First, if possible, round up a cable lube fitting. Fred has 'em, also most mail order catalogs, or at the dealer. Also a can of lube: NAPA has a good one: part# 765-1370, or Tri-Flo, which supposedly has Teflon in it. WD-40 is a little thin for my taste. Next, you'll have to take your throttle housing and choke control apart. On the throttle side, begin by screwing the adjusters on the throttle body all the way in, so you can release the cable ends from the disc that holds them. OK to screw the bent cable guide in, to generate maximum slack. This requires some patience, and for me, a large crochet hook, to pull the cable around until the lead button comes out the recess. While you've got the housing apart, it's a good time to pull the twistgrip off, clean inside and the sleeve, and apply a little lube. If a cable end at the lead button is frayed, even one wire broken, REPLACE IT. More problems are in it's future. Also, pay attention to the way the stack is arranged over on the choke (enricher) side. The wave washer is what provides the correct tension for the lever: maybe clean out the housing and grease the washer before re-assembly.


Next, clamp the lube fitting over the end of the SHEATH, not the adjuster ends, and tighten it until the round rubber plugs just start to bulge, but no further. Poke the valve wand into the plug with the hole, and position yourself where you can see the other end of the sheath, either at the carb, or over on the choke side. Pull the trigger on the can in half-second bursts until lube shows at the other end, then reassemble everything. Make sure the can's upright, so you're not just shooting propellant.


Back in the good old days, we used a little aluminum foil to make a funnel around the cable end, fill it with oil, and wait days for it to work it's way through. I hope the guy who invented the lube fitting dies rich, as well as all of his descendants.

You'll need to adjust the slack in the throttle set. Screw out the adjusters an equal amount until there's just maybe 1/16 inch of pullout on the sheath. Looking at the carb end, the pulling cable should just relax when you release the twistgrip. If you set the cables so they're working against each other, there's a replacement set lurking in your near future. Also set the tension over on the choke control just tight enough to hold the lever "on choke".

Out here in the arid West, I lube my cables in the spring, and again about Labor Day. Now 54,000 miles on my original cables, and they are still looking good. Kind of tough to repair, though in a pinch, the pulling cable could be replaced by the return cable, to get one to the nearest town. Just don't try any wheelies on the way! <grin>