Cruise control Instal 2010 model

[Richard]

Me again

I have done a load of reading..
Considering a unit like this http://www.bridgwater-electronics.co.uk/ap500-cruise-control-unit/p101
Intended for cars but I can see no reason not to use on the GTR.
Will link into the speed sensor on the drive shaft, can sort something to link it into the brake light circuit.


Thoughts .......


Richard

[pistole]

perhaps with something like CC , best not to be the one to re-make the wheel.

so , there are tried and true systems out there (Murphs , GoCruise) and loads of resources at COG / ZGGTR.

having said that , there is an electronic CC with my new GS LC. Its very unnerving at first , and maybe not something people would use often.

with the C14 , the buzziness kills your hands and maybe thats something that the CC may help to alleviate. If that is it , then the 50 cent yellow caterpillar rubber O-Ring will do the job just fine.

cheers.
.

[Debs]

yes , the stepper motor version is said to be better than the vacuum system.

just think over your throttle connections 20X and anything that need securing must be well thought out. Failure/fouling can be dangerous.

.

I searched for the Stepper Motor Cruise Control and can't find it for sale anywhere.

I have looked at this one before but it does seem pricey.

http://www.mccruise.com/collections/kawasaki/products/27

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0163/1038/files/mcs4780_brochure.pdf

It can be bought from O.W.L. Vehicle Electronics of Tamworth

http://www.motorcyclecruise.co.uk/
http://www.motorcyclecruise.co.uk/pricelist.html

[pistole]

hi Debs.

the Audiovox system that Murphs sells is a vacuum system (ie, there is a vacuum servo run off the engine's intake vacuum to pull the throttle).

the ROSTRA system is the stepper motor system (ie , there is electrical motor which pulls the throttle cable). There are a few guides on COG & ZGGTR for the rostra setup.

from reading them , the conclusion is that the Rostra is the way to go (simpler setup , stable cruise and less things to fail).

.

over all that , is the McCruise system from Australia which is probably the best setup available. Custom made for a GTR setup. But VERY EXPENSIVE.

.

[viper]

Me again

I have done a load of reading..
Considering a unit like this http://www.bridgwater-electronics.co.uk/ap500-cruise-control-unit/p101
Intended for cars but I can see no reason not to use on the GTR.
Will link into the speed sensor on the drive shaft, can sort something to link it into the brake light circuit.


Thoughts .......


Richard

my audio vox CC links onto the coil for the speed sensor, you can get a plug and play lead to go straight onto the coil , it uses the pulses that goto the rev counter for the speed control It also has a connection for the rear brake light kill.

[viper]

personally id always stick with CC's that other guys have used and tested on their bikes, you get honest reviews, a bit of support via the forums and even full installation tutorials. These installations aint for the faint hearted and support may be vital.

as ive said my Audio vox cc has been running for 10 years with zero issues. I believe the ristra one is good and if i had to buy again there is no reason why id not get that. I wouldnt consider anything else . Those COG guys know their stuff ( fred harmon) .

[Debs]

Those COG guys know their stuff ( fred harmon) .

Whats the link to their forum? 

[viper]

for debs


http://concours.org/concours-c14

[BDF]

I have used both and the Rostra is better than the Audiovox IMO because the Rostra does not require any vacuum to work. It also is a bit easier to wire into the bike because it picks up on the vehicle speed sensor (VSS) on the bike, and the clutch switch can be used as the secondary disengage mechanism.

Not sure if or where the Rostra is avaiable in the UK (I am in the US) but they are about $200 or so here. Murph's has them for $240 but that includes the switch (most do not). There is a tutorial here on how to install one on a C-14 but I would watch that guy as he is a little shifty :-)  http://www.murphskits.com/catalog/docs/Rostra%20install.htm

Shipping overseas from the US has become absolutely astronomical in price. I shipped a component to Ireland a few days ago and it was $25 for shipping alone on a small box weighing less than 5 ounces. The Rostra is fairly heavy and I think would cost a lot to ship from the US to the UK.

It is a fairly involved installation that usually takes people a couple of days. Lots of electrical installation problems although we have managed to get everyone (I think) through to success at the other end.

By the way, the Rostra isn't a stepper motor device, just a plain old DC motor driving a belt which turns a screw that advances / retracts the throttle cable. It is not a bad system and a pretty good value for a full featured C.C.

Brian

hi Debs.

the Audiovox system that Murphs sells is a vacuum system (ie, there is a vacuum servo run off the engine's intake vacuum to pull the throttle).

the ROSTRA system is the stepper motor system (ie , there is electrical motor which pulls the throttle cable). There are a few guides on COG & ZGGTR for the rostra setup.

from reading them , the conclusion is that the Rostra is the way to go (simpler setup , stable cruise and less things to fail).

.

over all that , is the McCruise system from Australia which is probably the best setup available. Custom made for a GTR setup. But VERY EXPENSIVE.

.

[viper]

I have used both and the Rostra is better than the Audiovox IMO because the Rostra does not require any vacuum to work. It also is a bit easier to wire into the bike because it picks up on the vehicle speed sensor (VSS) on the bike, and the clutch switch can be used as the secondary disengage mechanism.

Not sure if or where the Rostra is avaiable in the UK (I am in the US) but they are about $200 or so here. Murph's has them for $240 but that includes the switch (most do not). There is a tutorial here on how to install one on a C-14 but I would watch that guy as he is a little shifty :-)  http://www.murphskits.com/catalog/docs/Rostra%20install.htm

Shipping overseas from the US has become absolutely astronomical in price. I shipped a component to Ireland a few days ago and it was $25 for shipping alone on a small box weighing less than 5 ounces. The Rostra is fairly heavy and I think would cost a lot to ship from the US to the UK.

It is a fairly involved installation that usually takes people a couple of days. Lots of electrical installation problems although we have managed to get everyone (I think) through to success at the other end.

By the way, the Rostra isn't a stepper motor device, just a plain old DC motor driving a belt which turns a screw that advances / retracts the throttle cable. It is not a bad system and a pretty good value for a full featured C.C.

Brian

thanks brian for your input , thats a great review . Ive seen the tutorial before but didnt know it was you ..... whey cool!.

if my Audiofox was to fail or I change the bike then Id go for the rostra next time, although my CC100 has been faultless for 10 years now . you are right about the expense of stuff coming in from the us, not only the shipping at your end but we also get another 25% added by customs, even if its marked as a gift. I used to get my sister who is in WV to send me stuff , she got me the CC100,
thanks again

[Richard]

Hi Brian

Thanks for that and the link to the guide, it will be very handy.

I have had a reply from http://www.bridgwater-electronics.co.uk/ap500-cruise-control-unit/p101 and their unit is £270 inc delivery so that's not bad compared to importing etc and its from a UK company so I will have a warranty etc.

The only problem I can see is the fact that the throttle grip will turn as it controlled by the cruise control so you can not leave your hand on it.
I have toyed with the idea of disconnecting the return cable and relying on the return spring, not sure its a good plan?
Then once the cruise control was engaged you could turn the grip back a bit so there was some slack in the cable then it would not turn as the cruise control did its thing, or maybe just increase the amount of play in the cables.

Richard

[viper]

The throttle movement will be absolutely minimal, you will be pushed to see it. unless going up or down a steep hill the throttle adjusts by fractions to keep the revs steady . when you have it on the idea is that you rest your right hand, as i said earlier i hoold the front brake resevoir, its perfect !

[BDF]

Thanks for the kind words- I hope they have helped the occasional person in the UK.

It sounds like you have a C-10 (the first type of Concours, not sure what you call it but maybe a GTR 1000?); the Audiovox units seem to work better on them than the C-14s. Not sure why that is but it seems to be a vacuum issue.

For whatever reason, shipping internationally from the US is outrageously expensive. I recently shipped a small box to a gentleman in the UK and it cost me $25, which was the minimum available shipping charge for a package with tracking. Unbelievable. I purchase the occasional item from England and for the a small package weighing a few ounces, the shipping charges are more in the $3, $4 range. Maybe the Atlantic is bigger going east?    Add to the extreme shipping charges and your incoming (I believe) VAT tax and it just makes inexpensive items from the US virtually unobtainable.

Brian

thanks brian for your input , thats a great review . Ive seen the tutorial before but didnt know it was you ..... whey cool!.

if my Audiofox was to fail or I change the bike then Id go for the rostra next time, although my CC100 has been faultless for 10 years now . you are right about the expense of stuff coming in from the us, not only the shipping at your end but we also get another 25% added by customs, even if its marked as a gift. I used to get my sister who is in WV to send me stuff , she got me the CC100,
thanks again

[BDF]

Glad to help if I can Richard.

Yes, the throttle will move under your hand but if the Rostra is used, it will be very firm movement that your hand on the throttle will not bother. In fact, I don't think you could overcome the throttle movement from the CC by twisting the throttle grip easily if at all. No need to let the throttle grip go, you will quickly get used to the movement and as anther poster pointed out, the movement is very small anyway. Lots of people have installed CC's on motorcycles and I have never heard a complaint about the throttle moving under the rider's hand with the single exception of some installs of the Audiovox and even then only because the force provided by the CC is minimal and can be overcome with moderate hand pressure.

Just my opinion but I would not remove the return cable. It is there to provide a 'drop dead' safety net in the event the spring breaks or the throttle rod binds or anything similar and I think it is a very good idea.

If you do install one of these units, please feel free to contact me with any specific questions or concerns; I will help you out as best I can. It is an involved installation, and requires some light fabrication as well as some decent wiring skills but it is not out of the reach for the able or determined (better is both!) hobbyist. Of course there is some risk both to the rider if the CC binds or malfunctions in some other way, and and there is always some risk when one cuts into the electrical harness and makes changes on any vehicle but at least there is what I hope is a clear path to avoid any experimentation and reduce the risk of 'letting the smoke' out of any electrical parts on the bike.

Brian

Hi Brian

Thanks for that and the link to the guide, it will be very handy.

I have had a reply from http://www.bridgwater-electronics.co.uk/ap500-cruise-control-unit/p101 and their unit is £270 inc delivery so that's not bad compared to importing etc and its from a UK company so I will have a warranty etc.

The only problem I can see is the fact that the throttle grip will turn as it controlled by the cruise control so you can not leave your hand on it.
I have toyed with the idea of disconnecting the return cable and relying on the return spring, not sure its a good plan?
Then once the cruise control was engaged you could turn the grip back a bit so there was some slack in the cable then it would not turn as the cruise control did its thing, or maybe just increase the amount of play in the cables.

Richard

[viper]

Thanks for the kind words- I hope they have helped the occasional person in the UK.

It sounds like you have a C-10 (the first type of Concours, not sure what you call it but maybe a GTR 1000?); the Audiovox units seem to work better on them than the C-14s. Not sure why that is but it seems to be a vacuum issue.

No , I have the 1400, My cruise control id fitted to a 2010 model and works brilliantly. the vac tubes are fitted to throttle body 1 and 4 and then T pieced into the vac canister I got from Murphs kits