Off On Another Adventure - Making This Valkyrie Our Own

[Bill Havins]

Hello to all!

This is my first post to the forum.  I have been riding since 1972 and had owned only Moto Guzzis since 1979.  Then, in October of last year, I bought a new 2014 Valkyrie from one of my local dealers.  Love the powertrain!  But the lack of accessories for this scooter is a bit of a challenge.

My wife and I love to tour.  I want to set the bike up the way it will work best for us.  Since this will probably be my last motorcycle I have decided to “pull out all the stops” and design and build accessories for this motorcycle the way I want them.  Here’s one of my inspirations, a 1956 Jaguar XK140.  (The photo came from Pinterest.com.)



Here’s the bike the way we rode it to New Mexico this past September.  The mountain in the background is El Capitan, just a few miles west of Roswell.



The windshield is a “get started” effort I fabricated from a standard Goldwing shield.  Over the winter I plan to fabricate a fairing system for the bike, including new radiator cowls, that will allow for much better rider/passenger protection (no buffetting, please).

The backrest in the photo is built on Honda’s Valkyrie backrest sissy bar.  I designed and built the backrest pad – the design is evolving.

The luggage rack is a Yamaha product meant to fit a 2009 Royal Star. {EDIT:  The luggage rack fits a "Roadstar," not a "Royal Star."  The Yamaha part number is STR-5VN51-31-00.  See later post, below, for more detail.}  It is “almost” an exact bolt-on to the Honda sissy bar (the bolt holes match exactly after the mounting tabs are bent outward just a “scooch”).

The passenger seat has been re-padded.  I will completely re-style it over the winter.

The panniers are Corbins.  Heavy sigh….  I will build my own at some point, maybe after I finish the fairing system.

I installed a Rostra electronic cruise control on my Valkyrie just before we left for New Mexico in September.  To do this I replaced the Valkyrie throttle bodies with new ones meant for a 2014 standard Goldwing.  Why?  The standard Goldwing throttle bodies have a “lost motion pulley” that accepts the cable from the Honda cruise control.  This makes mounting the Rostra Cruise cable much easier and much, much safer.  In the grand scheme of things it took very little fabrication to make the Goldwing throttle bodies work, and the cruise control works very, very well (+/- 1 MPH in all terrains).

I ran out of time installing the Rostra Cruise; it was time to go to New Mexico!  So I made a quick bracket and cable-tied the Rostra Cruise switch module to the clutch master cylinder.



The longer we were on the road the less I liked the Rostra Cruise switch module.  Tactile switches are hard to feel when you’re wearing gloves (we ride ATGATT).  The switch module is not waterproof.  And the switch you need most (set/coast – resume/accelerate) is on the wrong side.  I found I had to remove my hand from the left grip to work either of the switches.

When we got home I began to revise the switch module.  Here are photos of my prototype.




The prototype mounts under the left side mirror stalk.  The switches are easy to use when wearing gloves (momentary contact toggles with good tactile feedback).  The LEDs are daylight visible.  And the whole system is waterproofed (IP67 switches and “potted” automotive-rated electronics on the inside).  I’ll know in a few weeks if I accomplished my design goals.

So, we’re off on another adventure – making this Valkyrie our own.  And turning a “cruiser” into a “touring roadster.”

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Bill

[The emperor has no clothes]

Very impressive.  Where did you get that switch housing for the cruise control ?

[Shrubbo]

Awesome!

[_Sheffjs_]

Great thread and no doubt you mean business when making this your own. Great work and please keep the updates coming.   

[Bill Havins]

Thanks for the comments.  Your comments help me feel like I'm headed in the right direction.

Meathead, the enclosure is my own design (including the electronics inside).



Since my "retirement" (what?) I have been doing a fair amount of project work for a variety of people (sunglasses made in Italy, projects I can't mention, CNC machining, 3D printing, etc.).  I had the enclosure (and the faceplate) 3D printed from a resin that allows printing of fine detail (like the lettering on the faceplate).  I then carefully sanded the faceplate and enclosure (little resin "nibs" end up in odd places on the prints).  Next I filled the incised lettering on the faceplate with white paint, and then shot both pieces with several coats of clear acrylic.

I'm hoping the enclosure/faceplate survive road-testing.  Once I'm done with road-testing I will have a latex mold made of the enclosure/faceplate and will then cast them using a fireproof polyurethane.  That should survive being on the bike in all kinds of conditions.

Bill

[Moofner]

Awesome! Another tinkerer in the mix. This bike is coming right along between all of us working on lights, windshields, seats, luggage, cruise control, and tires.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Thanks for the comments.  Your comments help me feel like I'm headed in the right direction.

Meathead, the enclosure is my own design (including the electronics inside).



Since my "retirement" (what?) I have been doing a fair amount of project work for a variety of people (sunglasses made in Italy, projects I can't mention, CNC machining, 3D printing, etc.).  I had the enclosure (and the faceplate) 3D printed from a resin that allows printing of fine detail (like the lettering on the faceplate).  I then carefully sanded the faceplate and enclosure (little resin "nibs" end up in odd places on the prints).  Next I filled the incised lettering on the faceplate with white paint, and then shot both pieces with several coats of clear acrylic.

I'm hoping the enclosure/faceplate survive road-testing.  Once I'm done with road-testing I will have a latex mold made of the enclosure/faceplate and will then cast them using a fireproof polyurethane.  That should survive being on the bike in all kinds of conditions.

Bill

Clearly you have much more talent and skill than I could ever hope to have.   Hope you keep posting updates. Wouldn't mind seeing a pic of the windshield you fabbed up.

[CajunRider]

Awesome mods!! 

I can't wait to see what you do for saddle bags.    

[Kidd]

That is exactly how I would of done it , good job , Bill

Thanks for the comments.  Your comments help me feel like I'm headed in the right direction.

Meathead, the enclosure is my own design (including the electronics inside).



Since my "retirement" (what?) I have been doing a fair amount of project work for a variety of people (sunglasses made in Italy, projects I can't mention, CNC machining, 3D printing, etc.).  I had the enclosure (and the faceplate) 3D printed from a resin that allows printing of fine detail (like the lettering on the faceplate).  I then carefully sanded the faceplate and enclosure (little resin "nibs" end up in odd places on the prints).  Next I filled the incised lettering on the faceplate with white paint, and then shot both pieces with several coats of clear acrylic.

I'm hoping the enclosure/faceplate survive road-testing.  Once I'm done with road-testing I will have a latex mold made of the enclosure/faceplate and will then cast them using a fireproof polyurethane.  That should survive being on the bike in all kinds of conditions.

Bill

[Bill Havins]

CajunRider - saddle bags.  Oh boy!

The Corbin bags are too expensive (thankfully my Honda dealer cut me a deal on them).  And the silly things are not made well, and neither are the brackets.  But they look pretty good.  Hmmm...  Form over function.

Regarding form, look closely at the photo of my bike, above.  When you study the Corbins you realize their profile is too small.  To my eye (look at the Jaguar photo) the Corbins should have been made slightly taller and longer.  Then they would more closely balance the radiator cowls.  And then there are other styling issues.  (Can you tell I'm pretty picky?)

Regarding function, the Corbins are not serious touring panniers.  A good bit of their internal volume is given up to limitations imposed by form (style) - wasted space.  For example, nothing will fit in the rear recesses that fit around the turn signals.  And the overall internal volume of the Corbins is just too small.  Heck, when I go to my part time job I can barely fit my clipboard and my lunch bag in a pannier.  Now that's not a functional pannier (IMHO).

My plan is to build panniers that hug the fender shape (like the Corbins).  They'll come up slightly higher than the Corbins (emulating the looks of the Jaguar, above - think wet clay smoothed and rounded by hand).  And they'll have a very usable internal volume (they'll be a bit wider than the Corbins).  Function and form balancing and supporting each other - now there's an idea.

But the panniers may be a project for next winter.  The fairing system comes first.

Bill

[hubcapsc]

And the silly things are not made well, and neither are the brackets.

I think they're made extremely well, and the brackets are as good as Honda's frame.

I wish they were bigger...

We all look forward to seeing yours...

-Mike

[Bobvalk]

Great job Bill, would love a close-up of backrest and rack. Not impressed with the OEM Honda unit.

[bscrive]

Hi Bill,

Keep up the mods, they look good. 

I too love creating new things to make the bike my own.  The Rostra cruise has been great for me as well, but it can be improved.  I got a throttle body from an older Goldwing and just used the side mechanism.  The only problem I find is the lag when it is engaging.  After it is engaged it works great.

Keep up the good work. 

[Bill Havins]

Bobvalk, the luggage rack fits a "Roadstar," not a "Royal Star."  The Yamaha part number is STR-5VN51-31-00.

Here is a link to an ebay sale of this rack: http://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-YAMAHA-ALL-1600-1700-ROAD-STAR-REAR-LUGGAGE-RACK-STR-5VN51-31-00-/331905559636  I got mine from my dealer.

Note that the mounting tabs are not dimpled around the mounting holes.  One version of this rack has the dimples.  The dimpled mounting holes will not work with the Honda backrest sissy bar.

I took my bike into the dealer this morning for a new rear tire - ran over a screw in the last few days, I guess.  When I have it back I'll shoot a photo.

Bill

[steelwheeler]

 Bill
Congrats on purchasing  the Valkyrie 1800.  Welcome  to the forum. Your mods look good . If you make the panniers "detachable " like the BMW K1600GT, I  would consider purchasing a pair from you. I don't like bags attached all the time permanently.  I like seeing that single sided swing arm on the rear and like to clean the rear also   Having to unbolt the panniers on the rear would be a hassle all the time to clean the rear if the bike.

[Bill Havins]

.... The Rostra cruise has been great for me as well, but it can be improved.  I got a throttle body from an older Goldwing and just used the side mechanism.  The only problem I find is the lag when it is engaging.  After it is engaged it works great.....

Bscrive, when I was considering installing the Rostra Cruise I carefully reviewed your thread about your install.  Thanks for all the detail you posted!  I wouldn't have gone the Rostra Cruise route if I hadn't found your post.

When I received my throttle bodies I did a little more research regarding the "stop" for the lost motion pulley.  If I remember correctly, you took that stop off to make room for your Rostra Cruise cable mount.

As it turns out, the stop limits how far the throttle bodies butterflies open.  As I looked at mine I wondered if the throttle bodies would open enough to allow us to cruise at West Texas highway speeds (a posted 85 MPH in far West Texas!).  The stop also limits slack in the cable when the cruise is not in use, and there's the "secret" I think (see below).

The mechanics at my Honda dealer explained that the Honda Goldwing cruise operates at speeds between 55 and 105 MPH (according to the book and their experience).  As I talked to them they encouraged me to leave the stop in place.  I did.

The Rostra Cruise instructions indicate that the cruise control cable has to be installed such that there is 1/8" slack in the cable when the cruise is not engaged.  As I studied the lost motion pulley on the throttle bodies I realized that, when the pulley is at rest against the stop, it has to turn several degrees before it begins to open the throttle bodies.  This "movement" equates to about 1/8" of cable movement.  Eureka!  When I attached the Rostra Cruise cable I adjusted it taut (no slack) when the lost motion pulley is at rest against the stop; the lost motion pulley provides the "slack" the cable needs.  Installed this way the Rostra Cruise engages almost instantly.

So, I wonder if your cruise would work more like you want it if you put that stop back on.  If you threw it away you can order the stop separately.

Hope this helps!

Bill

[Bill Havins]

 ....If you make the panniers "detachable " like the BMW K1600GT, I  would consider purchasing a pair from you. I don't like bags attached all the time permanently....

Steelwheeler, like you, I prefer detachable bags.  In the past I've had detachable Hepco & Becker as well as Givis on my Guzzis.  On my EV I had a detachable Givi trunk, too.

We'll see if I design the panniers as detachable units.  If done well it would make rear tire removal easier and, like the H&B and Givis, would make it easy to carry panniers into a motel room (convenient and secure).

I don't know that I will ever go into production with any of the things I am developing for my Valkyrie.  I intend to build a rotocasting machine to do the fairing parts/radiator cowls.  The machine does not have to be fancy, just smooth running and controllable.  I have a 1/2 HP DC motor sitting in the garage for that.

The rotocasting machine will also help casting the panniers.  It would allow me to cast one piece at a time when needed or ordered (rather than having to pay a production shop for "quantities at a time").  I just don't know that I want to turn these things into a "business."  We'll have to see how well my designs work and go from there.

I may do a limited production run of the Cruise Control Switch Modules.  They will work on any bike, not just a Valkyrie.  But the silly toggle switches alone cost $24+ for the pair so it may end up too expensive to "retail."  If there is enough interest I can get it done.  Otherwise I've got what I wanted for my scooter and that is reason enough to press on.

Cheers!

Bill

[bscrive]

Hi Bill,

I am not sure what you mean by the 'Stop'? I don't remember removing anything that limits how far the throttle can open.  I just made sure that the Rostra does not limit how much I can open the throttle. 
I do have the 1/8" slack on the Rostra cable when it is at rest. 
The issue that I am having is that when I first engage the cruise, it takes about 5 seconds for the cruise cable to engage my throttle and take over.  I think it is because the rostra is a rest while the throttle is advanced.  The faster I am going , the longer it takes for the cruise to catch up.  I am going to modify my mechanism, so that the cruise mechanism turns at the same time as the throttle mechanism.  I will remove the spring in between the two and put a bolt across them with a spacer to make sure both turn together.  If that don't work then I will try something else.   

[Bill Havins]

Hi, bscrive.

The "stop" is the indicated part of the throttle cables bracket:



Hope Honda doesn't sue me for using part of their image without permission.  Erk!

The stop allows you to set just the right tension on the cruise cable, and keeps the cruise from going over 105 MPH (or thereabouts).  I had to fabricate a small bracket to attach the Rostra Cruise cable to the pictured bracket.

I may not be remembering your description correctly.  Sorry!

Bill

[bscrive]

Oh yes, I remember that part.  I modified it a little, but I didn't remove it.  I ground the underside a little, so that the cruise can open a little bit more. 

I am not sure how that would affect the engagement, though.  I could see that if I removed it and the Rostra cable was tight, that I could have issues.

[Bill Havins]

Oh, good!  I was just not remembering your description accurately.

When I get my bike back home I'll check my settings on the Cruise Module and send them to you in a PM.  Maybe I set the "Sensitivity" a bit different - as you know, that affects how quickly the cruise engages.

Otherwise I got no clue.

But wait!  I don't think you need slack in the Rostra Cruise cable if the lost motion pulley and the "stop" are still original (so to speak).  The pulley has the needed slack built into it's movement (see earlier post).

I'll check my settings, too.

Bill

[bscrive]

That would be great, Bill.     If it is just a different setting, that would be an easy fix.  When it comes to electronics I score a '0'.  I can re-create what others have done, but I am clueless otherwise.

[Bill Havins]

Last December bscrive began a thread about installing a Rostra Cruise on his Valkyrie – I referred to it a lot as I installed mine.  My cruise engages quickly (see the discussion, above).  The difference appears to be due to the way I have switch 1 set; on my cruise it is set to “On.”  According to his thread bscrive has his set to “Off.”

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,83536.0.html

Here are the switch settings for my Rostra Cruise on my 2014 Valkyrie:


X = switch position

Gain (Sensitivity):
Switch 1 is “On” and switch 2 is “Off.”  The Gain or “Sensitivity” is set to “Low.”

Pulses Per Mile:
Switch 3 is “On,” switch 4 is “Off,” switch 5 is “On,” and switch 6 is “On.”  The Pulses Per Mile is set to 19300.  (Note:  this is with a “divide by four” circuit installed between the VSS and the Rostra Cruise Module.)

Engine/SetUp Timer:
Switch 7 is “On,” switch 8 is “Off,” and switch 9 is “Off.”  The Engine/SetUp Timer is set to “4 Cylinder/Low.”

VSS Source:
Switch 10 is set to “On.”  The VSS Source is set to “Square Wave.”

Transmission:
Switch 11 is set to “Off.”  The Transmission type is set to “Manual.”

Control Switch:
Switch 12 is set to “Off.”  The Control Switch type is set to “Open Circuit.”

Cheers!

Bill

[bscrive]

Thanks Bill.

As soon as I finish painting my front forks and take the plastic off the bike, I will make the change to my settings. Hopefully, it will then engage just like yours.   

[Bill Havins]

Thanks Bill.

As soon as I finish painting my front forks and take the plastic off the bike, I will make the change to my settings. Hopefully, it will then engage just like yours.   

Sure hope it helps!

With mine I just use the throttle to get up to speed, press the "Set" switch and, in about a second (or less) I'm good to go.  The performance is very comparable to the cruise control in my wife's Nissan.

Bill

[Bill Havins]

Bobvalk,

My scooter is still at the dealership awaiting its new tennirunners (Michelins).  The parts guy and chief mechanic (friends of mine) said they weren't going to do the install until the weather got warmer (it's 33 degrees here today - they don't think I wanted to ride it until the temp hits the high 40's  ).

I did go by Wednesday to check my Rostra Cruise switch settings for bscrive; I didn't remember to shoot a photo of the luggage rack/sissybar.  Once I get it home I will get a photo or two for you.

Bill

[Bill Havins]

I finally got my bike back from the dealer yesterday.  It was very windy and the temperature was hovering in the 40s.  Today it has been much warmer and, about an hour or two ago, the wind died down a bit.  Time to go test the new tires and the Cruise Control Switch Module.

First let me say you folks got it exactly right saying that a Pilot Road 4 on the rear and a Pilot road 4 Trail on the front would improve the handling of the Valkyrie.  What a nice change.  Thanks for the wisdom from your collective experiences!

Now to the Cruise Control Switch Module.  Score!  It performs just like I hoped it would.  The LEDs I used (CREE units rated at 20,000 mcd; http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=C503B-GCN-CY0C0792virtualkey57280000virtualkey941-C503BGCNCY0C0792) are easily visible even when the sun is shining right on them.  They'll be too bright at night, but I don't tend to ride long distances at night so, for now, I'm not going to try to build a dimmer circuit for them.

The toggle switches are easy to hit with my thumb so I don't have to take my hand off the left grip.  And the tactile feedback they give (a somewhat stiff click) helps me know I've done what I intended without taking my eyes off the road.  I really like having the Resume/Set switch on the left of the module.

Another neat thing about today's test - it didn't catch fire!  That's always a plus when you're going 70 MPH down the highway on a motorcycle.

Today I paid particular attention to how my Rostra Cruise engages, accelerates, and decelerates.  I rolled the throttle to the speed I wanted and then hit the "Set" switch.  The cruise would respond in less than a second; it would slightly accelerate, then decelerate, and then increase speed back up to the speed I had set.  So my speed would vary about +2 MPH, then about -4 MPH, and then back to the speed I had set.  So it was "hunting" to find the "set point."  All of this took less than 5 seconds.

A similar thing would happen if I "bumped" the accelerate switch (the switch labeled "RESUME/+") - the cruise would speed up, slow down, and then come back to a speed that was about 1 MPH above the speed I had been going.

When I bumped the decelerate switch (the switch labeled "SET/-") the cruise would decelerate, accelerate, and then settle to a speed about 1 MPH less than what I had been going.

My speed stayed constant going uphill and downhill.

I have used "friction locks" on my motorcycles before.  I put a Throttlemeister on my last Moto Guzzi.  For a touring rider I think this Rostra Cruise is the way to go.

Cheers!

Bill

[bscrive]

Hi Bill,
I made the change to my switch settings, so now I just have to wait until spring to try it out.  :ticked off:
I t would be nice to have mine work the same as yours.  Since we both have the same setup, I suspect that I will.   

[Bill Havins]

Hi Bill,
I made the change to my switch settings, so now I just have to wait until spring to try it out....
I t would be nice to have mine work the same as yours.  Since we both have the same setup, I suspect that I will....

Here's hoping!

Bill

[goldstar903]

Thanks Bill! Just grabbed the rack via Ebay. 

[Here is a link to an ebay sale of this rack: http://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-YAMAHA-ALL-1600-1700-ROAD-STAR-REAR-LUGGAGE-RACK-STR-5VN51-31-00-/331905559636  I got mine from my dealer.]

[Bill Havins]

Some weeks ago I started this thread, noting that I am designing and building accessories for my Valkyrie.  It’s winter here (heavy sigh…) so the work continues.

Above you’ll see posts about the switches assembly I built for my Rostra Cruise Control.  The electronics work great.  But, the design of my switch enclosure leaves a lot to be desired.  (I have an architect/artist friend who claims I design “really nice ‘fine’ furniture.”  Maybe he’s got a point…)

Anyway.  After studying the switches assemblies on the Valkyrie hand grips I decided I needed to make another run at the design of my cruise control switches enclosure.  My goal was to make the enclosure “fit in” with the design of the switches on the hand grips.  I also wanted the electronics I had built to “slide right in” to the new enclosure.

Attached are images of the old enclosure (with the left hand grip) and the new enclosure design (a rendering of the CAD file).  It’s “photoshopped” into the image of the left hand grip switches.

The old design…



…and the new enclosure design.


Here’s a perspective view of the new enclosure design.


Last night I ordered “extreme detail” 3D prints of the two halves of the enclosure.  When they get here I’ll make latex molds of them, and then cast the pieces using black polyurethane.  I'll fill the lettering with white epoxy paint.  Going to extremes, eh?

This next week I will begin patterning new (and smaller) radiator cowls for my Valkyrie.  The smaller cowls will make it easier to design, create, and mount a true fairing/windshield for my scooter.  I’ll cast the cowls and fairing using black polyurethane, too.

Another chapter in the adventure.

Cheers!

Bill

[Shrubbo]

Keep those chapters coming mate, this is awesome