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MotorCycle
Cruise : Customer Comments |
BMW K1300S / K1200S |
| I finished installing the MC cruise on my K1300S this week. I did end up modifying the bracket for the actuator. The instructions indicate that the bracket is not really necessary but I wanted to try to make the bracket work. I cut the original bracket and welded in a short "bridge" piece to extend out the length away from the bracket attachment point. In hindsight I'm not sure it was worth it. The bracket mod came out good, but the actuator really is sandwiched in tight and the bracket probably is not needed. Overall the install was technically straightforward. The hardest steps were really fishing the cables and hoses around in tight spaces, but that takes patience more than anything. The kit instructions are absolutely excellent. One of the best install guides I've worked with. Overall I am extremely pleased with this product. About the only criticism I have is that the multi-color LED on the control switch is too dim to make out in bright sunlight. That is a very minor issue and doesn't really impact usability. I did have to adjust the preset gain setting to reduce the surging or hunting while the cruise was active. Once again the instructions were excellent on how to adjust the gain and the adjustment is simple and quick. Thanks for an excellent product. Aaron Casamassa / 2012 K1300S / Escanaba, MI |
BMW K1200RS |
| I had
the Motorcycle Setup electronic cruise control fitted by my dealer in August
'99. It was the first one that he had done, and it took about four hours.
He has subsequently fitted them for other owners, and he is down to about
two and a half hours. The unit works superbly. In fact, it works so well
that there is not much that I can say about it. Simply turn it on, and press
the "set" button when you achieve the speed that you want to cruise
at. You can accelerate or decelerate at the touch of the button. It holds
the selected speed far better than any cruise control that I have used in
cars, but this could be a function of the K12's power to weight ratio. In
cars approaching hills, or heading down after cresting a hill, there is
always a significant lag in the cruise control unit. Not so with the M/Cycle Setup system on the K12RS. The selected speed never varies by more than one or two Kilometres per hour, no matter how steep the hill. It takes a little practice to feel comfortable in using the unit.Most motorcyclists can ride well with just one hand on the bars - as long as it is the right hand. Takes a while to get used to riding with just your left hand on the bars, and surprises other motorcyclists when you pass them while at the same time waving with your right hand. Of course, you can keep your right hand on the throttle, and lightly steer. The control unit on the handle bars seems waterproof - I have ridden in rain for over six hours, with periodic heavy rain, and there was no failure of the unit. With the standard fitting and the standard screen in the low position, there is very slight interference, but not enough to cause concern. Apart from being very useful when you need a rest on long trips, it also comes in handy when you want to manage your speed in areas of heavy law enforcement. There are many speed
cameras and radar traps in Australia, so I automatically set the cruise
control whenever I'm on freeways that are heavily policed. The unit has
probably paid for itself in fines that I haven't received. As I said at
the beginning, the unit works so well that there is little to report.
A great investment that I would recommend to any long distance rider,
or anybody wanting to manage their speed in areas of law enforcement. |
| Just
picked up Yoko (my bike) a few hours ago with my newly installed Cruise
Control. I immediately hit the highway for a test run. First impression....
MOST EXCELLENT! Fell in love with this thing as soon as I hit that "set"
button. Smooth as butter. Takes a few tries at setting it to get smooth
at it (or at least it was for me) but once set... you just sit back and
enjoy. Not quite the right speed? Just tap it a couple of times until you
get it where you want. Either brake or the clutch disengages it. One thing
I am sure of is that it's much easier to go slower. My right hand is evil,
you see. No conscience... but the cruise has restraint that apparently is
lacking in my genetic make-up. Found myself doing a lowly 70 instead of
my usual 85-90. When you need the speed.. Just roll it on until you pass
that cage up in front then let go of the throttle and it settles back in
to the previous set speed. Very cool. Visually, it's very unobtrusive. Smallish
even. Doesn't take away from the symmetry up front. The bracket that holds
the control module on the left handlebar is my only complaint. It's an ugly
silver when it should be black to blend in with the rest of the accouterments
I'm gonna take mine off tonight (4 screws) and paint it. Yes.. I'm nitpicking.
The install was done by my mechanic (Scott Esteran) at Bloodworth Motorsports
here in Nashville. He had never seen or done one before so my install was
kind of a base test. We agreed up front to maximum billing time of 4.5 hours
which seems to be the standard time for most who have done it. Took him
quite a bit longer to read the directions, make everything look neat, and
test her. He said for any future customers sent to him to count on between
4-4.5 hours. Somewhere at or below $222. So there ya have it... I be cruisin.
O, yea. Jerry (Pirate) Finley / 1998 K1200RS / Nashville, Tn. |
| Installation
took a little over 3 hours with the bodywork already removed. I found the
installation manual to be very complete. I would highly recommend that anyone
taking on this task, to thoroughly read the manual until you are familiar
with all of the parts and procedures involved. Although none of the procedures
are difficult in themselves, there are several to perform. However, thanks
to the well written manual, all of them are easily within the scope of anyone
who performs their own maintenance. Quality of Electrical Components: The kit is supplied with all of the cable ties and hardware you need for a professional installation. I was impressed with the quality of the custom wiring harnesses. All of the interconnects are accomplished with properly designed connectors and/or terminals which eliminate potentially troublesome splices. Additionally, all of the connection points coincided with the factory harness breakout points. With a little care in cable routing and good use of the supplied cable ties, the new harness can easily be mistaken for part of the factory harness. Although the control modules are not potted in their entirety, critical circuit areas seem to have been protected from the elements with a clear silicon type sealer. Their mounting location also provides protection from the elements. The only potentially weak area may be in the operator control switch unit, which is mounted on the clutch reservoir housing and does not seem to have any special weather proofing. Quality of mechanical components The most difficult part of safely adapting a cruise control unit to a motorcycle is the interface and actuation of the throttle cable(s). The MCS unit has a very ingenious solution which is simple, rugged and most importantly, safe. The patented Cable Interface Unit is designed in such a way as to absolutely prevent the throttle cables from hanging. Also, a special clip is provided which retains the factory throttle cable at the twist grip. This clip prevents the cable from dropping out of position as it goes slack when the cruise control is activated. When not using the cruise, throttle actuation is indistinguishable from the system prior to installation of the CIU. Truly, a well designed and manufactured unit. Operation: The system can be put into a diagnostic mode for initial setup and, should the need arise, for troubleshooting. The system operates very much like an automotive unit with the ability to adjust the set speed up and down either incrementally by tapping either the acel or decel button(s) or by pressing either button until the desired set point is reached then releasing. The unit will deactivate when either brake is activated, if the unit senses an excessive rate of change in engine rpm, or if the unit senses vehicle speed which is 150% of the set speed. All of the operational and safety features are thoroughly explained in the manual. Summary: The design and quality of the manufactured components which make up this kit, indicate to me that MCS takes the safety issue very seriously. Add that to a unit which has also performs flawlessly and I am one satisfied customer. Would I recommend this kit to a friend? Yes, without hesitation. Is this kit worth the price? Absolutely! Leslie Willey / 2000 K1200RS / Huntsville, Al. |
| ....this
product is phenomenal in it’s functionality and ease of use and has
great value as a means to avoid speeding tickets. As any K rider knows,
the speed will creep up on these bikes if you are not paying attention. Michael Russell / 1999 K1200RS / Roseville, CA |
