Question of the day

1stlegendtx

Well-Known Member
#2
I have always though it was because you have to turn the handle bars so much to turn and the 3 and 4 wheelers don't lean while turning.
 
#4
It's all in what your used too, But I've heard it was a saftey thing. My brothers honda 3 wheeler had a thumb throttle and was wore out. We put a new motion pro twist grip kit on and it made the bike 10 times more fun to ride. If you've rode many motorcycles you'd be better off with a twist grip.
 
#5
Funny! I actually change all my twist throttles to thumb throttles! I like them on bikes becuase you can just hold on to the bars and not have to twist your wrist to go fast then slow down. I found its easier to ride for me, with the thumb throttle! These are my 2 speed deamons and they both have thumb throttles from honda 4 wheelers. I really like them alot the thumb throttles work great with these bikes and i also used on both bikes custom billet grips that are both 7/8, they were made for atv's and they look awsome!

 
#7
on my homebuilts alot of times ill use a bicycle brake leaver cus im too cheap to buy new parts :) but i was kinda looking for a definative answer. doesnt really make much sense safety wise i cant see how it makes any difference
 

125ccCrazy

Well-Known Member
#8
I believe it's more a comfort thing so your wrist and forearm doesnt get cramped and tired from the extra strain on turning the handle bars with 2 front wheels... I used to have 4 wheelers and they of course all had thumb throttles, I rode a friends 4 wheeler that was switched to a twist, I didn't like it, My wrist and arm cramped up with having to twist down on the throttle and try to turn at the same time....

For bikes I prefer twist as they are easier to control and turn but for atv's and snowmobiles I'd rather have the thumb control..

Just my 2 cents
 
#9
There is a big difference, and yes it is a saftey thing. Just think about the fact that when using a twist grip, you really do not have a good firm grip on the bars. no matter how tight you grip it, there is still a twisting motion if you hit heavy rutts and bumps. With a ATV being off road in these situations, it is safer to have your hands tight on the bars. Also Smaller Wheels mean more bumpy rides so a thumb trouttle on a mini is probably a great Idea.
 
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#10
i was thinking the exact oposite. youd need more grip on a dirtbike so its twist so you can wrap your thumb around the handlebar. on a 4 wheeler you depend less on the handlebars so a thumb is good enough. my hand gets cramped up with the thumb throttle more than twist for sure because youve got to hold on with your other fingers tighter and use persise thumb movements all the time.
 
#11
I never had a thumb throttle on any of the Tri-Sport Trikes but you can steer the trike with your arms and your feet at the same time. I have heard that some people have some of the same issues with sore thumbs after riding all day.
My VW Trike will have foot throttle and cruse control.
Do they sell thumb throttles after market if so where ?
Steve :scooter:
 
#12
i was thinking the exact oposite. youd need more grip on a dirtbike so its twist so you can wrap your thumb around the handlebar. on a 4 wheeler you depend less on the handlebars so a thumb is good enough. my hand gets cramped up with the thumb throttle more than twist for sure because youve got to hold on with your other fingers tighter and use persise thumb movements all the time.
I get a stiff rist from holding a twist grip wide open. I guess it comes down to half dozen of this half dozen of that. I thought the thumb throttle was stupid back when they came out, but learned to love them on anything with small wheels.
 
#13
i could live with either way but i do kinda like the twist better for its cool factor. Whatever acheives full throttle and doesnt stick wide open is fine by me
 
#14
I swear by the thumb throttles, if anyone has ever put a thumb throttle on a minibike or dirt bike you know how much control you have over the acceleration a deceleration. With a twist throttle if you let go to decel you are letting go of the bar, with a thumb throttle you can take your thumb off and your still holding on to the bike!
 
#15
I've seen people crack the throttle and end up on the back of the seat, with arms stretched and unable to turn loose of the twist throttle without letting go with one hand. Scary experience, but funny as hell as a spectator. With a thumb throttle, you can let off the gas without turning loose like smallbikes said.
 
#16
Since we're on questions of the day, I'll ask a couple:

What is the most popular building material to use? I've heard steel, chromoly tubing, conduit, even reinforced PVC pipe and old futon frames. What would be the best for a first-time minibike or kart?

Popular parts places for karts and bikes - any suggestions?
 
#18
Hey, Jeep, or should I call you PorscheDude?

I've d/l'd the plans for making a minibike out of bicycle parts that someone had listed here. Luckily for me, there's a recycled bike shop nearby with just about every kind of part or frame that I could ever need or want, including some VERY hard to find parts. Not only do these guys repair and build bikes, they also use old junked bicycles as the base for bicycle artwork - forks and rims welded together to make a framework for garbage cans, cranks and gears used for flowers, and there's a 10' tall 3-D cactus made out of flattened-out ten-speed rims to create the "ribs" and smaller rims for the shape.

Oops, somewhat off-topic, I suppose ... Okay, back on topic. Bicycle frames fora new minibike. Does anyone else have any other suggestions?
 
#19
Older freight dollies, pocket bike frames, garden gates, or anything else made of heavy enough tubing. If you look around you can find some nice bends already made.:thumbsup:
 
#20
Thank you for that list, Jim. I'll have to look around, see what I can find at the local junkyards and scrap metal places.

I agree that pocketbike frames are fairly decent for building - I have four in running condition, a couple of spare frames, and a bunch of parts, plus one non-running store-built mini-chopper. There comes a time when ya just get tired of getting the same old, same old stuff, and I figured it was about time for me to do some custom DIY building. I was thinking of a Tom Thumb with a pb engine, CVT transmission, and goped wheels. I noticed someone on here already did that with the power-train from a Blata 2.5 pb and Harbor freight wheels, but I'm going for 4" or 5" goped wheels. Plus, as this will be one of my first welding projects, I want to learn as much as I can about the different materials and where to get them before starting - right now I'm just gathering parts and saving for the mask and welder (MIG 110v fluxcore).

McMaster-Carr sells a whole lot of tubing and material - heard they were a good site for pretty much all your building needs.
 
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