Can You Put a Thumb Throttle On a Motorcycle?

Riding a motorcycle can be a lot of fun, but you might find yourself in a situation where your wrist is too tired to continue driving your motorcycle. You might wonder, then, if there are any other types of motorcycles that do not put a strain on your wrist like this or if there is a way to change your motorcycle from a twist throttle to a thumb throttle. So, the question boils down to “can you put a thumb throttle on a motorcycle?”

You can get a thumb throttle on a motorcycle. There are two ways how to go about doing this: 1) you can either manually install the thumb throttle yourself, which would require technical expertise, experience, and an instruction manual, or 2) you can purchase a thumb throttle motorcycle.

Going from a twist throttle to a thumb throttle can be easy if you know where to look. There are companies that specialize in the provision of thumb throttles for various kinds of vehicles. Additionally, when making the decision on whether you wish to pursue changing from a twist throttle to a thumb throttle, you should consider all the advantages that come with each type of throttle. So, what company(ies) sell(s) thumb throttle motorcycles? What are advantages and disadvantages of these types of throttles? All of this we explore!

Can You Put A Thumb Throttle On A Motorcycle?

There are, broadly speaking, two types of throttles you get on a motorcycle: twist throttle and thumb throttle. Twist throttles further split into full-twist and half-twist throttles. When you decide on whether or not you want a twist throttle or a thumb throttle.

While twist throttles are the majority of all motorcycles you will find on the road, there are, in fact, thumb throttle motorcycles. The idea behind a thumb throttle is to use the driver of the motorcycle’s thumb to power the motorcycle while maintaining a good grip on your motorcycle’s handlebar. This grip constantly applies throughout the entire throttle’s range of motion and, thus, causes less fatigue on the driver.

A thumb throttle can work on a motorcycle because it does not have any unnatural movement of one’s thumb to use it, and it allows your hand to cover your motorcycle’s front brake lever the whole time.

This does raise a bit of cause for concern because you cannot easily pull the brakes on a twist throttle if your throttle is open and, thus, you are forced to let go of the throttle and brake – this gives you a lot of stopping power and control. For twist throttles, however, you can apply the brakes and the throttle simultaneously, which is not ideal for braking.

In summary: yes, you can put a thumb throttle on your motorcycle. There are companies such as Inoveli that design thumb throttles that are made for various types of vehicles. These include ATVs, jet skis, motorcycles, scooters, and many more. If you want to, you can even manually install a thumb throttle on your motorcycle, but that does require technical expertise and experience to do so.

Thumb Throttle Vs. Twist Throttle

When it comes to these different types of throttles, there are various advantages and disadvantages. We will take a look at them so that you can make a more informed decision when you decide which type of throttle you want for your motorcycle.

Thumb Throttle

Let us take a look at all the advantages and disadvantages of a thumb throttle.

Advantages:

If you are working with a bike that only has twist shifters, you have no choice but to go for a thumb throttle. You are able to put on a twist throttle on a bike with twist shifters, but it is not recommended because you are going to have to reach over the twist throttle every time you want to twist. This is not ideal, so a thumb throttle will be better in this case.
You are not going to get a sore wrist while you engage the throttle. If you go in a straight line for some time on a twist throttle, your wrist will be in that twist position constantly. This can put strain on your wrist, which can lead to a lot of discomfort and fatigue in the long wrong.
Thumb throttles are not as large as twist throttles, and do not clutter your handlebar as much as twist throttles. This means you can still use your original handlebar grips, or you can even put on customized handlebar grips if you wish since the handlebar ends are not replaced.

Disadvantages:

You do not experience the wrist fatigue that you would experience with a twist throttle, but your thumb can get tired after a long time of usage. If you go full speed and straight ahead for many miles, your thumb will start feeling a bit sore or numb. Thus, you merely transfer exhaustion from your wrist to your thumb.
In climates where it is a little colder than usual, a thumb throttle can be disadvantageous. In cold climates, your entire hands will be on the handlebar except for your thumb. Your thumb will be sticking out underneath the throttle in the face of strong jet streams, and you might feel that your thumb is frozen and wants to fall off after the ride.
If you have trigger (or thumb) shifters, you might have interference with your thumb throttle. It should be mentioned that this does not always apply, but if you want to manually do your electric conversion (that has trigger shifters), a twist throttle could be better for you.
One big disadvantage when it comes to thumb throttles is that they are not ideal for off-road experiences. If your driving terrain is not very flat and you continuously bounce up and down, your thumb will also bounce up and down. Thus, you will lose a bit of throttle control on rough terrain.

Twist Throttle

Moving on, let us take a look at all the advantages and disadvantages of a twist throttle.

Advantages:

In contrast to the disadvantage of a thumb throttle not being ideal for rough or uneven terrain, a twist throttle is ideal for rough terrain. This is because you don’t really lose control over a twist throttle if you bounce up and down because bouncing up and down does not easily interfere with how you twist a twist throttle.
People that struggle a bit with immobility in their hands might actually prefer a twist throttle – a half twist throttle, at least. This is because when it comes to twist throttles, you use your entire hand to handle the throttle instead of putting a lot of pressure on one finger alone.
An advantage of a half twist throttle over a full twist throttle (and, logically speaking, a thumb throttle as well) is that you can actually go straight long distances without any great twist muscle exertion whatsoever. To do this, simply twist the half twist throttle where necessary; thereafter, simply use the last fingers on your hand available to grab the remainder of the handle and let your grip keep the throttle open.

Disadvantages:

One of the main disadvantages that have already been pointed out is the fatigue your wrist experiences. Because you have to rotate the handle of your motorcycle and keep it there in the rotated position, it can cause strain on your wrist.
A twist can be a tiny bit dangerous if you are moving your bike around manually because if you push it and the handlebar (or, more specifically, the throttle) accidentally brushes against an object that turns the throttle, you will have your vehicle jumping out from under you.

So, now you know some of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of throttle. Thus, before you put on a thumb throttle for your motorcycle, consider what is best for you!

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you do not like tiring your wrist out while you are driving your dirt bike, do not worry! You can go from a normal twist throttle to a thumb throttle if you really wish to. You can either purchase a motorcycle from a company, such as Inoveli, that comes with a thumb throttle, or you can simply install a thumb throttle manually, but make sure to consult people with expertise to help you or do it for you.