the handle will make it look cooler, not make it smoother and shorter, just buy the shifter on ebay there is a thread about it either on page 1 or 2. I baught it 40 bucks shipped( i think)!! and its awesome it took about 500 miles to break in but now its perfect and it comes with everything you need, im very happy with it, i like it more than the PRO 5.0 i had in my fox.
If I remember correctly, it's not just the handle that's shorter. The actual nub that the handle attaches to is shorter also I believe. The handle isn't what makes the tri-ax better, it's the shifter. I've used the stock handle on the tri-ax and it's definitely nothing to do with the handle