Anyone ditch the thumb throttle?

[skark_burmer]

Being a motorcycle rider i really dislike the thumb throttle on my Apex MTX. I didnt like it when i bought my sled at the beginning of last season but thought that everyone uses it on every sled in the world, so i would give it an honest amount of time to get used to it.

Well, i still dont like it and have been thinking recently of changing over to a twist type throttle. I searched the forums and didnt see any threads referring to twist throttles.

I would have to use a flat motorcycle style bar with curved plugs, figure out the grip warmers and come up with a way to use the kill switch and brake, but those shouldn't be a big deal.

Thoughts?

 

[maxdlx]

yeah the freeze to easy compared to the flipper. my old dirt bike would freeze all the time playing in the snow

 

[shanksyamaha]

I have always wondered this too. I am an old quad racer. I drag raced banshees for years.. I could never get used to twist throttle. I tried it on alot of quads and never liked it but sooo many other people liked it.. I always wondered why no one put a twisty on their sled, especially since we now have motorcycle motors, it seams natural... Nothing I would ever want but I thought it would be great for the motorcycle riding sledders in the group.....

 

[guardrail]

I had one on my rxwarrior. It's great for long bumpy straight runs because you can hold on a lot better. It's takes some getting used to for tight right turns.
I never had a problem with it freezing up but I don't ride in deep powder very often.
I think i might give this try next season on my attak. You can switch between a thumb and twist thottle. I'll have to take off the curved bars though.

http://www.terrycable.com/products/prod ... d=MTA1OA==

 

[maxdlx]

It would think ridding standing up boondocking would be terrible with a twist throttle too

 

[skark_burmer]

It would think ridding standing up boondocking would be terrible with a twist throttle too

lol, i was thinking the exact opposite.
Almost all the riding i do on my moto is rough, fast trail riding and im standing most of the time. On the sled i find it uncomfortable having one hand only partially holding on to the bars as my right hand is only good for pulling back. Anytime i need to brace myself for a hit or apply some push to the right side of the bars i bring my pinky finger to the backside and this helps a little but i think its only a matter of time before i break it. So id rather fix the issue before i end up with a broken finger.

Still i wonder how bad it will be trying to low speed side hill when im off to the left and the sled is leaning downhill to the right. I guess i'll find out, i think i'll give it a try.

As for the freezing ive had my throttle get frozen too on my dirtbike but i'll be running heaters of some sort on the sled so i dont think this will be an issue. We'll see.

 

[LazyBastard]

One of the things that you need to consider is that if you remove the flipper throttle, you will be eliminating the TORS system, which means that there will be no override to cut the engine off if the throttle gets stuck/frozen.

If you do this, PLEASE install a TETHER. Unlike a bike, which will quickly fall over and go around in circles (or at least is unlikely to go far), a sled has the potential to go for MILES (especially on a wide open space, like a LAKE), and at EXTREMELY high speeds -- can you imagine the deaths/damage that could be caused by one of these things running 100 mph into.... a crowd of people, onto a highway, etc.?

Regarding bracing yourself with your pinky.... you're holding the bars wrong! Twist your hand back further and brace yourself with your palm. You can adjust your flipper switch down lower if it is up too high for this.

 

[maxdlx]

I have always wondered if a flipper from say a viper or older sled, the shorter ones, would work on the 4 stroke. the 4 stokre ones are longer with the ball, bump whatever you want to call it on the end. Just wondering out lod. Maxdlx

 

[kinger]

Have you adjusted the flipper by rotating it on the bars? Set wrong they are a b***** but just the slight rotation will make it night and day difference.

 

[Shootinstick]

I actually prefer the longer flipper with the ball on the end. I do turn mine down quite a bit from the factory position and the longer lever is easier on my thumb. Until I did that. my thumb would get sore from bending it back to the the flipper. Probably has something to do with breaking the thumb joint back in the 70's. Now I am closing the throttle more with the side of my thumb than the face of it.

On my old Poo, I actually changed the lever to the longer newer style Polaris came out after my sled was made.

 

[skark_burmer]

Have you adjusted the flipper by rotating it on the bars? Set wrong they are a b***** but just the slight rotation will make it night and day difference.

I tried to but it apparently has a locator pin in the bars to keep it from being rotated or is glued on, so i figured it was 'supposed' to be at the angle from the factory.

so they are not fixed? hmm, i'll give it one more try before this weekend.


Tether? Who wants a tether?
Actually it would be interesting to see a sled slam into a tree at over 100 mph, i just dont want to see mine do it. Besides a kill switch im also looking into a tether for the parking brake so when i come off the brake is engaged and cant coast down the hill.

 

[maxdlx]

Think you can pull mine on a rope at 100 mph. I'm ready to slam it into a tree, it just won't run that fast right now. LOL

 

[Bob Miller]

On my last sled (1999 Yamaha 700) I had installed an add on throttle control which was mounted opposite of the thumb throttle so you had the option of pulling with your fingers or using your thumb on the stock flipper.
It worked well and gave your thumb a break when needed, but it was designed to only give you 3/4 throttle at the max.
I don't know if they are still available?

 

[morg]

I don't get thumb fatigue....I use my palm to squeeze the throttle against the bar.... ....hey wait....maybe that's cuz I have to run wide open all the time.
Oh well.......lol

 

[robertbubba2]

all I know is the the thumb flipper for my sled is fine along time ago road to copper harbor on a buddies back up sled[blew the motor in mine and the thumb distance was so large my thumb would cramp up and I have huge hands it was a 89 yamaha with the headlight that turned with the farr ing you talk about a uncomfortable 175 miles each way now own 06 apexgt Bob