RSTD drops out of cruise control

[Dave77459]

I searched the site for cruise issues, but didn't find something quite like this.

 

I rode my '06 RSTD for hundreds of miles in the rain recently. Once, it simply disengaged the cruise on it's own. No bumps, or anything. It would not re-engage. I turned it off and on several times, but nothing. I figured the rain had caused a short. However, an hour later I tried it and the cruise worked as normal.

 

Yesterday, I rode in perfect hot sunshine and it happened again. I was on the interstate, no vehicles around, right hand in my lap, feet on the highway pegs. Other posts suggested that the brake or something was brushed, but I was definitely far away from the controls (excepting the clutch). I was on a great road and the cruise simply disengaged. As before, the ON light remained illuminated as if it was working properly. With my previous experience, I turned it off, waited 15 minutes and tried again. It did work. Then, a bit later, it disengaged again, this time on a curve. Another turn off and wait, then it worked again with no further problems.

 

I saw in one or two first gen posts that the cruise is attached somehow to the vacuum system. I don't know if this is the case on second gen bikes, but I do know that a cracked hose and/or cap is a suspect in my recent backfiring issue. Could this be related?

 

Other ideas?

 

Dave

[jemorrisonjr]

Just had something like this happen to me... My clutch handle was not going all the way forward.. Lube up the pin and see if it helps.. Its what I did and now its back to normal

[V7Goose]

The 2nd gens have a vacuum pump behind the right lower cowling that activates the cruise servo located behind the left lower cowling. In other words, whatever your problem is has nothing to do with the intake vacuum.

 

Any chance your speed was lagging a bit due to hills? The cruise automatically disengages if the speed drops 5 MPH below set limit. I have had this happen a number of times at the bottom of a hill where the cruise had been trying to slow the bike down on the drop and just didn't react fast enough to the next climb. That is also easy to cause by having the edge of your glove drag on the throttle if you are keeping you hand on the bar end weights. Gummed-up, bound-up or misadjusted throttle cables can also affect the cruise and how fast it can react to changing conditions.

 

The cruse system has a self-test for errors, and it shows a problem by blinking the lights; I've seen that before when my 07 had a strange problem that only happened when it was disengaged from the front brake lever during a driving rain! Since the resume and on lights did not flash alternately after yours disengaged, my money would be on a loose or misadjusted switch for either of your brake levers or the clutch. Testing that can be a little tough since there is a fine line between when they should activate and maybe a bit too soon, but I'm sure the shop manual has specifications for that (I've seen it for the rear brake switch). If all of those check out, then I'd check for too much slack in the cruise cable.

Goose

[Dave77459]

Just had something like this happen to me... My clutch handle was not going all the way forward.. Lube up the pin and see if it helps.. Its what I did and now its back to normal

 

Just to be clear, you hadn't touched the clutch in 30 miles and this happened?

 

The 2nd gens have a vacuum pump behind the right lower cowling that activates the cruise servo located behind the left lower cowling. In other words, whatever your problem is has nothing to do with the intake vacuum.

 

Any chance your speed was lagging a bit due to hills? The cruise automatically disengages if the speed drops 5 MPH below set limit. I have had this happen a number of times at the bottom of a hill where the cruise had been trying to slow the bike down on the drop and just didn't react fast enough to the next climb. That is also easy to cause by having the edge of your glove drag on the throttle if you are keeping you hand on the bar end weights. Gummed-up, bound-up or misadjusted throttle cables can also affect the cruise and how fast it can react to changing conditions.

 

The cruse system has a self-test for errors, and it shows a problem by blinking the lights; I've seen that before when my 07 had a strange problem that only happened when it was disengaged from the front brake lever during a driving rain! Since the resume and on lights did not flash alternately after yours disengaged, my money would be on a loose or misadjusted switch for either of your brake levers or the clutch. Testing that can be a little tough since there is a fine line between when they should activate and maybe a bit too soon, but I'm sure the shop manual has specifications for that (I've seen it for the rear brake switch). If all of those check out, then I'd check for too much slack in the cruise cable.

Goose

 

I know you have been on I-10 between Luling and Houston. Any hills there are a figment of your imagination.

 

I think I might take it in to the shop under warranty and complain about the cruise and the backfiring. Maybe they'll fix them both for free? I don't know that I want to mess with cables. If it had possibly been related to intake vacuum, I might have tried it at home with the tubes and caps.

 

Dave

[jemorrisonjr]

It would clear after a while so I was getting it only once and a while, pushed forward on the clutch and found that it worked... after I put some WD-40 on it havent had the problem show up again

[Sylvester]

If you have clutch and brake lever leather streamers, this will do it also.

[Dave77459]

It would clear after a while so I was getting it only once and a while, pushed forward on the clutch and found that it worked... after I put some WD-40 on it havent had the problem show up again

 

I'll give it a try and see if it helps. I hate intermittent problems. So hard to diagnose! Or proved fixed, for that matter.

 

If you have clutch and brake lever leather streamers, this will do it also.

 

Great feedback. I don't have them, but including the suggestion here will make it findable for those in the future with similar problems. Thanks!

 

Dave

[BoomerCPO]

If you have clutch and brake lever leather streamers, this will do it also.

 

Spot on with that post! I put the brake/clutch leather covers (with streamers) on my scoot and the Cruise Control will not work at all. I take the covers off and the CC works perfect.

 

Boomer.....who thinks that CC system is as sensitive as a politician at a Baby Shower and running for re-election.