• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

Cruise control handle bar control grey wire???

Bdiver

Sign Guy
I am installing a Rostra universal cruise control on my R1100RT and the universal button control has a grey wire that I don't have a clue where it goes? The unit looks like this. http://i48.tinypic.com/j5xbhs.jpg You can see the grey wire quite easy in the photo.

My button system did not come with any wiring instructions (Probably purchased it 6 months ago and now finally installing it.....) all the wires are really self explanatory except for that one when reading the rostra installation manual. Anyone got ideas? :scratch I think it might be like the pink wire on some other universal units.

I'll go hook up the other few remaining wires and check back later.

Thanks for your help.
 
The first Google result for "Rostra universal cruise control" led me to the Rostra site where I found the installation instructions for the universal button control . In a car, apparently the gray wire connects to the positive lead to the dash lights, so that the back light brightness can be varied. Sorry, I have no idea where this connects to your bike. Any switched +12V will give you full brightness.
 
Last edited:
lkraus,

Thanks, that is for the actual motor box with all the wires. I have it hooked up to a speed sensor on the front wheel http://www.thecruisecontrolstore.com/250-4165-universal-vss-signal-generator-magnet-kit-with-pick-up-coil/?gclid=Cj0KEQjw09C5BRDy972s6q2y4egBEiQA5_guvwGwJ5Xye5KDTQo9uDIOrZw4pj9aIQPFMqstoQKe0k0aAsSO8P8HAQ

This wire is from the handlebar switch control. I've looked at a bunch of websites last night and photos and think it should be hooked up to switched power (that's what I'm going to hook it up to anyway). It might show the middle LED light when engaged. I'll find out later today when I get things finished and take it for a test drive. Most other units I've read about have a pink wire instead of a grey one.

I was looking at the blue tach wire on the main motor box and the wiring diagram in my manual and think the only place to hook it up is the wire from the tach to the motronix unit. The other 2 wires from the tach are basically power and ground. They also said in the manual that the light green could be hooked up to the clutch switch and then you don't have to hook up to the tach at all. My light green wire stops about 5" out from the motor unit and is connected to a bunch of other wires in a taped off loom. I guess I'll split that all apart too.

Oh well, I'll get it figured out. Thanks all for your help. :)
 
Did you follow the link I provided?

It is not to the installation manuals on the first page of the Rostra site, it is for the "Universal Dash Mount Open Circuit Cruise Control Switch". Found from the first page under Selecting Global Cruise Components for Installation>Step 2: Control Switch Selection Part Number: Various >Click Here, then scrolling down to the universal switches.

The .pdf does not initially display correctly in my browser, showing only the first page. All four pages appear once it is rotated, or if I download it with a right-click on the link and select "save as".
 
After reviewing many diagrams and that pdf (thanks Ikraus) it appears it's the back light for the handle bar unit. I am hooked it up to a ignition switched power on. This means the little LED lights will be on all the time for the 2 buttons. I will try it for now but might just unhook it as no need to have it on 24/7 when I'm riding but it would be nice at night. I could put a toggle switch to it so I can turn it on at night and off during the day.

Thanks again for your help!
 
After reviewing many diagrams and that pdf (thanks Ikraus) it appears it's the back light for the handle bar unit. I am hooked it up to a ignition switched power on. This means the little LED lights will be on all the time for the 2 buttons. I will try it for now but might just unhook it as no need to have it on 24/7 when I'm riding but it would be nice at night. I could put a toggle switch to it so I can turn it on at night and off during the day.

Thanks again for your help!

Have you had a chance to use the cruise control? If so how have you liked it? Very interested in this since I will be traveling to Canada for a couple days for a lot of miles and then to Colorado to visit family. Not having cruise control sounds like pain in my hand.
 
Aftermarket cruise control seems to be a lot of bother. I have a throttlemeister on the oilhead but I actually prefer this inexpensive simple device which I use on my airheads.
713PTTSKdZL._SL1500_.jpg


I have it's predecessor which has no screw adjuster to accomodate small differences in throttle grip sizes. The one in the photo is the improved version but the old one works just great, can be moved from bike to bike in seconds and is very easy to use. Just google "go cruise throttle lock". These are sold in almost any bike shop.
 
My bike came with one and never tried it. Guess I'll give it a whirl!

Sent from my SM-N910T3 using Tapatalk
 
I buttoned up the bike last night and when I hit the starter the tach screamed up to almost redline so I shut it down and will take the tank off and look at the cables. I suspect I put a couple of zip ties on a little to tight although the throttle seemed to work well just twisting and watching it pull on the fuel injection units.

I will be testing it out this afternoon for sure. I'm going to ride south of Sacramento ~1000 miles on Friday and back on Sunday so I want this thing working! I'll keep ya posted.

I've had throttle locks for years and it's time to move up. I have arthritis in my right wrist and just don't feel like dealing with the speed up (going down hill), slow down (going up) anymore.
 
Back
Top