Why a Quick Action Throttle is a Game Changer
Abhi from Chasing Tenths
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Hey everyone, Abhi here from Chasing Tenths, and I want to talk about something that might seem like a small change to your bike – but trust me, it can have a HUGE impact on your track riding. I’m talking about quick action throttles, and I know what some of you might be thinking: “Quick action throttle? Isn’t for me.”
Give me just a few minutes, and I promise I’ll change your mind. I used to think the same way, but after experiencing the difference firsthand, I’m convinced this is an upgrade that can benefit riders of all levels, especially on the track.
Before we dive in, let me give you three key takeaways that I want you to keep in mind as we go through this:
- It’s not about being a pro racer: Quick action throttles aren’t just for the elite. They can genuinely help novice and intermediate riders build confidence and improve throttle control, which are crucial for faster lap times and safer riding.
- Fluidity and control are key: This isn’t about drastically increasing your speed overnight. It’s about making your throttle inputs smoother, more precise, and ultimately, more intuitive. This leads to better corner exits and more confident riding overall.
- Small change, big impact: For a relatively modest investment, a quick action throttle can be a game-changer, eliminating hesitation, improving responsiveness, and helping you unlock those crucial tenths of a second on the track.
If you’d rather watch this review, here’s my original video on the topic:
From Skeptic to Believer: My Quick Action Throttle Revelation
Like many of you, I used to think that quick action throttles were a bit of an unnecessary extravagance, something reserved for professional racers chasing every last fraction of a second. I focused on bigger, more obvious changes to my bike, like chain and sprocket adjustments. Don’t get me wrong, things like changing your chain and sprockets do make a noticeable difference, especially in how the bike feels coming out of corners and on top end. You really feel that extra rush of acceleration when you nail the throttle. I definitely did!
But my real “aha!” moment with quick action throttles came unexpectedly due to a frustrating issue during a couple of European track days at Portimao and Jerez. I was experiencing a fueling problem in my bike where, between 9,000 and 10,500 RPM, I had a significant power dip, almost like a two-second dead spot.
This meant that whenever I rolled on the throttle, say 70%, 80%, or even 90% coming out of a corner, I’d get stuck in this flat spot and lose valuable momentum. The only way to power through it was to go to full throttle. It was a bit of a forced learning curve, but it completely changed my approach.
Suddenly, I was giving it full beans out of every corner, whenever it was sensible of course. I started focusing on maximizing those mini-straights between corners, something I learned from the insights of Simon Crafar, whose approach to track riding I really admire. He emphasizes that you win the most time on the straights. Corners are about getting from one straight to the next as efficiently as possible. Your corner speed is limited by grip, but your straight speed is not. The secret to going faster is making the straights as long as possible and the corners as short as possible. Find those areas where you can use full throttle and full braking, and exploit them to the max. And that doesn’t just mean the obvious long straights, but those little bursts between corners too.
Before this fueling issue, I was stuck at around a 1:59 lap time at Jerez, which is a decent intermediate time. But by the end of those track days, by essentially being forced to use full throttle more aggressively because of the power dip, I dropped four seconds and got down to a 1:55! Four seconds! That was a massive leap, and it came simply from growing a bit of confidence and making the most of my throttle.
Because I had to give it full throttle to get past the power issue, it broke down a mental barrier I had. As someone who was a novice rider, the idea of just pinning the throttle coming out of every turn on a bike with 180+ horsepower was a little intimidating. But this experience really shifted my mindset. Now, coming out of corners, if there’s even a hint of a straight, I’m absolutely pinning it. And a quick action throttle is a huge part of why I can do that confidently.
What Exactly IS a Quick Action Throttle?
Okay, so what exactly is a quick action throttle and how does it work? When you buy a quick action throttle kit, you’re getting a complete system designed to reduce the amount of rotation needed to reach full throttle.
Typically, a kit like the Domino Quick Action Throttle Kit includes:
- New Grips: Usually, you’ll get a set of performance grips designed to work seamlessly with the new throttle mechanism.
- Throttle Mechanism Housing: This is the core of the kit, replacing your bike’s standard throttle housing.
- Interchangeable Cams (or Reels): These are the key to adjusting the “quickness” of your throttle. They are different sized spools that the throttle cables wrap around. Different sized cams change the ratio between your wrist movement and the throttle plate opening in your engine. Most kits come with multiple cams, allowing you to fine-tune the throttle response to your preference and riding conditions. Domino, for example, often provides green, red, and white cams.
- Green Cam: This is typically the least aggressive cam, closest to a standard throttle feel, and often recommended for street riding or less experienced track riders.
- Red Cam: A progressive cam, offering a quicker throttle response than stock, but still manageable.
- White Cam: The most aggressive cam, designed for rapid throttle response, ideal for racing and experienced track riders who want instant power delivery.
- Throttle Cables: Some kits, like the Domino kits, also include new throttle cables. These aren’t just any cables. Domino cables, for instance, are often lined with nylon internally. This reduces friction, making the throttle action incredibly smooth and plush, and also minimizes the need for lubrication, preventing dust and grime buildup. From my personal experience, the feel of these cables is a significant improvement over standard cables.
Similar to the Domino kit, this one gives you 4 separate cams for variable throttle sensitivities, plus throttle housing, tube, cables and grips.
- 5 cams with varying throttle responses - from stock to highly sensitive
- Aluminum inline cable adjusters make install and adjustment easy
- Cable boot keeps dirt and dust out
- May not fit your bike - check Revzilla
The Wrist Movement Revelation: Why Less Rotation Makes a Big Difference
Let’s get into why a quick action throttle is so beneficial, especially on the track. I came across a fantastic explanation from some professional riders that really helped me understand it, and I want to share it with you. Grab a clip-on handlebar or even just imagine you’re holding your handlebars.
Now, think about a standard throttle. To go from closed to full throttle, you often have to make a pretty significant wrist rotation. You start with your wrist level, then twist that quarter turn to full throttle – sometimes even needing to adjust your grip to get to full throttle. Your wrist ends up quite angled, your elbow might be tucked down – try it yourself, even sitting where you are. Try rolling off slightly and then quickly getting back on the throttle. It’s not always the most fluid motion.
Now, imagine the same scenario with a quick action throttle. Instead of that big rotation, you only need to move your wrist about half as much to reach full throttle. Now your wrist isn’t all the way down and your arm isn’t locked. You’re at full power with a much smaller, more natural wrist movement. It’s not just a shorter distance to travel – it’s far more fluid.
This isn’t about getting your elbow down or knee down in corners, novice and intermediate riders, stay with me here! This is about easy movement. Easy movement of the top half of your body. When you’re fully leaned over, and you’re at full throttle with a standard throttle, your body position can become quite tense. It can feel like you’re fighting the bike a little bit. Before a corner, when you roll off the throttle, sometimes, even if you think you’ve rolled off completely, you might still be holding a little bit of throttle open – maybe 10% or 20%. Then, as you’re tipping into the corner and getting back on the gas, you might get a little surprise, that “whoa!” moment.
I’ve experienced this myself, and I know many track day riders have too. You roll off, thinking you’re at zero throttle, but you’re not quite, because that full rotation with a standard throttle sometimes isn’t perfectly consistent. Nine times out of ten, it’s fine, but that one time, it can be a little unsettling, especially when you’re already leaned over.
This is where the reduced rotation of a quick action throttle really shines. It promotes smoother, more consistent throttle inputs. It reduces the chance of accidentally carrying a bit of throttle when you think you’re fully closed, and it makes getting back on the power in a corner exit much more intuitive and controlled.
Benefits Beyond Lap Times: Fluidity, Confidence, and Reduced “Gremlins”
The benefits of a quick action throttle go beyond just shaving lap times. It’s about improving the overall riding experience, especially on the track.
- Improved Fluidity: As we discussed, the reduced rotation makes throttle inputs smoother and more fluid. This translates to smoother corner entries and exits, less jerky transitions, and a more connected feeling with the bike.
- Reduced Hesitation and Increased Confidence: Especially for riders who are still building confidence with full throttle, a quick action throttle can be a game-changer. Knowing that full power is just a smaller, more controlled wrist movement away can eliminate hesitation and encourage you to get on the gas sooner and harder. It makes the idea of “full beans” less daunting.
- Eliminating “Throttle Gremlins”: That feeling of thinking you’re fully off the throttle but still carrying a bit of gas? Quick action throttles can significantly reduce this. The shorter rotation makes it easier to ensure you are truly at zero throttle when you intend to be. This leads to more predictable and controlled corner entries.
Is a Quick Action Throttle Right For YOU?
Now, you might be wondering, “Okay, this sounds good for track riding, but is it really worth it for me?”
- Street Riding? Honestly, for purely street riding, I’d say no, it’s probably not essential. A standard throttle is perfectly adequate for most road riding situations.
- Regular Track Day Rider? Absolutely, yes! If you’re a regular track day enthusiast, a quick action throttle is a worthwhile investment. The benefits in terms of fluidity, control, and confidence on the track are significant.
- Novice or Intermediate Track Rider? Absolutely, yes! This is where it can be surprisingly beneficial. Often, novice and intermediate riders are hesitant to go to full throttle. We’re riding bikes with nearly 200 horsepower these days, and pinning the throttle can feel intimidating. A quick action throttle makes full throttle feel less extreme, more accessible, and ultimately, less scary. It’s “quick action,” not “crazy action.”
It’s not going to magically give you 5 or 10 seconds a lap, but it will contribute to faster lap times by making you a smoother, more confident, and more efficient rider. It’s one less thing to think about when you’re chasing those tenths.
Final Thoughts: Unleash Your Track Potential
So, there you have it – my take on quick action throttles. Please, don’t be hesitant about this upgrade. It’s not a massive expense. Depending on where you get it, a good kit will cost you somewhere in the range of $150 to $200.
Similar to the Domino kit, this one gives you 4 separate cams for variable throttle sensitivities, plus throttle housing, tube, cables and grips.
- 5 cams with varying throttle responses - from stock to highly sensitive
- Aluminum inline cable adjusters make install and adjustment easy
- Cable boot keeps dirt and dust out
- May not fit your bike - check Revzilla
I get all my parts from Road Race Performance Shropshire. They’ve been fantastic and offer really good discounts. If you mention my YouTube channel, “Chasing Tenths,” they often give a discount of 5% to 10%, or even more, depending on the product. I’ll put their contact details in the description below. Definitely check them out.
Honestly, a quick action throttle is an upgrade that’s worth having if you’re serious about track riding. It can eliminate so many of those “gremlins” in your head about full throttle, improve your fluidity, and boost your confidence.
For me, a quick action throttle is like Miracle-Gro for plants. It helps you grow in those crucial corner exits on the track when you really want to get on the gas and go!
Alright guys, that’s enough from me for today. Thanks for watching! Please do subscribe to the channel if you haven’t already – I really appreciate your support. Thank you, thank you, thank you!