How To: Adjust Your Throttle
Aug 19th, 2008 by Leo
[Here's a quickie addition to the basic how-to section... Please add anything I may have left out that might be helpful - otherwise, try to guess what bike this is... This one is much easier than the Ducati 848, the last mystery bike]
If you’re anything like me, your throttle control could probably use a little work. That’s okay, you don’t need great throttle control to get around town… Most people just coast through corners off the gas and twist the throttle as they straighten out. The problem is this puts too much of the bike’s weight on the front wheel making it more prone to slip, and at the same time puts the bike in an unsettled state.
The better way (according to bike guru Keith Code) is to crack the throttle open “as soon as possible” (either during the turn or even before the turn after the braking is done) and roll on evenly. This will stabilize the bike through a corner, putting the weight where it can be best controlled, in the rear. So good throttle control is a good habit to develop even if you’re just going around the block.
Anyway, part of the trick to doing this well is properly adjusting your throttle free play. If you have to twist the throttle grip a few degrees before it even catches, you’re going to have a harder time getting to that maintenance throttle and rolling on evenly. Fortunately the throttle is easy to adjust, you may need a small adjustable wrench, but usually you can do this without any tools.
[1] First find the throttle cables adjuster. There are two cables that lead to the throttle control, the one with the locking nut is the adjustable part.
[2] Loosen the “lock nut.” The purpose of the locking nut is to keep “adjusting nut” in place once you adjust it. You might need a wrench, to loosen it, but it shouldn’t be too tight, just hand tightened.
Then [3] turn the “adjusting nut” and check the throttle to take out the free play. You can do this with the engine off, but once you’re done check it with the engine on while turning the handlebars all the way to each side (if turning the bars causes the throttle to engage, then you need to add a little free play – but modern bikes generally don’t have a problem with this). Most technically adept motorcyclists like the throttle zero free play, but some like to have just a little bit, so that’s up to your preference. After you’re done tighten the locking nut again (tightly by hand).
So there you have it, not only how to adjust your throttle, but why we bother…
PS – Scooters usually have an atrocious amount of free play in the throttle! But…it doesn’t matter much because the throttle isn’t as sensitive. The same principles apply in throttle control (get on the throttle early in the turn, cracking it on even before the turn) but you have to turn the throttle a whole lot more; and for that reason the free play tends not to make much of a difference.
Related Posts
- Riding Tips: Throttle Control
- What Makes a Good Starter Bike
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