Mullet Man Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 (edited) i just picked up a '93 RM80. i intend to teach my girlfriend how to ride it. but i rode it for the 1st time today and i'm having second thoughts about the twist throttle on it and the power it has for how touchy the twist is. its been a while since i rode a dirt bike and it surprised me for about the 1st few minutes. has anyone on here ever put a thumb throttle on a dirt bike before? i think it would be much safer for her to have a thumb throttle instead of twist. i imagine it wouldnt be difficult at all to do, just looking for a brand to get or ideas in this direction, cheaper the better! does anyone think i could retro fit a thumb throttle setup from a 4 wheeler onto this thing? lots of those on EBAY thanks MM Edited May 13, 2006 by Mullet Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racer Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 i dont think its possible to run thumb on a bike. youre off the saddle too much and i think it would kill your wrist. just order a different throttle tube assembly and you can tone down how touchy it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gargamel Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 yes you can put a thumb on a dirt bike. I have one on my RM125. Way better over twist IMO!! I used a banshee thumb and a blaster cable, worked great. I did it so the wife could ride it also. But I like it so much it will stay on and every dirtbike I get will get the change too. Super easy to do, just like changing the cable. The "off the saddle to much" comment don't make much since to me as that is why the thumb works better. I hardly ever sit on the shee either. The thumb takes away that sudden WOT in the whoops that I always have with a twist. I'm not agaist twists. I love it on my street bike, just not on off road bikes of any kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racer Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 The "off the saddle to much" comment don't make much since to me as that is why the thumb works better. I hardly ever sit on the shee either. The thumb takes away that sudden WOT in the whoops that I always have with a twist. 515629[/snapback] well when im riding a whoop section and my chest is over the bar clamps it would be a little hard to have my thumb on the throttle, since its on the low side of the bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mullet Man Posted May 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 cool to see someone has done this. she wont be riding whoops anytime soon LOL. i was just curious if it was possible. safety is key here for her sake so there was nothing special that had to be done for it to work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brock_fuzzy_69 Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 those little 80CC machiens are an evil pissed off weed eater man they will suprise you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gargamel Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 well when im riding a whoop section and my chest is over the bar clamps it would be a little hard to have my thumb on the throttle, since its on the low side of the bar. 515632[/snapback] not trying to knock you, everyone has different riding techniques. just for me the thunb is better. I don't race on track, just ride woods and the local orv park. twist = hospital, for me wether it be on a shee or dirtbike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mullet Man Posted May 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 those little 80CC machiens are an evil pissed off weed eater man they will suprise you 515637[/snapback] that aint no shit lol it has umph for sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallrat Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 Even kid's bikes come with a twist. Why? So that kids will learn how to properly ride. I don't think you need to do anything to encourage her forming a bad habit. What happens down the road if there's an emergency and she has to ride on a bike w/ a twist? I made my wife learn to ride my twist banshee just cuz if I ever get hurt messing around on her yfz, that's what she's gonna be using to go get help. Worst thing that'll happen is she'll fall down a little more often. I started off riding dirt bikes. I can think of 4x in the last 16 years that I crashed because of the twist. 3 were in the first 2 months of starting riding, and the 4th was just over a year later. If you're worried about her safety, sell the bike and buy her some knitting needles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mullet Man Posted May 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 i didnt know "riding properly" meant having a twist throttle!? i'm not taking her racing. she isnt learning to race. she isnt starting a career, but rather a recreation. if this was on my shee with a twist (which it doesnt, it has a thumb so there goes your emergency scenario), i wouldnt have a problem with it. but since she has never ridden a 2 wheeled motor driven vehicle before where there is alot more focus and involvement then on 4 wheels, i want her to have as little too worry about as possible, while she is learning knitting needles.... get off your soapbox dude. you say you have crashed 4 times in your 16 years of riding with a twist throttle....well, i would like to see her only crash twice with a thumb. get my point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FasterThanU90 Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 Thats bad ass that ur teachin ur wife to ride u guys are gonna have a blast Have Fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sp1tekiller Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 If you ride dirtbikes they way they are meant to be ridden (Standing up, hammering the whoops etc.) a thumber is almost impossible to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gargamel Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 If you ride dirtbikes they way they are meant to be ridden (Standing up, hammering the whoops etc.) a thumber is almost impossible to use. 515862[/snapback] Have you tried a thumb on a dirtbike???? I have one on mine and I can stand up and hammer whoops, I don't race but ride at the track in the orv park. I love all the people that say "it's dangerous" or "you can ride it as hard" and have never tried it. Thats like saying if you put a twist on a atv you can ride it "properly" it all come down to perference. Just most people are to closed minded to even give a thumb on dirtbike a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallrat Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 I just don't buy into the whole kinder/gentler BS for girls. My wife gets the big 'ol ego boost everytime I offer to let somebody ride my shee and they won't touch it cuz of the twist. Don't get me wrong, she uses a thumb on her yfz and hates my twist, but she can ride it - she just has to take it easy. If I put a thumb on her yz80 she'd refuse to ride it until I un-gayified it. Do what you want but what happens down the road when somebody offers to let her try out their bike and she passes cuz she doesn't know how to ride a twist? Its alot easier to learn to ride a twisty w/out having to unlearn a thumb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mullet Man Posted May 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 i'm not trying to be kinder or gentler to her lol she is a Marine,yes, USMC for 5 years. in a sense, kinder and gentler have no meaning to her...but ease of operation does for a beginner. she has quad experience from when she was younger but 2 wheels is a whole other ballpark...especially a 2 stroke i appreciate your input on whether or not a thumb throttle is doable on a dirtbike (the original topic) MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.