Month: April 2012

I recently installed a Motion Pro Twist Throttle Kit on my 2005 Honda 400EX.  It works so well, I am now installing the similar conversion on my 2004 450R.

This time I will be not be removing the handle bars or plastics.  I am also installing a Pro Armor kill switch at the same time.  Both projects require the fuel tank to be removed.  I will document the kill switch details in another post.

1 Remove the old grips

Whoever installed the grips on these bars used just a touch of glue, so they were easy to remove and very easy to clean up.  I used a pair of wire cutters to clip the ends of the grips open, then tore them back like a candy wrapper.
The Pro Taper handle bars have a diamond pattern cut in the ends to hold the grips better, so they don’t need as much glue.

2 Remove the fuel tank

There are 2 bolts and 2 straps that hold on the fuel tank.  There are also 2 bolts holding the front plastic to the fuel tank.

• Remove the seat
• Reach over the air filter, towards the carburetor and release the straps from the frame.

• Remove the 2 bolts on each side holding the plastic to the tank.
• Pull the plastic away from the tank far enough to fit a wrench in between and remove the bolts that hold the gas tank to the frame.
• Turn the fuel valve to the Off position.
• Remove the fuel line from the carburetor.
• Lift the gas tank up off the bike.

3 Remove the thumb throttle

• Remove the 2 screws from the bottom of the thumb throttle assembly on the handle bars.  Let the cable and assembly hang over the hood.
• Remove the plastic cover from the side of the carb.  There is one Phillips screw near the top of the cover, then lift and pull it out.
• Detach the end of the cable from the lever.  You can pull down on the cable to create slack, then slide the ball out of the lever.
• Loosen the lock nut at the top of the carb where it threads in and unscrew the cable end from the carburetor.
• Guide the throttle cable out through the front of the quad.

4 Install the Motion Pro Twist Throttle Kit

• Guide the throttle cable back through the quad, reversing the way the original one came out.
• Thread the cable in to the top of the carb and attach the end to the throttle lever.
• Back the threads out until there are a couple rows showing inside the carburetor and tighten the lock nut.
• Assemble the twist grip and the cable half of the twist throttle and slide them on to the handle bar.
• Insert the cable in to the housing and attach it to the twist grip. then screw the two halves of the housing together to tighten it to the bars.
• Twist the throttle all the way open and make sure it returns to closed without any binding.