Throttle went while riding -> need new throttle cable?

[AndrewMack]

So, my bike went down on Saturday afternoon. We were going 'round a nice turn (right) when, halfway through the turn, there's a bunch of gravel on the road. The moment the tires went over the gravel she low-sided. Overall it seemed like minimal damage - just cosmetic, really. My cousin and I gave her a look-over, adjusted the handlebars (clip-ons FTW) and put the blinker back on (it came clean off but needed new housing which we made, for the time, out of a quarter of a roll of electric tap). We rode 2 hours to my grandparents for the weekend.

Now - coming home yesterday evening, about an hour into the ride home, I go to accelerate (twist the throttle) but I get nothing - she twists with no resistance at all. I'm thinking the cable may have been damaged in the spill on Saturday and it just finally snapped or something. Currently, my bike's in a nice family's barn - hoping to have her back in the garage tonight or tomorrow to have a real look.

So - there's not much to go by right now - but what do you think? - throttle cable? It's really all I can imagine it could be.

[Motofool]

Throttle has two cables: one to open and another to close the butterfly valve at the carbs.

Check both ends for accidental disconnection first, then, pull the throttle hand-grip apart and see if the opening cable has jumped from its guide.

[AndrewMack]

Ah, okay! Thanks! My brother and I are getting my bike home tonight on his truck... hope it's a relatively simple issue!

[IF13]

Such a PITA to get it all back together without doing it incorrectly and snugging up the part that turns with the cable ends D:

[PartsNinja]

If Motofool's advice doesnt do the trick, closey check your throttle cable for bends or kinks. Sometimes the smallest kink (usually towards the ends, the center part is generally protected by the tank) can cause enough resistance to jam up one side of the cables so it can't slide back and forth. I've run into this a few times with some of my crashed bikes.

[AndrewMack]

Opened her right up last night - found a snapped throttle cable (the one that opens the throttle).

I'm ordering a new one this morning as soon as the local Kawi dealership opens up.

So - how does one replace their throttle cable?

Here's some pictures...


// Here's my baby all naked n exposed...



// The broken throttle cable



// ... and here's pretty much the only wound I have from my spill that more than likely caused my throttle cable to snap. Only reason I have that road rash is cuz the jacket road up a little while I slid.

[PartsNinja]

I have throttle cables available here for $15 shipped:
http://oemninjaparts.com/shop/throttle-cable/
dealership prices are $25 or more.
Just sayin.

[IF13]

Doesn't both ends have that little ball/ cylinder? I'd imagine all it takes is just routing the cables through the same path as the original?

[PartsNinja]

Its not hard, remove the tank to make access easier to route the cable. Then undo the bolt that holds the broken cable to the carb. re-reoute new cable, undo the right switch assembly (be very careful to note how the cables are routed inside right when youy take the two halves apart) and insert the new cable to the throttle tube. then put everything back together. you may need to adjust the bolt on the carb to adjust the cable to be the right length. very simple

[AndrewMack]

I got off the phone with the local dealership just now - the customer-service guy is filling in for the parts-guy who is running late but this customer-service guys told me that their inventory records show there is one in stock there but he is going to wait for the parts-guy to confirm before he promises anything. If I can have this part by tonight for $30 (yea, it's a little over $30...) I'll pay up. There's a biker-meet/rally in Port Dover on the 13th (every Friday 13th) so of course I'd like to have her ready for it!

What I'm a little hesitant about is taking apart the throttle-handle. Don't want to screw nothing up!!

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by AndrewMack

.............What I'm a little hesitant about is taking apart the throttle-handle. Don't want to screw nothing up!!

That damage to your skin is bad !!!
I hope it will heal quickly and painless, Andrew.

Here is a step-by-step guide for the work:
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Throttl...is/re-assembly !!!

[AndrewMack]

Originally Posted by Motofool

That damage to your skin is bad !!!
I hope it will heal quickly and painless, Andrew.

Thanks, man - I think it looks worse than it feels, actually! I had all the gear on, the jacket (Joe Rocket) just road up a little (I slid feet first somehow!). I'd say my hip hurts the worst because it made the first contact with the road. Nurse had to scrub some gravel out - hurt like a mofo BUT I'm freakin' ticklish where this road rash is so it wasn't so bad haha

That link is definitely helpful thank you very much! I'll be taking lots of pictures to make sure I can put it all back together just right!

[IF13]

Originally Posted by PartsNinja

Its not hard, remove the tank to make access easier to route the cable. Then undo the bolt that holds the broken cable to the carb. re-reoute new cable, undo the right switch assembly (be very careful to note how the cables are routed inside right when youy take the two halves apart) and insert the new cable to the throttle tube. then put everything back together. you may need to adjust the bolt on the carb to adjust the cable to be the right length. very simple

I don't know if this is just me but putting the throttle/ kill switch assembly back together was a PITA, something kept grabbing the throttle end housing make it tight to turn -- eventually I got it but ugh, hopefully I'll never have to do that again.

[AndrewMack]

Well I got 'er done!

My neighbour came by and helped out - his older, project-bike has to have the throttle cables detached to move out of the way when he changes his oil filter so he had a good idea of what was what. It was a great feeling to twist the throttle and hear my baby goin'!

I did an oil change (I was just over the 4k KM mark) and she's good to go again!

Now I'm looking at China-fairings... the right side fairing is cracked, scratched, and in some parts somewhat mangled along with the side of the front fairing. I'm CONSIDERING a fairings set from one of those Chinese EBay shops but of course those horror stories of them being super cheap plastic or not fitting the bike are making me leery.


Thanks for all the help, guys! - I appreciate it greatly!



** EDIT **
Here's a link to a set I'm considering - http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...m=270940111642. I'm asking them if I could get the orange colour changed to gold instead. The guy I bought this bike from was going for the black & gold thing but only had a few small things done - figure this could get her really looking good. The set doesn't come with the seat cowl - would be sweet, though!