPH only instruments, while the US one can switch between MPH and KPH easily.)

Why is an odometer reset a problem? Besides being legally suspect (~$300 part to make someone think your bike is newer than it is - why isn't odometer date kept on the engine's ECU?), my bike needs to show more than 7500 miles on the odometer in order be registered in California.

Fun stuff I've tried:

- Using my SpeedoDRD (speedo healer) to radically inflate the odometer / speedometer sensitivity. Turns out the engine shuts off if it thinks it's going faster than about ~170mph. (The speedometer and odometer also stop reading wheel motion past this limit.)

- Hand-turning the rear wheel. Combined with the inflated SpeedoDRD settings, I can get a mile on the odo in ~14 seconds. Problem is at that rate it will still take ~27 hours of turning to get to 7500 miles on the odometer.

- Turning the rear wheel with a cordless drill. Similar to the hand turning, but less repetitive. For this to be a real solution I need to build a stand to hold the drill head against the back tire, though... plus I'd need to swap out the battery every time it drains, and hope the the drill motor can keep up with constant use. Also, will take ~27 hours of "drill-on-wheel" action.

I'm looking for solutions, suggestions, or words of encouragement at least. :0) Also, if anyone in the Bay area has a wr250x/r with more than 7500 miles on it, mebbe I could borrow your instrument cluster when I register the bike?  

GoodShipT wrote:

Background: I'm moving to the Bay area (California) from BC, Canada in a week. I have a 2008 wr250x with just over 10k kms on the odometer.

Problem: I've switched my wr250x's instrument cluster to a MPH unit, but now the odometer is back to 0. (For some weird reason the Canadian WRs come with KPH only instruments, while the US one can switch between MPH and KPH easily.)

Why is an odometer reset a problem? Besides being legally suspect (~$300 part to make someone think your bike is newer than it is - why isn't odometer date kept on the engine's ECU?), my bike needs to show more than 7500 miles on the odometer in order be registered in California.

Fun stuff I've tried:

- Using my SpeedoDRD (speedo healer) to radically inflate the odometer / speedometer sensitivity. Turns out the engine shuts off if it thinks it's going faster than about ~170mph. (The speedometer and odometer also stop reading wheel motion past this limit.)

- Hand-turning the rear wheel. Combined with the inflated SpeedoDRD settings, I can get a mile on the odo in ~14 seconds. Problem is at that rate it will still take ~27 hours of turning to get to 7500 miles on the odometer.

- Turning the rear wheel with a cordless drill. Similar to the hand turning, but less repetitive. For this to be a real solution I need to build a stand to hold the drill head against the back tire, though... plus I'd need to swap out the battery every time it drains, and hope the the drill motor can keep up with constant use. Also, will take ~27 hours of "drill-on-wheel" action.

I'm looking for solutions, suggestions, or words of encouragement at least. :0) Also, if anyone in the Bay area has a wr250x/r with more than 7500 miles on it, mebbe I could borrow your instrument cluster when I register the bike?  

Interesting issue...

Well about the only thing I can add is technically you don't have to turn the rear wheel.. you only need to turn the engine output shaft. Not sure if it is feasible but you may be able to rig up an electric drill (no battery and yes they make them or use too) with a shaft and socket to spin the output shaft.

Just curious, why does your bike need to show more than 7500 to be registered?

rsteiger wrote:

Well about the only thing I can add is technically you don't have to turn the rear wheel.. you only need to turn the engine output shaft. Not sure if it is feasible but you may be able to rig up an electric drill (no battery and yes they make them or use too) with a shaft and socket to spin the output shaft.

I've been thinking along the same lines too. If I can't come up with a better solution or borrow a bike computer with >7500 miles, I may end up trying something along these lines.

softjeans wrote:

Just curious, why does your bike need to show more than 7500 to be registered?

Short version: The California DMV considers vehicles with less than 7500 miles on the odometer "new", and "new" vehicles must have a sticker that says it conforms to California emissions regulations. Since my bike was sold in Canada, it has no such sticker. If the vehicle has over 7500 miles on the odo, and has been registered to me previously, it should be fine to register in California.

Relevant DMV page: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_content_en/dmv/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr9

Cali DMV wrote:

Caution: Unless the vehicle was originally manufactured to meet California emission standards or the owner or vehicle qualifies for an exemption, California law prohibits:

California residents or businesses from bringing into California or registering in California, a motor vehicle that had less than 7,500 miles on the odometer (at the time of purchase, trade, or acquisition).

...although truth be told, I'm not 100% sure how out-of-country vehicles are handled if the owner is moving to CA from out of the country. The DMV site doesn't provide a lot of detail for that scenario...

errr.. you could have the miles... or you could have a "sticker", eh?

GoodShipT wrote:

Background: I'm moving to the Bay area (California) from BC, Canada in a week. I have a 2008 wr250x with just over 10k kms on the odometer.

Problem: I've switched my wr250x's instrument cluster to a MPH unit, but now the odometer is back to 0. (For some weird reason the Canadian WRs come with KPH only instruments, while the US one can switch between MPH and KPH easily.)

Why is an odometer reset a problem? Besides being legally suspect (~$300 part to make someone think your bike is newer than it is - why isn't odometer date kept on the engine's ECU?), my bike needs to show more than 7500 miles on the odometer in order be registered in California.

Fun stuff I've tried:

- Using my SpeedoDRD (speedo healer) to radically inflate the odometer / speedometer sensitivity. Turns out the engine shuts off if it thinks it's going faster than about ~170mph. (The speedometer and odometer also stop reading wheel motion past this limit.)

- Hand-turning the rear wheel. Combined with the inflated SpeedoDRD settings, I can get a mile on the odo in ~14 seconds. Problem is at that rate it will still take ~27 hours of turning to get to 7500 miles on the odometer.

- Turning the rear wheel with a cordless drill. Similar to the hand turning, but less repetitive. For this to be a real solution I need to build a stand to hold the drill head against the back tire, though... plus I'd need to swap out the battery every time it drains, and hope the the drill motor can keep up with constant use. Also, will take ~27 hours of "drill-on-wheel" action.

I'm looking for solutions, suggestions, or words of encouragement at least. :0) Also, if anyone in the Bay area has a wr250x/r with more than 7500 miles on it, mebbe I could borrow your instrument cluster when I register the bike?  

i would borrow mine out to you but its only got 108 miles on it lol

Smart ass dhally EH hahahahaha

How about an aftermarket speed that allows setting mileage?  Or perhaps you could find a used speedo either in the classifieds here or on ebay.

I have a friend who imports vehicles into the US and he would tell you importing vehicles is not worth the trouble--He advises selling your Canadian vehicle and buying a US vehicle once you're settled.

-morgan

GoodShipT wrote:

Background: I'm moving to the Bay area (California) from BC, Canada in a week. I have a 2008 wr250x with just over 10k kms on the odometer.

Problem: I've switched my wr250x's instrument cluster to a MPH unit, but now the odometer is back to 0. (For some weird reason the Canadian WRs come with KPH only instruments, while the US one can switch between MPH and KPH easily.)

Why is an odometer reset a problem? Besides being legally suspect (~$300 part to make someone think your bike is newer than it is - why isn't odometer date kept on the engine's ECU?), my bike needs to show more than 7500 miles on the odometer in order be registered in California.

Fun stuff I've tried:

- Using my SpeedoDRD (speedo healer) to radically inflate the odometer / speedometer sensitivity. Turns out the engine shuts off if it thinks it's going faster than about ~170mph. (The speedometer and odometer also stop reading wheel motion past this limit.)

- Hand-turning the rear wheel. Combined with the inflated SpeedoDRD settings, I can get a mile on the odo in ~14 seconds. Problem is at that rate it will still take ~27 hours of turning to get to 7500 miles on the odometer.

- Turning the rear wheel with a cordless drill. Similar to the hand turning, but less repetitive. For this to be a real solution I need to build a stand to hold the drill head against the back tire, though... plus I'd need to swap out the battery every time it drains, and hope the the drill motor can keep up with constant use. Also, will take ~27 hours of "drill-on-wheel" action.

I'm looking for solutions, suggestions, or words of encouragement at least. :0) Also, if anyone in the Bay area has a wr250x/r with more than 7500 miles on it, mebbe I could borrow your instrument cluster when I register the bike?  

dhally wrote:

errr..   you could have the miles...   or you could have a "sticker", eh?

I did find a sticker on the swing arm that says it conforms to EPA regulations in general, but I think the CA stickers a special. No idea how I'd go about getting one.

Morgan9283 wrote:

I have a friend who imports vehicles into the US and he would tell you importing vehicles is not worth the trouble--He advises selling your Canadian vehicle and buying a US vehicle once you're settled.

Yeah, I've heard similar advice. Problem is I really want to keep the bike for both sentimental and financial reasons.

I did just stumble across a post (http://www.stromtrooper.com/1296889-post9.html) on a VStrom forum where someone explains that out-of-state owners are exempt from the 7500 miles requirement... Hopefully Canada qualifies as Out of State. :0P

GoodShipT wrote:

Morgan9283 wrote:

I have a friend who imports vehicles into the US and he would tell you importing vehicles is not worth the trouble--He advises selling your Canadian vehicle and buying a US vehicle once you're settled.

Yeah, I've heard similar advice. Problem is I really want to keep the bike for both sentimental and financial reasons.

For the record his argument was mostly financial--he would tell you it's cheaper to sell and re-buy.  sentimental is a different story of course but I'd be sure you've really researched what it's likely to cost.

-morgan

I realize I'm a bit late but I have some code for an atmega328P(or a common arduino) that can fake the sensor reading from the back wheel to get the motorbike to think it's doing whatever speed you'd like.
PM me your email if you are interested. I don't know how much time it will take but the speedo maxes out at 199km/h so it should be easy to figure out.