Suicide Knob

garyahouse · Apr 15, 2013

Remember the good old days when we sometimes put suicide knobs on the steering wheel? They were great when you were whipping around corners with manual steering and a manual gearbox.

I mounted them on various cars years ago. Anyway, I was thinking about the prospect of having something to hold onto at those moments out on the slab when I wanted to sit a little more upright and straighten up my back for a little while. As I was riding along recently, I was looking at my handlebars and wishing I had something like a suicide knob sticking up maybe 4 or 5 inches from the handlebar... that I could just grab onto and sit up straight for a moment or two.

So I got thinking... what if I had to hit the brakes? How well could I steer? Would it be in the way, or become dangerous in an accident... you know how your mind gets wondering.

Anyway, recently I was checking out the universal catalogue at RAM mounts here: CLICKY

It's amazing what they have at that webpage.

Has anybody ever put something on the handlebars that you can hold on to when the bike's on cruise and you're miles away from anywhere?

Ready to crash and burn

Gary

darksider #44

Spud · Apr 15, 2013

Just hook a bungie cord to each of your gloves and loop them around the handlebars. Then you can lean back in recline mode when you want and just pull your arms to steer. What could go wrong? It works on a boat, so why not a bike?

Send us pics/vids.....

Ignacio · Apr 15, 2013

garyahouse said:
As I was riding along recently, I was looking at my handlebars and wishing I had something like a suicide knob sticking up maybe 4 or 5 inches from the handlebar... that I could just grab onto and sit up straight for a moment or two.

As much down-farkling as you seem to ponder,,,,,I'm increasingly of the opinion that you should just abandon your FJR and go directly to this and be done with it. Seriously.

Old Guy · Apr 15, 2013

I just let go from time to time on the Goldwing and do what little steering I need with body english. Of course, it's got a bolt upright riding position anyway.

wheatonFJR · Apr 15, 2013

Ignacio said:
garyahouse said:

As I was riding along recently, I was looking at my handlebars and wishing I had something like a suicide knob sticking up maybe 4 or 5 inches from the handlebar... that I could just grab onto and sit up straight for a moment or two.

Click to expand...

As much down-farkling as you seem to ponder,,,,,I'm increasingly of the opinion that you should just abandon your FJR and go directly to this and be done with it. Seriously.

I think that the gleaming red machine in your link would be an upfarkle from an FJR with suicide knob. Or is it the guy riding it that is the suicide knob?

Ignacio · Apr 15, 2013

wheatonFJR said:
Ignacio said:

garyahouse said:

As I was riding along recently, I was looking at my handlebars and wishing I had something like a suicide knob sticking up maybe 4 or 5 inches from the handlebar... that I could just grab onto and sit up straight for a moment or two.

Click to expand...

As much down-farkling as you seem to ponder,,,,,I'm increasingly of the opinion that you should just abandon your FJR and go directly to this and be done with it. Seriously.

Click to expand...

I think that the gleaming red machine in your link would be an upfarkle from an FJR with suicide knob. Or is it the guy riding it that is the suicide knob?

You get double points for that one.

Bustanut joker · Apr 15, 2013

Several of us witnessed a witless goob someplace in northern Kali this fall on his Hardly.. He had a chunk of rope going to either side of his tiller and steered with it.

He even made a pass by on a slight curve to show off..

ionbeam · Apr 15, 2013

Creative people always find a way.

However, before you set out to do use the Knob or any other alternative it's always good to read things like this first.

It amazes me the way a camera sucks the IQ right out of people. Cameras seem to suck out IQ quicker and deeper than saying, "Hold my beer and watch this!"

SacramentoMike · Apr 15, 2013

Nice video. Nice brainy driver of the trailing car, to see somebody riding like that and start to tailgate him! Wonder if he can stop as fast as a sliding motorcycle?

Redfish Hunter · Apr 15, 2013

When I installed a throttle lock on my ST, I experimented with resting my right hand in a couple of different spots on the bars. I was 45 minutes into my SS1K, it was 4:45 am, I was all alone on a remote section of I-10. The bike died. 5 seconds later it restarted. About 15 seconds later it died again. WTF? This had never happened before, why now? It was because I had cleverly rested my right hand on top of the Kill Switch.

I have always been proof positive that stupidity is it's own punishment. My turning loose of the bars at 75mph was stupid and I got punished. I will just hold onto the black rubber thingies on each end of the bars that were put there for me to grip.

You must do what makes you happy and comfortable. You called it a suicide knob. I think that is kind of appropriate.

RPrice · Apr 15, 2013

Spud said:
Just hook a bungie cord to each of your gloves and loop them around the handlebars. Then you can lean back in recline mode when you want and just pull your arms to steer. What could go wrong? It works on a boat, so why not a bike?

Send us pics/vids.....

+1!! Send us the pics!

Patriot · Apr 15, 2013

"The bike died. 5 seconds later it restarted. About 15 seconds later it died again. WTF? This had never happened before, "

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=114491

Bustanut joker · Apr 15, 2013

MEM has a picture of the Harley dude

RadioHowie · Apr 15, 2013

Back "my day" we called it a "necker knob" cause you used it for necking with the girl du jour, and chance are, you could barely afford gas, much less a car with power steering

Old Guy · Apr 15, 2013

RadioHowie said:
Back "my day" we called it a "necker knob" cause you used it for necking with the girl du jour, and chance are, you could barely afford gas, much less a car with power settering

They could be brutal. Without power steering, people would turn in one direction and just loosen their grip on the wheel and let it center itself to straighten. It'd spin back with enough force that the knob could hit their hand and it hurt like heck.

RadioHowie · Apr 15, 2013

Old Guy said:
RadioHowie said:

Back "my day" we called it a "necker knob" cause you used it for necking with the girl du jour, and chance are, you could barely afford gas, much less a car with power settering

Click to expand...

They could be brutal. Without power steering, people would turn in one direction and just loosen their grip on the wheel and let it center itself to straighten. It'd spin back with enough force that the knob could hit their hand and it hurt like heck.

Ahhhhhh....a fellow "rememberer".

Bustanut joker · Apr 15, 2013

RadioHowie said:
Back "my day" we called it a "necker knob" cause you used it for necking with the girl du jour, and chance are, you could barely afford gas, much less a car with power settering

So in other words??? Never mind, I don't wanna hear about how it excited you between the cheeks.

RPrice · Apr 17, 2013

"hurt like heck.".................. Oh come on, it ******* hurt like hell, and sometimes (often?) even broke something!!! Lots of injuries to fingers/wrists/arms/joints in the "good old days", before power steering. It was real fun driving 4WD trucks in the mountains of the west, at work, all day w/o power steering. Fighting the vehicle every step of the way. Yeah, I was there, but fortunately just at the end of that era. No lasting problems for me, but many of those older suffer(ed) debilitating injuries.

wheatonFJR · Apr 17, 2013

RPrice said:
...No lasting problems for me, but many of those older suffer(ed) debilitating injuries.

Well that explains some of what I see on the Forum.

Thanks for that.

Suicide Knob

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

newbs need the forum

Well-known member

Intramural Culture Warrior

Well-known member

...

Intramural Culture Warrior

Well-known member

2 FUN

Not Safe For Work

Gone Fishing

Fish Cop (retired)

Isabella is Lazarus

Well-known member

I Miss Beemerdons&#33;

Well-known member

I Miss Beemerdons&#33;

Well-known member

Fish Cop (retired)

...

Similar threads

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!

I Miss Beemerdons!

I Miss Beemerdons!