Steady as she goes
Atlas throttle lock £129.95
THE CLAIM “The Atlas Throttle Lock is the most intuitive cruisecontrol alternative ever built. When engaged, the Atlas holds your throttle in place with friction so that you can relax your grip, shake your hand or adjust your jacket.”
THE REALITY This isn’t a cruisecontrol device; it’s a mechanical throttle lock. The difference is it holds the throttle open at a set position, rather than maintaining the bike’s road speed.
It’s well made (laser-cut stainless steel), easy to fit (10 minutes, clamps on throttle-grip tube) and works on a push-button operation — one button to set, one to disengage though you can still move the throttle grip at any time. There are top and bottom-fit examples for different bikes, depending on the tank clearance
On a flat or flat-ish road, it’s great. Set the throttle, activate the Atlas and the bike maintains the same speed, give or take. It will inevitably slow down going up hills or speed up going down, as you’re maintaining throttle opening but a nudge in either direction sorts it.
It takes quite a bit of the strain out of long-distance cruising on motorways or dual carriageways, so you can relax your right hand and is a decent upgrade. You just need to remember to roll-off when you brake — it won’t automatically disengage when you grab a handful like cruise control does. Be aware, on a bike without ABS it would be quite easy to lock the front in an emergency.