Thumb throttle control

[Xevuhtess7]

http://goo.gl/iWI57E

My first thought is that instinctual tightening of your grip (say if you get startled by something or in emergency maneuvers) on the handlebars tends to draw your thumb towards the rest of your hand, thus increasing throttle. Sounds like it might be dangerous?

 

[mrzuzzo]

Isn't this already how it is on all ATVs? How is this innovative?

 

[jimboFosho]

Would make stand up wheelies hard to do...priorities!

 

[stangmx13]

range of motion looks different than an ATV.

probably wouldnt work well while hanging off though since hanging off requires your wrist to be at a different angle to the bar depending on which side u r on.

 

[fast4ward]

Isn't this already how it is on all ATVs? How is this innovative?

also on (some? all?) PWC's too.

The Kawasaki 750 standup jetski I bought in 1995 came with a thumb throttle

 

[Z3n]

you are compromising the angle of your wrist in relation to the handlebar.

Who fucking cares.

This idea goes contrary to current designs, which intentionally make grabbing the brake lever and holding the throttle open a very difficult task, which brings up an interesting debate about the tradeoffs between the two designs.

I think I can handle a slightly awkward start to my rolling burnouts in exchange for superior throttle control.

 

[beachfoggy]

http://goo.gl/iWI57E

My first thought is that instinctual tightening of your grip (say if you get startled by something or in emergency maneuvers) on the handlebars tends to draw your thumb towards the rest of your hand, thus increasing throttle. Sounds like it might be dangerous?

What instinctual tightening of the grip? I have an instinctual tightening of my sphincter when startled. If they start making sphincter actuated throttle controls ..guess we would have other things to worry about at that point. Now that would be innovative.

 

[reidconti]

My first thought is that instinctual tightening of your grip (say if you get startled by something or in emergency maneuvers) on the handlebars tends to draw your thumb towards the rest of your hand, thus increasing throttle. Sounds like it might be dangerous?

Nah, I think you could deal. I've ridden ATVs like this.

I find that if the brake lever on the bike is too far a reach, I tend to roll onto the throttle while reaching for the brake. As I stretch my hand out and lift fingers off the grip, my whole hand pushes forward to reach, and the thumb rolls the throttle open. In MSF I remember coming to a perfect panic stop.. except throttle wide open!

 

[angelsndevils]

I already brought this up like a month or two ago.

 

[angelsndevils]

http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=445070

 

[EastBayDave]

if you have some disability & can't use your right hand (like me) correctly, it can keep you riding.

I've been thinking about one for quite some time, but the lack of wrenching ability w/my predominate right hand has me not moving on one yet...

 

[Z3n]

if you have some disability & can't use your right hand (like me) correctly, it can keep you riding.

I've been thinking about one for quite some time, but the lack of wrenching ability w/my predominate right hand has me not moving on one yet...

I will make this happen if it will get you riding again. All inclusive. I will come get the bike, I will install it, and I will deliver the bike back to you. Just say the word.

I'd also be willing to modify an ATV style thumb throttle if need be.

Hell, the design isn't even that complex. I could probably machine up something that would work, customized to your bike, your comfortable thumb range of motion, etc.

 

[louemc]

Jet ski's, Snow machines, Quads...are not motorcycles...Motorcycles might actually be used in close quarters with heavy metal that can crush you like a beverage can.

No way in hell, can my thumb moves be as fine as the range of travel in a wrist twist.

I hope the manufacturer gets slapped silly, in the wallet, with that screwball (and dangerous) move.

 

[shouldnthave]

Having grown up with quads, jet skis, and sleds I can tell you on a long ride your thumb will be throbbing with pain so great that you can't take your mind off it. Even in my peak physical state, a full day on a sled and my hand would hurt for two days. For some reason, I could never build a muscle, or became accustomed in any way that would help with that pain.

I'm not saying you couldn't get used to it, but I sure as hell never did.

 

[Z3n]

^^^ Customized ergos and range of motion to fit your hand would probably help - gloves aren't one size fits all, everyone doesn't grip the throttle the same way, why would we all move our thumbs in the same range of motion?

I know louemc has me on ignore, I think the product isn't superior in any meaningful way to a normal throttle on a motorcycle, where careful modulation of the throttle is useful, unlike ATVs or Jetskis.

But I think that it can be made in such a way to compensate for the lack of thumb travel accuracy, in the same way that I have a custom cam in my KTM's throttle tube to smooth out the initial throttle response, and can absolutely be made safely with intelligent design.

And getting riders who wouldn't otherwise be able to ride on the road again? That's worth the effort and time a hundred fold in my book.

 

[sanjuro]

What might be useful is a thumb rear brake.

 

[weak_link]

What might be useful is a thumb rear brake.

Doohan used one for years in 500 GP's after his leg got a smashed up. Always seems like it would be useful for tighening up a wide apex. Sure you can do the same thing w/ your foot but a thumb seems more intuitive to me for some reason.

 

[louemc]

Doohan used one for years in 500 GP's after his leg got a smashed up. Always seems like it would be useful for tighening up a wide apex. Sure you can do the same thing w/ your foot but a thumb seems more intuitive to me for some reason.

Same here, I'd expect a thumb rear brake control to be even better than the foot.

 

[shouldnthave]

Same here, I'd expect a thumb rear brake control to be even better than the foot.

I have been thinking about one for my Supermotos. The boots are so clunky, and rear brake control is the name of the game. I'm getting better at it, but I know my thumb will do the job better.

I really need to sit down and figure it out one of these days.

 

[tonedeaf]

...probably wouldnt work well while hanging off though since hanging off requires your wrist to be at a different angle to the bar depending on which side u r on.

I agree. I strongly believe the wrist angle moving around on a normal throttle is NOT a compromise either for wrist health or for control, and I'm ready to support that idea with as much detail and physiology as anybody could want

The short version: if your whole arm (hint, body) can be involved in controlling something, it's much more efficient and more precise in the long run. At first, it feels like only moving your thumb is easier to control, and moving your whole arm feels unstable and naked. But the more you progress, and the more smooth and precise you need to be, anchored-finger-technique hits a plateau, big time. The "free-arm" style of doing things feels less stable at first because there's so much flexibility available it takes more training to handle. But with practice, that flexibility becomes an asset, and the precision and control quickly surpasses the anchored-finger-style. All the "motogp-level" musicians and the physiologists and surgeons that have studied them agree on this.

For healthy people, I think our wrists and arms are equipped just fine to twist a throttle with ultra precision, while pushing or pulling on the handlebars, while positioned at an off-angle from hanging off the bike, all at the same time without interfering with each other. I don't think a thumb-throttle would mix with those other things nearly as well.