How to throttle Parkinson’s Disease
Like, I imagine,a good number of Old Bike Australasiareaders I’m getting on a bit, and on
reaching the biblical ‘three score and ten years’ I discovered that I had developed a mild case of
Parkinson’s Disease. In fact it was when riding a motorcycle that I first noticed symptoms, as my right
arm and shoulder would freeze-up and ache from holding a steady throttle open which made any
long distance riding a real pain.
When, as required, I reported my medical condition to the State licensing authority they approved
that I could continue to ride motorcycles, but curiously they ruled that I could not drive a car fitted with
manual transmission. I appealed this decision and it was overturned, but only after I had looked up
motorcycles with automatic transmission on the web in case the licensing authority decided to extend
the manual transmission ban to bikes. Having settled the legalities, the critical decision now was
whether I should continue owning and riding motorcycles as it was no longer the enjoyable experience
it once was. When checking the web for automatic bikes I came across cruise controls and throttle locks
for motorcycles. What’s the difference between a cruise control and a throttle lock? Just like in a car,
cruise control is electronic and maintains steady road speed through the engine management system,
while a throttle lock is a purely mechanical device that sets the throttle grip in a fixed position so there
will be some variation in road speed whether going up or down hill, but speed is fixed when on the
level. The other main difference is price, with an electronic cruise control for my touring bike costing in
excess of AUD $1,000, while the throttle lock that I bought cost me less than AUD $100.
The rest of this story is best told by quoting from an exchange of emails between myself and the
manufacturer of the throttle lock:
“I recently bought an Omni-Cruise throttle lock and used it for the first time today. I am 71 years old
and have ridden motorcycles since I was 18. I have a mild case of Parkinson’s disease which affects
the use of my right arm and this makes holding the throttle open for long periods difficult and quite
painful. In fact I was thinking that I might have to give up motorcycling all together because of this
condition. But today’s ride changed all that – the Omni-Cruise worked perfectly, and I could have
ridden the bike all day. So thanks for the quality product that is the throttle lock, I am enjoying riding
bikes again because of it.”
The next morning I received the following reply from the throttle lock manufacturer in the US:
”Hello Rob, Thank you so much for the email! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear such
great feedback and know that something I did and made can help someone keep a passion they
have had for over 50 years alive and part of their life.”
Enough said. It did however prompt me to ask if Old Bike Australasiahas ever ran an article on the
use of cruise-controls and throttle locks for motorcycles? If not, there could well be a number of
mature-aged OBAreaders that would be interested in reading.Rob Carmichael
VictoriaBLOW YOUR OWN
12 :OLD BIKE AUSTRALASIADraggin Jeans
Best LetterFor more information contact: [email protected]cusp of becoming a world star until cruelly and
ironically taken in an airline crash. Geoff’s Amaroo
overtaking move lives in my memory alongside Pat
Hennen’s pass of Ron Toombs at Oran Park’s flip-flop
in a Pan Pacific race and Gregg’s move on Warren
Willing at Energol to win a big scrap at Oran that also
involved another Kiwi ace, John Woodley.Chris Sim
Kogarah, NSWAlthough Geoff Perry is synonymous with Suzuki,
his early results were achieved on a TSS Bultaco,
as the photo above shows from 1968. - EdOff the beaten track
I took this photo(right, main)in 1975 of a
country store somewhere in south west Queensland;
a town that time forgot in the good old days that
we long for now. Note the rain water trough for
thirsty horses, the pump bowser for thirsty iron
horses, and a loaded 30-30 Winchester at ready for
anything. I am an old time biker, still building bikes
and riding them, and a collector of Old Bike
magazine, I have every one from number one to
present. Ride safe. Ride British.Gus Dubokovitch
Broken Hill, NSWBill’s Bantam and Vespas
Mentions of his racing exploits and Bantam in previ-
ous issues of OBA have brought memories of my first
meeting with Bill Morris. In 1961 I purchased a 1951
Vespa for cheap transport, as my daily commute
included Bulli Pass this was less than ideal, when I