ACC retrofit

[MN246]

I'm curious if anyone here has attempted to retrofit a non-ACC bike with the ACC hardware. Everything I've read is that the bikes use a common wiring harness, so I would guess the connections are there. Not sure if it would need a software update to work.

 

[RhoXS]

I have the ACC on my TC. It makes for interesting conversation but I haven't really found it any more useful than the standard cruise control. IMHO, it wouldn't justify the cost and effort to retro fit a non-ACC bike.

 

[MN246]

I have to say I haven't tried it yet. I don't particularly like it on cars, but it seems like it could be useful on a bike. I'm not sure that I would try to do a retrofit, but I asked since I've come across a few baggers that seem like really good deals but didn't have the ACC.

 

[Star-Lord]

Probably best to purchase a bike with the ACC option already in place; there's a button on the left hand control tree that allows the rider to adjust the distance.

The control tree is probably close to $600 alone; plus, there is a TFT indicator showing the follow distance and other set parameters, which is probably all software features which you may not be able to enable if retrofitting the system yourself.

Not sure of the actual ACC RADAR unit, but probably not cheap...

 

[BigJimSlim]

I don't particularly like it on cars…

First person I’ve ever heard say this! As a person who does a fair bit of highway driving, it’s been amazing to have on my cars.

 

[MN246]

First person I’ve ever heard say this! As a person who does a fair bit of highway driving, it’s been amazing to have on my cars.

Here's an example of my experience. I'm driving my wife's car (2022 Honda Accord) with the cruise control on. I'm approaching a slow-moving car in the right lane. I put the turn signal on to change lanes, checked the mirrors for an opening, and start moving into the left lane. Just as I initiate the lane change, the car kills the throttle and now I'm decelerating in front of 80 mph traffic coming up behind me in the left lane.

It's done this to me more than once. I would accept that this could be operator error, but I had already moved to the point that the slow vehicle wasn't directly in front of the car when the throttle was killed. Maybe this is exclusive to her Honda as my car doesn't have any of the baby-sitting features on it, so her car is the only one I've driven routinely that has this feature. I do know that both of our cars, mine is a 2022 Subaru WRX, have some compromises in the controls due to the limited availability of semiconductors from the covid crisis. Many manufacturers had to reengineer electronic systems to work with the chip sets that were available rather than what they spec'd for the application. The infotainment system on my car has terrible lag. Either way, in cars I prefer not to have the babysitting. On bikes, I can see that it could be a useful safety feature.

 

[harrisrc740]

I have ACC on my R18B and have used it a few times. I have to admit it is not to as appealing IMO on the R18 because I find my hanging behind the slower traffic and forgetting that I can go around them. But it has made me start collecting the parts to add to my 2018 BMW 330XI Wagon and 2011 BMW 335is. I really want the feature on my cars, just not sure on the bike.

 

[Star-Lord]

Agreed.. ACC isn't for me; it's not bad if it is just me riding by myself and the RADAR is tracking cars in front of me. It gets a little stupid if riding with friends - especially if they move in and out of view of the RADAR antenna pattern.

Probably best when riding as a group, to all agree to set Cruise Control to an agreed speed and use it in its manual mode.

Personally... It's not for me, I've used it a handful of times and I'm not really used to it.

 

[Reedman71]

ACC is a game changer. It is easy to use and works as intended.

Cruising along in PA on the highway and you will inevitably come upon road construction. Highways will merge from 2 lanes down to 1. The speed will drop from 65mph to 45mph and while on ACC, all I have to do is downshift from 6th to 5th gear. The bike will automatically keep me where I need to be and I can concentrate on the road and looking for dangers. I do not have to disengage cruise, which is why this feature is so awesome.

Makes long rides on the Interstate easier and I like having this feature.

 

[MN246]

I think I would like it without question for the reasons you stated. As Star-Lord pointed out, I don't know that it would be great riding in a group of bikes, as I've heard it has a harder time picking up other motorcycles. But for me, I don't tend to ride in groups. I may ride with one other bike occasionally, but I'm not into the big group of bikes in a line thing.

 

[BigJimSlim]

I think I would like it without question for the reasons you stated. As Star-Lord pointed out, I don't know that it would be great riding in a group of bikes, as I've heard it has a harder time picking up other motorcycles. But for me, I don't tend to ride in groups. I may ride with one other bike occasionally, but I'm not into the big group of bikes in a line thing.

The trouble I found in moto groups is one, were mostly on back country surface streets. While not a lot of stops once we’re far enough out, there are enough. And two, the speed of the group fluctuates so much that cruise is useless.

I’m sure if we were doing a lot of expressway miles it’d be better in the group.

I use it solo to keep myself at speed without worrying about the throttle hand at all.