After riding for the last few days several hours each day I'm finding that I don't really like the thumb throttle that it comes with and is wearing my thumb out. I know one option is to suck it up and my thumb will eventually get stronger. I've found twist throttles but unsure as the bumpy trails might not go so well with a twist style but I have no experience on that just street bikes which is no problem. I know every magazine suggests getting a new lighter springed throttle for the past few years on the YFZ450's but couldn't find anything when I did a quick search. What's you guys experiences and recomendations. Trying to keep price down too obviously so no need for any of these billet products out there for like 150 bucks.

 

Twist throttles are for dirt/street bikes! You would think a twist throttle would be the same on a 4 wheeler, but it's not. When you ride a motorcycle, you lean the bike to turn it, so the twist throttle is usually the same distance away from you at all times. On a 4 wheeler you actually turn the bars, so you constantly have to extend and retract your arm - not good for a twist throttle. I have seen some hairy situations happen because of twist throttles on 4 wheelers(some of which was probably operator error). I think you just need to do some thumb exercises and you will be fine. The Raptor 700 has one of the lightest throttles I have ever felt.

They make a universal thumb throttle extender you can get that may help for around $12.

 

That's kinda what I thought of the twist style that it would be too jerky and could lead to bad situations. I don't agree with being too light though. My buddies KFX 450R seems to be quite a bit easier. I'll have to look to see if it's just the way it's setup or the actual spring pressure required to push it. Also have a Honda Foreman TRX450 that is alot easier on the thumb. Again might just be the ergonomics of the setup maybe something as simple as changing the angle or such might solve my problem.

 

This is one problem that I have complained about on my Raptor for quite some time. Quad magazine did a artical on this and said to replace the Yamaha set up wit one from a Honda 400EX and it solves the issue.

Yamaha must have listened to the complaints as for the 09 700R there is a whole new throttle setup that is much easy'r to use they also put this basic seup on my on Grizz and I will say it is night and day diff. I was getting quite use to using the on on the 08 but after using the 09 setup you see how stiff it realy is. I think I will by a 09 700r throttle to put on the 08 and it should solve any stiff issues that I have!