Twist throttle? - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

Mr. Mugen · 01-05-2008, 09:30 PM

I want a twist throttle for my 2000 MXZ 700. Is there a compnay that makes a heated one? Or even a company that makes one for it at all? Not sure if you sled guy's use them but man do I have one heck of a sore thumb right now. I was wishing I had a twisty after the first few jumps. Any help would be great. Thanks, Kevin

TwistThrottle · 01-05-2008, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Mugen

I want a twist throttle for my 2000 MXZ 700. Is there a compnay that makes a heated one? Or even a company that makes one for it at all? Not sure if you sled guy's use them but man do I have one heck of a sore thumb right now. I was wishing I had a twisty after the first few jumps. Any help would be great. Thanks, Kevin

I would say it could get scary.. I put one on a Quad... And Let me tell ya they put thumb throttles on there for a reason...

Mr. Mugen · 01-05-2008, 09:52 PM

Scary? I have 3 quads all with twist grips and have yet to get scared. I prefer them and was wondering if anyone knows where to get one for a sled. Thanks

Ditch hopper · 01-05-2008, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Scary? I have 3 quads all with twist grips and have yet to get scared. I prefer them and was wondering if anyone knows where to get one for a sled. Thanks

could you possbilely rig one up from a quad kit?

Mr. Mugen · 01-05-2008, 10:04 PM

I figured I'd see if they even make one before messing with making one in the shop. It would require some serious time or changing the whole set up all together. The killl switch is in the case that has the throttle..etc.. Heated is another thing I was hoping to find. I figured the guys who race sleds must want them...no? I was turning sharp today and my knee hit the throttle and there I was wishing again. I guess once you ride one way your whole life......

Octane · 01-05-2008, 11:27 PM

Twist throttles dont work the best on sleds. No doubt you could get a kit from a company like Motion-Pro to convert you thumb throttle to a twist throttle.
Heres why twist throttles dont work on sleds. On a bike, you do most of the steering by leaning into the corner and you always keep your body inline with the bike. There is very little turning of the handlebars. However, on a sled you control the sled by turning the bars and by throwing your weight around. Often on a sled you are handing off of one side or the other. This makes it a lot harder to control the throttle if its a twist.
Also, if you hit a rock or stump with the skis and it jerks the bars one way or the other, it could easily cause you to unintentionally open the throttle, which could cause you to lose control.
Think about this: with all the billions of dollars that have been invested in snowmobile research and development since snowmobiles were invented in the '50s, dont you think that they have stuck with thumb throttles for a reason? If a twist throttle was so much better, sleds would already have them.
What you need to do is spend time strengthening the muscles in your hand. What I personally do is I have one of those forearm muscle builders (one of those things that you squeeze between your fingers the thumb). I do at least 100 reps for each arm and I basically keep going until the muscles in my hand and forearm tire out. Right now Im up to 120 reps.
IMO, instead of putting a twist throttle on your sled and creating a potentially very dangerous situation, youd be wiser to make your body stronger.

Mr. Mugen · 01-07-2008, 05:04 PM

I swing a hammer for a living and play hockey daily. I do not have weak hands or body. I race mx and quads and also race enduro. I am familiar with hitting objects and responding to them. I simply want a twist throttle for my sled. I will look elsewhere for help. Thanks anyway guy's. Kevin

chrisfarley · 01-07-2008, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Mugen

I swing a hammer for a living and play hockey daily. I do not have weak hands or body. I race mx and quads and also race enduro. I am familiar with hitting objects and responding to them. I simply want a twist throttle for my sled. I will look elsewhere for help. Thanks anyway guy's. Kevin

weeellll allllrrrrigghhhtttyyyyy then.

i myself thought that that might be a viable idea.... but i never needed it but could come in handy ... but it's understandable if you want one "go somewhere else for help then" as you said.....

CHEERS!!

Mr. Mugen · 01-07-2008, 07:53 PM

Thanks again pal. I wasn't looking for someone to change my mind. Thats all I was stating. It seems the world is tuned to do what "everyone else is doing". Sorry for my angle....wasn't trying to be pissy...just wanted help. If I wanted to stay with a thumb throttle I wouldn't have posted. Peace.

Octane · 01-07-2008, 11:53 PM

I told you that Motion-Pro makes a conversion kit. What more help do you want? Im merely trying to save you the money and trouble of putting something on your sled that isnt going to work very well, but do what you gotta do.

BskidooC · 01-08-2008, 01:26 AM

lol your one stubborn dude...bottom line is that they aren't good for sleds...get it threw your head bro...

**RJ Gleason** · 01-08-2008, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Mugen

Thanks again pal. I wasn't looking for someone to change my mind. Thats all I was stating. It seems the world is tuned to do what "everyone else is doing". Sorry for my angle....wasn't trying to be pissy...just wanted help. If I wanted to stay with a thumb throttle I wouldn't have posted. Peace.

No, he was telling you that it is an unsafe alternative to put a twist grip throttle on a sled.

What more do you want, someone to tell you go ahead and do it? Then when you have a wreck because of a frozen throttle you can blame us for telling you to go ahead with a bad idea?
You better alternative would be to use a left hand throttle adapter so that you can rest the hands occasionally.

chrisfarley · 01-08-2008, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJ Gleason

You better alternative would be to use a left hand throttle adapter so that you can rest the hands occasionally.

???... interesting idea... so you have one on each bar?... interesting idea, because when i came up on this thread i really had been thinking about if they make the twist with the heat (wasn't important enough to actually do)... i didn't think about the "freeze" thing... i can see where that would be a huge problem.... i've only had 3 wheelers with the thumb throttle so never really had any major experience with the twist except on some enduros and street bikes i've ridden (but never owned)....

hmmm 2 thumbs would be interesting because i do a lot of "slow mozzying winding" trails in the back 40 2 thumbs is a good idea for all the turning..... i find i change my hand location a lot...

like i said.. doesn't bother me enough to add it though.. but interesting idea

CHEERS TO OUT OF THE BOX THINKING! & sorry for the guy that doesn't like the answers here....

cvanmarter · 01-08-2008, 08:46 AM

What a thread. I think the warm air is getting everyone a little edgy.

chrisfarley · 01-08-2008, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cvanmarter

What a thread. I think the warm air is getting everyone a little edgy.

"don't jump it's going to be ok!! it will snow again!! promise!!"

CHEERS TO THE OBSERVATION!

Ditch hopper · 01-08-2008, 05:31 PM

Quote:

"don't jump it's going to be ok!! it will snow again!! promise!!"

gonna drop back down to the minus by thursday

Octane · 01-08-2008, 05:49 PM

They make lefthand throttles more for mountain riders because it allows them to stand on either side of the sled when sidehilling and still be able to operate the throttle.
If you think about it, if you are sidhilling and standing on the left-side running board you are limited in how far to the left you can lean while still being able to operate the throttle.
I used to have an '06 Yamaha YFZ 450 ATV that I motocross raced and I tried a twist throttle on it. It did reduce hand fatigue because you could use your fingers and your thumb to hold onto the bars, but it has harder to maintain a consisent throttle position while turning because when you turned the bars you have a tendency to either open or close the throttle. I think a twist throttle would be great for drag racing, but I wouldnt want one for trail riding or jumping.
I apologize if I was rude to Mr. Mugen, but I really take offense to when you take the time to help someone out and their response is, "I will look elsewhere for help".

chrisfarley · 01-08-2008, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octane

They make lefthand throttles more for mountain riders because it allows them to stand on either side of the sled when sidehilling and still be able to operate the throttle.
If you think about it, if you are sidhilling and standing on the left-side running board you are limited in how far to the left you can lean while still being able to operate the throttle.
I used to have an '06 Yamaha YFZ 450 ATV that I motocross raced and I tried a twist throttle on it. It did reduce hand fatigue because you could use your fingers and your thumb to hold onto the bars, but it has harder to maintain a consisent throttle position while turning because when you turned the bars you have a tendency to either open or close the throttle. I think a twist throttle would be great for drag racing, but I wouldnt want one for trail riding or jumping.
I apologize if I was rude to Mr. Mugen, but I really take offense to when you take the time to help someone out and their response is, "I will look elsewhere for help".

RoadkillSTX · 01-08-2008, 07:19 PM

The most realistic reason as to why twist throttles are not used on sleds is because they would freeze up VERY quickly. Likely while it was sitting before riding, but equally likely that it would happen while you're cruising along at 60mph. Uh oh I can't slow down. Not to mention you're going to need to use super low temp grease to allow the throttle to be twistable in the cold (No company made throttle will use this grease... Your throttle's grease will freeze, not allowing it to turn, if the outside of the throttle itself does not freeze)

Now all that said as to why a twist throttle makes absolutely no sense on a snowmachine:
A Twist Throttle isn't exactly a miraculous piece of machinery... You could make one in only a few minutes...

ALL SANE SF MEMBERS STOP READING HERE.
This is a very unsafe how-to on how to make a heated twist throttle...
Buy a twist throttle. It doesn't need to be a conversion kit. Just a twist throttle. You don't need the cable's or anything. A twist throttle will run you $20 tops. Make sure it will fit over your bare handlebar.
All that the 'heated' part on a handlebar is, is a piece of metal tape that gets stuck on and has electricity running through it (kind of). Take the rubber grip part off of the twist throttle (it's probably glued, you're probably going to have to cut it off). Stick on the 'heated handlebar tape' and connect it to the very same wires that the old handlebar heater was connected to, give yourself an extra 3-4" of wire and contain all the wire in a box... You need enough wire so that when you twist you're not going to be applying any pressure to the wire. Use extremely flexible wires, I recommend braided flexible wire (like what is used on a Subwoofer to connect the Voice Coil to the Magnet). Then buy a new rubber grip (or reuse the old one if you're Chris Angel), fill it up with superglue and ram it onto the twist throttle. Hope none drips onto any of the moving parts.
At full twist you're going to want your carbs at full throttle. Simply measure and make a throttle cable the correct length. All a throttle cable does in a twist style essentially is get 'wrapped' around the handle bar. It depends on what kind of throttle cable setup you have as to how you connect the cable/cables to the twist throttle. (Some have 2 wires actually at the thumb for each carb, some combine into 1 and have 1 wire going to thumb etc) Once you're homemade throttle cable fits and appears to work, Take it off and measure it and send the dimensions in to a company and have them make the cable for you. probably cheaper than any kit that will actually exist... Although I guarantee no kit will exist. I do not see it even being remotely possible to steer with a twist throttle.

Don't come whining to me when your throttle cable breaks or sticks or when you're throttle gets frozen at 60mph.

Personally I hate twist Throttles. I like them on street bikes, but that's about it.

If you're complaining about hitting your knee on the throttle then adjust your riding position.
If You really hate thumb throttle, there are left hand throttle kits that allow you to use you're fingers to apply throttle instead of your thumb...