Are Motorcycle Throttle Locks The Same As Cruise Control?

Driving a motorcycle is very different from driving a car by nature of the two distinct designs. This is not just because of the discrepancy in wheel count, passenger capacity, and roofs (though some motorcycles have had those, too) but also in the way we control them.

While a motorcycle's throttle grip and a car's accelerator pedal ultimately perform similar tasks (make the vehicle go faster or less fast), pushing a pedal with a foot and twisting a grip with a hand are definitely different. Put simply, throttle twisting usually manifests physical pain at a faster rate than pedal pressing.

Fortunately, cruise control is a thing, but what if your bike didn't come with such a feature? Well, there are ways you can address that, which we'll get into, but something like a throttle lock can also be a tempting alternative. Though in reality it's not exactly a perfect substitute.

The function of a motorcycle throttle lock — sometimes referred to as a throttle brake — is to lock the throttle into place. In practice you're basically just getting the bike up to speed and then using a thumb to rotate the lock. Then you can coast along without having to manually keep the throttle twisted. The idea is to give your hand and wrist a rest during long stretches of driving, without the need to actually stop.

There's a wide variety of throttle locks on the market across a number of retailers, from Amazon and Walmart to specialty shops like CycleGear and RevZilla. Pricing varies (anywhere from around $20 to close to $200), and installation is generally a simple matter of using a screwdriver to fasten it over the throttle grip. Of course the complexity of the installation and effectiveness (and safety) can vary depending on the model, so be sure to do some research before settling on any particular one.

Unlike true cruise control, a throttle lock only does what the name implies: Lock the throttle. It does not increase or decrease your speed when going up or down hills. If you want to use proper, fully-featured cruise control on your motorcycle you're going to need to either have a cruise control system installed (you can do this yourself or pay a mechanic), or buy a bike that already comes with it. In general it's not a super expensive addition, but the parts can cost a few hundred dollars (depending on the model) while labor rates can vary but expect a bill for around two to four hours from a professional garage.