Adjusting the Free Play in your Motorcycle Throttle 

I wondered why my gear changes had become so bad recently, and also the snatchy throttle. I'm pretty certain I've got too much play in my throttle. I'll adjust it when it stops raining, thanks for the clear explanation.

Thank you! My throttle has a lot o free play and I was planning to go to the shop to fix it. But now I have fix it myself and it got awesome!

8 months ago got my first bike, yesterday I adjusted the levers and now adjusted the throttle play. It always bothered me but I never thought it's just a small fix. Would have never thought that turning the handlebars changes the free play though. Haven't started it yet to check but I moved the bars all the way both ways to make sure I still had some room and was not locking the throttle. Thank you!

As someone who has had to use good engineering practices and a suck it and see approach to mechanics its nice to see someone confirm what has been learned. My baby bro and myself had this very issue last week were he had over tightened the outer cable and was holding the revs up as the throttle wasn't returning. Exactly as shown by Mr Moss. RF900R completely original has had everything done since it was purchase last September £1000 to purchase just under £1000 on parts and labour was gratis. This included new springs for the forks and a full service on both forks and shock. Different bike to the sorry thing we picked up.

This is one of my biggest motorcycle pet peeves. I will ever will ride a bike with throttle free play.

Thank you for this easy tutorial and also explaining WHY we need to turn the bars before completing the adjustment. Cheers mate.

I don’t even own a bike but enjoy these videos for when i do get one

Good one David, In uk if the bars are turned and the revs rise that is a MOT failure.

After 3 years of riding my street triple 675 08 without a problem it suddenly revved when turning out of parking.. Thank you!

makes a huge difference taking the slack up. Ive done it on all my bikes over the years. good video. Oh nice bike too sounds great. thanks mate

Thank you Dave! Going to fix my throttle cable today after work and this showed me exactly how to do it 👍🏽🏍️💨

Thanks, you made it look easy! Been doing my own repairs and appreciate this video.

Great explanation thank you. Translated over perfectly to my Speed Triple 955i. I'll be putting a 1050 throttle tube on it soon enough!

Thank you for the video, i have a new bike and too much play is bithering me with slow speed control, i guess the dealers dont really do much setting up for these things

Hi Dave 1st time viewer, the throttle on my 2022 T100 is very snatchy, everyone is buying those ' spacer ' kits to solve the problem, I think I will try this first. Like doing my own work. Great video!

Nice one dave Love the sound of those triples!

Throttle play is the first thing i did on my mt07 after setting the rear sag. Factory position for the rear of this bike is no sag at all for some reason. Put an r6 throttle tube on for less throw and adjusted the freeplay down to a minimum and everything that has to do with throttle input feels 100x better. Downshift blips so smooth now where factory setting the timing was a littke wonky. No more twisting my wrist past where it can go for full throttle or having to have an adjusted grip to be able to open it up all the way. Now i can have my grip in a comfortable spot for braking off throttle, for braking on a little throttle, and wide open without adjusting grip at all. Simple things sometimes can transform a motorcycle like fine tuning control inputs to you. Everyone should go out and expiriment with their throttle today!

Thanks for this helpful video mate. I've got a FZ6R Yamaha, and I need that adjustment. Will mind to move the bar to see if the RPM are climbing.

I love how I watch all these videos and y'all are like tightened your cable otherwise it's gonna be choppy. While me : check throttle free play -2.88mm lose it to 5mm much better lol To each his own, I normally wouldn't do it, but my current bike just has a choppy throttle (maybe TB needs adjusting, maybe poor tune) but on the actual throttle- it felt like I need more Freeplay and so I did just that. much better now. 03 Aprilia Tuono. Been riding for 8 years and many bikes, never had such on off action throttle, however the bike is a blast so I deal w it

I just got a 2012 Triumph 675R w/4600 on it (track bike) and it has the same amount of free play......at least their consistent. I got it dialed in now. I couldn't believe the last owner rode on the track like this I just rode it up the street and it drove me crazy.

Lovely stuff, thank you. Picked up an SV650 recently and only downfall is that I keep shutting the throttle off because the play is ridiculous. Hopefully I'll be able to get it just from top adjustment.

Amazing video, helped me alot and made me feel comfortable to adjust the acceleration on my own triumph for the first time in my life lol, thanks for the video once again.

Job #1! Thank you, Dave!

I ride a royal enfeild himalayan,R.E. recommend play is 2-3 mm.After 1500 miles,had to adjust.Thanks friend.

This video was just what i needed to solve my sticking throttle!

Thx for your video, great explanation. My adjusting nut is already at its maximum, any further and it will fall of the throttle housing. I only had the bike for a year... Any advice would be appreciated, thx

Mines under too much tension I checked the adjust on the handle and the carb linkage seems I need more wire ? Please help revving too high new carb installed

wonder if theres another video like this near the back end of the throttle cable, should be a part 2 for the other side of the throttle cable

I have that same exact bike. Haven't touched the suspension. It's a bit stiff but I don't want to change anything without guidance.

thank you so much for these videos!

I just adjusted my Monkey, I had to do it at the throttle body because I didn’t see any other adjuster, but what a difference, like riding a different bike.

I'm not as concerned about free play at this point (on my first bike I should add). It just seems to me that my throttle moves too easily and I'm having trouble controlling it. How hard should it be to roll it back? Mine gives me very little resistance. I don't know, I'm new. Maybe that's how it's supposed to be?

My throttle rolls on and snaps back OK, the problem with mine is that when it snaps back, any pressure put on the throttle causes it to move 1 to 2mm forward and the bike stalls, I've tried tightening and loosening the cables and still does it, can't find any information anywhere, riding is quite difficult atm

Thank you so much for sharing the knowledge i appreciate it very much

Best explanation ever!!

If it's all been taken apart and I'm starting from scratch, it takes me ages to find the best adjustment but still it's too much free play yet hangs the throttle on right steering lock. If you loosen the throttle cable should you tighten the return to compensate? Do you recommend cable lube or leave dry? (Ireland weather, outdoors 24/7)

Good information ❤

Just went out and fixed mine thank you!

Hi Dave and guys, what can I do if I cannot screw it out enough the cylinder to eliminate the free play? The other side has only a lock nut down at the throttle body. Does it mean that the cable got stretched out too much and need to be cut, also that knob reinstalled?

in 2021, i bought a new motorbike, a kawasaki 650 versys, and when picked it up a rode it home, the free play in the throttle was about 10mm it felt, every roundabout going to the right i had a dead spot where the throttle was not engaging and it made me look silly and like a learner being unstabel on sharp right bends at low speed. at its first service, i told the guys behind the desk, they were all "oh you need some free play blah blah blah" and i said, come sit on that bike, start it in the car park and do a right hand turn. their face was like "ooooohhh thats not correct". i am like, yup, get it tightened up for me please but i do understand free play is needed, but not that much. so yeah, not too much and not too little, you need it just right lol

Thank you friend I did my self today 🙏

Dave is so awesome!

Love your channel sir thank you for doing this

Can you show me what to do when I’ve adjusted this and I still have free play?

I adjusted my throttle cable and now my speedometer glitches from 70 to 150 and higher.. Do you know why adjusting it would do that?

How to adjust throttle slop on a 2018 Honda Grom which has no adjustment turnbuckles in the cables? Thank you!

I am okay with the freeplay , will it cause any problems in the future??

Is there a way to adjust electronic throttle free play? Same issue but no cable to tighten to fix.

Brilliant mate, thank you so much.

Thanks for this. Great stuff

What about ride-by-wire throttle. My MT-10 have lots of free play😐😤

Nice vid!

Thank you very much!

Already knew how to adjust the cable play. I run mine with next to zero play on my ZX6R, making it much smoother manipulating the throttle, as he said not so snatchy. Needs periodic attention over the years.

Great video

Great video 👍🏻 thanks

Appreciate it dude!

Really helpful, thx.

Wish mine wasn't electronic. I had to use the ducati spacers for my Speed Twin.

Thank you

Nice video.👍🏾

My buddies and I all agreed that we would pitch in and buy you a house if you promise to come and build a shop and live in our city. 😎👍

I need guards rails for cfmoto 300ss

thank you so much, thank you

Thx for share

Buy if the bike its By wire?

How to do this with zip

Some ashbag mechanic cut my oem grip cause he said the grip was getting longer cause its old and binding the throttle, no he cuts it and its the same sticky garbage, he just doesn't know how to adjust the clutch... He also charged me 3800cdn for a safety on a 250ninja from 2005.......

Tnx

I like absolutely zero play in my throttle.

but my throttle doesn't have cables .. it has electrical wires ... I guess I can skip this lesson 😉

I've got maybe 2mm of play tops. Prefer none.

Thank you sir.!

Thank you