Just wondering if anybody has installed this cruise control unit (https://www.mccruise.com/. Just wondering if someone with general knowledge could do the installation
MCcruise
NT700
Review
KGNT
MCcruise
NT700
Review
KGNT
Electronic cruise control
- Thread starter KGNT
- Start date
I looked into one of those kits 2 or 3 years ago when I had just purchased a used 2010 NT700. I also looked at and subsequently installed a Rostra universal kit. The MC cruise would have been plug and play, but was also more than 3 times the cost of the Rostra kit. The Rostra kit involved making a few parts for the throttle hook up and then a guessing game (trial and error) for the 12 switches on the control box. In the end it worked OK but was not perfect. TheMC kit would have been much easier to install. If you go the Rostra kit, I would suggest that installation be done by someone that is good at making and adapting small parts to connect the cable to your bike. You will also need a Honda factory service manual to help you locate sensors and specific wiring. I am no stranger to using tools and have, at times made a living wrenching on motorcycles and cars. The project from start to finish took about 2 weeks of part time work, but the end result was well worth it.
Several members in Australia have installed the MCcruise, IIRC. From what I understand, it's a plug-and-play installation. I've got the Rostra electronic cruise control on my bike. It was NOT a plug-and-play installation. A friend who had installed the Audiovox vacuum-actuated cruise control on his '98 and my '99 Kawasaki Concours did mot of the brain work on figuring out how to install the Rostra CC on NT. We jointly figured out the mechanical connection between the actuator and the throttle linkage, but Mike did all the electronic calculation and wiring. It was a two-day job for him -- would have been a two-year job for me.
At that time, the MCcruise would have cost me close to $1300; the Rostra probably cost me a little over $300.
The Rostra has worked well for me, although I did have some issues for nearly a year. I thought they were connected to the power/acceleration issues that were resolved this August when my fuel pump was replaced, but during the diagnosis process that led to the fuel pump replacement, my mechanic found a ground wire that was not properly connected, reconnected it, and the cc now works perfectly again. It holds speed better than either of our two Honda automobiles do.
At that time, the MCcruise would have cost me close to $1300; the Rostra probably cost me a little over $300.
The Rostra has worked well for me, although I did have some issues for nearly a year. I thought they were connected to the power/acceleration issues that were resolved this August when my fuel pump was replaced, but during the diagnosis process that led to the fuel pump replacement, my mechanic found a ground wire that was not properly connected, reconnected it, and the cc now works perfectly again. It holds speed better than either of our two Honda automobiles do.
DirtFlier
Site Supporter
I have the MC Cruise and installed it myself around 2012 and it has been totally trouble free. 
On my previous bike, a '97 PC800, I obtained an AudioVox generic, cruise control that is made for cars and did all the mods myself but I didn't want to go to all that trouble with the NT700V. I believe the Audiovox morphed into the Rostra but that's only a guess on my part.
At least to me, the MC Cruise was well worth the money and it's truly a "plug and play" unit. You just have to ask yourself, "How much to I want to pay for my enjoyment?"
On my previous bike, a '97 PC800, I obtained an AudioVox generic, cruise control that is made for cars and did all the mods myself but I didn't want to go to all that trouble with the NT700V. I believe the Audiovox morphed into the Rostra but that's only a guess on my part.
At least to me, the MC Cruise was well worth the money and it's truly a "plug and play" unit. You just have to ask yourself, "How much to I want to pay for my enjoyment?"
I think you're right about this. The Audiovox was a vacuum-operated unit and the Rostra has electric actuation, but pretty much everything else about them was the same. I got both of mine from Murphskits, run by Gary Murphy who got his start in the motorcycle accessory biz by putting together a stainless replacement for the chocolate screws on Kawasaki's C-10 Concours.
DirtFlier
Site Supporter
When I installed the Audiovox unit on my PC800, I took the trouble to install the supplemental vacuum chamber to ensure the unit always had enough negative pressure available but it still lost speed if the grade was long enough or especially steep. Fortunately, nothing in OH meets that description but riding in CO was another story. It would lose 4-5 MPH going up a long hill and I'd compensate by pushing the "+" button several times. A bike with an engine that had more displacement wouldn't suffer this same malady.
OP
OP
TY for that reply. I have just general skills and want to make sure that I do not start something that I cant finish.I have the MC Cruise and installed it myself around 2012 and it has been totally trouble free.
On my previous bike, a '97 PC800, I obtained an AudioVox generic, cruise control that is made for cars and did all the mods myself but I didn't want to go to all that trouble with the NT700V. I believe the Audiovox morphed into the Rostra but that's only a guess on my part.
At least to me, the MC Cruise was well worth the money and it's truly a "plug and play" unit. You just have to ask yourself, "How much to I want to pay for my enjoyment?"
If you don't have way more skill than I have, the MC Cruise is definitely the way to go. I would still be staring at the Rostra instructions and wondering what the heck they mean.
The reason I didn't try to install the Audiovox on my NT was my hunch that our 680cc engine wouldn't give enough vacuum to work well out here in our Colorado mountains.
When my friend Mike installed the Audiovox on our C-10 Concours, he added a supplemental vacuum chamber. I never had any trouble with the Connie after that. On my NT, I've noticed that sometimes the Rostra will crank the throttle to nearly wide open on long steep hills and there's apparently a cut-off point (probably to protect against runaways) where the cruise control cuts out. The cc cuts out and I lose it. However, I figured out that if I downshifted from 5th to 4th on those hills, it wouldn't cut out. That issue came up in the last couple of years and may not be there now that I've replaced the fuel pump.
The reason I didn't try to install the Audiovox on my NT was my hunch that our 680cc engine wouldn't give enough vacuum to work well out here in our Colorado mountains.
When my friend Mike installed the Audiovox on our C-10 Concours, he added a supplemental vacuum chamber. I never had any trouble with the Connie after that. On my NT, I've noticed that sometimes the Rostra will crank the throttle to nearly wide open on long steep hills and there's apparently a cut-off point (probably to protect against runaways) where the cruise control cuts out. The cc cuts out and I lose it. However, I figured out that if I downshifted from 5th to 4th on those hills, it wouldn't cut out. That issue came up in the last couple of years and may not be there now that I've replaced the fuel pump.
The price seems to have dropped as well as being a neat bit of kit - now just over $1000 AUD (about £600 GBP and $800USD) which is starting to get interesting with my right hand tingles getting more noticeable and UK journeys now seeming to involve motorways (interstates...) more than they used to. Now to convince SWMBO that it is a good investment......
DirtFlier
Site Supporter
The other plus with the MC Cruise is that subharnesses are provided so you don't have a butcher the standard wiring. It is designed to "T" into the standard wiring. In many ways it reminds me of the nice wiring kits provided by the trailer hitch companies.
If at some point you want to sell the NT, you can always removed the unit and try and resell it to someone else on this list.
If at some point you want to sell the NT, you can always removed the unit and try and resell it to someone else on this list.
mikesim
Site Supporter
The best way to justify the purchase to SWMBO is to point out the "safety" aspect of the intended purchase..... works every time! I'm just sayin'
:LOL:
Mike
At least until SWMBO gets smart and points out that "safety" and motorcycle are an oxymoron when used in the same sentence....:unsure:
mikesim
Site Supporter
True, but by now SWMBO knows she ain't gonna keep you from riding, therefore any farkle you get that makes you <ahem!> safer will be OK by her... as I said, it works every time.At least until SWMBO gets smart and points out that "safety" and motorcycle are an oxymoron when used in the same sentence....:unsure:
Just hope no wimmen folk are perusing the forum... don't want the secret to get out...
Mike
After having cruise control on both of my '99 Connies and on my NT for over 200,000 miles, I really can't imagine riding without it. It's definitely been an enhancement to my riding comfort and my safety.
With that kind of mileage, it's justifiable! For me......I'm ashamed to say my bike has only 3500 miles on it. I bought it new in 2015, and wasn't able to use it for 2 seasons. I'm having a hard enough time justifying buying a top case and a Denali Powerhub, much less other goodies. Looking at new tires since mine are original 2010, 9 years old. I have Oxford grips and a throttlemeister yet to be mounted.
The Throttlemeister will work well for you … I've got one on my bike that tided me over between the time I bought it and when I got the Rostra cc. On level-ish ground, it holds pretty close; in the mountains, it doesn't do as well without being adjusted fairly often.
It hasn't happened to me on the NT, but I did get two tickets on my 1st Concours when I had a throttle lock on it. The first one as when my wife and I were up in Wyoming, between Farson and Rock Springs. We were watching a squall line that was getting closer and closer. The speed limit was 65 and I had the throttle lock set on about 72 on the flat. Then we came to a long down-grade with a curve in it. When I saw the deputy coming toward us, I glanced down and saw 94 on the speedometer. I was slowing down to pull over before he even got his flashing light turned on. By the time he got to us, we had our helmets off and I had my insurance, registration, and driver's license in my hand. He walked up and stood there looking at the bike and said, "Man, that's a pretty bike." I said, "Thank you." Then he said, "Fast, too!" I laughed and asked, "How fast?" He told me 94 and I said, "Well then, my speedometer is accurate. That's what I saw when I looked down.."
He pointed at the squall line and wanted to know if we were trying to beat that. We told him we were and he said that he'd expedited writing the ticket. He did and we didn't get caught by the rain. The ticket was "only" $90.
The next one was the following spring. I was going from Ft Morgan to Limon down CO-71 south of Last Chance in rolling hills. Again, my throttle lock was holding 72 on the flat. I was going down a hill and had just noticed 82 on the speedo when I saw the highway patrolman's lights in my rear view. I pulled over, handed him my paper work and waited while he went back and wrote the ticket. He only wrote me for 74, which saved me points (the difference between 3 an 9). He hadn't said much of anything and neither had I. After I signed the ticket, he stepped back and said, "I just can't make up my mind which I'd rather have -- a Concours or an ST-1100." I laughed and told him that I was going to Limon to meet a friend on an ST. I invited him to join us, but he said he needed to stay in-county. He asked me to come sit in his patrol car so we could talk about the bikes. We did and we talked about airplanes. He said that he probably wouldn't buy a bike because he'd just spent $12,000 buying an Aeronca Champion that had an 85hp engine. I told him that if I'd found a good $12K airplane, I might have sold the bike. We ended up talking for 45 minutes and I have waved him at 2 or 3 times since when I've been riding through Washington County. But I've never been testing his tolerance for speed since, mainly because I put the Audiovox on the Connie about a month after that 2nd ticket.
BTW, that was the last ticket I've gotten, so avoiding tickets may also be a good pro-cruise control argument!
It hasn't happened to me on the NT, but I did get two tickets on my 1st Concours when I had a throttle lock on it. The first one as when my wife and I were up in Wyoming, between Farson and Rock Springs. We were watching a squall line that was getting closer and closer. The speed limit was 65 and I had the throttle lock set on about 72 on the flat. Then we came to a long down-grade with a curve in it. When I saw the deputy coming toward us, I glanced down and saw 94 on the speedometer. I was slowing down to pull over before he even got his flashing light turned on. By the time he got to us, we had our helmets off and I had my insurance, registration, and driver's license in my hand. He walked up and stood there looking at the bike and said, "Man, that's a pretty bike." I said, "Thank you." Then he said, "Fast, too!" I laughed and asked, "How fast?" He told me 94 and I said, "Well then, my speedometer is accurate. That's what I saw when I looked down.."
He pointed at the squall line and wanted to know if we were trying to beat that. We told him we were and he said that he'd expedited writing the ticket. He did and we didn't get caught by the rain. The ticket was "only" $90.
The next one was the following spring. I was going from Ft Morgan to Limon down CO-71 south of Last Chance in rolling hills. Again, my throttle lock was holding 72 on the flat. I was going down a hill and had just noticed 82 on the speedo when I saw the highway patrolman's lights in my rear view. I pulled over, handed him my paper work and waited while he went back and wrote the ticket. He only wrote me for 74, which saved me points (the difference between 3 an 9). He hadn't said much of anything and neither had I. After I signed the ticket, he stepped back and said, "I just can't make up my mind which I'd rather have -- a Concours or an ST-1100." I laughed and told him that I was going to Limon to meet a friend on an ST. I invited him to join us, but he said he needed to stay in-county. He asked me to come sit in his patrol car so we could talk about the bikes. We did and we talked about airplanes. He said that he probably wouldn't buy a bike because he'd just spent $12,000 buying an Aeronca Champion that had an 85hp engine. I told him that if I'd found a good $12K airplane, I might have sold the bike. We ended up talking for 45 minutes and I have waved him at 2 or 3 times since when I've been riding through Washington County. But I've never been testing his tolerance for speed since, mainly because I put the Audiovox on the Connie about a month after that 2nd ticket.
BTW, that was the last ticket I've gotten, so avoiding tickets may also be a good pro-cruise control argument!
mikesim
Site Supporter
Wow! I ride 3,500 miles in about 4 months commuting to work. I also thought since you are an engineer you'd be building your own relay harnesses and remote switch housings for all your accessories, like me. :unsure:
Motorcycles are both a mode of transportation and a hobby for me. I like to build up all my bikes with a slew of accessories/improvements and occasionally make my own accessories in the process.
Mine is just a toy. Kind of a 'fair weather rider'. Last summer I only put ~1000 miles on. Work is only 5 miles from my house now, whereas I had a 30-mile commute previously. I put 2500 on the NT the first year I got it, which is about my average yearly mileage on my Suzuki Burgman in previous years.
I'm a mechanical engineer who didn't do so hot in my electrical classes. Electrical gremlins are the last thing I want to be dealing with. :sneaky:
I'm a mechanical engineer who didn't do so hot in my electrical classes. Electrical gremlins are the last thing I want to be dealing with. :sneaky: