Twist throttle is pretty much superior in every way. Anybody who argues otherwise has never really given a twist throttle a chance. Really simple, you can hold on a whole lot better with with your thumb wrapped around the handlebar than you can with just your fingers, to say nothing about the fatigue to your hand and thumb from a thumb throttle. Just take a look at the starting line at any pro motocross race, all twist throttles and trust me if a thumb throttle were better they would be on every bike. Being able to grip with our thumbs is something that sets us apart as homo sapiens. Honda put a thumb throttle on the ATC 90 when it was introduced 35 years ago and it has just kind of stuck as an ATV standard.

 

I don't know about these days, but back when I raced and took some lessons from Joe Byrd, he preferred a thumb throttle.

Riding a quad requires a lot more body english than a dirt bike, and a lot more steering effort/input. I find using a twist when I'm trying to power slide a turn to be much more difficult. It is also harder to release the throtle, and I'll gaurentee you'll only go over ONE jump with the throttle pinned back because you couldn't let go soon enough before you decide it's not for you.

On a dirt bike when the front wheel hits a bump the impact is transfered vertically and directly into the forks and steering is not significantly affected. When one wheel of a quad hits a bump the shock is transferred to not only the shock but also the tie rods and steering shaft. This causes a twist throttle to be a safety hazard. Imagine hitting a hard bump at speed or landing a jump badly, instead of having the bars knocked from right hand you hold on only to inadvertantly twist the throttle down which causes you to lose control even more.

But it's really personal opinion, if you don't like it you can always switch back.

 

I think your example shows a twist to be better than a thumb throttle on an ATV. Way more to hang onto when the going get's rough and I want my entire hand and thumb gripping the bars. Been using twist throttles on atv's for 25 years through just about every situation possible and I have never inadvertantly gassed it. I was almost killed by a person inadvertantly gassing a thumb throttle though once. True story, 2 girls were on a 660 Raptor looking for their camp spot at night, and the rider had her helmet sitting on her lap as she slowly rode near our camp trying to figure out where she was at. When she tried to turn around the bill of her helmet hit the thumb throttle square and gassed the raptor full on! she was pointed right at our campfire and me, but thankfully a small tent was between us. Somehow that tent stopped that Raptor which had deposited the 2 girls on their backsides and actually flipped the rappy over backwards! Somehow it didn't even scratch the tent! Bottom line is whatever you are most comfortable with is the thing to use...

 

Thumb throttles are there so that your non-rider girlfriend can ride over to the bathrooms.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] The 1st thing I do is add a twist to my stuff.

 

I like all the comments really. This is helping make my decision. I suppose I could just take the twist throttle off if I really don't like it!

PS My wife can take her own bike to the bathroom!!

 

nicks3 if you or SuzukiDoug get one, please post on here and let us know how you like or don't like it.
I've have been thinking about getting one for me V? I see what KingQuader is saying about the grip thing and it makes a lot of sence to me. Sometimes I can't hold on to the bar with one and a 1/2 hands. I'm a tight wad and don't want to spend 70 bucks to find out!!! Guess I will have to?
Dog, can you comment on the 2 and 4 stroke comment? I don't understand your train of thought.

 

It will be a couple weeks before I let you know but I will make sure I post it up. I have never rode with a twist throttle and rode plenty with a thumb so I am bias twards the thumb but I want to see how the twist feel! I will let you know!

 

Well i'm just the opposite of you. I'm an old bike rider and I think I would like a twist on my V. From what I have read the kids like a thumb and the old dogs like me seem to like the twist. We will see.
All in all I think it is a personal thing.

 

Yeah it is all personal preference. I just think I would be able to hold on better but not totally sure. I guess time will tell!!

 

I kept stabbin' the thumber on my bumpy LT and jumpin' off the trail. I got the twist and never looked back. My problem is a bad thumb that gets stiff after awhile.