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[remmie]

The SR/F and SR/S have a cruise control feature. and that is a great thing. I personally do not use it much but every time i do the feature itself is fantastic, giving your right hand a well deserved rest

However, the button to engage the cruise control is in a (how shall i say this nicely) horrible position. When normally gripping the "gas"handle my thumb is far from long enough to reach the button. I physically have to move my hand to the utmost left of the handle and then reach with my thumb, twisting my right arm. Not very pratical or even safe when you want to turn it off (it will also turn of when engaging the front or rear brake or the kill switch by the way)

So with a little experimenting with a 3D cad program (Solidworks) and a 3D printer (cheap Anet-A6) and 4 itterations I think I now have a working cruisecontrolbuttonextensionarm (triple word value for scrabble )

In the attachments there are some photo's of the extension arm and also the STL file to 3D print it yourselves. I have not tested it on the road yet but sitting in the garage I can easily power on the cruise control by keeping the button pressed for 1 second. Actually engagin the cruise can only be done when going at least 30 kph.

The install is pretty simple, just unbolt the lower bolt of the mirror/brakehandle retaining bracket. this is a black M6x20mm bolt which will be too short for the 3D printed extender. So you will also have to get a M6x40mm bolt and secure the extender so that the little blob on the back of the extender lines up with the dimple in the cruise control button. That's about it for install. Now you can test whether it works by switching on the bike, putting up the kickstand (don't forget to sit on the bike or have it on a stand LOL) and press the extender arm.

With my bike i have made it so the button is already about a mm depressed in the resting state of the extender. That way when the extender is depressed i have about 1 mm clearance on the back before it touches the throttle housing when it engages the cruise control button fully. If you print the extender yourself you may have to fiddle (or rather file) a bit with the blob on the backside to properly engage the button.

Do NOT print this extender in PLA. it will go brittle and deform in sunlight. I have used (black) PETG but i supposed you can also use ABS. It does need some flexibility but I think the PETG will do fine. Having the luxury of owning a 3D printer helps if it shoiuld break prematuraly, Ill just print a new one

Hope this helps some people deal with the awkward placing of the cruise control button. I think I'll test it out some evening this week to know for sure it handles well

 

[remmie]

Here's the preview in the Cura App (slicing app for 3D printing)

[remmie]

This is the STL file (in a ZIP)

[didierm]

What an interesting idea ; thanks !

The current location of the cruise control button is simply horrendous.

What should be a no-brainer (as one is expected to keep his/her attention to the road) always results in a - in my case - unsafe action, as I usually need to engage the CC with my left hand, reaching out to the far right.
Trying to find the button, hold the handle bar steady, and keep an eye on the road is not an easy thing to do.

[Hans2183]

Great solution! I also don't like the position. I almost never use it just because it's literally painful to get my thumb on the button not to mention to press it on the right moment while still holding throttle.

BMW has it on the other side and on top of the controls cluster. Close to where the high beam is on the SRF (maybe a bit higher). Now that I think of it I rarely use it on that bike also... but if I do it won't hurt me.

[Crissa]

What is the big space between the controls and the grip?  That's like some huge thumb wasteland.

-Crissa

[remmie]

What is the big space between the controls and the grip?  That's like some huge thumb wasteland.

-Crissa

It is where the potmeter houses that measures the position of the throttle. Also the return spring is in there.
The same big space is also present on previous models like the S, SR, DSR and FX? (see the link below). But with those models you don't notice it because it is the mode button. You rarely change mode while being on the throttle. With setting cruise control you have to hold the throttle to set the cruise control speed. Especially if you have the neutral regen turned up high (i Have it at 100%, it's almost like one "pedal" driving).

If the neutral regen is high and you would release the throttle to engage the cruise control the drop in speed could be as high as 10-15 kph, that is not very safe and also not practical if you want to set it at a certain speed.

I think this lever will also be very helpful when disengaging cruise control. Because I have the neutral regen set high, if i press on the button to disengage the cruise, the regen is so strong that it is like braking quite hard. That is very annoying for my girlfriend on the back and it is also not safe because with neutral regen the brake light does not come on (another topic for discussion)

With this lever i can give a little throttle and then disengage the cruise control without that big deceleration much more easily. I CAN do it with the standard button but then my hand is in such a weird position that I eventually have to let it go to reposition my hand and then the big decceleration still happens. But hopefully that is all in the past now

https://www.testmotor.nl/images/stories//getest/2015/Zero/SR//Test_2015_Zero_SR_4.jpg

[Crissa]

Yeah, it looks like it would make it far safer.

I'm just surprised they kept the throttle housing separate.

-Crissa

[petewarm]

Brilliant!!  Remmie you are a star.

I use the cruise a lot, mostly on boring dual/motorways to stop me zooming around the traffic. At the moment I have to shift my hand over the throttle potentiometer, to hold throttle with little two fingers and palm, and then press the button. The result is extremely jerky acceleration/deceleration which I know gives cars around me a opportunity to wake up. ( what is he doing? crazy motorbikes!). The point about the regen setting is useful too.

I had planned to simply glue an extension piece onto the switch, as a friend of mine has done on his BMW ( same issue !!), but your solution is much more elegant.

I dont have a 3D printer, but your ideas is priceless. Thank you!

[stevenh]

Thanks for the model.  Printing one now on my Prusa (in black).  The current placement does require a very agile thumb!

Installed and tested (in the garage anyway).  I went with White since that's the only PETG I had (and Green in ABS, so, White).  I'll give it a test ride today.

Steve

[heroto]

Great thread. I use my left hand to work the cruise.

[stevenh]

Worked great on a road test.  Thanks again for the model.  Still just a little awkward, but 90% better.  It's a keeper.

Steve

[remmie]

You're welcome, glad it makes a difference. 

I have yet to test mine, unfortunately too much rain here  but it works fine in the garage.

I've made another itteration though. This time the blob on the back is gone altogether, and the lever is 4mm closer to the handlebar, making it that little bit more natural for the thumb.
With this version you will need an M6x35 bolt. The bolt for the original was M6x40 and that is just a tad too long and bottoms before securing the lever.

I also added a small cap to hide the bolt. This cap should also work for the original lever but then it sticks out a bit more.

STL files in the attachments

[SkyYeti]

Brilliant, thanks for doing this Remmie.
I'm going to print this over the weekend.
 
Commuting to the office three times next week. Always use cruise control on my way there and back, and I always mutter quietly under my breath as i streeetch my thumb to the button each time

Thanks!

[didierm]

STL files in the attachments

Hi Remmie, do you plan any near-future improvements over V5 ?

As I don't  have a 3D printer myself, I am in the process of ordering this through a third party printing service.

Thanks !