Hi!

Hope summer is treating good to all you!

I've just changed the handlebar grips on my Heritage Nostalgia (1993), using the same old school model Coca Cola style, this time with Drag Specialties ones.

The question is if it's ok to just use just one of the throttle cables (open cable) on the Mikuni (the one noted on the photo). Have chequed before and after riding a bit, and confirm that the bike response, quick slap back on all handlebar positions and iddle position free play now is excellent. It also fully opens/close the carb guillotine.

The problem:

The reason to let that one cable disconnected, is that when taking out the old grips (never did it myself), founded that both cables have just the right lenght in order to be able to insert both ends on the grip holes and thats it (!). There's no extra free play available to adjust, they can only be tightened (colapser controllers are at their maximum possition due to the lenght of the cables, if I tighten any of them, the grip starts to get fixed ina position).

What happens when using both cables with the new grip (wich are apparently exact), is that the throttle doesn't fully close right, leaving the bike slighty accelerated on all possitions except handlebars turned fully left. (Before dismounting the old ones, I cheched and noticed that slight hold happened having the handlebars turned fully right, so it wasn't fully right adjusted either).

At first, I thought that as these grips have a different slight design, maybe the plastic was touching with something inside, so I cutted the extra plastic in order to make a replica (showed in the photo).



The problem remained until I disconnected the "close cable", that althought is wasn't tight (in fact just a bit loose), seems it has enough force in order to turn a bit the grip, resting free play to the movement. I think the old grip left just a bit more of free play somehow (distance between both cable ends holes)


Thanks guys for any advice you may have, or just a confirmation about if this is ok to be left this way without installing longer cables.

Beers & Coca Cola for all!

Cheers,


P.D. The bike responds great now to slightest throttle movements, as it should, instant return to iddle position when not grabbing the throttle grip.

 

Ok! Talked today with an official Harley mechanic friend, no problem with that solution, as long as it works well and the cable it's well lubricated.

He says that when using aftermarket grips, sometimes the cables doesn't fit exactly as with the original HD ones. He has applied that cable solution too on different bikes, even taking out with a cutter the plastic part I modiffied on the grip (left hole showed on the pic), to get it out of the way.

Cheers.

 

Actually, Harley modified the grips at some point a few years back (probably to lessen the already remote possibility of having the cable pop out). I've always modified my grips to the "old style", using a razor blade and a Dremel tool. I've had no problems with this, but my lawyer says if I recommend this, you do it at your own risk.

 

Thanks, Uncle G! :-)

Cheers.

 

No problem, we Nostalgia/Special riders have to stick together, eh?

 

Yes indeed, Sir! Beautiful machines

Cheers!

 

To be fair, I've always managed to get both cables on, without even having to loosen the adjusters.

 

I would not run a flat slide carb without an idle cable. The flat slides are known to stick.

Besides that, if one of the cables starts to get frayed inside (just before it breaks), you will still be able to make it home, instead of shutting the engine off and pulling to the side of the road (hopefully).