How much play do you guys have or recommend in the throttle and clutch. By play I mean when they actually engage after twisting or pulling. I suppose for the clutch it is just a matter of preference but my throttle doesn't "engage" until, i don't know, a half inch to an inch turn or more of the wrist.

I think I would prefer to have it engage as soon as I twist but this is how it was set when I got it from the dealer and since I am a newbie to riding bikes I just left it that way. Is there any reason not to set it to engage as soon as I twist the throttle?

Thanks!

refer to the picture below for clutch lever freeplay adjustment:


courtesy: kerry

The Haynes manual (where that picture came from) recommends a measurement of 10 to 15mm freeplay.

It also recommends 3 to 6mm of play in the throttle cable.  You can adjust the throttle cable on pre-'01 bikes either at the carbs or just below the throttle grip (which is much easier, assuming there is still some adjustability remaining there).

When I got my first GS500 (which was my first bike) the throttle cable was fairly loose.  I didn't know any better, until my brother felt it and told me I was nuts to have it that loose.  He adjusted almost all of the slack out of it and after getting used to it I can't go back.

How do you adjust the throttle cable from the throttle grip? I have maybe 15mm of play on mine and I want it all gone.

If i remember correctly there are 2 positions for the cable in the grip. I guess you could use the last one to adjust and also adjust the throttle at the carbs.

You should have next to zero free play in the throttle. Slack causes a delay in when you want and when the bike actually start to roll on power. This can be dangerous mid-corner...

Just down from where the throttle cables come out of the right switch pod, there is a rubber cover (the bulge in the cable). Slip this back to reveal a small nut and threaded end to the cable. Back off the nut and then turn out the adjuster to to tighten up the cable. With the engine running adjust out to where the idle starts to go up an then back off so that there is only a slight bit of pressure on the throttle causes the tach to go up. Tighten down the locknut and slip the cover back down. Make sure you didn't change the tightness of the cable doing so.

Also turn the front wheel from lock to lock to make sure that the cable doesn't bind anywhere and cause the engine to race. If you run out of adjustment at the top end, you can tighten them up some more at the carbs. But this requires removing the tank etc.

In the clutch I like to leave a little bit of slack, so that I can pull in slightly to feel the slack go out and know where the tension point in the clutch is.  Clutch adjustment is in the large "wheel" adjuster at the lever.