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Opinions on Throttlemeisters?


1BillyClyde

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Lately my dear bride has been asking me what I want for Christmas and yesterday I was looking at the web site for Throttlemeister. I'm curious as to your experience with this product...reliability, durability, time required to install on a bike with heated grips, and any other items you deem significant. I ride the Interstates and major highways occasionally and like most folks, my wrist gets tired after 4-5 hours.

 

One of my concerns is safety. Have you had a problem disengaging the Throttlemeister?

 

Thanks,

Steve Sellers

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Lately my dear bride has been asking me what I want for Christmas and yesterday I was looking at the web site for Throttlemeister. I'm curious as to your experience with this product...reliability, durability, time required to install on a bike with heated grips, and any other items you deem significant. I ride the Interstates and major highways occasionally and like most folks, my wrist gets tired after 4-5 hours.

 

One of my concerns is safety. Have you had a problem disengaging the Throttlemeister?

 

Thanks,

Steve Sellers

 

 

Steve, up until my latest BMW that has factory cruise control I have added a Throttlemeister & been quite happy with the addition.. No problem with disengagement as you can always just close the throttle manually even when the Throttlemeister engaged.. The Throttlemeister is also a reverse screw type affair so turns in the OFF direction as you close the throttle if you also have your hand on the Throttlemeister..

 

Keep in mind that Throttlemeister is not a substitute for cruise control as it will only hold the throttle in the set position so won’t accel going up hill or decel going down hill so if you are in with other vehicles you will always be playing with it’s setting..

 

I never used the Throttlemeister for a steady speed cruise control but it makes a nice thing to set with slight drag so it makes holding the throttle easier.. It is also good to set to remove your hand to mess with your helmet or rest your hand..

 

If you get a Throttlemeister get the heavy model as I found that also removed some of the handle bar vibration at hiway speeds..

 

I personally liked the wrist wrest better for making hiway long distance travel more relaxing as it allows full throttle control with a very relaxed right hand..

 

Twisty

 

 

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Reliability, durability, ease of installation, safety......these have been non-issues in my experience. The product works precisely as advertised. I do like the heavy ones as well.

 

I have found, however, that I really don't use it very much as a pure throttle lock. It doesn't lend itself to extended use due to changes in wind, elevation, etc., and can leave you going much too fast/slow as your environment changes. As Twisty noted, I do use it partially engaged to allow even the weight of my hand to hold the throttle steady, or fully engaged to make necessary adjustments to 'various equipment.'

 

It is also handy for me on long interstate trips, where I tend to tighten my grip unnecessarily when I'm not paying attention. I can easily relax yet still keep a steady throttle when the TM provides a little extra drag. (My mind tends to wander on long, boring rides and it's a struggle sometimes to pay attention to what my body is doing.)

 

I wouldn't be without a TM, but if in doubt, I suggest you try a 'wrist-rest' type device and see if that does it for you (a much less expensive experiment). I have always steered away from it because it seems like it would just be in the way for me (hence the appeal of the TM), but I have never used one.

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My R1100RT came with a thumb screw just to the left of and on top of the throttle grip. Creates drag on throttle same as TM but not quite as handy to set and releaase. Was this an option on RT's? Never seen another one with it.

 

Rob

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My R1100RT came with a thumb screw just to the left of and on top of the throttle grip. Creates drag on throttle same as TM but not quite as handy to set and releaase. Was this an option on RT's? Never seen another one with it.

 

Rob

 

 

Rob, somewhere (posted on the internet) there is detailed procedure for where to drill & tap the throttle housing & what type of screw to use..

 

At one time when I still had my 1100 I looked into that procedure but kind of decided against it due to possibility of throttle jamming or sticking as the screw kind of digs into the inner throttle cam when set..

 

Twisty

 

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I use the Throttlemeister on my '95 R1100RS and it's been great. It's not as nice as my electronic cruise control which I have on my '06 RT but it also didn't break down and strand my bike at the dealer for six weeks waiting for a part like the electronic cruse control did on my 06' RT.

 

Great product, easy to install with heated grips and works fine. I also purchased the SS bar end for the left hand throttle grip to match with the right hand side. Looks very clean and better than the black bar ends that came with the bike.

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I have the Heavy on my 1150RT. Easy to install and aethesticlly pleasing. Its funcitional but I like the throttle lock I have on my Honda that is much easier to engage and disenagage than a TM since you can flip it on and off with your thumb while you hold the throttle steady with your hand whereas the TM requires twisting it with the outside of your hand as you hold the throttle steady....very awkward compared to other design.

If i had to do it over again I would not have bought the TM...although I am not sure if the other type is applicable to the RT.

Its similar to the Vista Cruise below, (had it since '96 when it was $10)

http://www.aerostich.com/product.php?productid=17006&gclid=CI-oqaKjmZcCFQw9GgodrzuFmQ

Good Luck!

 

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Had the TM Heavy on mine for 6 years now....works great, no problems, use it all the time on TX slab and it definitely reduced vibes in the handlebars :thumbsup:!

 

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I had the Vista on both of my Connies. A lot easier to use than the TM. However, I am not sure that it would fit my RT and since mine came with a TM, I haven't tried the Vista. Has anyone?

 

 

Had the TM Heavy on mine for 6 years now....works great, no problems, use it all the time on TX slab and it definitely reduced vibes in the handlebars :thumbsup:!

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I got one for a gift. I have not used it much in the five years that I've had it on my bike. I feel it's not the easiest thing to engage, but it does what it's intended to do. One thing you need to remember is when you install it, make sure your heated grips are on high to get the right adjustment.

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Reliable, well made, and easy to install, but only marginally effective IMO. Good for giving your throttle hand a rest every once in a while, and that in itself is valuable, but a throttle lock device won't hold a set speed worth a darn unless you are on perfectly flat ground. I really didn't end up using mine very much. A real cruise control actually costs less than a Throttlemeister but works night-and-day better. Installation is much more complex of course but if you want a real cruise control it's the only way to go. If you are looking for just the occasional throttle-hand break every once in a while however then a throttle lock will function adequately for that. Depends on what you are really looking for.

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Reliable, well made, and easy to install, but only marginally effective IMO. Good for giving your throttle hand a rest every once in a while, and that in itself is valuable, but a throttle lock device won't hold a set speed worth a darn unless you are on perfectly flat ground. I really didn't end up using mine very much. A real cruise control actually costs less than a Throttlemeister but works night-and-day better. Installation is much more complex of course but if you want a real cruise control it's the only way to go. If you are looking for just the occasional throttle-hand break every once in a while however then a throttle lock will function adequately for that. Depends on what you are really looking for.

 

If you want cruise, follow the link in Smiller's post. If you want a simple throttle lock, get a large O-Ring and roll it onto the grip. Lodged in the gap between the grip and bar end-weight the drag works as a great throttle lock, roll it onto the grip to release. The ideal solution for the average cheap BMW rider :thumbsup:

 

Andy

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Reliable, well made, and easy to install, but only marginally effective IMO. Good for giving your throttle hand a rest every once in a while, and that in itself is valuable, but a throttle lock device won't hold a set speed worth a darn unless you are on perfectly flat ground. I really didn't end up using mine very much. A real cruise control actually costs less than a Throttlemeister but works night-and-day better. Installation is much more complex of course but if you want a real cruise control it's the only way to go. If you are looking for just the occasional throttle-hand break every once in a while however then a throttle lock will function adequately for that. Depends on what you are really looking for.

 

Exactly my experience. I've had it for years and no longer use it much at all other than to give my hand a rest once in a while. Does not hold speed unless there is no wind and flat ground. For the money, I think there are many better additions to the bike. I'd pass on it.

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I've had both the Throttlemeister and the Kaoko one.

 

Overall I like the Kaoko on better because its larger knurls are easier to use with gloves. But style wise it probably fits better with the GS bikes than the RT,GT, etc.

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Trade in or sell your current ride for the new hexhead RT/GT. :grin: Factory installed cruise control is my favorite accessory on the bike.

Ya, why spend $89 when you can spend $12,000?

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The best thing about a Throttlemeister is the brushed chrome bar-ends. Very nice. Other than that, I almost never fully engage it. I use it partially engaged on longer rides just to dampen the spring-back of the throttle.

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I have them fitted, they look cool. As the shifting technique required for smooth, jerk free shifting seems to be, preload the shifter, quick partial pull on the clutch lever and quick roll off the throttle and back on ASAP, I find ANY binding of the throttle to be a total pain in the butt.

 

If you now add in molded ear buds where I can't hear the engine to gauge when I should shift (it seems I use my ears more than I realized), shifting with ear buds and throttlemeister engaged appears more like jerking my way through the gearbox.

 

Hence, I use no throttlemeister until I'm on a Freeway and I'm back to foam ear plugs. It's a jerk free zone (other than the rider).

 

Linz

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My 1999 R1100 RT came with a Throttlemeister. I had a Vista-Cruise on my old Honda Pacific Coast. The VC was more convenient to use. That said, the Throttlemeister is a nice piece of work, very attractive. They now offer a "textured" finish option; one of the problems I have had with mine is that it's not easy to grip in the rain. My solution was to tape some rubber friction tape around the TM; the black and silver milled finish probably avoids this problem. As others have said, a true cruise control (e.g., Audiovox) is probably more effective.

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My R11RT came with a Bob's Wrist Rest (operates somewhat like a TM). I put a Vista Cruise on as it is tons easier to use. A simple flip of the thumb lever rather than trying to twist the end of the grip. In the end I installed an Audiovox that works great, but I find I still use the Vista more, just to hold the throttle for a second to set GPS or push a radio button. It's just too easy.

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I use it mainly as an 'in-between' fast idle for my '04RT. The only time it gets extended use is for really long trips when my hand needs a rest. In that fashion it allows me to lessen my grip on the throttle to get some relief.

It does everything as advertised. Simple to install, use and adds functionality by adding more weight to the bars, reducing vibration a bit. And looks great too.

 

RPG

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