Thumb controls

[WRT]

Like Timmay's right handed thread, it appears I also have too much time on my hands. Been thinking, back in the day we used to have a couple of trikes (farm-style ATV ones, none of this VW powered nonsense). One had a twist grip for the throttle, the other had a thumb operated throttle.

Being but a young fella and highly adaptable, swapping between them (or my old XT for that matter) I never really noticed one system being better than the other. However, thinking about it now, the thumb throttle sounds almost like a good idea.

I know that probably sounds crazy to you lot, but bear with me. You have both your accelerator and your front brake controlled by your right hand. Most people can do both at the same time, but with a thumb operated throttle you are only moving your thumb, not your whole hand. This naturally makes your hand more stable and should (if my thinkings not completely up the wall) make control of the brake and transition from acceleration to braking and back again easier.

I would imagine, for someone with just one arm as well, that it would make things a lot easier when that hand is also having to deal with clutch duties.

Does anyone know if there have been thumb operated throttles used on either road or race bikes? Are they even still used on quads these days?

[yod]

im pretty sure they (used to at least) have thumb operated rear brakes on a some race bikes? on the clutch side? or perhaps it was thumb clutch.....??

cant remember exactly

edit: yes, they still have thumb throttle on quads (dont know about ALL but definitely some)

[WRT]

im pretty sure they (used to at least) have thumb operated rear brakes on a some race bikes?

Presumably to make it easier to trail the rear brake whilst lent over?


yes, they still have thumb throttle on quads (dont know about ALL but definitely some)

Do you know what is the reason behind thumb throttle on quads? Why did they move away from a twist grip, and why only on quads? Seems strange, there must be some reason for it, but I'm not sure what it is . . .

[Winter]

I rode a quad the other day with a thumb control. was a bit of a mind fuck for me for the first couple mins.

Don't think I'd want one on my road bike tho.

[slinky]

perhaps the way your sitting a quad bike and the type of terrain you'll be riding has something to do with having thumb throttle control???
but i don't know if they all have thumb throttle control... so a bit of a wild guess.

WRT - was it you who was getting into the wakeboarding? hows that going?

[WRT]

WRT - was it you who was getting into the wakeboarding? hows that going?

Yup, was going really good but the guy who owns the boat I was heading out on works for a vineyard and got too busy over harvest to head out. Looks like I wont get another chance till next summer - gutted. Got myself a vest now though, and using my wetsuit from surfing so just need a board so I can head out on other boats as well. At the moment I'm waiting for the ski season to start so I can go snowboarding over winter until getting back into wakeboarding next summer.

No wonder I'm always broke - I gotta get some cheaper hobbies . . .

[slinky]

Yup, was going really good but the guy who owns the boat I was heading out on works for a vineyard and got too busy over harvest to head out. Looks like I wont get another chance till next summer - gutted. Got myself a vest now though, and using my wetsuit from surfing so just need a board so I can head out on other boats as well. At the moment I'm waiting for the ski season to start so I can go snowboarding over winter until getting back into wakeboarding next summer.

No wonder I'm always broke - I gotta get some cheaper hobbies . . .

i went out 2 sundays ago, and going out this sunday - we went and are going again to the ski-club out by pukekohe on the waikato river. FLAT and the run goes for as long as you want, you hardly have to turn.

yeh, i got my season pass.

I can second that on getting some cheaper hobbies - bikes and snowboarding are bad enough, im just lucky i don't have to buy any wakeboarding gear!

[WRT]

So no ones got the answer?

[yod]

Presumably to make it easier to trail the rear brake whilst lent over?



Do you know what is the reason behind thumb throttle on quads? Why did they move away from a twist grip, and why only on quads? Seems strange, there must be some reason for it, but I'm not sure what it is . . .

trailing the rear brake - yeah i would think so, when you're as low as theose fuckers you dont wanna be trying to dig your toe into a lever i guess

the thumb throttle could be because you actually have to STEER the bugger, and steering would presumably change the angle of your arm/wrist etc and therefore your throttle as well, trying to control it on rough terrain could be quite difficult i spose....just a theory...probably miles off the mark :laugh:

[onearmedbandit]

I use my right hand for throttle, front brakes and clutch. I operate the clutch with my thumb, it's a piece of piss.

[The Pastor]

I have a mate who has no fingers on his right hand... He can use a twist throttle easy as, but not the front brake.

Onearmbandit, I take it you have one arm? Do you have special thumb clutch? If such a thing exists he could swap the brake to the left and put a thumb clutch on the throttle side?

[onearmedbandit]

Technically I've got two arms, but only one works. My left arm is completely paralysed. My clutch lever is simple a clutch/brake lever facing the other way (towards the rider). Nothing special about it at all.

[xwhatsit]

I too have used a thumb throttle, on a little kids trike, and also on a little scooter (like those little-wheeled scooters you normally push along with your foot, except with a chainsaw motor on the back. You must know the ones).

I think it's fine with a low-powered engine, as you can mash the throttle right open quickly (like a short-throw throttle), get the power you need. On a more powerful bike? Not so good I think -- you need much more throttle precision to have a hope of being smooth, and a thumb throttle wouldn't give enough of that.

Why'd they use them on little trikes/quads/scooters? Well I think part of it is the short throw, as often you need full throttle to get up hills, and you don't have to be so smooth. But also they would be a hell of a lot cheaper to make, and are much more compact than a twist-grip throttle.

[scott411]

Does anyone know if there have been thumb operated throttles used on either road or race bikes? Are they even still used on quads these days?


i know why jet skis and ATV's have thumb throttles,

it comes down to how much you turn the bars to turn, on a motorcycle you only use a small amount of turn and then the lean angle of the bike does the rest,

however on a quad or jet ski you must turn the bars much further, and at full extension either way you can not turn your wrist to twist the throttle,
if you are at full right hand lock on a quad the rh handle bar is basically in your stomach, and you do not have full movement of you wrist.

as for the power thoery, modern quads have as much hp as modern mx bikes, and modern jetskis have more hp than most supersport bikes (they are up to 250hp std now) yet they still use thumb throttles

do i get a prize for knowing this??

[dnos]

My little bro has a 80cc quad and its a got a thumb throttle, it gets a bit exciting when I try to turn right and my thumb gets jammed against my knee - YYEEEEHHAAAAA!!!! :headbang:

[WRT]

Scott - bling on its way as your prize. That's one half ot the question. Now we know why they DONT use twist grips on quads and jetskis, who knows why they ARE used on bikes?

[scott411]

Scott - bling on its way as your prize. That's one half ot the question. Now we know why they DONT use twist grips on quads and jetskis, who knows why they ARE used on bikes?

always has been, i know of a few guys that have gone to thumb throttles due to wrist injuries and so forth, i have ridden a couple of bikes with thumb thorttle and i prefer a twist grip,

i think it is just the best way to do it, no one has come up with a better way that everyone likes

[WRT]

Seems to me, without actually trying it, that on a race track you'd have more control of the front brake if the grip didnt twist. Would have thought it would also reduce the chance of a newbie accidentally twisting the throttle while trying to apply the brake.

I know hopping on a bike with a thumb throttle would feel wrong to begin with as its not what we are used to. But it seems funny to keep doing things the same old way if there is a more precise way of doing things. I guess the only way to find out would be to take a race bike and convert it, give the racer a day to adapt and see what happens.

[avgas]

After using both, (and thumbshifters on all my mtbs) i think that each has its own purpose.
I couldnt stand a thumb throttle on the FZ because its a simple mechanics thing - my little thumb could not hold the exact same position (for say 100kph) for a prolonged time (say 3 hours) - anyone had txt cramp before?. My wrist does this task fine.
But in saying that you never want to hold the throttle in the same position on a quad, and likewise you want a quick way to go to full throttle on it (especially on farm quads). Also if you think about it - going through say some nice thicket which way is any throttle going to get pulled? back? correct - so the last thing you want is a nice wheel stand, and you fall off in the middle of a blackberry vine. So this is why farm quads have nice little thumb shifters.
Well thats my theory - I've had time on both vehicles to consider both options.
But now my question to you is : Why dont 2 stroke sportbikes have thumb shifters?