Never know when a cheeky kangaroo will jump on the road! This lets you refine your speed and adjust for traffic and road conditions. Installing a brake lever rest throttle lock is easy. A throttle lock with cruise control can hold the throttle at a set position and also maintain your bike's speed when youre going uphill or downhill. This is because its not made out of metal like many of the other locks on this list. But its just nice to know theres an option out there, and it just might enhance your riding experience. It isnt the easiest of throttle locks to learn how to use so that you can operate it without looking at it. Unfortunately, youll need to use friction pads to refine the fitment on your bike. Its made of durable nylon and rubber, which makes it corrosion and rustproof. Once its in place, your throttle will be held firm in your chosen position. If you dont disengage the throttle lock, you can still roll the throttle forward and backward to make adjustments. The way you use a friction knob is before accelerating, you shift your hand to the outside of the handlebar, so that youre over the throttle lock. Atlas Throttle Lock installed on motorcycle handlebar, The New Yamaha YZF-R7 How its Different (and Awesome), Honda CBR1000F Hurricane (1987-1999) Buyers Guide, Honda CBR600F4i Buyers Guide An Ode to the Best Classic CBR, Using AirPods Pro on Motorcycles (for Wind/Engine noise), All About the Honda CBR500R: A Half-Pint Beauty (2013-Today), The Ducati SportClassic (2006-2010) Range A Complete Guide. It also makes efficient throttle locks like the Kemimoto Motorcycle Throttle Lock. Of course, the best kind of cruise control is one thats connected to your throttle and works dynamically, adjusting for engine speed. It looks OEM when installed correctly. Its easier to release, luckly. It might be to have fun, and it might be for safety (e.g. The throttle lock should be able to mount securely to your bike and offer a smooth riding experience. While its an Australian company, more than 90% of their customers are based in the US, and shipping is quick. Using a brake lever rest as a throttle lock is easy, but takes some practise. Technology, performance and design delivered to your inbox. You wont have any problems with slippage with this throttle lock.
I love learning and sharing what others might find useful. Pish posh! You might be bothered by this if youre riding a large cruiser or adventure tourer, like a Gold Wing (which has cruise, anyway). The Omni Cruise is much more human a business decent web page, and you know who made it (and where), The adjustment/tightening mechanism is different, The lip to set the speed on the Omni-Cruise is bigger, You actuate them with a button which is easy and intuitive, They automatically disengage when you brake so you dont have to have an extra step in braking. We always aim to offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks. Most of these throttle locks use a composite material that acts like a spring. But because riding a motorcycle is often more intense, tiring, and high-risk an experience than driving a car, cruise control can be even more useful. Tl;DR: If you want to get a bar-end style throttle lock, get the Kaoko Throttle Lock. Thats why I created this site as an outlet. Like other throttle locks, the Atlas Throttle Lock just provides enough friction to hold the throttle in place. Its also available for a lot of other motorcycles, but there are few sportbikes in their compatibility list. Its not meant to hold a steady throttle position for long periods. Most models are US$179, and then the ones for Harley-Davidsons are $209. One thing I love about it is how easy it is to swap out to other bikes. Buyers Guides Guides to buying motorcycles, used and new, Our Aftermarket Motorcycle Cruise Control Recommendations In a nutshell. They were in New Zealand seeking shelter from a storm when they came up with the idea for this throttle lock. Without it, you have to hold the throttle at all times in order to control the speed. They are usually designed for specific motorbike makes and models. Motorcycle buyers guides, reviews, market analysis, gear, and much more. * Means moving your hand around on the throttle, * Real cruise control adjusts with inclines. The tension should be tight enough to hold the throttle in place. This all-black throttle lock has a minimalist design. Perusing the list of supported motorcycles, I can see that they have produced cruise units for most of my recent motorcycles other than my Honda sport bike (but they have one in development for the CBR1000RR, anyway!). The two downsides to MCCruise are the cost and the installation complexity. You can tighten it down using the top screw to adjust the fitment. However, there are a few things you need to know if youve decided to get this throttle lock. The installation is super easy and takes a few minutes. You can use them to keep within 1-2 km/h. Unfortunately, this throttle lock feels a bit flimsy. Note I have owned and used all three of the devices I recommend writing this article was my research process! Heres the chronicle of my MCCruise installation process on my BMW R nineT, for example. It does the job at a lower cost compared to other products. It holds the throttle with just enough pressure and can be easily twisted to increase or decrease speed. The switchgear unit is expensive (~$1200 for a BMW F 900 R I enquired about) and the dealer has to know how to enable it, but its possible at some dealers. Unfortunately, just resting against the throttle to hold it in place isnt the most secure throttle lock method.
The Atlas Throttle Lock is a newer entrant on the market. For this reason, though, the BrakeAway throttle lock is model-specific you cant just pick it up and bung it on another bike (without modification, anyway). If you have electronic cruise control on your motorcycle, then you know what it is. MCCruise make units that work for cable-actuated throttles, ride-by-wire motorcycles (those that are modern enough to have RbW but which dont have cruise), and other variants. The website for Tuneboy is a little confusing and seems to be rarely updated. If you want to spend the least, get an Omni-Cruise. To me, this is a red flag. Its made of high-quality billet components and is made in the United States. Read more. The next-best option after OEM, and the best electronic cruise control option for most people, is an MCCruise cruise control unit.
Also, theres no way of avoiding the commission (its not like I get a discount!). The screw also makes it difficult to engage and disengage. Cruise Control vs Throttle Locks: What is "Cruise control" on a motorcycle? It's simple to adjust with your finger. You can adjust the throttle lock even when you're cruising at 70 miles per hour. Before the naysayers: Why even think about cruise control on a motorcycle? Throttle assists are easy to use as you can engage and disengage them with your thumb. Installing the switchgear unit on the handlebars. This isnt a cheap option (dont confuse this with TuneECU, another hacky engine reprogrammer) and still costs hundreds of dollars (generally between 4-600 Australian dollars, or roughly 3-500 USD). The small lock will fit a handlebar in diameter of inches, while the large one fits a handlebar thats 1 inch in diameter.
So for most motorcycles, Tuneboy is just engine management programming software. Is it possible to add cruise control to a motorcycle? (Check the latest for an idea of what youll see.). But basically, a brake lever rest holds the throttle steady which means when you get to a hill, youll slow down, and on the other side, youll speed up. It does not work well on thinner grips. It works via a lever to hold your throttle in place. Vibration on the handlebars causes it to back off. It doesn't actually lock your throttle. I currently have it on a BMW R nineT and previously used it on my Honda CBR600F4i. Decisions! Remember, the main reason you buy a throttle lock is to enhance your comfort. It uses a friction nut to hold your throttle in place and replaces your bar-end weight. This is harder, as its rarely an option on its own you either get it in a deluxe pack with a bunch of other things, or you dont get it at all. If you like what you read here, and youre a fraction as obsessed as I am, you might like to know when Ive published more. And what are the most cost effective or best options, and everything in between? Unfortunately, if you have a motorcycle that isnt a sport bike, youll probably find that this throttle lock isnt compatible with your handlebars. And the best kind is also always the most expensive! The first thing to do is check whether you have an option for OEM cruise control. To install the lock, follow the mounting instructions, and it should be completed in 15 minutes. The main brands are Omni-Cruise and Go Cruise. You need to.
Check the User Guide PDF to find your bike and determine which is appropriate for your handlebar setup. The BrakeAway throttle lock is button activated and de-activated, and has a clever mechanism so that tapping on the brake lever deactivates it instantly. A: Its important that you read the manufacturers description. Its a simple bolt-on lock that comes with clear directions. For this reason, I prefer the more advanced (but similarly priced) Atlas throttle lock, below, electronic cruise, or even a humble brake lever rest (which also requires re-training, but is easy to install and remove). This is true of the original brands as well as the knock-offs that have permeated the market. So with that in mind, a throttle lock can give you most of the benefits of motorcycle cruise control on a motorcycle at a fraction of the cost. Routing the wiring between the switchgear, the computer, the ECU and any other mechanisms you have to install. It only works for some Honda models. But since its just for cruisers, and I dont currently have one, and since the Atlas Throttle Lock works for so many more bikes, thats my preference. This article contains links to Amazon and eBay for which I get a commission for things I recommend, but I only recommend the best things. The company makes throttle locks and throttle stabilizers and won an award in 2009 for its throttle lock. It eases tension on your wrist and helps relieve hand and wrist fatigue. The internal components are made of stainless steel. Its possible that a quality product comes despite a bad website, but its additionally risky considering the sticker price of Tuneboy software. It takes someone a few hours if theyve done it before, but it took me around 8 hours, sitting on the floor of my garage with my bike on a kickstand (more on that coming later). All about the Honda CBR500R Hondas pocket sport bike. The fact that its made out of aluminum alloy means that its resistant to corrosion and rust. A lot of motorcycle riders will say Cruise control? Krator Motorcycle Cruise Control Throttle Assist, 2Wheel Ride Go Cruise Black 7/8" Motorcycle Throttle Assist. Its kind of expensive. Usually, adding in OEM cruise control is in the $200-400 range (USD). Even if you dont tighten the screw enough (or if it comes loose over time), its easy to re-tighten the screw later even with motorcycle gloves on. It works really well, with users really liking it. Read More Honda CBR600F4i Buyers Guide An Ode to the Best Classic CBRContinue. Because of the complexity of installing an MCCruise unit, many owners opt to get a mechanic to install it and they usually get the job done within 3-4 hours, even if its their first time. The pricing is similar. A: When you use a throttle lock, you don't have to squeeze the grips to increase, decrease, or maintain speed. You may also find some tutorials online. Functionally, cruise control and throttle locks have similar purposes, but theyre not the same. The black color means this lock will blend in and not take away from the look and style of your bike. When the throttle is locked in place, your hand can rest as you only need to control it every now and then. You can quickly perform these two processes with your thumb. But there are inevitably boring bits of highway in between the fun bits. This is good news if you suffer from hearing difficulty/pain. The screws tend to get loose from the vibration of riding, so check them every so often. But if youre hesitant about whether its worth the cost and time bear in mind that a) people LOVE MCCruise, b) the company is still a small business and youll get that high-touch customer support, and c) just read this story of how they were founded, all their ups and downs, and their emphasis on quality and safety and you just might be convinced. Most of the aftermarket cruise control options in the list below are actually throttle locks. You always have to keep your right hand on the throttle because removing it will decrease your response time in case of an incident. Youll also love how easy this throttle lock is to install. However, it is worth noting that these motorcycle throttle locks take up grip space and can make handlebars feel a little cramped. It doesnt hold if youre going too slow or too fast. to not fly over a crest at the same speed as over a flat). When you want to disengage cruise control, you simply roll off the throttle manually. The easier the throttle lock is to use, the more you'll enjoy your ride. On a motorcycle, youre usually (hopefully) having more fun. I really like the BrakeAway because of its auto-release mechanism. When it comes to safety, this feature is key because it removes the revving of your throttle in situations when you need to brake. Reviews on the software are that it has bugs (and lets not forget that its Windows only), and reviews on the cruise control are that its great when it works, but sometimes the additional buttons dont work in general, opinion is that it is not as good as that offered by MCCruise. They make a beautiful, well-functioning piece of machinery that is designed to be intuitive to use just like pushing a cruise control button. Read More The Ducati SportClassic (2006-2010) Range A Complete GuideContinue, Your email address will not be published. Luckily, if you buy it from the website, shipping is free. The company only has one motorcycle throttle lock at the momentAtlasbut it is very popular with bikers and biking enthusiasts. The throttle lock rests on the brake lever and holds the throttle open. This isnt for people who are averse to technology! This lock also lacks style and will look noticeably out of place on your handlebars. A guide to the Ducati SportClassic range the Sport 1000, the Paul Smart 1000 L.E., the GT1000, and the Biposto. I myself prefer simple motorcycles.
This will relieve the pressure on your hand and wrist when on longer rides. You might be tempted to think Wait, is this just an automotive cruise control mechanism adapted to motorcycles? and while that was the case in 1997 when they first started their business, by the year 2000 they were already building their own controllers and computers with a ton of safety mechanisms because the stakes are so much higher with motorcycles.