#8 wire mechanics - Choke levers

**maddog007** · 15th October 2005, 18:27

Im having trouble fixing my choke system, my bike came with no lever or fittings, just the cable & a electrical choc box, to pull the cable with.
I found a thumb lever off another Gsx. but i still dont really have the right fittings at the handle bar end to make it work.
I have been thinking about putting a car choke thingy on instead, either a plunger type or a twist type.i dont think it would be that hard to mount one on the handle bar.
Has anyone eles done something similar. ?
I want the bike to be hands free ,when warming up. rather than having to keep holding the choke & throttle. thus freeing me up to put my helmet & stuff on.

any thoughts ?

**riffer** · 15th October 2005, 22:44

Yup. When I was 18 I had an IT400.

The throttle cable on it snapped at the throttle.

So I tied it in a loop and tried to ride home by pulling the loop.

Anyone who's ever ridden an IT400 would appreciate this is quite possibly the stupidest thing you could imagine.

**Dadpole** · 15th October 2005, 23:09

I imagine doing it with the brake cable would be stupider.

**Ixion** · 15th October 2005, 23:14

Originally Posted by Dadpole

I imagine doing it with the brake cable would be stupider.

Well, no because the brake cable is not as sensitive as the throttle cable on an IT. Teak the looped brake cable too hard and you merely lock the back wheel, much easier to deal with than the front wheel trying to whack you on the back of the head!

**FROSTY:Me** · 16th October 2005, 00:29

dude one simple way of solving ya problem is the old clothes peg trick.
Pull the choke on and clip a clothes peg over it -choke stays on no worries

**Dadpole** · 16th October 2005, 18:59

Was thinking more of the front brake, and I know about the power delivery on an IT. I had (briefly) an IT465 until it convinced

me that road bikes were safer.

**Ixion** · 16th October 2005, 20:14

Originally Posted by Dadpole

Was thinking more of the front brake, and I know about the power delivery on an IT. I had (briefly) an IT465 until it convinced

me that road bikes were safer.

Cable front brakes? gee you must be old

.

**Motu** · 16th October 2005, 21:05

Car choke cables can work - but they are often wire and not bowden,so you have to be careful how you run them,they can't have as tight a bend as bowden cable.There are also idle up cables for diesels,or hand throttle cables,these often have to be turned....they have a thread in them,but may not have enough travel for your choke.

**riffer** · 16th October 2005, 21:31

Originally Posted by Ixion

Well, no because the brake cable is not as sensitive as the throttle cable on an IT. Teak the looped brake cable too hard and you merely lock the back wheel, much easier to deal with than the front wheel trying to whack you on the back of the head!

Too true Ixion. I've never ridden anything that wanted to wheelie as much as that IT, with the possible exception of a 20 minute ride on a CR500 which was similar, but even more stupid. Talk about abrupt power delivery.

And the brakes on my IT were crap. Cable operated drum brakes. You were better off sticking your right foot out ...

**thehollowmen** · 16th October 2005, 21:38

Originally Posted by Ixion

Well, no because the brake cable is not as sensitive as the throttle cable on an IT. Teak the looped brake cable too hard and you merely lock the back wheel, much easier to deal with than the front wheel trying to whack you on the back of the head!

Hey does this mean we can change over the throttle and frount brake cables on a single to prevent theft?

**maddog007** · 17th October 2005, 06:14

Originally Posted by Motu

Car choke cables can work - but they are often wire and not bowden,so you have to be careful how you run them,they can't have as tight a bend as bowden cable.There are also idle up cables for diesels,or hand throttle cables,these often have to be turned....they have a thread in them,but may not have enough travel for your choke.

Im not fimilar with the word "bowden" apart from good old Billy. :spudwave: ..
also im not planning on changing the cable out ,just using the lever.
those idle up ones are the most likely option i think.

**NordieBoy** · 17th October 2005, 09:42

Originally Posted by maddog007

Im not fimilar with the word "bowden" apart from good old Billy. :spudwave: ..
also im not planning on changing the cable out ,just using the lever.
those idle up ones are the most likely option i think.

How about a decompression lever from a 4-stroke?