Winter Phenomena?

[madmax-im]

I've never noticed this before...I've only had this bike since Jan of this year...so today was my first sub-50* ride of abt 60 miles.While cruising along at 55 mph I released my grip on the throttle to shake the circulation of blood to the hand ...Lo and behold the throttle stuck at that speed and worked like a throttle lock speed control.I tried this at various speeds.It seems at a certain position of the throttle it will"stick".This could be dangerous so its not something I want to keep.I've been riding this bike most of the summer and it never did this in warmer weather.So whats going on?Is the throttle cable in need of lubing?Has anyone else experienced this?How did you remedy it?Appreciate all comments.

[prometheus578]

The lube in your cable is starting to thicken.

[madmax-im]

Thanks Prom...it sounds like I need to relube it.Is there a certain lube to use that would keep it from thickening...what about a teflon spray lube that dries?Or should I just use something like 3 in 1 oil?I dont like WD-40.Or maybe a white Lithium grease?

[fredintoon]

They used to be like that all the time

Hi Madmax,
back in 1950's England where one drives on the left twistgrips had friction locks built into them so one could give hand signals without the throttle slamming shut and back in the 1930's most bikes had tank-mounted gate shifters so ditto for shifting gears back then. The modern twistgrip was called a "racing pattern" grip in those days. The throttle staying put when one let's go of it ain't inherently dangerous as long as it's expected to act that way.
But your throttle staying "as is" when you let go in cold weather but not otherwise could be a cause of embarrassment. What's causing it? My guess is too thick of a lubricant that sets up in the cold coupled with a too tortuous cable path.

[madmax-im]

Fred...it doesnt embarass me but it did catch me off guard... the first time because the position of the throttle was accelerating the bike and when I let go..it kept accelerating so that did kind of freak me out.Now whats the best lube to use?

[81xsproject]

I had something similar happen when the throttle grip either got pushed on farther or the right controls got moved out on the bar. Either way, the 2 were touching and created enough friction between them to hold the throttle position.

[jrplumber1]

Silicone Lube

I just had this happen also. I used silicone spray. I shoved the straw in the metal 90 degree thing and wraped it with a towel and let it buck!
Its all good now!!

[madmax-im]

I had something similar happen when the throttle grip either got pushed on farther or the right controls got moved out on the bar. Either way, the 2 were touching and created enough friction between them to hold the throttle position.

81...In my case its not the handgrips nor the controls...

I just had this happen also. I used silicone spray. I shoved the straw in the metal 90 degree thing and wraped it with a towel and let it buck!
Its all good now!!

jr...Thanks thats what I needed to know..I'll go out a nd get some tmrw...thats tomorrow for all of you non acronym types

[hamjam]

Hi BNE
what isthe short form for acronym ;-)
and I have had the throttle 'freeze ' before ...cause it were frikkin cold out
TTL
Jim

[madmax-im]

Hi BNE
what isthe short form for acronym ;-)
and I have had the throttle 'freeze ' before ...cause it were frikkin cold out
TTL
Jim

Hi Jim! I started another thread on this topic...but to answer your question...I'm not totally sure but I think ...A=acronym and its TTL for me too...gotta get my beautyrest...TTL=time to leave

[fredintoon]

Fred...it doesnt embarass me but it did catch me off guard... the first time because the position of the throttle was accelerating the bike and when I let go..it kept accelerating so that did kind of freak me out.Now whats the best lube to use?

Hi Madmax,
I'd try this 3-phase treatment.
1) Check that the cable runs in as straight a line as possible between the grip & the carbs. Too sharp or too many bends make the cable more liable to run stiff or jam up.
2) Take the cable out of the grip and attach a slip-op lubricator that works with an aerosol:-
http://www.mandp.co.uk/productInfo.aspx?catRef=523837
You can buy them at any bike shop.
and spray the cable clean with PB blaster or any penetrating solvent.
3) Spray again with the special lubricant they'll sell you to go with the lubricator.
If the cable still jams on you after that, how old and worn is it anyway?
Perhaps it's time for a new one?

[madmax-im]

Thanks Fred...everything on this bike is in pristine condition...including the cables.Since this problem only arose after riding in cool temps...I'm inclined to believe that its the lubrication thats thickening up as was suggested earlier.However I will checkcable routing to be sure.

[Axel]

Fluid film

I use fluid film applied with the clamp-on spray can nozzle thing . I went for a ride yesterday in 1 degree celcius with no probs .

http://www.eurekafluidfilm.com/

[fredintoon]

Thanks Fred...everything on this bike is in pristine condition...including the cables.Since this problem only arose after riding in cool temps...I'm inclined to believe that its the lubrication thats thickening up as was suggested earlier.However I will check cable routing to be sure.

Hi Madmax,
my clutch & throttle cables were on the bike when I got it and could well be the originals. Like the rest of the bike, the cables were in sorry shape. I cannot prove the PO had parked the bike in a swamp but it sure looked like it. Whatever, aerosols of penetrating oil followed by Lubriplate white grease freed the cables OK but they were still stiff to operate when re-installed, the throttle just crept closed instead of slamming shut and the clutch gave my hand a real work-out. What I did then was to re-route them from being strapped to the frame in tight bends to running in big swoopy curves in free air. Function before looks, right? Now those very same cables let the throttle slam shut and the clutch effort is half what it was. IMHO, re-routing is the key.

[Axel]

routing

I have a free-form throttle cable routing design as well . With flatter bars the extra cable demanded this . My clutch cable routing probably is not quite stock either .