'00 Voyager XII Cruise control ?

[k7nutN7nut]

I know I'm really new here...and on the Voyager, but I thought I would run this by you guys.
I noticed this the few times I rode the bike with the engine with the blown head gasket and now on the "good" engine. I can turn "on" the cruise control and most of the time it will "set", light comes on, but alot of times it will kick off!?
I have taken my pointer finger off the F.brake lever, which is where I normally have it and made sure my R.foot is on the Pass peg, up on the "ball" of my foot, staying away from the brakes. But, alas, most of the time the cruise "set" light goes out?
It's odd, because with the "other" engine, the bike was bone stock. So now, with the 2500 mile engine in, I did do that air injection mod listed here on this site. Capped off the two openings on the valve cover and capped the two outer carb vacuum ports, but, like I said, it was doing this bone stock before?
Is there something I should look for?
And, many times when I try to "set" the cruise, the "set" light does not, will not come on. I have to turn off, on, off, on then try the "set" again, but it still doesn't always work!?

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

The cruise will only work in top gear, you can turn it on but will not be able to set it unless the trans is in 5th. Also if you have it in top gear force the brake lever & pedal to the open most position (push out on the hand lever and lift up on the foot break) to ensure that neither of those are sticking.

[k7nutN7nut]

Thanks king, I will try that this morning on my way into work, yesterday it was 33 when I got up, today it's 41...YEAH!

I'll let you know what I discover and, I was going through the manual last night...again, I didn't see anything on the cruise, thanks for the heads up!

[Bruce in OK]

There are a couple of other things it could be. If the cables aren't adjusted properly it may not stay engaged. This is displayed by speed dropping as much as 5mph before engaging and recovering to the set speed. If your throttle or throttle cable isn't lubricated well, it might stick and disengage the cruise.

[bikerking.biz]

Check your rear brake cruise control switch at the foot pedal, this is the item most responsible for this problem. It probably needs adjusted. You should hear double clicks on the front and rear brakes at the controls when you gently apply and release them. If you don't, one or the other is not working properly and needs adjusted or fixed.

[Mr Jensee]

Also something to think about. Where the tank top control plugs together under the tank. It gets pretty dirty under there. Might try pulling it apart, spraying some contact cleaner on the contacts and using some di-electric grease on the fitting.

[k7nutN7nut]

If the cables aren't adjusted properly it may not stay engaged. This is displayed by speed dropping as much as 5mph before engaging and recovering to the set speed.

This is what it is acting like. I played with it on my ride to work this morning, 40 miles. I first tryed to "set" it, light came on, turned off. It did this a few times, I quit, knowing I had a grade to wind down, figured I'd try again on top where it flattens out. Once on top, I tryed again, this time however, what I did was, get to the speed, hold the throttle while I moved the slider, waited, then let off the throttle. Now it stayed, but like Bruce was saying, the speed dropped...then climbed back up to the proper speed. I think I need to check into the "cable" issue?
Is there a "tech tip" for this here on the site?
I'm @ work now, I can check later @ home. And BTW, how does our cruise control work on the XII's, I'm used to a "vacuum" unit on cars, but seeing how I have all four of my vacuum ports on the carbs plugged, it can't be vacuum!?

[OldKawDrvr]

Thanks king, I will try that this morning on my way into work, yesterday it was 33 when I got up, today it's 41...YEAH!

I'll let you know what I discover and, I was going through the manual last night...again, I didn't see anything on the cruise, thanks for the heads up!

The manual was made for the '86 model. Cruise didn't appear til '87, so you need a supplement to find the section on cruise.

There are 8 or 9 ways to disengage the cruise. Listed approximately order of likelyhood, they are: Front and rear brakes, pull in the clutch, close the throttle, shift out of fifth gear, turn it off at the control box, turn off the ignition, slow down, speed up, pull the fuse.

The bike has to be traveling at a minimum speed to engage the cruise. there is a connection to the speedometer. If the cruise actuator is not adjusted properly (speed varies in cruise) and your traveling near minimum cruise speed, it could disengage by slowing down. There are switches on the clutch lever, the front brake lever, the rear brake peddle, the throttle linkage (at the carbs, hard to get to) and internally in the transmission shift mechanism.

Since the problem occurred with both engines I'd look at things that are part of the frame first. Not the trans switch or the throttle switch. Most of the switches complete a circuit to ground. If there is a frayed wire grounding out or a dirty corroded connection somewhere it could cause problems. One more thing. There is a maximum speed also. Around 80 mph the cruise disengages. That really bugged me when I was traveling I-10 in west Texas. The legal limit is 80 and when I'd get going down hill a little the cruise would quit.

Good luck and when you find it, let us know what it was.
Tom

[OldKawDrvr]

If the cables aren't adjusted properly it may not stay engaged. This is displayed by speed dropping as much as 5mph before engaging and recovering to the set speed.

This is what it is acting like. I played with it on my ride to work this morning, 40 miles. I first tryed to "set" it, light came on, turned off. It did this a few times, I quit, knowing I had a grade to wind down, figured I'd try again on top where it flattens out. Once on top, I tryed again, this time however, what I did was, get to the speed, hold the throttle while I moved the slider, waited, then let off the throttle. Now it stayed, but like Bruce was saying, the speed dropped...then climbed back up to the proper speed. I think I need to check into the "cable" issue?
Is there a "tech tip" for this here on the site?
I'm @ work now, I can check later @ home. And BTW, how does our cruise control work on the XII's, I'm used to a "vacuum" unit on cars, but seeing how I have all four of my vacuum ports on the carbs plugged, it can't be vacuum!?

It's electronic. The adjustment is on the actuator. Its a unit inside the fairing on the right side in front of the glove box. You have to remove it from its mounting to reach the adjustment. I don't recall exactly what the procedure is. I did mine over a year ago and old age has destroyed my memory and I cant find my FSM.

[k7nutN7nut]

Thank you for all the info guys and, I don't know why I didn't check the supplement manual, I have that as well, I guess I'm just not that familiar with the Voyager yet to know when Cruise was added?
I will look into all this tonight...starting with the supplement manual!

[gearheadfla]

Thank you for all the info guys and, I don't know why I didn't check the supplement manual, I have that as well, I guess I'm just not that familiar with the Voyager yet to know when Cruise was added?
I will look into all this tonight...starting with the supplement manual!

The 86 stands alone without cruise or rear speakers, 87 and after went pretty much unchanged other than color through the whole run of XII's, I think there was a clutch spring made in the 90's, Maw Kaw got it right the first time and just went with it.

[Bruce in OK]

Give Carl Leo a call. He can talk you through a fix to your issue.

[k7nutN7nut]

The 86 stands alone without cruise or rear speakers, 87 and after went pretty much unchanged other than color through the whole run of XII's, I think there was a clutch spring made in the 90's, Maw Kaw got it right the first time and just went with it.

Give Carl Leo a call. He can talk you through a fix to your issue.

I will learn this "year breakdown", just as I did with the KLR...different years, few changes here & there, but Maw Kaw got it right the first time...that would be a first!
This Carl guy must not mind getting phone calls, but I really hate to bug him...sounds like a heck of a nice guy though!?
Due to being moved to "day shift" for this week only, while the kids are on Spring Break, my body is used to the "swing shift" I normally do, so I didn't get to much done on the XII...well, I tried Meguiar's Plastic scratch remover on the windshield, but it didn't do much. I removed the lower, tinted windshield from the running bike when I swapped engines, I didn't like it and went with my "donor" windshield from the "totaled" 2000 and that's where the scratches came from. I think as I delve into this Cruise Control issue, I will remove the stickers on the stock windshield that came on the running 2000 and install it. I did manage to get a little wax on most of her though!
As for the cruise control issue, because I was a bit tired and I would have to pull the phoney gas tank and air box again, I did the former and had to go do some much needed paper work...NO NO, forms RE: doctor bills and stuff like that...SCHEESH!
I did notice when I took the "slack" out of the throttle cables(accel/decell) @ the carbs, according to the Supp manual, I tightened them too much, so I will start there and work back toward the unit under the starboard fairing someone mentioned previously. I think it's an easy fix and from what you guys are saying and how the speed drops as you guys said, I'm thinking I just might have an "improperly" adjusted cable...now I just got to find it?
It is odd though, I try the cruise as soon as I get going on the HWY and it kicks off 2-3 times before I wait awhile, almost like it needs to heat something up first?
But I think it's just having to work to hard with a cable or two and it shuts off.
Thanks for the input...I'll keep you informed.

[kjsett]

I did notice when I took the "slack" out of the throttle cables(accel/decell) @ the carbs, according to the Supp manual, I tightened them too much, so I will start there and work back toward the unit under the starboard fairing someone mentioned previously. I think it's an easy fix and from what you guys are saying and how the speed drops as you guys said, I'm thinking I just might have an "improperly" adjusted cable...now I just got to find it?
It is odd though, I try the cruise as soon as I get going on the HWY and it kicks off 2-3 times before I wait awhile, almost like it needs to heat something up first?
But I think it's just having to work to hard with a cable or two and it shuts off.
Thanks for the input...I'll keep you informed.

I still am not done tweaking my CC on the "03" V-XII I got from my son over a year ago. I ride it almost daily (Phoenix, AZ), so stopping it long enough to do work has been a problem for me . When I first got it, the CC would come on, then go off mysteriously, but speed was an issue. 75 and over, it doesn't hold very well, especially on any kind of hill or very strong wind. That issue I still have to get around to (thought maybe vacuum drops off and can't hold it - used to have that issue with a GMC small Jimmy). But the main issue was a wore out CC switch on the front brake. A good bump would shut it down. At first it was mysterious, but after a time it got to where I had to push forward the lever. Adjusting helped, but only temporarily.
Bought a new switch, less than 5 minute repair, and night and day (except now the speed related issue is more noticeable).
Only time it hasn't worked reliably now was a return trip from Albuquerque, NM a couple of weeks ago where we had a 25mph (mostly) headwind. I watched the tumbleweeds blow across the road one way, then a few miles down they would blow the other way. Stopped at Cycle Gear on the way out to get goggles as my Open Face Scorpion helmet wasn't keeping the crosswinds out of my eyes enough.
Still, the CC does help keep the local Law Enforcement at bay, because my hand does like to twist the throttle a little too much

[k7nutN7nut]

But the main issue was a wore out CC switch on the front brake. A good bump would shut it down.

That may be the issue with mine, once I get a chance to look at it and track it down, but thanks for the input, it helps alot.

GM

[k7nutN7nut]

New twist on the cruise control...
When I left the house for work this morning, the speedo didn't work?
I wondered why the previous owner had put red duct tape and a zip tie on the cable down at the tire, but now I know why.
So, as I'm riding in, I try and "set" the cruise, but it wouldn't go on?
Somehow, electronic I'm sure, if the controller knows your doing more than 80MPH or, apparently, if your going 0MPH, the cruise will not engage!?
So, as I'm backing the beast into it's spot for the day, there's the speedo cable...fell off, right there at work! What surprised me, was it came undone from the back of the gauge sluster?
So now this weekend I need to get my speedo hooked back up.

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

Not a bad job, if you need a new cable call Carl Leo (cheap prices, quality products, very fast and friendly service). To reconnect your cable remove the trim around the headlight, carefully as there are plastic tabs on it and some folks have broken them off accidentally when removing. Once that's removed pull the headlight out and let it hand, shine a light in there and you should see easily where the cable screws back on.
I would suggest taking it off at the wheel and blowing some cable lube through it before you put it back on. Just an option!

[Mr Jensee]

there's the speedo cable...fell off, right there at work! What surprised me, was it came undone from the back of the gauge sluster?
So now this weekend I need to get my speedo hooked back up.

A couple years ago mine did the same thing coming back from Baton Rouge. Lost my cruise control and speedo while on the Mississippi bridge. Rode 54 miles with it dragging on the interstate without a clue. The cable was some beat up but still usable. It had just come unscrewed from the instrument panel. I taped it up with black electrical tape and screwed it back in and it still works today. Unbelievable.

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

BTW - k7nutN7nut, the speedo controls more than just the cruise. Your turn signal cancellations and auto volume advance on the audio system as well.

[k7nutN7nut]

BTW - k7nutN7nut, the speedo controls more than just the cruise. Your turn signal cancellations and auto volume advance on the audio system as well.

Scott, thanks BTW, I was wondering why my turn signals wouldn't turn off!?
Didn't notice the audio...per say, I thought the sound wasn't coming up very load, considering I have the automatic gain WFO?
I have a bin full of motorcycle cables from a "local" motorcycle parts place going out of business a few years ago, I'll rifle through that, but if push comes to shove, I think the old one that fell off is still usable?
And thanks for the tip on cable lube, I have 2 or 3 cans of cable lube left. Time to take it back apart!