Cruise Control

[Doofus]

I'm not a biker, and haven't ridden a bike in thirty years.

How does cruise control work? If you have to keep your hands on the bars, then you have to keep your hand on the throttle. Surely if you move your hand, you'll disengage the cruise control?

[moto_traxport]

Click a button (usually on left hand switchgear) and then bike holds that speed until you hit the brake or twist the throttle big time to override it - exactly same as most car systems. You can twiddle a button to add or take away some speed.

My bike’s ancient and therefore hasn’t got it but test riding the latest stuff with it and I want this aspect of a new bike. It takes all the tension out of your arm, shoulder & neck on boring roads.

In cars, due to the horrendous 100k p.a. life I lead I’m on cruise 90% of the time so I’m fairly sold on them. Dumb systems without interference from front safety radar are the best.

[R1 Dave]

My latest bike has it. I didn't think I'd use it but in actual fact I use it on almost every ride. It's excellent for sticking to speed limits and resting your wrist. Speed can be controlled from the left switchgear.

[Reg Local]

Once you’ve engaged cruise, you effectively rest your hand on a closed throttle, while cruise maintains the chosen speed. You can increase/decrease speed with a switch on the left handlebar and you can disengage cruise by using either the front or rear brake, or rolling the throttle forward past a noticable detent beyond its closed position.

You can accelerate above cruise speed, and then roll off and the bike will then drop back to your chosen speed.

A couple of new bikes (Ducati Multistrada V4 and the new 1250RT) have radar cruise, but I haven’t tried either yet.

[Doofus]

Reg Local said:

Once you’ve engaged cruise, you effectively rest your hand on a closed throttle, while cruise maintains the chosen speed. You can increase/decrease speed with a switch on the left handlebar and you can disengage cruise by using either the front or rear brake, or rolling the throttle forward past a noticable detent beyond its closed position.

You can accelerate above cruise speed, and then roll off and the bike will then drop back to your chosen speed.

A couple of new bikes (Ducati Multistrada V4 and the new 1250RT) have radar cruise, but I haven’t tried either yet.

Lovely, thank you.

[Birky_41]

As all said about and for me it's a game changer. I use mine ever time I ride. Average cameras mainly due to without me realising me speed creeps up without out

I often have car drivers surprised when they talk about what their sports car has and I explain bikes have a lot of that now too

Cornering abs multi stage
Wheelie control multi stage
Launch control multi stage
Traction control typically 8+ stages
Rear wheel lift control
Semi active electronic suspension
Cruise control
No doubt more I can't think of right now

[jjones]

I have had "throttle lock" cruise control in the past, it was pretty naff, would love electronic cruise control. When on longer rides the ability to let go of the right hand bar/wrest your wrist would be great.

[Drawweight]

I’ve just got a bike with cruise control and I use it quite a bit.

I don’t flick it on at every opportunity in the same way that I tend to do with the car but on a long stretch or motorway I’ll put it on if only to take my hand off the bars and give it a shake about.

It’s not an option that would make or break a choice of bike but it’s handy to have.

[wa16]

just recently it has been nice to lean forward with my wrists on the bars and then get the full benefit of the aerated palms

i does get annoying when using it and those around don't, the number of times on a long Mway journey and you'll pass the same car several times, then they pass you and speed off then you catch them up again