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[spydglide]

That's the Key Ride Safely!!

Part of Riding Safely is riding a safe product (one that the throttle doesn't come apart on) har!  spyder

[Twolanerider]

Ok screw it.  Didn't want to know how the throttle behaved if the system just came apart anyway.

[DESERTBEAR54]

Well according to the Mech working on it, all they had to do is slip a new standard grip back onto it after it came off. The mech's of the wireless throttle itself were in tact but the heated element was damaged. It only took them a few min's to put a standard grip back on and secure it. I just went on what the SM explained to me. It has worked good for the last 3000 miles.

[J-Carr]

On a non SE '08 rental Ultra I had the throttle "come off".  Althought it didn't come all the way off.  It started spinning freely and to answer your question Don, it dropped the bike back to idle speed immediately.  The problem was the entire unit was not slid onto the bar far enough to properly engage whatever mechanism in there that turns the TBW reostat and gives the spring loaded "feel" of a regular throttle.

The fix was quite easy.  Loosen the master cylinder clamp bolts a few turns and push on the end of the throttle.  It re-engaged and I was able to ride the bike without any further incident.  My dealer talked me through it over the phone and saved me having to wait for the tow truck to come get me.  This was the second '08 that it happened to at their delaership (Fall of '07) and they now check all the '08s from the factory to make sure it doesn't happen to any other bikes.

My guess is that is the engagement mechanism broke on Desertbears's allowing the grip slide right off the end of the bar, but it should behave the same as there is nothing turning the reostat when that happens.

Ride Safe,
J-Carr

[Twolanerider]

On a non SE '08 rental Ultra I had the throttle "come off".  Althought it didn't come all the way off.  It started spinning freely and to answer your question Don, it dropped the bike back to idle speed immediately.  The problem was the entire unit was not slid onto the bar far enough to properly engage whatever mechanism in there that turns the TBW reostat and gives the spring loaded "feel" of a regular throttle.

Thanks JC.  Nice explanation.  Can visualize something working like that.  Am still very curious how these are going to hold up two to three years down the road after repeated rain showers and car washes.  If the bits inside the handlebar are going to hold up completely with moisture and other contaminants.

[J-Carr]

My thoughts exactly Don!  The moisture issue is what scares me the most.  The heated grips are failing because moisture gets in and corrodes the potentiometer that controls them.  Both my grips and my wife's have failed and when talking to SM at my dealer (who freely acknowledges that they have problems) he said that when they remove the grip they can usually pour water out of it.  If that happens with the TBW setup... scary.

On the other hand, I've seen alot of broken throttle cables in my time... Just don't know which will be better.  It would be nice if we could have some more faith in the MoCo.  When I bought my first Harley in '94 I never worried about how reliable it would be on a long trip away from home... Now, I just worry. 

Ride Safe,
J-Carr

[Twolanerider]

On the other hand, I've seen alot of broken throttle cables in my time... Just don't know which will be better.  It would be nice if we could have some more faith in the MoCo.  When I bought my first Harley in '94 I never worried about how reliable it would be on a long trip away from home... Now, I just worry. 

Ride Safe,
J-Carr

True.  Have had it happen also.  At least since the mandate to both idle and return cables, however, a broken cable doesn't worry me though.  I KNOW what's going to happen if a cable breaks or jams.  I don't know, however, what might be on the "mind" of the electronic throttle system if it gets damp or corroded and begins to have a mind of its own.

[spydglide]

Great discussion, Guys.....and thanks J-Carr for the info on what happened to yours and how you fixed it.  NOt that I now have the new FBW throttle, but, who knows?  What I'm wondering about is how those handlebars get so full of water?    har!  spyder

[J-Carr]

I agree one hunderd percent on the throttle cable.   Even when one breaks you can jury rig it to get you home.  Not so on the FBW.

Spyder, I asked the Service Manager the exact thing.  It runs down along the edge of the left grip where it meets the switch housing.  Then it seeps down along the bottom of the grip between the handle bar and the grip itself.  My understanding is there's no glue on the heated grips.  Since little or no air flow gets in there in takes forever to evaporate out.

My concern since I heard this is that as it gets too full of water it's got to run down inside the internally wired handlebars and then drip out inside the all the wires and connectors (including the FBW) inside the fairing.  Don't know that there's anything to do about it.  Just one more lovely thing to worry about while riding long distance.   

Ride Safe,
J-Carr

[spydglide]

Well, if the bars are not totally 'sealed' and waterproof, then maybe we need to 'vent' them to allow for moisture to escape?    spyder

[J-Carr]

The problem is the angle... If you look at the angle the grips are at on a stock touring bike, you'll see the sealed end is "downhill" from where the water is seeping in.  The only place to drill a hole that would help is on the end of the grip, and that will certainly destroy the dial that is coroding... damned if you do, damned if you don't.

I'm contimplating putting a very thin bead of clear silicone at the joint where the grip meets the switch housing on the control (left) side only, since that is where the water damage is taking place.  The throttle side grip is not effected.  Of course this doesn't say anything about the FBW system which is obviously on the right side and since it turns there would not be any way to seal it.

On the other hand, I have a seven year warrenty and since these grips are standard items on the bike... MoCo can replace 'em every six months.  Which brings us back the dang FBW... And get it break in a mode that it is sending full open to the throttle body?!?!?

Ride Safe,
J-Carr