Is it safe to ride without choke cable in the housing?

I finally got the time to try putting my new drag bars back on, after having problems the first time. the bike revs really high cause the choke cable isnt routed correctly, would it be alright just it zip tie it up some how for a little while until i have the time to take the tank off and re route the cable?

 

As long as the choke is closed, there is nothing wrong with running it that way. That's basically what you are doing when you "close" the choke lever, giving slack in the cable so the spring loaded plungers close all the way.

Now for some questions: Are you sure you didn't swap the throttle and choke cables? USUALLY, if the bike is tuned properly and the engine is warm, openning "choke" (actually "enrichment circuit") enriches the mixture causing the engine to bog down. Revving when enriching the mixture indicates an air leak that is bypassing the carbs, and/or VERY lean mixture.

 

Well, I for sure didn't switch them out because they were never both out of the housing at the same time. I haven't driven the bike because I was waiting for an answer but it seemed when i put the chock in the housing like its supposed to the engine would rev really high when I started it. I turned off the bike took the choke out and it idles fine now, when i pull on the cable it bogs down.

 

Another question,

I just took it out, with the choke closed not even in the housing. It rode normal til I up into the 4K+ RPM than it just 'slipped' and revved high and had no power. I thought that was a choke issue being slightly open?

 

I just saw BigFitz's post on your other thread. I thought revving high with no power and popping was a sign of a lean condition.

What exactly "slipped"? Can you push down your enrichment plungers with your right hand and it'll run fine?

If it revs in gear without going anywhere, then you've got a clutch issue.

 

Everything works fine when the old handle bars are on, when I put the new on I get these problems,. When I say it slipped I mean I'll be accelerating and when it gets in 4k+ rpm it loses power and will rev up way high.

 

If the CHOKE Cable is too short, now.
Its useless.
Remove it.
Activate the Enrichment BY HAND, when needed.

Take the SHORT Cable and MEASURE it.
Determine the length needed for New Cable.
Bring OLD Cable with you to a BICYCLE Shop.
Show OLD Cable to talented Bicycle tuner.
Tell him to make you NEW Cable of correct length.

OR, ...

Get the stuff you need and make your own new cable.
(You need a Tool to CUT Cable Sheath without crimping, ... and
the right BULLET and Barrel Ends)>
[ The End fittings are called: KNARPS ]

Or, ...

Order Custom Fitted Cables -- $$$

http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/custom/

 

So if I completely take the choke cable out and it's still slipping after 4k rpm what could be the problem, cause it doesn't 'slip' when the old bars are on

 

Losing power and revving up tend to be mutually exclusive. Do you mean your clutch is slipping? Perhaps with the new bars you also don't have enough free play in the clutch cable.

 

Ya, maybe that's what is happening I don't touch the clutch though, I will be accerating in 5th gear it's fine until 4k rpm than it's like I pulled the clutch.

 

You need just a touch of slack in the clutch cable. Like ONE MM.

Roughly a 1/4 inch at the "knob" at the end of the lever.

 

No, he's right, you've now got WAY TOO MUCH clutch cable and you're creating a bind somewhere so the clutch isn't releasing properly.

PUT THE ORIGINAL BARS BACK ON AND LEAVE THEM until you're serious about this. Quit screwing around. Do it right or leave it alone.

When you finally decide to get serious about the swap, pull the tank and set it aside. Then swap out the bars and work out the cable routing so you don't have a bunch of loops and kinks like you do now. Going from stock Maxim bars to drag bars will likely require a new, shorter clutch cable to really fit and work properly, although you might be able to get away with a "crossing over and back" trick to eat up the slack.

You need to do this right. Pull the tank and get the cables rerouted properly. Put the stock bars back on before you get hurt; do this "mod" when you have the time to do it right.

 

I didn't realize how easy it was to take the tank off, I guess I'm just nervous cause it's my first bike and don't have money to replace it. Where do you suggest the extra cables for clutch throttle and choke go?

 

Pull one bolt where tank and seat meet (open seat and look at back of tank), pull the hoses off the petcock, slide and lift tank.

You just have to keep re-routing them until the excess is taken up, making sure there are no sharp bends, kinks, pinch points, etc.

I would really suggest doing as Rick suggests and having new cables made at a bicycle shop. Last time I had a cable made for one of the MX bikes it was <$10

 

Ok I'll go buy new cables tomorrow, what cables will I need, throttle clutch and choke? How hard are they to replace?

 

SLOW DOWN.

You're not going to find "new cables" to buy tomorrow. If you can't manage re-routing, then yes, they're probably difficult to replace. Also quite possibly UNNECESSARY.

You're not listening to what you're being told, just selective parts of it; either start paying attention or I for one, am gonna stop all the typing. Other folks are giving you the same advice I am.

I (we) said you MAY need to get a new clutch cable, for good fitment. I (we) also said it's very possible you could eat up the slack with some re-routing. Almost for sure you can with the choke and throttle cables; the 550s have a lot less room and the only cables I needed to replace were clutch cables. The originals COULD have been effectively re-routed to function fine, but not look as pretty as a shorter cable.

This may seem like a "simple" mod, but like anything on a well-engineered machine, when you start making significant changes, you need to pay attention and do some planning and engineering. YOU'RE NOT.

You keep trying to rush this; it ain't "rushable" and YOU NEED TO TAKE THE TANK OFF and take a look at exactly what you're doing before you damage something.

Pulling the tank is a regular part of maintaining the bike; you'd better get used to it.

Now either take some TIME, pull the tank, and DO IT RIGHT; or put the stock bars back on. Quit rushing, and quit trying to take shortcuts. It doesn't work, and I would have thought you'd learned that by now.

Apparently not.

 

Not hard. If you are getting the proper length (i.e. routing them in a factory setup) and are really worried about putting them back the same way, you can tie one end of a string to the end of the cable and the other to the frame, and pull the cable out from the other end. The string will make a path that you can follow with the new cable.

Removing the throttle and clutch cables from the carbs is super easy. The clutch will be easy too, but it'll require the most work for adjustment when you fit the new ones on, since you adjust it from both ends. Still EASY, and RickCoMatic has an excellent write-up in his sig.

 

Took the tank off. re-routed cables, adjusted throttle cable at the lever, everything is working great.

I guess it was in my wording, I completely understood you cannot just buy the cables, you have to have them made. My mistake for not being clear.

 

Hi Jason, here is a tip on what you need to do to find out what the proper length of ALL your cables. Put the desired bars on, route the cables from the terminal end lay the old cables to where they just rest at their bar end and measure the excess, then order cables with the excess amount removed, and remember to include alittle extra slack for easy routing.