78 Choke by petcock - PITA

[Guest]

At first, I thought I would love having the choke down to the left of the carb bank. No choke cable to get in the way of other things under the tank!

But then I took it for my first ride. On my '79 I can use my right hand to adjust the choke. On the '78 I have to stop and put it in neutral, or adjust it while in motion. What a pain in the rear!

Has anyone here successfully relocated their '78 choke lever to the right side of the bike?

Thanks
-Matt

[Agemax]

i dont understand how moving the clutch to the right hand side will help anything?
i also dont get why you have to stop and put it in neutral to adjust the choke lever?

[ozman]

i also dont understand why you need adjust the choke on a bike that i would assume was warmed up
choke on start
warm up
choke off rideaway

am i missing something here ?

then if you do ride off with choke on you can adjust with you left hand assuming you have one of course

ozman

[tkent02]

What adjust? Start engine. Ride away. Turn off choke. Easy as pie. I probably have the choke cable mechanism if you want it, since I always install the one down on the carburetor because it's so much easier to use. Or maybe I threw it away, who would possibly want another cable?
Wouldn't having the clutch on the same side as the throttle be hard to use? Maybe not, a third lever on the left side for the rear brake was easy enough once you remember to find the right lever before starting down a super steep hill.

[lemonshindig]

My left hand is on the clutch at stoplights. I would have to shift to neutral just to adjust my choke. Right now, I'm reaching across my body with my right hand at stop lights to adjust the choke.

For some reason, it takes like 10 minutes for this bike to fully warm up. No, I don't let it idle for 10 minutes before leaving. It's not the valves, the sync, or the mixture- they're all spot on. If I shut the choke off before it's 100% warmed up, it will cut out and die. No-choke idle is set around 1200 RPM.

If the choke was on the right side of the bike, I could adjust it a little bit at every stop without going into neutral.

[lemonshindig]

I meant move the choke lever to the right side, not the clutch.

-Matt

[Agemax]

but you would still have to take your throttle hand off the bars to adjust it, so what is the difference?

[greg78gs750]

something's not right, and it isn't the location of the choke lever. i would fight the real enemy.

[nejeff]

Sorry but your bike is running like crap if you need 10 minutes of choke. Address the issue and quit trying to relocate things that don't need relocating

[lemonshindig]

but you would still have to take your throttle hand off the bars to adjust it, so what is the difference?

While idling at a stop light, I can stay in gear and adjust my choke...

[Agemax]

While idling at a stop light, I can stay in gear and adjust my choke...

it is such a chore to pop it in neutral i must admit. so much wasted effort....

[lemonshindig]

it is such a chore to pop it in neutral i must admit. so much wasted effort....

It really is. At the security gate every morning, I used to fiddle around looking for neutral and missing it. Then when I finally got it in neutral, I could fish my badge out of my pocket for the gaurd. Now I keep my badge within reach of my right hand, and just leave the bike in gear. For the toll bridge, I leave it in gear and shut the engine off to get my wallet out.

Both of these solutions are better than dicking around with neutral.

I also stop with my right foot on the rear brake pedal until I start moving again- I never put it down. When I have to shift in and out of neutral, I have to rock the bike over to change gears.

Staying in gear also provides the benefit of being ready to move if someone's coming up fast behind me.

I would prefer to have the choke where I can reach it with my right hand, for understandable reasons. Moving the choke lever to the right side is much preferred over changing my riding style.

[BigD_83]

I think I'd consider putting the choke lever back up on the handlebar. But it does sound like something is awry in your carburetion.

[RichDesmond]

...But it does sound like something is awry in your carburetion.

+3, or 4, or whatever we're up to. If the carbs are clean, the pilot jets are the right size (typically one size up from stock) and the fuel screws set correctly then the bike should be off the choke in less than a minute, even in winter. This time of year it should barely be needed at all.
10 minutes is way too much, even with stock jetting.

[Agemax]

I think I'd consider putting the choke lever back up on the handlebar. But it does sound like something is awry in your carburetion.

sounds like something isn't quite right with the transmission as well, if it is that difficult to find neutral.

maybe you could attach the choke lever to your left knee with a piece of string. that way you could adjust the choke simply by lifting your knee up and down, that way you wouldn't have to take either hand off the bars