Free Cruise Contro!! You guys won't believe this!!
 

Here is the free cruise control! And it works surprisingly well. The problem with a throttle lock is it dosEn't release the throttle quickly when you need it to. But this rubber band (may take two) just barely holds the throttle in place. So you can easily cut back the throttle when you need to. Often I just leave the rubber bands on while I am dealing with the throttle and, when back on the open road, take my right hand off the throttle.
Got back yesterday from a motorcycle camping trip to the ocean on the Georgia coast. Four days, 900 miles. Great trip, but I don't want to do it again any time soon. Would have been better to bike down and stay in a motel.
I'll put up another post on that trip.
Chris
http://www.postimage.org/Pq1rNSdS.jpg

Re: Free Cruise Contro!! You guys won't believe this!!
 

Chris, you may not have seen it but Easy's O-ring, while not perhaps free, certainly cheap, is both functionally and esthetically superior to your office supply based approach. Check out his mods under mods.

Re: Free Cruise Contro!! You guys won't believe this!!
 

Hi, Alan,
You've got a problem with my rubber bands??? OK, perhaps a bit redneck. I just used what I had and it works well.
You mentioned age: how long in the tooth are you? I just got on Social Security, but the bike dosen't seem to know it.

Chris, retired guy in Atlanta

Re: Free Cruise Contro!! You guys won't believe this!!
 

Alan, Chris's solution isn't without its advantages. For instance, its easier to disengage in an emergency that Easy's (or so I would imagine). It would also be easier to engage while riding since you can reach over with your left hand to engage it.

Chris, I bet some black rubber bands would be more aesthetically pleasing. ;)

Re: Free Cruise Contro!! You guys won't believe this!!
 

This is the one I have on my GZ. It isn't free (or cheap) but it works really well .

Cruise Control

:chop:

Re: Free Cruise Contro!! You guys won't believe this!!
 

Sorry guys, but I think Easy's is easier to work as well. But I've I got no problem with rubber bands. I'd say that is the big advantage of yours Chris - I have lots of rubber bands around the house and probably no spare O rings.

One of my best bicycle "mods" was a rubber band/mini binder clip GPS system. Just stick your little printed route sheet in there and you are good to go. A 100% office supply based innovation. Go Staples!

Chris, I guess I am a youngster compared to you (just 50.) But I aspire to do the kinds of rides you are knocking out. I bought the bike to work my way up to touring, so I'd have a good excuse to get out of the house for indefinite periods of time when I retired. Last time a did a little camping was a couple of years ago in Yosemite with the oldest who is quite "outdoorsy." I enjoyed most of it but the sleeping part. I basically need something that closely resembles a bed, preferably one with a high end mattress. Probably can't fit that on the back of the GZ, even with that plywood luggage rack I seen.

Re: Free Cruise Contro!! You guys won't believe this!!
 

If you go with the Rubber band method, remember to change them out once in a while. Rubber bands start to get brittle after a while and break. You wouldn't want them breaking while you were driving. It probably wouldn't cause a crash, but might make you soil your shorts.

Re: Free Cruise Contro!! You guys won't believe this!!
 

No need to work up to touring. You can tour on a GZ250.

Re: Free Cruise Contro!! You guys won't believe this!!
 

why couldnt u tour? people always go north america to south america on 250 enduros.

Re: Free Cruise Contro!! You guys won't believe this!!
 

Well, let's just play-like for a minute that I did NOT post the O-ring idea.......as in, I am not trying to defend it, necessarily, OK ??

I see two things potentially wrong with the rubber band.

It looks to be fairly easy to snag your hand in it and dis-engage it.....or worse, put tension on one side or the other and NOT disengage it, causing unexpected throttle movement.

Secondly, for it to work, the throttle must slip inside the bands, so that the only remaining pressure causes the throttle to "bind". If the bands do NOT slip where they go around the throttle but instead stick to it a bit......then it might tend to snap closed .....or worse, move toward the open position when you don't want it to.

AND once again, with the O-ring, one does NOT need to disengage it; you simply move the throttle where you want it and it stays there. If you are coming to a stop or reaching for the front brake in a panic situation, you close the throttle .......and it stays there.
The only time you need to disengage it is when putting around town. It does give shifting a different feel. I is possible to get used to the feel and leave it on all the time.......but that is NOT recommended.