I recently installed the Rostra “Global Cruise” electronic cruise control system on my ‘06 DL1000. It works great, and for anyone else who’s interested, here’s the rundown. I warn you now; it’s lengthy and detailed, and I am in no way a professional cruise control system installer, so take this for what it’s worth. Refer to the pictures if my words confuse you. PM me with your e-mail if you'd like me to send you higher resolution photos. The instructions continue through three posts.
General Info:
First, have a look at this link where Roy Bertalotto discusses his installation on a DL650. It’s where I first got the idea to go the electronic route rather than the common Audiovox vacuum route:
https://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,1088.0.html
Then have a look at his detailed write-up of the installation of the Audiovox system on a DL650. It’s a very similar process to installing the Rostra system (apparently, Rostra makes the Audiovox system), except you can ignore all the vacuum stuff and there are a couple of slight wiring differences mainly to do with wire colours: http://rvbprecision.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-electronic-cruise-control.html
That should give you an idea of what you’re up against.
I tried to purchase the unit in Canada, but the only place I could find it wanted over $400 for the cruise unit and switch. I ended up buying it online from Brandon Distributing for $203 USD and having it shipped to the border. I declared it and brought it across without paying anything more, duty or taxes.
Disassembly:
First you’ll have to tear down the bike, taking the plastic side fairing pieces off in order to get access. You also have to remove the gas tank and the airbox. For the installation I did, you must also remove the throttle bodies in order to drill a hole and tap some threads into the throttle body bracket. Others have got away without doing this, but I thought it made for a cleaner installation (I connected to the front cylinder throttle linkage rather than the rear, which it seems most others have done). More on that later.
Installation:
Then you will have to decide where to locate the main cruise unit and the control switch. I mounted the switch off the left mirror stalk, to the left and ahead of the mirror, above the flash to pass lever, which allows me to use my left thumb to operate the system without removing my hand from the grip. I made a bracket out of a piece of scrap aluminium angle and cut the stalks off of the back of the switch and just used Goop to stick it to the aluminum. To make the switch watertight, I used Goop to seal around the switch casing and the grommet I used to hold the wires. When I get around to it, I will paint it black.I was able to fit the main box into the right-side rear panel, just behind the rear brake reservoir. Roy Bertalotto says it won’t fit there, but it does. It is a tight squeeze, though, and I did file down the box a very little bit where it rests against a weld on the frame rail. I also filed down the weld on the little bracket that is attached to the frame rail (I guess it's for locking helmets onto …). I zap strapped the box to the frame. This way, you don’t have to give up any under-the-seat storage.
continued...
General Info:
First, have a look at this link where Roy Bertalotto discusses his installation on a DL650. It’s where I first got the idea to go the electronic route rather than the common Audiovox vacuum route:
https://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,1088.0.html
Then have a look at his detailed write-up of the installation of the Audiovox system on a DL650. It’s a very similar process to installing the Rostra system (apparently, Rostra makes the Audiovox system), except you can ignore all the vacuum stuff and there are a couple of slight wiring differences mainly to do with wire colours: http://rvbprecision.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-electronic-cruise-control.html
That should give you an idea of what you’re up against.
I tried to purchase the unit in Canada, but the only place I could find it wanted over $400 for the cruise unit and switch. I ended up buying it online from Brandon Distributing for $203 USD and having it shipped to the border. I declared it and brought it across without paying anything more, duty or taxes.
Disassembly:
First you’ll have to tear down the bike, taking the plastic side fairing pieces off in order to get access. You also have to remove the gas tank and the airbox. For the installation I did, you must also remove the throttle bodies in order to drill a hole and tap some threads into the throttle body bracket. Others have got away without doing this, but I thought it made for a cleaner installation (I connected to the front cylinder throttle linkage rather than the rear, which it seems most others have done). More on that later.
Installation:
Then you will have to decide where to locate the main cruise unit and the control switch. I mounted the switch off the left mirror stalk, to the left and ahead of the mirror, above the flash to pass lever, which allows me to use my left thumb to operate the system without removing my hand from the grip. I made a bracket out of a piece of scrap aluminium angle and cut the stalks off of the back of the switch and just used Goop to stick it to the aluminum. To make the switch watertight, I used Goop to seal around the switch casing and the grommet I used to hold the wires. When I get around to it, I will paint it black.I was able to fit the main box into the right-side rear panel, just behind the rear brake reservoir. Roy Bertalotto says it won’t fit there, but it does. It is a tight squeeze, though, and I did file down the box a very little bit where it rests against a weld on the frame rail. I also filed down the weld on the little bracket that is attached to the frame rail (I guess it's for locking helmets onto …). I zap strapped the box to the frame. This way, you don’t have to give up any under-the-seat storage.
continued...