Throttle thumb

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cardinal43

Member
I just got my fiance into riding last winter and we are looking forward to riding more this year. She has always had an issue with "throttle-thumb" where her thumb gets sore after riding. It isn't a problem for me, but I need to solve this for her so we can continue to ride together.

Does anyone have any experience with those neoprene throttle thumb supports that you can buy from dennis kirk, etc?

Any other tips on how to help her so her thumb doesn't hurt?
 
cooksend

cooksend

Active member
They work ok but it is not a fix. If she has smaller hands that also make it tough. Tell her to get ready for the season by squeezing a stress ball and working her thumb! May work...
 
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cardinal43

Member
Good tip, will do. I also just ordered the Throttle Gizmo from Clyde Can Ride, after searching a bit more on this board.
 
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dab102999

New member
Expensive fix buy a 4 stroke, much less throttle pull.....cheap fix "rotate" the throttle assemble a little to postion her wrist down a bit. Have done this on every sled for my wife for years and works great. We have one of those thumb gloves and they do work but she does complain on cold days that her hand gets cooler, probably from the restriction of blood flow..
 
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megan600

New member
I've had lots of issues with my "throttle thumb" due to carpal tunnel. Rotating the thumb position has helped the most, well with the exception of the surgery with really helped. Best of luck to ya...if the wife is happy, you will be happy :)
 
mezz

mezz

Well-known member
Tell her to clamp it to the bars, no fatigue there, lol!! just kidding:rolleyes:. You may have her try to depress the trottle with more of the middle to the base of the thumb (closer to the hand) rather than the tip, that will ease the fatigue.-Mezz
 
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mxz_chris

New member
This is the biggest reason my wife doesn't enjoy riding very much. She is also left handed, so she really has trouble. I have considered left hand throttle, is there a right hand brake avaiable? Let us know if the gizmo you bought works.
 
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sledboy482

Member
My wife has small hands, and when she first started riding she had throttle-thumb issues, too. I did rotate the throttle downwards, as stated above. I also showed her how to use the middle to "bottom" of her thumb to depress throttle. She has no problems at all now. Just the first weekend to get things back in shape so to speak. I would think if you do these and also use the thing you bought she should be happy to go every day with you.
 
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catgirl

New member
I had throttle thumb issues when I started snowmobiling too. My husband adjusted the throttle position and it helped a bit. I think women have a natural common sense fear that if we drive too fast, we won't have control of the sled. It took a seaon to figure out that snowmobiles are MADE for the snow. If I go a little faster, I actually have more control. Bottom line, give your wife this advice from another woman, if you just give it gas and go like heck, your thumb/hand won't hurt a bit!
 
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chitown sledhead

New member
cooksend said:
They work ok but it is not a fix. If she has smaller hands that also make it tough. Tell her to get ready for the season by squeezing a stress ball and working her thumb! May work...
Click to expand...

I bought my wife a thumb support from dennis kirk , it work ok but it was a pain to get the glove on and off .It wasnt worth the gain for the bs .. Excrise like mentioned thats her best bet.good luck
 
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arcticgeorge

New member
EFI or Carbs?

does her sled have efi or carbs? my hand use to hurt pulling the triple carbs on my zert. When i bought a sled with efi it was much better. If not i would say the lefty throttle option is good so she can use both hands on and off.
 
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se3racing

New member
Throttle Tumb

When I had my ZRT I used this for exercise before the season started. Its a collar for a one inch weight bar. Most sporting goods with weights have them.
 

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indybru

Member
My wife has same problem. We ordered the throttle gizmo but the dealer couldn't install on the rev. I forget what the problem was. We tried the thumb support and it's not the solution.

Now when I bought the 600 Renengade etec she seems to like it much better. We bought it early march so we only rode it 2.5 days. I'm kind of wondering about the Ski Doo 600 ACE our dealer was supposed to get it but the snow melted up in Bergland in mid march.
 
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beakjones

Member
Definitely harder on carbed sleds. Might take some time to figure out the optimal rotation of it for her body. Make sure she changes position on the bars pretty often. This is a common thing for us mountain bikers, after 10 miles of the same position hand pain can really creep up on you. Unless I'm in a race, I change my posture pretty often and it's no longer a problem. I'm sure it's a form of repetitive stress injury.
 
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scott_l

Member
cardinal43 said:
Good tip, will do. I also just ordered the Throttle Gizmo from Clyde Can Ride, after searching a bit more on this board.
Click to expand...

VERY VERY IMPORTANT, VERY VERY IMPORTANT, VERY VERY IMPORTANT

After you install the Throttle Gizmo make sure the throttle returns to the "at rest position" before you start the sled. And then check this frequently the entire winter.

I had the same problem your having (my wife had a sore thumb) so I also purchased the Throttle Gizmo worked great after I got it adjusted properly. The first time I installed it I tightened it to much so the throttle was not "snapping" back.

My fault not the Throttle Gizmo, just wanted to point my mistake out!

Over all great product for trail cruising, but using the Gizmo you can not use full throttle (if I remember correctly only could go about 1/2-3/4 throttle). For the pulls across the lake or field you will still have to use the traditional throttle.
 
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snocat_02

New member
Very Dangerous

mxz_chris said:
This is the biggest reason my wife doesn't enjoy riding very much. She is also left handed, so she really has trouble. I have considered left hand throttle, is there a right hand brake avaiable? Let us know if the gizmo you bought works.
Click to expand...

Not a good idea. Someone may jump on the sled not knowing of the switch and do some serious damage. My dad this to a sled back in the 70's when he owned an AC dealership. Guy bought a new sled for him and his wife. Wife wanted the throttle on the left side. Dad said he wouldn't do that. Guy said he would by his sleds elsewhere. Dad agreed to do it. Guy came to pick up the sleds. as he was loading his wife he went to hit the break on the trailer and oops it was the gas! Sled ended up ontop of the brand new buick that was pulling the trailer! haha
 
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