New to riding, got my bike working finally, friction zone and throttle questions.

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Corvy
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Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2016 11:44 am
Real Name: Yvette
Sex: Female
Years Riding: 1
My Motorcycle: 2008 Yamaha V Star 250

New to riding, got my bike working finally, friction zone and throttle questions.

#1 Unread post by Corvy »

To start off, I have no background in vehicle mechanics of any kind but I seem to be acquiring bikes that have issues. My first was an '82 Virago that I never got running (lots of work put into it but could never get the engine to STAY running). My current bike is a 2008 V Star 250. The guy I got it from must not have put any maintenance into it because I had to replace the airbox for damage from the bike being dropped, I had to scrub off something like 3 inches of dirt and grime under the chain cover, the choke cable was burned through inside the casing, and I have just picked up parts to replace a seriously cracked intake manifold. As a temporary fix to the manifold I covered the cracks with electrical tape so I could test my other repairs. It was like magic, really. She'd been idling at 3500 rpm and that tape brought it down closer to 1500.

Anyway, I changed the choke cable but the OEM part seems like the casing is too long, do they give a little after some use? My choke lever doesn't move all the way to the closed position because of the tension. It rode fine today, though.

Finally got to ride around the neighborhood today. I noticed my friction zone is about 1 inch WAY out at the tip of my fingers. I'm 5'1 with slightly short fingers. I feel like I'm stretching near to slipping off the bar when I travel into the friction zone. Is there an adjustment I can make bring the lever closer to me?

The throttle seems very sensitive. I don't think I had to move it more than 1cm the entire ride. Just a mm or two had the engine roaring. Is this normal? Can it be adjusted by a novice mechanic?

It would be nice to someday be able to take a bike out and just ride the damned thing. I have taken 2 MSF courses over the last year but only just managed to put tires to pavement on my own.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Yvette

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Gummiente
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Location: Kingston, ON

Re: New to riding, got my bike working finally, friction zone and throttle questions.

#2 Unread post by Gummiente »

Welcome to TMW, Yvette.

It's good that you're taking a hands-on DIY approach to your bike. It sounds like your current machine has been abused and neglected, you'll likely find more issues before you finally get it running properly. I can't provide specific answers to your questions, as I don't have your bike in front of me. However, one of the first investments you should make is a service/repair manual for your bike. You can usually find them for sale online or get one through your local bike shop. The manual will detail all the steps needed to fix or replace problem parts.

General answers to your questions are as follows... the choke cable should fit if it is specifically made for your year of manufacture. Sometimes parts differ slightly on the same model for different years. It's possible you may not have routed the cable correctly when installing it, which would make it appear to have a casing that is too long. The cable itself is usually a solid single strand of wire and will not stretch.

The friction zone can be changed by adjusting the clutch cable. The adjustment is usually done at the lever, but sometimes the adjuster is placed in the middle of the cable or at the end of it where it disappears into the engine. Your owners manual, if you have it, should detail the adjustment procedure, but a repair manual would also come in handy here. I don't think your particular bike has the option to adjust the lever itself, unfortunately. Compare it to the shape of the front brake lever, they should be at similar angles and lengths, it may be possible that the clutch lever was bent outwards in a mishap prior to you buying the bike. If the lever is undamaged and a clutch adjustment doesn't help, you may want to consult with your local bike shop to see if aftermarket levers with different profiles can be sourced.

The throttle issue sounds like it might be caused by a cable(s) that is adjusted too tight. A little bit of slack is necessary to prevent unwanted input such as when your hand twitches when riding over a bump. Again, some cables have adjustments made at the handlebar grip, or in the middle of the cable or at the end where it connects to the carburetor. Check the owners manual or repair manual.

Hope this helps.
:canada: Mike :gummiente:
It isn't WHAT you ride,
It's THAT you ride

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