Gregory Bender

Cruise control

Moto Guzzi V700, V7 Special, Ambassador, 850 GT, 850 GT California, Eldorado, and 850 California Police models

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I've wanted some type of cruise control or throttle lock for some time, but I wasn't sure what to use that would work. I tried using the Throttle Rocker (see review on this page), but it turned out to be worthless. My Dad uses a twist-assist (the kind that stick into the end of the handlebar), but that wouldn't work with my bar-end mirrors. I finally decided to go with the Sound Off Safety (SOS) Vanda-Cruise and ordered one from a generic motorcycle parts house online.

SOS stopped making the Vanda-Cruise years ago. The replacement is called the Vista-Cruise and is made of plastic instead of chromed metal. You'll probably have a hard time finding a Vanda-Cruise (the parts house I purchase mine from sold me their last...and the package had plenty of shelf wear).

The Vanda-Cruise came in three models: B (3 12 inch arm), HKY (2 34 inch arm), and ST (2 12 inch arm). The model I got was the ST and was supposed to be for Suzuki, Triumph, and pre-79 Moto Guzzi motorcycles.

Unfortunately, my 1971 Moto Guzzi Ambassador did not fall within the pre-79 Moto Guzzi category as defined by SOS. What I really needed was the model B with the 3 12 inch arm (neither the 2 34 inch nor the 2 12 inch arms are long enough to clear the throttle and clutch lever). But, since it was unlikely that I would be able to find a B model, I decided to make my ST model work. Here is what I did:

That's it! All it took was a quick trip to the hardware store and about 30 minutes of install time.

Gregory Bender's thoughts:

I removed the Vanda-Cruise entirely. In the end, I found it a little too cumbersome for my taste. Instead, I'm using the spring-loaded throttle adjustment screw that Guzzi built in from the beginning. I'm able to set it just tight enough to keep the throttle from closing...and just loose enough to allow me to operate it conveniently. I'm happy with this set up and don't think I'll ever change.