Choke Broke

[Fiat Lux]

My 2001 Standard was not starting up right away on a coolish Saturday morn so I quickly slid the choke lever down for about 10 seconds of richness. "Crack" and the lever flopped down. In my haste, I over tensioned and broke the darn choke cable! 

I've searched all the past postings on replacing choke cables and feel really confused! Where is the best place to get a new choke cable and how easy is it to do myself? I am mechanically challenged and hate removing the gas tank but can do simple stuff myself.
Thanks for advice,
Fiat Lux   

[Chrisj CMA]

I hate to say it but if removing the gas tank is difficult for you. Take it to a shop or maybe a member is close by that can help

[Jims99]

Partzilla has it for $23. I haven’t had to do one one a valk but shouldn’t be that bad. May not have to pull the tank if you can get it routed along where it goes now. A little time consuming but self explanatory. Good luck.

[da prez]

  Tape the new cable to the old after releasing the stand off brackets. I do not know if you go from the top down or the bottom up. Look at the parts list for location of the stand off. You should be able to feed it thru. If all else fails , (follow directions in book) remove the tank.

                               da prez

[John Schmidt]

Too bad you live so far away, I'd help you make up one of these. This is what I developed, has worked flawlessly for years & holds any position you set, works both sides of the motor.

Under construction.
http://vrcc.photostash.com/vrcc_18944/New%20choke%20control2.jpg

Operational.
http://vrcc.photostash.com/vrcc_18944/New%20choke%20control3.jpg

[gordonv]

+1 if mine broke, I think I would John's way too. I always felt it too stiff.

As for the part, hard to get from the US, but you've the price. I take that info to my local Honda dealer and negotiate a price we can both be happy with. Usually the jobber/wholesale price of 30% off is good enough if the price is reasonable. It gets to you a little quicker, usually within a week, and no shipping or exchange, but tax, but more places change tax no anyways.

[Avanti]

The complete mechanical mechanism that activates the enrichers needs periodic maintenance to keep it working smoothly so as not to stress it.

[Gryphon Rider]

Although it was long enough ago for me to not really remember specifics of how I did it, I replaced my choke cable myself when it broke.  If you want to buy the Honda cable and ride up to Calgary, we can do it together in my garage.

[Gideon]

The complete mechanical mechanism that activates the enrichers needs periodic maintenance to keep it working smoothly so as not to stress it.

Avanti, what periodic maintenance do you suggest doing. 

[da prez]

  Use cable lube and the pivot points in the enrichners.
 
                                  da prez
                                                (I have actually talked to Avanti)
     (my conversation with Avanti was not about the choke , I tried to meet him when we were near his home.)

[CoreyP]

What did John do there? Looks like he got rid of the cable and went for a manual choke using a home made handle? I've had bikes like that in the past, kind of full proof way to do it. I lubed the choke cable up and can't remember how the other side connected? Doesn't the cable come down from the handle bars and then split into two to choke both sides of the engine?

I will look tomorrow. I don't use the choke cable but it does seem stiff as Hell to me. If I used it all the time I would be worried about it breaking. That's why I was in there lubing anything I could find that had to do with the choke, it just felt way to stiff.

[John Schmidt]

Corey, you can check it out at InZane.