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[Low On Cash]

Hey Guys - thought I would share this “After-Market” cruise control for your Zero.  While this is nothing earth shattering, this little device called “Go Cruise” will give you a "Poor Mans" cruise control for around $30 that will make riding your Zero that much more enjoyable. This great piece is inexpensive, installs in just a few minutes and works exactly as intended.

The “Go Cruise” Speed Control - While simple in design, this speed control will quickly become your best friend the first few times you use it. I’m sure a lot of you get the old numb hand and cramps after squeezing that throttle after an hour or so. With Go Cruise installed on your bike, you’ll find yourself using it not only for expressway driving, but on rural roads as well. Even on windy back roads, I find myself engaging the cruise to relax my hand for a few minutes.

Increase your Zero’s Range -You’ll be surprised just how much your speed varies even though it feels like its steady. As you guys already know, constantly changing speed requires us to accelerate again which uses battery. On Interstates, I use it religiously to both maintain a constant speed and help me relax or warm my throttle hand every now and then. Even if the terrain is hilly, you can find a speed that will average out, even though it will slow and speed up on the inclines.



How it Works - As I mentioned, the Go Cruise is a super simple design that works flawlessly. The way it works is; a friction wheel allows the Go Cruise to lightly clamp on the throttles rubber grip to where it will put enough pressure to hold the throttle, but yet not enough pressure that you can't quickly release it when needed. To engage it, you simply push on the little dimple with your thumb at the upper section which allows the Go Cruise is lay on your brake lever. That’s it, let off the throttle and relax - the throttle will remain at that position until you manually lower it again then remains off until you set it.







Cheap Fun - The Go-Cruise deluxe which is one shown sells for around $32.00 and is available most anywhere. A google search shows them at most bike outlets as well as Amazon and Ebay. The Go-Cruise is made of aluminum with an anodized finish. The whole piece is high-quality construction and should last a life time. Another nice feature is you can take it from bike to bike by only loosing the thumb wheel, slide it over the throttle grip then quickly re-adjusting it for the next bike. The cruise also comes with a smooth rubber sleeve that you can snap over your grip if its not a even surface. The Go cruise will fit even the super large hand grips as well. In any case, I assure you the Go-Cruise will be the best thirty bucks you can spend on your Zero.

Regards- Mike

[Shadow]

Should we have a product-review category? There's even some reviews I've posted that I'm not sure about.

[pacificcricket]

I wish Zero actually implemented cruise control in software. Kind of like press and hold "mode" button, and it uses the current speed for cruising.

Meanwhile I have my custom mode set at 60MPH max, and use it for longer highway trips. Again, it would be useful if the max speed could be set to a lower setting, as most highways in Oregon are 55MPH.

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

I do recommend using a throttle lock on a Zero for extended highway travel.

However, I did not find the Go Cruise suitable for a Zero, because it limits the space for your hand to rest and operate, and recommend the Atlas Throttle Lock instead, as summarized on the wiki:

http://zeromanual.com/index.php/Common_Modifications#Throttle_Lock

I'm riding daily with the Atlas.

Software-based cruise control would be preferable, because any throttle lock on an electric bike is dangerous if you lose traction. You should avoid using a throttle lock when traction is at risk or you need reaction time.

However, a throttle lock is better than speed-based cruise control on an electric motorcycle, because it is extremely good at managing your power consumption rate no matter what happens to headwinds. The bike speeds up and slows down to maintain the set current/torque output.

[anton]

However, a throttle lock is better than speed-based cruise control on an electric motorcycle, because it is extremely good at managing your power consumption rate no matter what happens to headwinds. The bike speeds up and slows down to maintain the set current/torque output.

By the same margin, cruise control on electric motorcycle doesn't have to be speed-based. Implementing current/torque-based one might be actually easier to do. Probably not happening until proper traction control is a thing on Zero due to reasons you mentioned above.

[MrDude_1]

while ideally it would be software based, theres nothing stopping someone from plugging in a little microcontroller between the throttle and the bike and making a cruise control there.. like of like how a Cycle Analyst V3 does it...

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

However, a throttle lock is better than speed-based cruise control on an electric motorcycle, because it is extremely good at managing your power consumption rate no matter what happens to headwinds. The bike speeds up and slows down to maintain the set current/torque output.

By the same margin, cruise control on electric motorcycle doesn't have to be speed-based. Implementing current/torque-based one might be actually easier to do. Probably not happening until proper traction control is a thing on Zero due to reasons you mentioned above.

Yes, I suppose they would go together more or less, just for safety's sake.

[Low On Cash]

 It would seem that a true speed control could easily be implemented in Zero's processor.  I've been using the Go-Cruise on every bike I own and after you use it for a few weeks, it become natural to engage it without even thinking about it. What I like about it is the natural motion of lowing the throttle disengages it.

For the guys using the throttle lock now on their Zero how is it disengaged with the brakes or low throttle?

Thanks

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

The Atlas releases completely with a down flick of the button (see the website video) but it's just a friction lock so lowering the throttle does get out out of it.

My only warning is that the second or so of time needed to do this can be endangering in a loss of traction or when you don't have a generous stopping distance or swerve space.

[Low On Cash]

Thanks for the reply's - what I like about the Go Cruise is you just lower the throttle like you would normally so there is no delay or reaction needed if you need to lower the throttle quickly.

[togo]

I found a device very much like this one works great on my Honda NM4, but on my 2014 Zero SR, I had two issues.

(1) The throttle is not as long, and my hands are big

(2) It seemed to interfere with the actual operation of the throttle. 

Low On Cash, what year and model Zero do you have?

By the way, the wonderful thing about this kind of throttle control is that if anything goes wrong, you can tear it off quick.  That does not apply to *installed* throttle controls or software solutions.