motorcycle cruise controls

[CRUZIN]

Has anybody seen one of these cruise controls on a Valk? Any tips about installing it or if it works well. I want to put one on a 98 standard.
http://www.mccruise.com/Honda-GL1500C-Valkyrie-Standard-Interstate.html

[X Ring]

Whew!!!  $852.26 plus shipping.  You know what Smokin Joe says, "You can't hide money."

[Fawcett999]

$900 is big money. Saw a link for a audiovox with full installation instruction. Its $100 and looks easy to set up. Take a look.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geurYHMlVLLL8A_aVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzb3VmZnR1BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA0Y3NTRfMTIy/SIG=12d40gdm7/EXP=1263960967/**http%3a//www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/cruise-control.htm

If this link does'nt work, type in Audiovox Valkyrie in you search engine.

[PharmBoy]

I know that the Audiovox works because of the many here that have installed them.  I went with the McCruise over a year ago, just before the big price increase.  It still seemed expensive to me, but it was easy to install and worked as it should, right out of the box.  Don't get me wrong.  It is no 2 hour chore, but it comes with everything that you need in the box and with excellent instructions.  Anyone with reading skills and any mechanical ability should be able to install this cruise control with out problems.  A short while later, I helped a friend install his.  His went considerably faster and worked equally well on the first try.  Another thing that I like about the McCruise is that it works exactly like your car off of one vacuum hose and as of yet, has given no problems at all...JTL   

[Spirited-6]

Whew!!!  $852.26 plus shipping.  You know what Smokin Joe says, "You can't hide money."

WHEW also ! My right hand grip is great for trips and I`ll have spending money when I get there.

[Bob E.]

I think RJ has the MC Cruise unit and reports good results.  Maybe he'll speak up. 

I installed the Audiovox unit on my Valk.  It was cheap...I picked it up at AutoZone for FREE!!!!!    It had been gathering dust on the shelf and was in their clearance bin...last one left.  When they tried to ring it up for the discounted price...I think around $20, it kept coming up the regular price.  So they got the manager involved and he couldn't get it to ring up correctly either.  Eventually...he just handed it to me and said, "Merry Christmas!"  I thanked him and left with my present.   

[Baloo]

I, too, have the Audiovox installed. I find it works great for the price, and honestly, 2 trouble-free years later, I am very happy with it. The only problem I had was due to the way I installed it. I did not intall a check valve on each vacuum line that was hooked to the carbs and it caused a lack of power. Finally corrected the problem with the help of the folks here and never had any other problem after.

[R J]

Got 1, best $$$$ ever spent, 212K miles later, no problems.....

[mikeb]

for 900.00  ya can ship it out have the cruise added and have it shipped back and a fellow vrcc rider could have a week end's project  .. i did 4 audiovox cruises and they all work well  two valks a wing and even an 2004 vt750c save your money  audiovox sells a servo cruse too they run 200.00 no vac line needed

[f6john]

   I have the MC Cruise set-up that I bought on-line, e-bay I think, for $350.00 about 5 years ago and no complaints.

[bigdog99]

jcwhitney vandacruise$30.00

[fixnjets]

I bought one four years ago.  Not one problem.  Glad I spent the money.  ($536.00 plus shipping)  Easy to install.  About three to four hours.  Do a desmog if you havn't already.  Makes mounting the cables and dual spool assembly a snap.  Fit and finish looks factory.  Great product.  Great tech support if you need it.  And worth every penny IMHO.

[X Ring]

I bought one four years ago.  Not one problem.  Glad I spent the money.  ($536.00 plus shipping)  Easy to install.  About three to four hours.  Do a desmog if you havn't already.  Makes mounting the cables and dual spool assembly a snap.  Fit and finish looks factory.  Great product.  Great tech support if you need it.  And worth every penny IMHO.

Glad you like it fixnjets but you paid about $550 including shipping?  Is it worth another $300+?

Marty

[R J]

I bought one four years ago.  Not one problem.  Glad I spent the money.  ($536.00 plus shipping)  Easy to install.  About three to four hours.  Do a desmog if you havn't already.  Makes mounting the cables and dual spool assembly a snap.  Fit and finish looks factory.  Great product.  Great tech support if you need it.  And worth every penny IMHO.

Glad you like it fixnjets but you paid about $550 including shipping?  Is it worth another $300+?

Marty

I spent around $650 back in 97, so if it is what ya want, yeah.
If not what ya want NO.

I will add this, I'll take the MC Cruise, 10 to 1 over the Audio.

 

[Garland]

I have the MC Cruise and am very happy with unit. I thought the installation directions were terrific. The $920 figure you see on their website is in Australian dollars, currently $836 in US dollars. I picked mine up from another member for about $300, I think. If you can find a great deal like that, I would highly recommend getting one. Otherwise, just pick up an Audiovox unit for $100 or so.

[f6john]

I bought one four years ago.  Not one problem.  Glad I spent the money.  ($536.00 plus shipping)  Easy to install.  About three to four hours.  Do a desmog if you havn't already.  Makes mounting the cables and dual spool assembly a snap.  Fit and finish looks factory.  Great product.  Great tech support if you need it.  And worth every penny IMHO.

Glad you like it fixnjets but you paid about $550 including shipping?  Is it worth another $300+?

Marty

I spent around $650 back in 97, so if it is what ya want, yeah.
If not what ya want NO.

I will add this, I'll take the MC Cruise, 10 to 1 over the Audio.

 

     I'm with RJ on this one. It's kind of like $500.00 used saddlebag guardrails. Some people will pay it some won't. But for my money it's Hondaline rails or no rails for me.

[fixnjets]

I bought one four years ago.  Not one problem.  Glad I spent the money.  ($536.00 plus shipping)  Easy to install.  About three to four hours.  Do a desmog if you havn't already.  Makes mounting the cables and dual spool assembly a snap.  Fit and finish looks factory.  Great product.  Great tech support if you need it.  And worth every penny IMHO.

Glad you like it fixnjets but you paid about $550 including shipping?  Is it worth another $300+?

Marty

Price correction:  Purchased MC Cruise and two throttle cable tools in January '07 for $671.00 plus $73.15 shipped.  I Found the receipt this morning.     
 
Marty,
 
The answer to your question is yes.  It is worth the extra 200+.  An I would do it again for the same reasons I did it back in '06.
 
CRUISN,
 
Thought process back in '06
 
The Audiovox system is a good mod.  But I wanted a system designed and tested for a motorcycle.  And I did not want to modify/add to the modification.  (See Shop Talk how to for Audiovox CC install) I prefer a plug and play product.  Safety, cable design, and servo location were also factors in my decision.  Audiovox uses a ball chain type cable. (Again, see Shop Talk how to for Audiovox CC install)  I was not going to install what I feel is a weak link on to the end of my throttle system.  And I was not willing to risk the ball chain fail at some out of the blue moment causing the throttle to be stuck open.  The MC Cruise uses an enclosed stranded wire motorcycle throttle cable.
 
Here is an article and other info that helped me in my decision.   

http://www.mccruise.com/Handy-Articles.html

http://www.mccruise.com/Motorcycle-specific-cruise-control-vs-automotive-cruise-control.html

http://www.mccruise.com/pdf_bin/Honda%20Gl1500c%20Valkyrie_B.pdf

http://www.mccruise.com/schematics/partlist%20mcs1570b%20gl1500c%20valkyrie%20&%
20interstate.pdf
 
Ride Safe, then ride again.....
fixnjets

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

The chain and ball only hooks to the throttle linkage to allow the servo to pull the throttle to set piont and hold the speed. If the chain was to break only the cruise control function would be affected. You would still have complete control of the bike as far throttle. I've ran the audiovox cruises on three different bikes and have installed them on four other bikes for buddies. I've had my on my interstate for over four years and 60k plus miles with no problems. It is one of the best, if not the best, add on I  have installed on my bike.

[Mikey]

The thing I like about my Audiovox CC is that you can over ride the cruise control without hitting the breaks. It's gotten my hiney outta a couple tough spots on the Interstate before!

[andym]

Questions on Audiovox Install
Do I need to install the speed sensor on my 2000 I/S? If not, how does the bike spped get input to the Audiovox unit? Regarding the SWITCHED 12 volt power indicated to be installed via the Shop Talk section of the VRCC , where is the best place to get this ? Does it matter what amp capacity of circuit is that I draw off?
I added a Wing Spoiler from Moto 55 and wired it in the trunk in parallel with the tail light . Will I need to install relays and such as indicated in Shop Talk ?

[X Ring]

Here's the instructions andym.  http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/cruise-control.htm

Marty

[Jess Tolbirt]

you connect the speed sensor via the tach wire,, use the tach setting,,,

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I've done four or five of the audiovox installations. So far no problems. It's not a two or three hour job but the hardest part is tank and airbox removal and re-installation. I've had mine for 6 years and only one problem a wire broke in one of the connections. It was an easy repair.  I use my every time I've on the road and I ride about 12K a year.

[Friagabi]

$63.50 for a Rostra fully electric cruse control (from E-bay) $8.00 for the control switches (from E-bay) $4.50 for the master power switch (also from E-bay). If you ride a IS why fuss around with a vacume unit? Mine was sold for a Chevy S-10 kit. One weekend, not really installed it during the week evenings. Wanted to ride on the weekends. Only problem was it came with normally closed switches. Gave that up for normally open switches. I think after the first rain. On the IS boh the engine speed signal and road speed signal is already on the bike. Used a relay for the brake light interface. Never had another problem. Works just like my car and truck. Have questions? e-mail me.

[andym]

Too late ...I got the Audiovox unit ..unless I sell it on ebay ?

[fudgie]

Questions on Audiovox Install
Do I need to install the speed sensor on my 2000 I/S? If not, how does the bike spped get input to the Audiovox unit? Regarding the SWITCHED 12 volt power indicated to be installed via the Shop Talk section of the VRCC , where is the best place to get this ? Does it matter what amp capacity of circuit is that I draw off?
I added a Wing Spoiler from Moto 55 and wired it in the trunk in parallel with the tail light . Will I need to install relays and such as indicated in Shop Talk ?

Never heard of installing the speed sensor. I didn't. The vac holds the speed for you once you got it where you want it. I think I used my Acc wire. Its key on only. Its been awhile.

[Friagabi]

Can't help much on a Vac unit but here is what I remember from my electric unit. The road speed signal is tapped from the output wire from the front wheel unit at the dash module plug. About 1 to 1.5 inched away from the plug. (I always leave a little unmolested wire in the plug, just in case I have to replace a broken wire inside of a harness someday) The engine speed signal is taped from the harness at the engine control module. I taped the memory 12 volts from the load side of ign switch relay. The on/off switch is taped frrom the same source. The speed control forgets its settings each time I shut down. But this does not run the battery down when I do not ride. Not that big of a problem to reset the speed when I start up and want to use the speed control. I did no want the problems that come with LED tail lights and Wanted the cruise control to see ground on the brake circuit each time I started up. So I used a SPDT relay in the brake light circuit. The install instructions have a additional section on sysems with LED brake lights. Here is the thought of that problem: When he system is first asked to come on line at each use it looks at the brake light circuit. If it sees 12vdc it will not set. Why would want the speed control to set while you have the brake lights on? If it does not see 12vdc it looks for a ground. A brake light bulb has less than a ohm  or two of resistance in it. If the cruise control sees this ground it will set. The brake lights are off and the brake light bulb is not burnt out. If you have no old fashioned tail lights and they are all LED's then there is a million or so ohms to ground through these LED's and the cruise control sees this a a burnt out brake light and won't set. So then you need to add a relay. Mine puts the signal wire from the cruise control to a known good ground when the relay is not powered and puts the signal wire to 12vdc when the relay is powered. The coil of this relay is powered by the brake light circuit. None of the signal wires for the cruise control load the circuits enough to disrupt the original use of the circuit.

A litle history here. First Mod was to add a 40 amp relay and a terminal block. The 40 amp relay is fused at 30 amps and triggered with the ign switch. Why not just the accessory terminal available on the IS? Well as I remember it the factory only rates it at 5 amps. So I triggered a 40 amp relay with this source, added a 30 amp fuse from the positive terminal of the battery to the battery side of this relay.  Used a # 10 wire to the relay and mounted the fuse close to the battery. Get all of my ign key controlled voltage from the load side of this relay, get all of my standing 12 volts from the battery side of this relay. When I add enough accessories to blow this 30 amp fuse I will figure than I will have to let something fall of the bike and do without it. If they would have made the battery box a little different I could have carried a larger GW battery.

Because mine is an all electrict unit it came with a caution to keep the wiring harness at least 10 inches away from ign components of the engine. The high voltage spark can and will induce a voltage spike in wires close to spark plug wires. Figured his could be a problem as the coils are just under the top tubes of the frame where I was running the new harness. So when I was finished building the harness I wrapped it with both tin foil and a bare stranded copper wire. I used a green wire and stripped most of the insulation from it. Then wrapped it all up ith black plastic tape. added a ring on the end of the green wire and grounded it to the frame. This acts as a shield to stop the induced voltage that can come from having the harness to close to the coils. Did I have to do this? don't know and have never had a problem. You decide.

[Gryphon Rider]

Friagabi, do you have any photos of your actuator installation, or at least a good description of how you mounted it and routed its throttle cable?

[Friagabi]

Yes, drop me an e-mail
 I will reply with the document and the set up write-up.

[andym]

The speed input is taken of the low voltage side of the coil. THat is what the purple wire is for.....

[Friagabi]

On a IS I used the tach signal.

[X Ring]

On a IS I used the tach signal.

Yeah, but he's putting it on a standard.

Marty

[stude31]

I have the MCCruise and looking back yes it was pricey but man I am sure glad I have it now.  Kinda goes along the same lines as my Zumo550 and the 300 dollar wiring harness from Kennedy Technology (1000.00 bucks all together), and then the Ultimate seat for 850.00 bucks... yes these things cost a lot but boy it was sure nice to have all three on a ride from Canton, Ohio to San Antonio (day and a half) then San Antonio to Topeka, Ks (one day).   It is luxury at it's finest.  Yeah it is a chunk of cash but I look back and I am glad I have it.

[andym]

No Im installing the Audiovox Cruise COntrol on an 2000 IS and all the wiring is done . From what I read, connecting the purple wire to one side of the coil somehow provides input with regard to speed.
I do have one question. With regard to the instruction in the Sho Talk section, the bracket that holds the end of the servo cable over the engine seems to get bolted to a nice clean un used bolt on the engine , while on my IS there seems to be some emission control canister in that area ( and living in New Jersey , land of lot of laws, I dont plan to desmog). I assume I can slip the bracket under the canister and it will work fine??

[X Ring]

Sorry andym.  I thought he was referring to the o.p.

Marty