Thumb Pump!, / Throttle Thumb!

[barbwire44]

Ok, well if you guys remember my last post on arm pump, well it's healed! The last race my arms didn't pump up and after researching the problem I have discovered the real problem I am having is known as throttle thumb or thumb pump! After 20 minutes or so my thumb will just quit working i mean i can't even give it more than 1/4 throttle for any period of time! (it sucks). Any ideas? or suggestions? I ordered a little device call the thumbthing to try but im having my doubts to wether or not it will work. Any help would be appreciated.

[400exRacerX]

It happens to me too. Last year I just sucked it up and used my palm when my thumb got tired. But when you use your palm you have to position your self awkward. I am trying this springy thing you squeeze with your fingers to build you fingers, thumb, and forearm muscles up. I also started training.

[004exkid]

That happened to me last race season. It was getting towards the end of a hare scramble and I was running pretty strong. Probally top ten of 40 and all of the sudden BAM! The throttle wont go in ?! I ended up using my palm and wrist to finish the race and was the last guy on the lead lap I had always rode dirtbikes before so I switched to a twist throttle and solved the problem. I still need to work on my grip. At the end of a very rocky race I have a hard engouh time holding on to the bars not mention trying to use the clutch.

[rhino99]

My buddy who races nationals has got two things that he does to help with this. The first one is he took an ice cream scoop, put a stiffer spring on it and he just sits and pushes it in and out all the time when hes just sitting there watching TV or whatever. He also took a set of handlebars, cut one handle off and mounted an old thumb throttle housing on it, the then attached a spring to the bars and to the throttle and works with that at home, he doesnt take that one out in public, as he gets weird enough looks doing the ice cream scoop. But he said that they both work wonders!

[400exRacerX]

Yeah I just picked up these hand exercisers tonight and I'll see how they do. Its basically the same principle as your friends ice cream scooper. I also had a hard time keeping my hands on the handle bars towards the end of the day. It would hurt just to grip the handle bars not to mention pulling in the clutch, brake, and throttle.

[Chef]

I rode for 6-8hours a day, 6 days straight, and at the end of the week the muscle that connected to my thumb detached from everything else and you could see it up on top of my forearm. Well, you still can, and I havent gotten Thumb pump for about a year now! just try riding for a hard week solid like I did, it will hurt when you move your thumb for a couple days at the end of the week, but you will never regret it..

[400exRacerX]

I only ride once a week or twice if I'm lucky......I have a job and can't ride everyday.

[Adams44]

Same here, I used to ride for days @ 8 to 10 hours and never had a problem.........that is until I broke my thumb when I caught my right tire on a tree full out in 4th. I couldn't move it for a long time. That was two years ago. I ran the full GNCC circuit this year and it only got a little better. I would extend my fingers over the bar and pull on the thumb throttle in wide open sections.

I need some help too!

What ever you do DON"T HIT TREES! I don't think my thumb will ever be the same.

[Adams44]

P.S. Those plastic thumb throttle extenders aren't worth a s**t. But if somebody knows of an aluminum clamp on, that would really do wanders.

Also, change your throttle cable. Kind of like a clutch cable, they are hard to tell when they are getting worn, but when you change it WOW. I also removed the spring in the throttle housing on the bar, cut the accelerator pump spring and grinded on the main spring. It is a lot better, but nothing like my R, those flat slide carbs were effortless when you cut the spring down to about 5/8.

I had the same problem but i realized i was straining my hand, so i position my throttle at a different angle and it worked, some people have shorter fingers and cut thier grips down and move the throttle closer to thier hand, since ive changed my position i have no trouble