Hi everyone,

I'm new and from the UK and became the proud owner of a 2004 GS500F yesterday 

She is blue and immaculate with only 7000 miles on the clock. Only one small issue that I'd like some advice on - I've searched for answers but still haven't found them.

There is a noticeable amount of 'play' when twisting the throttle - quite a distance before the throttle actually starts to work, I've found that this affects me from riding smoothly - but that it also might be how its supposed to be and I'll have to get used to it!

There are two cables running from the throttle - which one should I be looking to adjust?

Thanks in advance.

This is my method.I'm not saying it is the Suzuki by the book method but it works for me.I adjust the cable that pulls when the throttle is opened.I adjust it at the carb and then at the handle bar.The other cable I adjust but leave just a little slack in it.The cable that pulls when the throttle is close is merely there for a safety back up in case the throttle hangs or the other cable breaks.From 89 to roughly 00,I believe,all GS had a single cable throttle.

Pics of your bike please. Themz the rulz here. 

The GS does have some play in the throttle. I'd like to know what You mean by "quite a distance" and "noticeable amount". Otherwise, do what ben2go said. You'll find, that just like where the clutch grabs, you'll get used to Play and compensate for it automatically so it becomes not noticeable any more.

Michael

Thanks for the advice. 

I would say that nearly half an inch or maybe more goes round before the throttle starts to work. Is that normal?

Here's a pic that the previous keeper took - I will try to take a better one when I get around to it. Rules are rules!

You can easily adjust the cable where it attaches to the carbs. You'll need to remove your gastank (easy) in order to gain access to the carbs easily enough to get access to the connection.

Undo the locknut a bit, move the cable to your desired location and redo the locknut.

1/2 inch is way to much a few millimeters is all the slack I have in my throttle cable.

Quick update, I think I found the issue. Apologies for my non-technical description.

Where the throttle cable enters the underside of the grip body, there is a bracket (shaped a bit like a figure of eight) with a single screw which holds the bracket tight and therefore the cable won't move.

The screw was quite loose, so lots of movement in the whole cable and in fact despite my tightening, the screw won't actually come to a stop so not sure how long it'll last like that.

At least I know what caused it.

At least your bike isnt like mine, which has NO play... No matter how I adjust it I cant fix it. It used to be an issue for riding smooth until I stopped caring 

In the end I had it fixed by my local Honda bike store.

If anyone's interested, they had to drill and re-thread the hole underneath and then used a bigger screw to hold in the cable end. So far so good.

It may hold, may not, if it doesn't then it'll be a new switchgear which holds the emergency on/off switch aswell 

Thanks to all for advice and help.