[almostretired]

Got a question for you guys. With the cruise control on and then I hit a bump, the bump can cause my throttle hand to rotate far enough in the closed position to disconnect the cruise. Have any of you experienced that, and got any tips for avoiding? I normally have a pretty relaxed hand on the throttle and like to stay near the brake lever, so I think maybe the throttle lever is too sensitive to that sort of thing? The road doesn't really have to be that bumpy either - happens on smooth interstate freeways as well (where I mostly use cruise).

Thanks

 

[Drgsin]

yea its pretty easy to disengage the cruise. never had it go off on a bump though

 

[reginaldmc]

Yes, rotating the throttle pass the closed position cuts of the cruise control by design.

 

[ziptie]

Got a question for you guys. With the cruise control on and then I hit a bump, the bump can cause my throttle hand to rotate far enough in the closed position to disconnect the cruise. Have any of you experienced that, and got any tips for avoiding? I normally have a pretty relaxed hand on the throttle and like to stay near the brake lever, so I think maybe the throttle lever is too sensitive to that sort of thing? The road doesn't really have to be that bumpy either - happens on smooth interstate freeways as well (where I mostly use cruise).

Thanks

If you rotate the throttle into the closed position, it will disengage the cruise. Also if the bump is abrupt enough the rear tire will actually leave the ground and cause a speed differential between the front and rear tire which will disengage the cruise.

 

[JoeHall]

I try not to use the CC on roads that bumpy, but have never had it kick off when hitting an unexpected bump.

 

[jfink]

I find the cruise control "off" when closing the throttle a little more sensitive than the previous model. I have occasionally shut off the cruise when trying to adjust my seating position or hand grip. But, I don't see any issue. For me, like so many other things on this model, it's only a matter of getting used to it.

 

[Bullet Bob]

I'm wondering if the problem's not with your throttle but with your clutch handle. I just barely have to touch my clutch to disengage the cruise. Perhaps the clutch bushing is slightly worn and that is your culprit? Can you push your handle 'out' and try and duplicate the problem?

 

[CarpeDiem]

I think the OT has a DCT

 

[almostretired]

I think the OT has a DCT

Yep a DCT. I do know that it is per design. I mentioned bumpy roads, but now that I think of it, a bump on the road should have the opposite effect, that being to open the throttle due to how the mass of your throttle hand is distributed over the throttle. So mostly on highway/interstates I can't seem to keep it engaged for more than a few minutes at a time before a disconnect. I'll just need to adjust.

 

[Fred H.]

Try loosening your grip a bit on the handlebars and see if that helps.

 

[almostretired]

Try loosening your grip a bit on the handlebars and see if that helps.

Thanks - that's the direction I've been heading, but I haven't quite developed the "touch" yet. May end up eventually figuring out a way to disconnect the throttle disconnect switch. Thinking about it, I don't find it (the throttle cruise disconnect) very useful since the brakes disconnect the cruise, which is the normal auto disconnect in cars, and the throttle disconnect is too sensitive to be useful (at least to me).

 

[El Toro]

I am speculating below, but as a retired guy who had many R&D contracts with the auto industry and the USDOT/NHTSA over the years, something came to me last night “in a dream.”

The OP describes really bouncy roads.

If they were bouncy enough to disengage the driving wheel from its traction surface repeatedly, it is not far fetched to suggest that perhaps the driving wheel speed sensor could discern this and cut off cruise.

It’s another lawyer inspired “feature,” and I haven’t looked at the control diagram to know if it’s incorporated, but it is a logical “improvement.

Of course the fly by wire idea is good too, and we know that that’s present.

But a smart C.C. would shut itself off if it were being told to hold 60 mph on a washboard or super pot holed surface. I wonder if Honda has done this.

Edit: I see in post number 4 above that this basic idea is also suggested. Wheel speed differential leads to cruise shut off. That makes good sense.

 

[Pigeon Roost]

Two exercises that can be combined for fun therapy in ridding oneself of the "death grip". First is "riding the pace": Find a nice long lonesome stretch of curvey road and ride it briskly within your safel skill level WITHOUT touching either brake. That is not how you train to ride the twisties, just a fun exercise for finding your entry and exit points and having some fun in a private challenge. Second is combining that drill (once you are comfortable with it) with NOT gripping the handle bars, but rather just having your hands/fingers in an open "C" shape. Cover the brake or clutch or both with a finger, but ride the safe brisk pace without the brakes. That open "C" shape of the hands forces you to steer the bike by only PUSHING the right bar to go right and only PUSHING the left bar to go left; NO PULLING the right bar attempting to go left or visa/versa and no combined push/pull. Just push and keep that open "C" relaxed grip. You quickly learn that there is no need or benefit to a firm grip at all when cycling. No more white or red knuckles, achey thumb, or mental heebee jeebies.

prs

 

[98valk]

So mostly on highway/interstates I can't seem to keep it engaged for more than a few minutes at a time before a disconnect. I'll just need to adjust.

How about riding a couple of minutes with your throttle hand off the bar? That would let you know for sure if it is something else turning off the CC, or not.

 

[almostretired]

How about riding a couple of minutes with your throttle hand off the bar? That would let you know for sure if it is something else turning off the CC, or not.

Did that when troubleshooting the problem initially - sure enough no disconnects with throttle hand off the bar. I'm really beginning to think I need to just play around changing how I grip the throttle in a way that is still comfortable to me and avoids the problem (and no I'm not doing a "death grip", but possibly tighter than other folks do - I have no way of knowing).

 

[almostretired]

I am speculating below, but as a retired guy who had many R&D contracts with the auto industry and the USDOT/NHTSA over the years, something came to me last night “in a dream.”

The OP describes really bouncy roads.

If they were bouncy enough to disengage the driving wheel from its traction surface repeatedly, it is not far fetched to suggest that perhaps the driving wheel speed sensor could discern this and cut off cruise.

It’s another lawyer inspired “feature,” and I haven’t looked at the control diagram to know if it’s incorporated, but it is a logical “improvement.

Of course the fly by wire idea is good too, and we know that that’s present.

But a smart C.C. would shut itself off if it were being told to hold 60 mph on a washboard or super pot holed surface. I wonder if Honda has done this.

Edit: I see in post number 4 above that this basic idea is also suggested. Wheel speed differential leads to cruise shut off. That makes good sense.

I have quite a bit of experience as well, having helped design fly by wire flight controls and autopilots for commercial airplanes. Given that, I'm not quite sure what the point is for the throttle idle cruise disconnect. Normally you would want the system to disengage if it is being overridden by the operator, such as applying the brakes (or increasing speed vis the throttle which in this case simply "auto disconnects" and then "auto-engages" when the throttle is returned back to idle). Having the auto disconnect so close to the throttle idle stop, where the throttle normally is when CC is on seems self defeating.

That being said, it seems my opinion about how sensitive the throttle CC disconnect is, seems to put me in the minority, at least based on all of these responses.

 

[El Toro]

I have quite a bit of experience as well, having helped design fly by wire flight controls and autopilots for commercial airplanes.

Airplanes don’t have this issue. No “wheel speed” in the air. :smile2:

I think your idea is a good one though.

Maybe you could help sort out the Boeing 737 autopilot fiasco. :tools1:

 

[davepierce]

I have large hands and I found myself gripping the throttle too tightly when I first got my DCT. I don't know if I disengaged the CC but gripping the handlebars too tightly certainly caused me some upper back pain, especially after long rides. I installed Grip Puppies that increased the diameter of my grips from about 1 1/4" to 1 3/4". That extra half-inch and me being aware of my grip pressure solved my problems.

 

[almostretired]

I have large hands and I found myself gripping the throttle too tightly when I first got my DCT. I don't know if I disengaged the CC but gripping the handlebars too tightly certainly caused me some upper back pain, especially after long rides. I installed Grip Puppies that increased the diameter of my grips from about 1 1/4" to 1 3/4". That extra half-inch and me being aware of my grip pressure solved my problems.

Could be something to that and similar thoughts by others. I just got back from riding up to get some trail mix and decided to play with the throttle disconnect. Since I never really knew how much force it was taking to disconnect, I decided to consciously engage CC and slowly apply force to cause it to disengage. Lo and behold it takes a lot more force than I would have thought. So knowing what it takes to disconnect it, I'll keep this in mind the next time I use it for any length of time. My thinking is that if I hit a bump, or get a little concerned about something in the traffic around me I may be tightening up on the grip without realizing it.

 

[Motor Guy]

May want to be sure you hand or foot isn’t inadvertently hitting the brakes when going over bumps. Maybe even check the adjustment on the lever and foot brake to be sure they’re not adjusted too sensitive. Just a thought.