• Don't miss out on all the fun! Register on our forums to post and have added features! Membership levels include a FREE membership tier.

Munster Finger Throttle - Thoughts after 200 Miles.

matchrocket

Well-known member
Premium Member
Mar 2, 2016
209
69
28
Boise
Just shy of 200 miles on my Munster w/guard this craptastic snow season, and I'd though I'd provide some feedback on what I think so far.

PRO's:
  • Feels way more natural (to me).
  • More control on steep down hill throttle side turn up's and (don't know what its called) carving/controlling speed by digging one ski in on steep downhill's has improved dramaticly.
  • Throttle Side Wrong Foot with extreme counter steer is easier to control.
  • Better grip now that I have my thumb.
  • Don't wrap my hand around the bars to grab the throttle in those awkward out-of-balance-trying-to-recover situations.
  • Fantastic quality.
  • Doesn't get packed with snow and get stuck open like the OEM throttle block does in powder conditions.

CON's
  • Finger Fatigue on long trail rides.
  • Ices up in really bad in craptastic weather conditions. (Ice fog, mixed rain/snow). IMPORTANT unlike the OEM one, it won't ice in the OPEN position, just the throttle lever gets iced up.
  • Heater pretty *weak*. Suspect the material is the cause of this, AL is a great heat sink. Finger gets cold sometimes.

All-in-All I am extremely happy with my decision to make the switch, and I can't imagine a sled without one. I went with the guard, which has paid for itself a few times in thick trees. I wear a tether ALWAYS anyway, so the TSS by-pass and risk of mashing the throttle are mute points for me anyway.

The guys who have hopped on my sled and rode it or felt it in the standing position have all really liked it.

I used to be HUGE into stand up jet-ski's which were finger throttle configured, so this is second nature to me. Muscle memory to use my thumb was gone after the first day.

If your on the fence, DO IT!!! I doubt you'll regret it.
 

kylant

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Mar 4, 2011
1,664
393
83
CA
i agree.
i had one on my pro-ride, took it off. been running stock on my axys. just finally put it on. much better.

the heating element is weak. the first one i had, was so hot it melted the whole lever:face-icon-small-blu. But with excellent customer service, I had a new one within a couple days
 

L. Perry

Active member
Premium Member
Dec 4, 2015
97
27
18
57
I agree also. But, The heater in them is junk, froze my finger when it was around zero so i took it off. Any idea's on making it warmer?
 

High Voltage

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Jan 30, 2003
2,493
3,101
113
Helena, MT
Are the Munsters getting full throttle now?
Just put one on my Ski Doo yesterday, and it will go full throttle. Also put a rubber guard in front of the cable to help deflect snow from going in cable and freezing. Hopefully it will work.
 

wwracer

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 6, 2007
1,090
924
113
67
Island Park ID
 

Teth-Air

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Nov 27, 2007
4,549
2,777
113
Calgary AB/Nelson BC
www.specified.ca
What I don't understand is how guys can hold on better with a finger throttle because hanging on is most critical on acceleration when your body weight is thrust rearward. I prefer 4 fingers to hold from ripping off the bars and I am not a heavy guy. Forward thrust of my body during braking or down hill is way less intense and is easily controlled with the palm of my hand. Maybe jumping or different riding styles is dictating the need to wrap your thumb around the bars? Or is it guys with really small hands that don't cover enough of the bar for a really good grip? Just makes no sense to me.
 

goridedoo

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 8, 2010
3,864
3,534
113
Are the Munsters getting full throttle now?
I was able to get full throttle with the first ones they made.

My concern would be throttle cables... mine broke with under 90 miles on a brand new sled. 20 miles in. Not super fun.
 

goridedoo

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 8, 2010
3,864
3,534
113
What I don't understand is how guys can hold on better with a finger throttle because hanging on is most critical on acceleration when your body weight is thrust rearward. I prefer 4 fingers to hold from ripping off the bars and I am not a heavy guy. Forward thrust of my body during braking or down hill is way less intense and is easily controlled with the palm of my hand. Maybe jumping or different riding styles is dictating the need to wrap your thumb around the bars? Or is it guys with really small hands that don't cover enough of the bar for a really good grip? Just makes no sense to me.
Try one. You'll understand.

I went many years only using thumb throttles. Spent a summer on a stand up... and found out that finger throttles just ergonomically make way more sense. Far superior to a thumb throttle.

Something not mentioned here is the fact that you can keep your wrist straight with a figure throttle. It makes a huge difference doing the pushing and pulling motions we do all day.
 

Teth-Air

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Nov 27, 2007
4,549
2,777
113
Calgary AB/Nelson BC
www.specified.ca
Try one. You'll understand.

I have and hated it. Even on a PWC I hated it and it. Yamaha realized the problem and designed a cruise control assist that after setting a desired speed you hit a button and then go full throttle and it holds your speed. This way it would hold your current speed and you would not have to hold the flipper 1/2 way as it was way too tiring on the hand and fore-arm. This is such a band-aid design.
 

goridedoo

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 8, 2010
3,864
3,534
113
I have and hated it. Even on a PWC I hated it and it. Yamaha realized the problem and designed a cruise control assist that after setting a desired speed you hit a button and then go full throttle and it holds your speed. This way it would hold your current speed and you would not have to hold the flipper 1/2 way as it was way too tiring on the hand and fore-arm. This is such a band-aid design.
OK... don't use one then.

I guess I don't hold the throttle halfway on a sled all day, you must do alot of trail riding.

It takes some time to get your arm used to using a finger throttle, just like a thumb throttle if you've never used one.
 

kidwoo

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 28, 2008
2,630
1,875
113
Are the Munsters getting full throttle now?

Always have, if one is not mystified by the concept of adjusting throttle cable tension.

It's pretty precise to go to full stop on both ends but easily achievable.
 

Teth-Air

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Premium Member
Nov 27, 2007
4,549
2,777
113
Calgary AB/Nelson BC
www.specified.ca
OK... don't use one then.

I guess I don't hold the throttle halfway on a sled all day, you must do alot of trail riding.

It takes some time to get your arm used to using a finger throttle, just like a thumb throttle if you've never used one.

I don't, but on a watercraft you often will need to hold 1/2 throttle. But I do need to hang on tight to my sled that I couldn't do with a finger throttle. Still baffled how guys say they can hang on better when the physics of riding tell me 4 fingers are stronger than 3 when it counts. I get you get to use your thumb but it helps me in the wrong direction. Just trying to understand how it works for some but wrong for others?
 

goridedoo

Well-known member
Premium Member
Feb 8, 2010
3,864
3,534
113
I don't, but on a watercraft you often will need to hold 1/2 throttle. But I do need to hang on tight to my sled that I couldn't do with a finger throttle. Still baffled how guys say they can hang on better when the physics of riding tell me 4 fingers are stronger than 3 when it counts. I get you get to use your thumb but it helps me in the wrong direction. Just trying to understand how it works for some but wrong for others?
I don't, and I don't think most have an issue "hanging on". I'm either holding on to the bars- or I'm not because I no longer want to be type of deal. More so about a controlled grip, which IMO is much better with the thumb wrapped around the back side of the bars.
 

kidwoo

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Dec 28, 2008
2,630
1,875
113
Still baffled how guys say they can hang on better when the physics of riding tell me 4 fingers are stronger than 3 when it counts. I get you get to use your thumb but it helps me in the wrong direction. Just trying to understand how it works for some but wrong for others?

You swing a baseball bat, or dig with a shovel with your thumb off?

One thumb is more significant in strength and grip than one of the four others.

How did you have yours mounted, angle-wise? I see guys put them on horizontally and then don't understand why they can't grip sometimes. Mine faces more down than forward.

If it's not your thing, it's not your thing but 99% of the people who have tried one immediately notice how much firmer you can keep a grip on the bars. But I ride mountainbikes and moto too so am very used to using my index finger constantly.
 

Pickin’ Boogers

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Apr 5, 2013
377
312
63
BTW, the cable breakage issue is easy to address - use a little jeweler's file on the cable end to smooth out all the flaws. Make sure it rotates well in the throttle lever.
 
Premium Features