[Shadowshark]

I made it to work in the cage, bike in the garage.

I tried to take the bike to work today (it has been in the Garage since Friday, 30 deg at my house on Monday) and couldn't get a good idle or any power. Hit the reserve and that didn't help. A ride around the block and I realized I was getting no throttle response. The throttle doesn't kick back and it has to turn about half the play to engage the throttle at the carb. The grip feels junky - like there is debris in it.

So into the garage the bike goes, out comes the cage (OK, the cage is a convertable Mustang, so things could be worse). But it is going to be a great day and I wanted to ride.

Can the cable ends come loose in the grip or is it likely that something is broken? Does any body have any suggestions on the first thing I should look for tonight when wrenching?

This bike only has 7k on it, is garaged at home. I live in Houston so it never is laid up for long due to weather (although I am tempted in August!)

 

[PainterD]

Maybe a busted throttle cable (too much cranking on it when it's cold)
Or there is moisture insdie the cable and it froze in that position and feels broken. Maybe needs to be thawed out.

 

[Shadowshark]

Thanks, I tore into it last night. There were two problems.

First I lost one of the pan head screws that hold the switch housing onto the handle bar. The housing didn't feel loose, but there was a screw missing.

On the carburator, the lock nut had come loose so the end of the cable had slipped out of the braket holding it in tension. This caused it to rub on the cam on the carburator and caused the other end to be loose in the grip assembly. The grinding I felt was the loose cable rubbing the housing on the grip. The honda dealer didn't have the correct screw for the housing (there are two one is M5-20 and the other M5 -25, their drawing has them backwards, but the long one goes in front) but Sears Hardware had one. Even in SS.

Of course to get to the bracket on the carb, I had to pull the tank.
Step 1) Remove tank, (prior to step one complete steps a to zzz to completely dissassemble your motorcycle and your garage beer fridge).

Ok that is a slight exageration, I didn't have to respoke the wheels.

I had been there before when I rejetted (hmm, maybe I didn't tighten the lock nut - nah, that can't be right).

I had the two pilot fish helping. There is no job so simple that the time it takes can't be doubled by the enthusiastic help of a three-year-old. But even with the help of the pilot fish, it only took about an hour to get it fixed, after a few lullabys and a tuck in for the pilot fish, I was able to take it for a ride. Clear night, 60 degrees, rising moon, it is a wonder I made it back in time to tuck the wife in.

I learned a couple of things, one is the service manual doesn't have the same level of drawings as the part's counter computer, that is really a shame.

Check and tighten your fasteners, this bike only has 7K on it and I lost a screw out of the switch housing. I have never been in there, so that one wasn't my fault. I was surprised that I got no warning on this as I ride daily (except for the 30 deg morning). I use the dry driveway rule of weather prediction, if the driveway is dry, I am riding. I can always put my raingear on coming home. Besides Houston weather men can't predict the weather, they are two busy talking about the weather dog.

Thanks for your advice.

Ride safe,