Moving the choke cable

[nastyjones]

My 1980 gs1100 has that annoying choke cable that runs up the center of the steering head. Since I now have Bandit gauges and a round headlight, the choke location is inconvenient. I know other models had different types of cables or maybe even a lever on the carbs. What are my choices and years available?

Paul

[Steve]

In 1982 the choke was moved to a lever under the left hand grip. You will need the lever, all its attachment pieces, the cable, and the bracket on the carbs, as that is different, too. The hand grip housing is a bit different to accomodate the choke lever, but I have been able to glue a piece of plastic on there and have it work just fine.

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[nastyjones]

That would be great, my 02 Bandit was like that, but here's the problem. I have gone with gsxr handlebar controls because they are nicely executed and quality pieces. The gsxr also had no choke as it was FI, so I don't want to use the 82 stuff.

Paul

[Steve]

Not sure how your particular housings are, but as I mentioned above, I was able to add the lever to a housing that was not originally designed for it. Granted, it was similar, though. I added the lever to an '81 housing that I had to put on my son's '82 650L.

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[Suzuki_Don]

Not sure how your particular housings are, but as I mentioned above, I was able to add the lever to a housing that was not originally designed for it. Granted, it was similar, though. I added the lever to an '81 housing that I had to put on my son's '82 650L.

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Steve is there any chance of a picture of the conversion on your son's 650. I have to make up a choke setup on my 550B '77 model that now has CV type carbs and some pics would be very handy. I too have the GS650 choke setup on the carbs which is alittle different to other CV carbs. So your idea might work for me as well. I personally prefer the VM type choke mechanism on the side of the carbs, but unfortunately cannot work out any idea to make this type of mechanism work as the choke plungers pull sideways and not up and down as with the VM carbs.

[Steve]

Steve is there any chance of a picture of the conversion on your son's 650.

As of last week ... no. Sorry. The bike is now down in Floriduh where he will be for most of the winter.

However, I can try to describe how I did it.

Refer to this picture, look at parts 21-23. 21 is the lever that you will move to use the choke, 22 is a tensioner, 23 is the housing. When you get the parts you will see a rectangular recess across the center of the mounting surface of #23. The central pivot bolt (#24) goes through the middle of that recess making it more like two smaller square recesses. I glued some flat plastic to the bottom of the switch housing that would fit in these recesses, then used my own pivot bolt with a nylon-insert self-locking nut.

Feel free to ask for more details if necessary.

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[Suzuki_Don]

Steve is there a hole in the bottom of the left switch gear for the pivot bolt to screw into. I am picking up the choke parts this afternoon, the lever, washer and Part 23, I will probably understand more then. I am fitting this part to a '77 550 switch, do you think it will work.

[Steve]

Steve is there a hole in the bottom of the left switch gear for the pivot bolt to screw into. I am picking up the choke parts this afternoon, the lever, washer and Part 23, I will probably understand more then. I am fitting this part to a '77 550 switch, do you think it will work.

I doubt there is, as I had to drill one myself. Look inside the housing before you drill. I found that I had to drill the hole just a bit off-center of the outside so that the nut would be in the proper place on the inside.

If I remember correctly, there was just enough room for the nut on the inside, so I placed the nut in place and used a smaller drill bit that would not mess up the threads to drill a pilot hole that I later enlarged to the proper size. By using the nut as a guide for the hole, I at least knew it would be close to the right place.

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[Suzuki_Don]

I doubt there is, as I had to drill one myself. Look inside the housing before you drill. I found that I had to drill the hole just a bit off-center of the outside so that the nut would be in the proper place on the inside.

If I remember correctly, there was just enough room for the nut on the inside, so I placed the nut in place and used a smaller drill bit that would not mess up the threads to drill a pilot hole that I later enlarged to the proper size. By using the nut as a guide for the hole, I at least knew it would be close to the right place.

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Thanks Steve. I picked up the choke bits for the handle bars this afternoon. I realise now I don't have a '77 550 switch gear. It must have been replaced. The one on my bike does not have a flat bottom and there is no way I can attach the bits to it.

I do have a GS750 left switch gear from an 81 model and it is flat on the bottom and I see how you would need to glue a couple of plastic bits on the switch gear to stop it rotating when the lever is pushed around to choke the motor.

I have just seen a left hand switch gear off an 82 850 "minus the choke lever" the advert says, here in Sydney, Australia for $20. I might try and get that. Can you believe that the switch gear to be mailed from the US is $35 for something that will fit in a jiffy bag.

Thanks for you help Steve. Cheers.

[Steve]

Thanks for you help Steve. Cheers.

No problem. That is the entire reason for my existence.

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