My thumb is killing me

[ccdhowell]

I have a twist throttle on all my trikes. Recently bought a Zuki Quadracer to XC in '08 with a thumb throttle. I took it out for a shakedown ride today, GPS said I rode 27.6 miles with an average moving speed of 16.8 MPH over various wooded and open terrain. Oh yeah, max speed was 55.4 MPH, not too bad for a stock 1990 QR.

Anyway, my thumb is just about to kill me. I wish it would fall off to put me out of my misery. So how in the hell do I get used to the thumb throttle? Are there any braces or supports that I can wear to help? I tried yesterday to install a twist throttle out of leftover parts I had, but the throttle cable is too short. I may buy a new cable, but I'd like to run the thumb throttle 'cause I'll be XC racing and it should be better powering through the rough. IDK

Chris

[super90]

I know that thumb throttles can get bad at time but I never had one that bad. Are you sure that its lubricated and everything is work smootly? When I had blaster the throttle was horribly stiff until i got a new cable and lubed it.

[jason85atc250r]

you'll get used to it when you build up the muscles in your thumb. back when i raced MX i let my buddy race my blaster that raced 250a class on a dirt bike. by the end if one moto his thumb hurt so much he could not push the throttle rite on the last lap.

you need to do excercises for your thumbceps there like your biceps in your arms but in your thumbs. LOL i can run one of the 2 hour GNCC national races and my thumb don,t bother me.

[ccdhowell]

Super, I lubed the cable yesterday when I tried the twist. Guy I bought it from put a new carb and cable on about 3 months ago and everything moves freely, it's just hard as hell to push all day.

Jason, I know exactly what you buddy when through. For about the last 30 minutes I really wasn't using my thumb, more like the bottom of my palm...I killed it twice trying to start and couldn't hold a steady throttle at all, up down up down, man I was all over the place. I decided to stop before I hurt myself. I was trying to build up my endurance, but my thumb reached muscle failure before the rest of me did.:lol: :w00t:

[edog]

I went from useing my 1985 200X thumb throttle for a while.I recently purchased a new 250R thumb throttle and it is stiff.I can relate to the sore thumb.

[firehart]

My thumb goes numb when I ride my Rancher or Recon.

[jason85atc250r]

I went from useing my 1985 200X thumb throttle for a while.I recently purchased a new 250R thumb throttle and it is stiff.I can relate to the sore thumb.

yeah the liquid 250r ones are alway stiff due to the linkage on the throttle housing.

the lt250 suzuki quadracer ones are way eaiser to push with no linkage. could make one work on a honda

[TwoHundredEx]

You can get something like this:
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=273302
My dad bought one for my brothers quad. I think it was something like $25 from Canadian Tire.
It definitely helped out, gives you a little more leverage.
He still has trouble holding it for a while, but that could be because he's only 8 and the throttle is stiff as hell.

[Bryan Raffa]

start cutting one ring of the throttle slide spring at a time .. the throttle will get lighter to pull.. if it get too light you can strech it a little ..I like mine light..

[ccdhowell]

Hey Raffa, I thought I might just remove the spring altogether. That would make it light, and the spring on the slide should pull the throttle closed, that's the way twist throttles work anyways. Why to thumb throttles have that spring in the housing?

[Bryan Raffa]

Hey Raffa, I thought I might just remove the spring altogether. That would make it light, and the spring on the slide should pull the throttle closed, that's the way twist throttles work anyways. Why to thumb throttles have that spring in the housing?

you need some pressure to help close it ..if you cut a loop off it.. it will lessen the Resistance to open it..

try takeing that spring out of the housing first..then start cutting loops

[Billy Golightly]

Actually shortening the spring will make it stiffer...

[Bryan Raffa]

Actually shortening the spring will make it stiffer...


No, no . no silly:)

[hadar]

Chris, The thumb throttle is just somthing that gets easier the more you get used to it. I still have one on my shee. I was about to get rid of it but the more I road it, the less it hurt. The shee is real stiff because you have 2 carb springs to push on. I would still like a twist but it just don't make sence to replace somthing that works. Just a thought, I would work with it more before you decide to modify to a twist.

[Billy Golightly]

No, no . no silly:)

But they do...thats why when you have to shorten fork springs the spring rate stiffness goes up.

http://www.tuninglinx.com/html/spring-rate.html




As the number of active coil decrease, the spring rate increases.

[Bryan Raffa]

well I cut 2 full loops off my 39 pwk and it pulls alot easyer,, and I got that from a pro racer.. so na na boo boo:lol:

[TwoHundredEx]

The shorter spring is putting less downwards pressure on the slide, making it easier to pull up, even if the spring is in fact stiffer.
Yes? No? That doesn't even make sense?

[deathman53]

Whenever I ride a atv with a thumb throttle my hand kills me, its alot worse now, since I only use twist throttles. They also tend to keep poeple off my bikes, whenever they see the twist, they don't even ask if they can ride it, especially the trikes. When I did use thumbs, JL ATV sells adjustable thumb throttle levers, something like $30, they help alot. Any thumb hurt me, the 400ex one that was on my hybrid was by far the worst. I can ride my friends 450r, it doesn't hurt me too bad, but I feel it. Terry Cable, Moose and some other companies sells thumb throttles with longer levers and a better feel, they are pricey at $130. If you are stuck using a thumb, this may be the answer for you.

[SPD FRK]

All I know is the 250R throttle. I used to put my thumb on the pivot and push with the heel of my thumb. Better throttle control and you twist your hand down to push. Might work for some.

[honda250sx]

Alot of snowmobiler's use these types of braces.
http://www.monstermarketplace.com/Sports/Landing2970a419.html

But after a long hard day on the trail pulling three massive carbs on a monster triple sometimes these dont even help!

[Billy Golightly]

well I cut 2 full loops off my 39 pwk and it pulls alot easyer,, and I got that from a pro racer.. so na na boo boo:lol:

That must be one of those pro racer tricks on weight reduction...:lol:

[Bryan Raffa]

:beer :beer

[super90]

I thought you had to make the springs longer for the forks to be stiffer? That dosent make any sense!

[smokinwrench]

I also cut coils off my 400ex and it made it much easier to pull. My 400ex was near unrideable stock.

One thing that helps a bunch is to turn the thumb throttle up a bit. That way your pushing down with your thumb instead of forward.

[Bryan Raffa]

geeze for a wile there I thought I was the only one who has tryed this..try it billy:p the next time you order a set of tires from ACJ ask him how mutch he cut off his R's

[McDerry]

less coils on the spring does make it stiffer. The major differance is that the coil is shorter, inturn its not already compressed a couple inches inside with the throttle closed. It eliminates the preload on the spring. It now takes less force to crack the throttle from idle to 1/2 throttle but much more from 1/2 to WOT. Holding the throttle at WOT is easy enough its holding it at 1/2 thats a pain as its an isometric muscle movement requiring almost twice the effort.

Just spend the $3 and buy a softer spring of the similar length as the stock one, much more benefit. Easy to pull all the way through to WOT and still has a preload to give you more precise control in the lower throttle settings.