"Jolting" acceleration coming off of idle

[smokestack]

Just curious if there's a clever way to get around this. Unless I'm extremely gentle with the throttle, throttling up out of idle causes a jolt or surge. It's difficult to gently roll on the throttle unless I'm geared too high.

The idle is set to just above 1.5k RPM, there's a tiny amount of freeplay in the throttle from the idle screw. It just gets annoying in slow-and-go traffic when I'm staying in gear and letting on and off the throttle frequently.

[gruntle]

Clutch control - steady revs and veeery gently release lever, or feather it (very rapid tiny repeated squeeze and release lever), or a huge handful of revs and slip massively to avoid bunnyhopping... or just blast it and enjoy the front wheel popping up and down playfully...

[jdoorn14]

Yep. What Janx said. Now, if you're still experiencing the same thing with the clutch pulled all the way in, you may need to check that your clutch cable is adjusted properly.

[HPP8140]

also check chain slack

[gruntle]

Well, I ain't Janx, but I'm sure he'd say the same 
Chain slack is also extremely relevant and will give you no end of grief if not attended to.
The GS500 clutch has a fairly short action but I've ridden far worse in my time.
Whether new or old rider, a little practice in a carpark or similar so's to master clutch control is time very well spent as somewhen you're going to need predictable and precise control when you REALLY NEED IT - for all of the previously mentioned methods or a mixture as required.
It's not for nothing that the GS500 is popular in motorcycle gymkhanas, and that's all about slow speed control...
enjoy your practice it'll repay you time and time and time again...

[jdoorn14]

Wouldn't there be some effect of improper chain slack felt/heard/sensed at higher speeds too? Unless OP hasn't reported it or didn't think it was significant to note.

[Watcher]

Wouldn't there be some effect of improper chain slack felt/heard/sensed at higher speeds too? Unless OP hasn't reported it or didn't think it was significant to note.

If it's really bad it'll feel jolty at higher rpms, but especially at higher rpms engine braking will be stronger and lessen the effect you get.  So it won't be as noticeable at higher speeds/rpms.

I'd check chain slack #1 and throttle play #2, if it still feels jolty I'd suspect the operator isn't using the friction zone as much as they should be.
First gear riding is really clutch dependant to make it smooth, there's a lot of leverage on the driveline.
Remember, the throttle gives the engine power, the clutch delivers that power to the wheel.  In this sense at low speeds the throttle doesn't control your speed, the clutch does.

[smokestack]

In this sense at low speeds the throttle doesn't control your speed, the clutch does.

Thanks all. Like you and others said, I guess this is the answer. I may not have been clear that this is only happening when I stay in gear and come off of idle at slow speeds in second or third gear. But I guess I'd expect my car to do the same thing in a low gear at some high-ish RPM too. I should probably just use the clutch more in that situation.

[smokestack]

I also checked that the chain slack is OK. It sounds like I'm just experiencing what any of you would experience if you weren't disengaging the clutch while coasting.

[gruntle]

the throttle gives the engine power, the clutch delivers that power to the wheel.  In this sense at low speeds the throttle doesn't control your speed, the clutch does.

yeah, there is that, but it's still demmed fine fun joltin' yer front end away at the lights innit mate...