Retrofit cruise control

Sgeren

New member
Anyone heard as to whether cruise control might be something that can be added later. I have an early FE with no cc and would really like to add.
 
This puzzles me, most models that have a cruise option can have it fitted after the fact by adding the control module to the switch housing and then programming the bike. Unless its not just a plug and play affair I can't see why it can't be done.
 
It's certainly possible but the dealer don't want to manage that, and "it's not in the catalogue"...
It was a very cheap option when new (around 250 €), so you'll probably need only to change the "comodo" (or whatever you name it) in order to have the switches and wires on it.
I'm pretty sure the soft is already in your bike, in relation with the electric throttle.
Comodo G.jpeg
 
I believe it was a running change in the bikes. The first production bikes lacked the prep for cruise control. Later ones could, but needed the handlebar controls and software configuration which was offered as a factory option. This is probably why it’s not offered as a retrofit yet…. it’s not the model year, but your VIN that would determine compatibility. Could be a nightmare for customers that got one for a 2021 only to find their specific bike wouldn’t work with it.
 
It was one of the first delivered in France, since I pre-ordered it in 09/2019.
Dunno where the production date appears.
All I can find is that:


PLAQUE CONSTRUCTEUR erd.jpg
 
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VIN plates are often different from country to country. In the US, there is a plate that shows the month & year of manufacture and says how it conforms to all regulations as of that date. My Classic for example was built 03/21. I just looked on my bike & there are several plates/stickers near the front forks. In addition to the VIN plate like your picture, the VIN is stamped into the frame a bit lower and there are a couple stickers on emissions/fuel requirements and air pressure and vehicle weight rating. It may be the date of manufacture is on one of the others on your bike. It is a bit crowded in there, so finding it and seeing it is tough.

As an aside, the only parts fiche I can find describes the Base R18 and the production of 08/19-06/20. This likely is when it was originally planned for a late fall 2019/early spring 2020 release before COVID hit. Assuming what I'd seen about early units not able to support cruise control was correct, it could be that within the early production run for that is when the control unit couldn't support cruise control. Since practically speaking, the R18 wasn't announced until April 2020 with most deliveries delayed till September 2020, it's hard to tell just from delivery date if it was one of the first manufactured (potentially in 2019) or not.

When the Classic was announced October 2020 (and would have cruise control standard), it is likely BMW had already made the change in the control units to support cruise control. Some of the base R18 bikes delivered in September 2020 might have been from the original production run (without cruise control fitted or possible) and others like yours had it fitted. I imagine it may be possible to replace the control unit in an early production bike to then allow cruise control to be added. But, it'd be quite pricy... the control unit alone is US$1200 and limited to repair at dealers order.

Ideally what I'd heard was wrong and it was the same control unit the entire production run and would thus support a standard retrofit for cruise control. But given supply chain issues, I can imagine delays on retrofits in favor of new unit production. For example, on my S1000R, ABS Pro was offered as an option later in the same model year as mine. The retrofit option became available nearly 2 years after I got my bike. Bizarre thing there is my S1000R had cruise control, but not ABS pro (cornering ABS), yet some early Base R18 had cornering ABS, but no cruise control!
 
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