What kind of throttle cable do I need?

[Guest]

Hey guys, I bought this grip / throttle combo: https://revivalcycles.com/collection...ottle-assembly

and just wondering what kind of throttle cable I'll need to make this work with my 1981 Suzuki GS450.

[salty_monk]

The older Suzuki's with VM carbs all have 2 throttle cables so I would look for cables from something prior to 79.

[Nessism]

I still want to know why they call those setups Push/Pull when they obviously don't push anything?

BTW, I think you only need to use the "Pull" side. Seriously, just one cable, not two.

[freedwilly]

The older Suzuki's with VM carbs all have 2 throttle cables so I would look for cables from something prior to 79.

My bike came with mikuni carbs and just one cable... What are VM carbs?

[freedwilly]

I still want to know why they call those setups Push/Pull when they obviously don't push anything?

BTW, I think you only need to use the "Pull" side. Seriously, just one cable, not two.

HAHA yes I agree. Only reason I came up with for calling them that is because when you pull the bike is pushed... definitely a stretch though.

Any good sources for a cable that would work with that set up? Or suggestions for a better setup?

[storm 64]

I still want to know why they call those setups Push/Pull when they obviously don't push anything?

BTW, I think you only need to use the "Pull" side. Seriously, just one cable, not two.

NO! You need two cables (push&pull) on VM Carburetors!!! The slides may not come down after a wide open situation... Remember when Rapid Ray schooled us on the subject? I know we were talking about 29mm Smooth Bores, but I think the rule applys to all VM type carburetors. Just buy the second cable. 👍

[Nessism]

NO! You need two cables (push&pull) on VM Carburetors!!! The slides may not come down after a wide open situation... Remember when Rapid Ray schooled us on the subject? I know we were talking about 29mm Smooth Bores, but I think the rule applys to all VM type carburetors. Just buy the second cable. ��

OP's bike doesn't have VM carbs

[Steve]

NO! You need two cables (push&pull) on VM Carburetors!!!

Absolutely NO argument, Norm.

Now take a moment to consider that the guy is asking about his 1981 GS450.

All GS bikes came with BS-series CV-type carbs from 1980 on.

Not only that, but I belive that all the twins had CV-type carbs from the beginning, in 1977.

He only needs one cable.

.

[Agemax]

They are NOT push/pull cables, thy are pull/pull. they pull the slides up and pull them down again.
You only need the one cable on VM carbs as they have a hefty return spring to pull them shut.
Been running single cable on my GS1000 for years, running VM28's and VM29's with no issues.

[hannibal]

Beating dead horse...

Isn't pulling something down physically equivalent to pushing something down? The location of where the force is applied may be different but the direction is the same. So instead of pull up and pull down, you can simply say push/pull to indicate force is applied in both directions.

A FWD car pulls the car and a RWD car pushes it. But they both go the same direction.

[Steve]

A FWD car pulls the car and a RWD car pushes it. But they both go the same direction.

So, what about a four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive? Push-pull?

Yes, in some cases, you can push with a cable, but those cables are usually more rigid, much like the controls on a radio controlled airplane. The control cables that I have seen were thin, solid wire inside a sheath. You can anchor the sheath and use the inner cable to push or pull on the control surfaces.

The cables on MY motorcycles are far too flexible to push anything. The second cable on the VM carbs is PULLED by the other side of the throttle grip and it, in turn, PULLS on the other side of the bellcrank on the carbs.

Sorry, but it's a PULL-PULL system.

.