Finger Throttle options?

[kidwoo]

Don't do it unless you are a trail rider. Far too dangerous going through the trees. I have so many guys telling me about their horror stories and why they now want a Cordless Teth-Air or Phantom Teth-Air. This can only cause a whole bunch of new problems when branches mash the throttle.

I've been riding a finger throttle or a flipped/finger throttle for 8 years. Two sleds previous without handguards. My current one has barkbuster moto guards (as much for actual branch smashing as because of the finger throttle).

I know this will bite me in the a$$ for actually typing this publicly but I have NEVER run the throttle into something that activated it. A lot of that has to do with the fact that like everyone says, it ends up facing more down than forward. But you can also ride with one finger on the paddle and another finger behind the paddle so little pinner branches don't pulse it as you pass. But the idea that this should only be done by trail riders is kind of funny to those of us who have been doing it for a long time.

I don't disagree that some good handguards are a good idea.....doesn't hurt. I just considered that as only par of the reason for them.......along with punching branches and early cold mornings.

I should take pics of all the wood and bark marks on the front of my sled right now...........you know.......for credentials

Tether cords and branches however...... That's affected my riding through branches way more.

 

[Whiskyshooter]

I just talked to the Munster guys this week. The guy I was talking with said they are working on the Polaris one right now and it should be out in the next few weeks..

 

[boondog]

Kidwoo, I have had the same experience with using the stock thumb throttle as a finger pull. I've been doing it since 2005, after spending the previous 10 years on a yamaha wave blaster I couldn't get used to having my throttle hand come off the bars in bad situations. The amount of gripping power increase you get from having your thumb wrapped around the bars is significant. The way you explained having one finger in front and the other pinched in between is the same technique I use, it works excellent as a safety and gives awesome throttle control. When going to full throttle the finger in between just slides over naturally. However I would not recommend finger pull without a corded tether or air tether. Although I recommend tethers for all sleds, as I have had and witnessed some bad situations without. I also went to using a bark buster style handguard mostly for added protection for my fingers, but it also helps protect finger throttle And keep snow and ice from building up. Other sledders who claim it's too dangerous I will usually ask why they have there brake lever out front then, as a impact with a tree/branch would end with getting them tossed over the bars. Just about as violently as getting throttle bumped and bailing off the back.

 

[boondog]

Here's a pic of the barkbuster style handguards that I've been using for the last two years. The combination of cycra pro bends and skinz over the top give bomber proof wind, hand, and throttle protection. The pics don't show my throttle forward because I just got the new 2015 in the background and I put the 2012 back to the stock position for other riders. I plan on doing the exact same handguard set up on the 15.

 

[kidwoo]

Kidwoo, I have had the same experience with using the stock thumb throttle as a finger pull. I've been doing it since 2005, after spending the previous 10 years on a yamaha wave blaster I couldn't get used to having my throttle hand come off the bars in bad situations. The amount of gripping power increase you get from having your thumb wrapped around the bars is significant. The way you explained having one finger in front and the other pinched in between is the same technique I use, it works excellent as a safety and gives awesome throttle control. When going to full throttle the finger in between just slides over naturally. However I would not recommend finger pull without a corded tether or air tether. Although I recommend tethers for all sleds, as I have had and witnessed some bad situations without. I also went to using a bark buster style handguard mostly for added protection for my fingers, but it also helps protect finger throttle And keep snow and ice from building up. Other sledders who claim it's too dangerous I will usually ask why they have there brake lever out front then, as a impact with a tree/branch would end with getting them tossed over the bars. Just about as violently as getting throttle bumped and bailing off the back.

Agreed.

And while I've never hit the throttle with trees, I HAVE had (many many times) sleds pulse the throttle and spin the track up while rolling down on top of me when a thumb position throttle hits the snow. That happens all the time and people just brush over it. Given a tether takes care of that most of the time but not always, and not everyone uses a tether.

People just like to look for fault whether it exists or not in things they haven't tried. I still ride sleds I don't own frequently and because of how thumb throttles actually stick up a little, I think they're more dangerous.

I don't ride with my bars in my sternum though so regardless of what configuration I use, neither is horizontal. And facing upwards in thumb position is way more sketchy IMO.

 

[Teth-Air]

I've been riding a finger throttle or a flipped/finger throttle for 8 years. Two sleds previous without handguards. My current one has barkbuster moto guards (as much for actual branch smashing as because of the finger throttle).

I know this will bite me in the a$$ for actually typing this publicly but I have NEVER run the throttle into something that activated it. A lot of that has to do with the fact that like everyone says, it ends up facing more down than forward. But you can also ride with one finger on the paddle and another finger behind the paddle so little pinner branches don't pulse it as you pass. But the idea that this should only be done by trail riders is kind of funny to those of us who have been doing it for a long time.

I don't disagree that some good handguards are a good idea.....doesn't hurt. I just considered that as only par of the reason for them.......along with punching branches and early cold mornings.

I should take pics of all the wood and bark marks on the front of my sled right now...........you know.......for credentials

Tether cords and branches however...... That's affected my riding through branches way more.

As long as everyone doing this knows the risks. I understand that if we worried about everything we wouldn't even go sledding.

Be aware that the thumb throttle has been tested and accepted for years. FYI I developed a set of bars that were straight and a second bar pivoted forward and back above it, It was hinged in the ends of the straight bar and the moving bar was in an upside down U shape that extended about 3-4 inches down past the straight bar. You pushed forward on the pivoting bar for throttle and pulled back on it for brake. No visible controls at all. Was great until you hit the whoops and it threw your body into the throttle and back to pull the brake. You could never hit brake and throttle together though. They hung on the wall of shame for a year or so before they were put in the scrap pile.

 

[kidwoo]

Was great until you hit the whoops and it threw your body into the throttle and back to pull the brake.

Please tell me you have some video of this system in action!

 

[Pickin’ Boogers]

Bump for Munster and the finger throttle. I have a hard time adjusting to a traditional throttle now - but the finger throttle became intuitive right away. I did once pin the throttle in an odd get-off, and just had to step back a little to get my leash to kill the motor. I wouldn't use the finger throttle without a leash, but also wouldn't ride a traditional setup without a leash either.

 

[no_uh]

Munster is the real deal. I can't recommend this product enough on a mountain sled. Took 1-2 rides to get used to and i haven't looked back since. IMO the threat of trees pinning your throttle is a non-issue. I can't even think of a realistic scenario where this would happen while you are in control of the sled. First, as others have mentioned, if you ride standing up most of the time, like i do, the throttle is pointed down to some degree. It is also very short (2"? - 2 fingers wide). If a tree hits that thing and pushes it wide open, you've already made a grave error of some kind. You are probably already off of your sled and the tether has killed it. It's something I thought about when I bought the throttle and first rode with it, but it's just not a real issue after riding all last season with it. There are 1000 other things that are more likely to go wrong and be more catastrophic.

 

[miko700]

munster man

I 2nd the munster.....I prefer the finger style the more I used it.....personal preference again I suppose....it has offered me no problems with 2 seasons use.....and of course I use a tether with it.....oh yes you'll need a powermadd kill switch which works better than a rubber band anyway.

 

[gtwitch]

Had a Goldfinger on my 07 Dragon 155 and a home brew (best yet) on my 2000 RMK and miss using them, but as for finger throttle, I tried that and a motorcycle twist in the early 70s and no more for me as the twist frose up and the finger thorttle was a real liability in the trees ( which we ride a lot of)! I have been thrown over the bars probably 3 times by the brake hitting a branch or tree also. Each to his own, but my choice is home made left throttle that looks like and functions just like the right thumb throttle and I just disable the right side safety switch and always have ridden wdith a teather. Just my thoughts!!

gtwitch in wyoming