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Works Connection: Elite Throttle Tube
Works Connection has been making throttle tubes for sometime now but we have yet to write a review about our experience with the product, so here we are! First, a lot of other brands are using a CNC-machined 6061-T6 aluminum throttle tube so that is nothing groundbreaking. This isn’t uncommon in aftermarket aluminum throttle tube world. Every factory bike in the pits has an aluminum throttle tube slid into a pair of handlebars to ensure there are no throttle failures when a crash arises. Works Connection uses one universal throttle tube combined with an assortment of interchangeable plastic cam pulleys to allow a single aluminum tube to be used on many different colored machines. The Elite throttle tube has a ball bearing mounted internally to lessen drag. Works Connection was able to combine all these technologies into their Elite throttle tube.
The snap-on thermoplastic pulley cams allow the Works Connection Elite throttle tube to work on all modern four-strokes. Each cam has a letter molded in it that signifies which model of bike it fits. What is nice about interchangeable cams is you can take it from bike to bike without having to purchase another tube as we have done this on our test bikes. The Works Connection Elite throttle tube rides on a sealed, ABEC-1+ rated, radial ball bearing and an internal polymer bushing. The combination of the bearing and bushing allows the throttle tube to ride above the handlebars in order to create a frictionless feel. Less contact between the two translates into less drag.We are not very smart people here at Keefer Inc. Testing but this seems to make sense.
The Works Connection throttle tube installs like a traditional throttle tube, but there are a few things you need to know.. If you have handlebars with a larger than normal inner diameter, like Renthal TwinWall handlebars, you need to install the two supplied WC O-rings to take up the gap. Even with my novice mechanical skills as long as you read the directions and look at the throttle cams to ensure they are not on backwards you will be fine. If you want the same length of your handlebar bend/dimension you will have to cut 0.5 inches off the end of the right side of your handlebar. This 0.5 measurement is the measurement in which the bearing takes up space/length at the end of the tube.
What are some the unique points of the the WC Elite Throttle Tube? It has a smaller diameter feel to it than the standard G2 or ZRT tubes which to me is a nice feeling to the size of my large sized gloved hand. The WC tube is thin as well which doesn’t give the rider that rigid feel to the right palm on slap down or first bump touch. Some other aftermarket tubes make my right hand hurt or fall asleep because of the rigid nature of the tube. After speaking to Eric Phipps (owner of WC) he told me that they wanted to make sure the tube was as thin as it could be without sacrificing strength or durability, which I could feel when I rode with the WC Elite tube. For $74.95 it’s reasonably priced for an aftermarket tube and makes the action of the throttle buttery smooth. I mean one of the reasons you’re even considering an aftermarket tube is the action of the throttle right? Why go to an aluminum tube if you can’t make your throttle pull a little smoother/easier? The WC provided this on every bike that I have tried which consisted of the KTM, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Triumph, and Honda four strokes. Check out Works Connection Elite tubes at worksconnection.com and use the code KEEFER20 if you want to save some dough.
G2 Ergonomics: Customized Aluminum Throttle Tube
Yes, G2 Ergonomics makes throttle tubes with a bearing called their “Jimmy Twister” but we wanted to see what their standard tube without the bearing felt like. What is unique about the G2 throttle tubes is you can customize and build your own tube how you see fit. We built ours to a Triumph TF-450 RC Edition that mimics the black throttle cam on KTM 450 SX-F and without the Jimmy Twister bearing. We also tried the G2 throttle housing that is said to be more durable than stock but more on that later. The G2 throttle comes with a removable nylon end cap that you can remove if you later decide you want to purchase the “Jimmy Twister” bearing, but this is a simple slide off stock tube to slide on aluminum tube that gave me great results. The stock plastic lock on tube of the TF-450 RC Edition gets harder to pull as the bike breaks in so going to a smoother action is something that I wanted from the Triumph. I also didn’t like the long throw of the throttle pull so going to G2’s shorter cam pull was also a welcome addition to this throttle system.
Without the bearing inside the throttle tube, I didn’t have to cut the handlebar down (which was nice) and installation was painless. I did notice that the G2 tube was a little bigger feeling in diameter than the WC tube or even the ZRT tube that I have tried so if you have a larger hand the larger feeling diameter tube could be something you will like. The action of the throttle pull was much easier/smoother than the stock plastic lock-on pull that the Triumph came with so I was a happy rider. Having a quicker throttle cam on the Triumph really helped me when modulating the throttle through corners. The Triumph didn’t feel as lazy as it once did with the stock cam and getting into the upper range of the RPM to get that “pop” over a bump or obstacle was made easier with the shorter cam throw.
As far as comfort to the palm of my right hand goes, I didn’t notice any negative affects with the tube being a little larger in size and that didn’t translate into a harsh feeling in the palm of my hand. If I had to nitpick, I would like a smaller OD tube for the size of my hands but it wasn’t something that I wanted to not ride with.
The G2 throttle housing is a little larger/taller than the stock housing but is made with 6061 T6 aluminum and is said to withstand over 600PSI of hydraulic pressure over the standard housing that is 250PSI. What does this mean for us riders? More strength from the housing when you go cartwheeling down the track or trail. One less thing to worry about breaking which can be a good thing. The G2 housings also come in a wide variety of colors if you’re into blinging out your bike a bit.
Overall, the G2 throttle tube was better than the stock plastic tube and gave us more reliability as well as a better throttle feel at my right wrist. Did I miss the bearing type feel? At times, yes, but I also wasn’t mad that I didn’t have to cut my bars either. The G2 throttle tube runs you $45.00 plus $25.00 for every throttle cam you choose (and they have a lot to choose from). If you choose the Jimmy Twister bearing that will set you back another $39.95. It’s nice you’re able to customize your own throttle system to your needs/wants. You can build yours or check them out at g2ergo.com.
