Why do atvs have thumb throttles

No I am not talking about ATVs having two extra wheels! ATVs have a thumb throttle instead of the normal twist style throttle that comes equipped on dirt bikes and motorcycles. Other powersports like snowmobiles and jet skis share the use of thumb throttles but today you will learn why ATVs have them. I never really knew why why ATVs have thumb throttles and dirt bikes and motorcycles like my Yamaha R6 had twist throttles. I did some digging and found the answer and it was actually quite surprising to me.

During my research I also found some alternative methods of controlling the throttle different than the thumb style. I scoured forums and other places on the web to try and get the most accurate information I could so I can help you learn why ATVs have thumb throttles and to help you decide if you want to keep that, or try a different style of throttle control. The first ATV, in fact, was not even a four wheeler, but was a 3 wheeler.

It was the Sperry-Rand Tricart and it was released in As you can see from the picture above, the Sperry Rand Tricart allowed the rider to lounge back and was not very conducive to a thumb throttle anyway.

It was not until later that an ATV 3 wheeler was released that happened to have a thumb throttle equipped standard. Also in , American Honda commissioned one of their engineers, Osamu Takeuchi, to come up with an ATV design that they could sell when their normal motorcycle sales were down. He came up with a 3 wheeled design that had big balloon looking tires and they performed better than any of the other designs at the time. These larger tires gave the new design enough ground clearance to keep the bike from getting damaged while it traversed places that other vehicles could not go.

Honda decided to bring their new 3 wheeled ATV into the market in and when their new model hit the states, the market suddenly took off until making their US90 or better known as ATC90 which stood for All Terrain Cycle. Honda engineers did a lot of testing before they decided to put a thumb throttle on their newly designed 3 wheeler and this testing eventually led them to decide that the twist throttle was not the ideal method for throttle control on ATVs.

During their testing, the engineers realized that the riding style of an ATV is in many ways very different from that of a bike.

And when the bike leans with you, the body stays in line with the bike, and the relative angle between your arms and the bars stays almost the same. On the other hand, when riding an ATV, you cannot lean the machine itself into turns to make it turn. It is a direct steering machine. The primary way of turning depends on the ability to turn the handlebar. And you still need to lean the body to obtain the right balance.

Hard right turns are particularly difficult to execute. When your body is shifted to the right side, the wrist angle becomes awkward, making it hard to use a twist. When driving in over rocks, bumps, roots, and steep hills, you really need to have a solid grip on the handlebar to hold on.

Because your body weight is a more important component for turning on an ATV than on a bike, you are likely to transfer some of that weight through the handlebar while leaning your weight on either side. This, in turn, can result in some unintended throttle use. Another difference in the riding style is the need to constantly shift your body weight from side to side when riding in difficult terrain.

This enhances the angle difference between the arm and the bar even more. In this situation, it may be enough of a challenge to hold on to the bar, not to speak if you also needed to maintain precise control of a twist throttle. The engineers concluded that a thumb throttle enables the arm to move more freely without affecting throttle control and thereby is the better alternative.

Try this: Sit straight on your ATV and turn the handlebars in both directions as if you are turning. Watch your right hand and see how a left turn would decelerate and a right turn accelerate. This phenomenon happens involuntarily but naturally to everyone, and it especially affects inexperienced riders. With some practice, it is possible no near eliminate it. With a thumb throttle, what is relevant is the relationship between your hand and your thumb. This relationship will not change as you turn the handlebars, which means the throttle lever will stay in the same position.

Sadly ATVs have a history of many injured and even killed riders after being involved in accidents. Especially with the introduction of three-wheeled bikes in the early seventies, many accidents occurred. For many years, these bikes were even illegal to produce because of safety issues. As a young lad the thumb throttle crapped out on my vintage big red. My Father macgyver wannabee never throw a fucking thing away put a dirbike twist throttle on it. I loved that thing, nobody else would ride it.

My father jumped on it once later on On a bike you counter steer to get the bike leaned over once leaned over you are turning. An atv doesn't lean over with counter steering, hence doesnt turn. Previous poster touched upon it. Atv you are constant moving the bars in wide range of motion, not so much with a bike unless super low speeds. I started riding 3 wheelers in Kawasaki KLT - still have it and it runs good.

We all rode 3 wheelers. Every little wrist movement brought on my a bump, or acceleration, results in more acceleration. The early ATVs didn't have very good suspension either. Lot's of bouncing. It's a matter of control and the difference between the two riding styles. With a snowmobile or ATV you use the thumb control throttle because it is much easier to stay in control.

Same with the bike.. Especially when standing. I have had all three. I hate the thumb throttles. I've always been a bike guy so on the one quad I ever owned 08 yfz I installed a twist throttle kit and it was WAY better. I never had any problems at the dunes with it and I liked it a lot more. Dirt scooter master race.

When a bike wheelies out of control you jump off. An ATV, you tend to grip the handlebars more. A twist on an already raising ATV would be bad juju; Instinct pulls the thumb off the throttle to hold on to the machine. That is of course until you learn the tap the back brake trick. Goggle quad racing or whatnot and look at the pics of the racing quads, many have twists. Quoted: Snowmobiles too. Quoted: Who makes a snowplow attachment for a dirt bike, or a trailer to carry hand tools and mulch?

I've only owned motorcycles, and street bikes for that matter. A compact tractor or larger UTV won't fit the budget. For fun, let's discuss trigger vs thumb throttles on personal watercraft. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dirt bikes are real motorcycles and atvs are pretenders.

Quoted: I've never tried a thumb throttle bike, it seems like it would be weird though. The twist throttle quad though, I share the same experience, you have to throw the handlebars around a lot more than on a bike, a hard right turn is hard to manipulate.

Quoted: Quoted: I have ridden a dirtbike with a thumb throttle before, and it sucked ass. So, you get the twisting motion, but you are leaving your thumb throttle and its functions as they were designed by the manufacturer.

If you opt for a conversion kit, you can fix your current ATV thumb throttle setup and allow it to be turned into a twist throttle. The mechanics behind this will depend on the particular conversion system that you decide to use.

Finally, you can opt to use a thumb throttle extension that can help to relieve thumb fatigue while adding a longer handle, in a sense, to grip onto. This can allow the best of both worlds in providing relief while also avoiding having to use the twisting motion that comes with a twist throttle. If you decide to go the route of extending your thumb throttle on your ATV, then you will have a variety of options. When deciding which will be the most appropriate for you and your riding needs, be sure to check with the make and model of your current ATV.

Many thumb throttle extensions are universal and will work with almost any ATV, but it is important to check yours out before you purchase. This can eliminate the headache of returns and the need to still find another throttle option for your vehicle.

A few of the top throttle extensions that you can find pretty easily and well-rated include the following:.

This universal option is pretty standard and should fit almost every ATV. What is great about this option is that it can allow for varying handle sizes depending on the rider who is generally using the vehicle.

Additionally, it is stainless steel but is covered in rubber, so you will have a durable product that will also be comfortable to use. This is important if you want to get a highly effective and cost-efficient product that will serve you well on your rides for years to come.

Yet another great and inexpensive option, the Kolpin ATV Throttle Master thumb throttle extender is a highly rated product that offers the simple mechanics of a thumb throttle while allowing for an enhanced grip option for the rider. By extending the thumb throttle out further, this device allows the rider to experience less thumb fatigue which allows for longer and more enjoyable rides on the ATV. If you are looking for a very inexpensive option that can still get the job done, this might be the right thumb extender for you though note that it is not that much more inexpensive than the Kolpin option listed above.

However, this is easy to install as it is zip-tied instead of bolted on like the other two , and it offers a comfortable grip for most ATV riders. Depending on which option you are looking for, you should be able to either use a thumb throttle extender, use a conversion kit, or completely replace the thumb throttle with a twist throttle.

Keep in mind, though, that the thumb throttle has many safety advantages as discussed above. So, unless you are confident that you can safely navigate your ATV with a twist throttle, it is best to leave it as is or simply use a thumb throttle extender to maintain the same mechanics while allowing for a further extension of the throttle.

That's me sinking another ATV. I love to ride no matter what it is, snowmobiles, four wheelers, dirt bikes, and anything else off-roading. I've experienced my fair share of machines, and like to share that experience here.