Electronic cruise control for motorcycle

[gots2no]

A work in progress. Control module (not shown) is from a Honda Prelude. Servo is the type used on RC cars - connected to throttle with a spring so I can override any design flaws.

**broken link removed**

**broken link removed**

 

[MrDEB]

nice idea
I assume your just locking the throttle into a set position and not accounting for hills etc. ?
More info if possable

 

[Dragon Tamer]

No, I think that what he has done is taken the cruise control from a Honda and is having it drive a servo linked to the throttle. If he is using the cruise control module so that it gets speed feedback, it should compensate for any hills.

Although, don't you have to shift gears on a motorcycle yourself? If so I forsee that causing problems.

I'm not sure why you added a brake button, for the cruise control in my car has an on/off button, a set/coast buttion, and a resume/accelerate button. Maybe that's what the brake button is, a replacement for the coast button.

If this works you should patten it (just make sure you make a seperate board for your control).

 

[gots2no]

It will account for hills, etc. to maintain a constant speed. I'm actually controlling RPM's (directly linked to speed) by using the ignition coil (tach) drive for speed feedback. The switches in the photo are for bench testing. I'll only have the accel / decel switch and master power when it's mounted on the bike. Applying either brake will cancel the cruise control. I won't have to shift gears. This is on a Kawasaki ZX-6. It has plenty of reserve power in top gear for hills. Even so, if I do something stupid - like pull in the clutch while it's engaged - I'm controlling engine RPM's instead of road speed, so it shouldn't run away. I could also add a disengage for the clutch, but don't want to add more wiring since it's for my own personal use.

No need to try for a patent - there are electronic cruise controls out there commercially. I'm just cheap and want to see if I can complete the project. Really cool would be to use a PIC and completely design my own, but haven't gotten into those yet. Most cruise controls use vacuum actuated throttle controls that take up room as well. Not much empty real estate on a sport bike. The servo is tiny.

 

[crutschow]

I'm not sure why you added a brake button, for the cruise control in my car has an on/off button, a set/coast button, and a resume/accelerate button. Maybe that's what the brake button is, a replacement for the coast button.

The brake button (switch) is actuated by the brake to deactivate the cruise control. All cars have such a hookup.

 

[crutschow]

If you control the engine speed, then the speed will significantly drop when you change gears so you may want to have it drop out when you shift.

 

[Diver300]

Although, don't you have to shift gears on a motorcycle yourself? If so I forsee that causing problems.

Lots of manual transmission cars have cruise control. If the hill it too steep, especially towing a boat, the cruise control will hit full throttle. If that isn't enough, the car just ends up slowing down, just as it would if I had floored it and left it in top gear. I just have to change gear, as I would with no cruise control.

 

[shortbus=]

Or use a switch on the transmission to only allow the cruise to work in top gear.

 

[Dragon Tamer]

The brake button (switch) is actuated by the brake to deactivate the cruise control. All cars have such a hookup.

That's true, didn't even think of that.

Lots of manual transmission cars have cruise control. If the hill it too steep, especially towing a boat, the cruise control will hit full throttle. If that isn't enough, the car just ends up slowing down, just as it would if I had floored it and left it in top gear. I just have to change gear, as I would with no cruise control.

I didn't know manual cars had cruise control. I've only driven one manual car before and it was too old to have cruise control.

 

[ronsimpson]

I am thinking about you flying down the road adjusting the linkage to the throttle.

My tractor manual wants me to adjust one of the carburetor adjustments under full load. While plowing. Think of me running along beside the engine, with my little screwdriver, one foot ahead of the large tire. The good news is that the plow will through dirt over my broken body. All I need is a head stone.

 

[crutschow]

I didn't know manual cars had cruise control. I've only driven one manual car before and it was too old to have cruise control.

I had an '82 Datsun with a manual tranny and I added an aftermarket cruise control. It had a magnetic pickoff that had to be added to one of the front axles to measure the speed, and a microswitch added to the clutch to disengage the motor when shifting (otherwise the motor would tend to redline during the shift).

It had a neat feature that I liked which was a potentiometer knob at the end of the stalk to adjust the speed, not the buttons typical of factory cruise controls. Thus if was easy to tweak the speed up or down to match traffic conditions as opposed to punching the correct buttons numerous times to effect the change.

 

[crutschow]

My tractor manual wants me to adjust one of the carburetor adjustments under full load. While plowing. Think of me running along beside the engine, with my little screwdriver, one foot ahead of the large tire. The good news is that the plow will through dirt over my broken body. All I need is a head stone.

That's funny. I grew up on a farm in Wisconsin and I actually did that on my dad's tractor while he was operating a forage chopper in the field. The chopper was operated by the power take-off so the engine was heavily loaded even though the tractor was moving at a slow walk in low gear. I walked along side the engine and turned the mixture screw slightly one way and then the other until my dad decided it was developing the best power.