Throttle cable is a slacker...no really it's slack

Ok, so my throttle cable has at least 1/2" of play.
Meaning, at the carb end, the linkage flops around like a waffling politician on gun control.

Therefore you're twisting a LOT before it's effectively engaging the mechanism: not to mention, the potential for binding...not what I would enjoy at all.

The last time I tore into the handlebar/throttle assembly, I don't remember seeing where/how you could take up slack on that end.

Any thought most esteemed lads?
Rich

 

There's a Cable Slack Adjuster right up at the Throttle Grip.
At the end of the right-angle tube coming out of the Throttle Grip, where the cable goes through to connect with the Grip ... is a Thumb wheel and a Knurl Adjuster.

Loosen the Disc shaped Thumb Wheel and twist the Knurl while "Feeling" the Throttle as the play is taken-up.

Don't make it too tight.
Leave a hair of free-play or else you'll pull on the cable and cause the Bike to increase in Idle speed as the Cable pulls against the linkage.

If the Cable Slack Adjuster does not wor to relieve the slack in the Cable, there is the possibility that you have the wrong Throttle Cable installed.

The actual length of the Cable Sheath varies from Model to Model.

 

i just got an '81 750 seca and i have the same problem. adjusted the cable slack adjuster on the handlebar as far as it will go out but still doesn't take up enough slack. looked at what was happening at the other end of the throttle cable and like you said the linkage is just flopping around. could the cable have stretched? that much? also, and probably related to this problem, the throttle has very little spring back so the bike winds down slow. this is one of the last remaining issues with this bike and would love to get it resolved. cheers.

 

Check out the solution I used to solve the problem
Cable-slack-eliminator might not work for extensive slack. For that you might consider shortening the cable using some of the parts HERE

 

the spacer idea is BRILLIANT! hopefully i will be able to cross the throttle freeplay issue off my list. took another look at the throttle last night and it is springing back ok but has slack cable so either the spacer idea or even trimming the end of the cable and putting a new piece of lead on the end.
i noticed this morning that when you bring the bike to a full stop in 1st gear and have the clutch engaged (like at a short light or stop sign) the bike sometimes starts revving. this can be calmed by slightly releasing the clutch but the trade off is the bike wants to start moving forward which is not cool at a light but if you fully engage the clutch again the engine again revs. hoping this is just a carb issue. from the surface everything seems to be moving freely.

 

I wouldn't cross it off the list until you replace the cable. A cable that suddenly "gains slack" is fraying somewhere along its length and warning you it's going to break.

 

cable never really "gained" slack, it was just slack when i got the bike. isn't broken but it was a good idea to check.

the revving issue has been corrected - it was engine idle too high