are throttle locks safe for new riders? I have been riding on and off for a couple of years in town with a '83 magna. I just bought a '01 vfr and im finding myself going on longer rides up in the mountains. at first my right hand was going numb after about 15 min. I worked on my posture and my death grip and its getting better, but still going numb after 30 min. or so. I was thinking of putting on a throttle lock put im not sure if its safe for me or should i wait untill i have a few more years on two wheels.
For most riders, a throttle lock should be easy to use. However they are only worth fitting on a motorbike if you intend doing lots of high speed runs on clear/free flowing roads/motorways. A few tips. Think carefully about the traffic conditions before deciding to use it. They may extend your braking time so basically never use them on regular local streets - I only use them on empty motorways. Mechanical throttle locks like the Vista Cruise don't actually lock the throttle position, perhaps the most critical task is to set it up correctly so that the lock applies enough resistance to counteract the throttle spring. That way in a panic braking situation even if the cruise is still turned on, you can still manually back off the throttle, and stop normally. Remember mechanical throttle locks will only maintain a constant speed on level ground, with speed falling on climbs and rising on descents so don't forget to watch your speed! Getting the set up adjusted right, requires patience and perservence. Once you have the unit installed, check you can set it on or off with the bars turned to any position lock to lock, before firing up the bike. Then find a stretch of empty highway to test it out. If you need to adjust the tension or mounting position find a safe stopping place (never try to adjust it whilst riding), then adjust slightly, and test again and again until the throttle stays where you want it and you can easily operate the throttle lock on and off instinctively without needing to look. Personally fitting a vista cruise to my VFR provided a great solution to throttle grip pain on long hauls across Europe. However there are many different makes of throttlelock out their with widely varying price. Vista is probably the cheapest option, but you may want to research other mechanical systems like the throttlemeister, and if money is no object, people even fit full spec electronic units Motorcycle Cruise Controls - ATV, 4 Wheelers and Quad Bike Accessory & Parts which are normally only fitted to bikes like the GoldWing. If you are thinking of fitting a Vista throttle lock then you may be interested in some links. This one explains the basics 2002 - 2009 Honda VFR 800 Interceptor Modification Page and this link explains how you can invert the installation for a more discrete installation - Invisible Vista - Its how I decided to fit a Vista throttle lock on my VFR and its been brilliant. Good luck and let us know how you get on. Skimad4x4 6th Gen Militia #218 - European 1st Division.
+1 I think skimad4x4 cover most of the important issue, Vista cruise or NEP throttle lock is the cheap and affective solution
I've been using one of these for a few months, works great, user friendly: Go Cruise Throttle Lock Throttle Assist | eBay
What you don't want is a "lock" or IMO, one of those cruise controls. See the info in the archives here for tons of discussion.
I have one of the generic vista cruise style (I couldn't afford the brand name). Actually someone gave it to me. It works ok, but the reason I got it free is it cut the guys thumb who had it. I always wear gloves when I ride so the little nut sticking out on it doesn't affect me. I also have a throttle rocker. It works well also, but with both of them, there is a little bit of learning curve beacause it's easy to forgot it's locked for a second. I only use it if I'm out on an open road. With the throttle rocker, I accidentally bumped it more than once and caused a surge. Once you are used to them, it's all gravy, though. I also have an actual cruise control, but I never took the time to install it.
Reg is a cheap bastard............:rofl: Back to the top pic Just give it a try you will like it.......It is a $20 well spend
The best throttle lock I know of and used is the throttle meister, they are a bit pricy but probably the best out there, the other ones I've seen are a bit chinsy.
