The primary way of turning a bike is by using a technique known as “countersteering,” where you utilize the combined weight of the rider and the bike to lean the bike in the direction you want to turn. ATVs do not lean as motorcycles doĭuring their testing, the engineers realized that the riding style of an ATV is in many ways very different from that of a bike. This meant testing needed to be done in rough terrain, bumpy roads, sandy hills, and slopes as steep as 35 degrees. The newborn ATV was designed with both recreational riding as well as agricultural work in mind. But why did the Honda engineers choose the thumb throttle over the well-known twist style throttle, used on motorcycles? This design has been the norm for stock ATVs ever since. The iconic 3-wheeled vehicle from 1970 was named the «Honda US90», and it was the world’s first all-terrain vehicle by today’s ANSI definition of an ATV.Īt the time, the snowmobiles had already been fitted with thumb throttles and was an inspiration to the designers. When Honda was in the process of designing what is considered today to be the first ATV, their extensive testing concluded that a thumb throttle was the best option for the newly designed machine. Honda chose a thumb throttle for the worlds first ATV They are also generally considered being a safer option, especially for inexperienced riders. So why do ATVs have thumb throttles? A Thumb throttle better allows the ATV rider to shift his bodyweight for optimal vehicle maneuverability while still maintaining precise throttle control. So I decided to do some research on the subject. Have you ever wondered why ATVs come with thumb throttles like the ones you find on snowmobiles and jet skis and not with twist throttles like on most types of motorcycles?īeing someone who currently owns or has previously owned most of these types of vehicles, I’ve found myself asking this question from time to time.

Why is your thumb not a finger