Throttle feels Sticky.

[jeffreyjames]

Hi Everyone,

Very grateful to have found this forum.. I bought a used monster, and I don't know if it's just the way the throttle is set up, but the handle is not super smooth when I accelerate.  Sometimes it feels like it sticks at the beginning, so I have to give it a bit of pressure, then it finally goes, and that creates a lurching in acceleration.  Any ideas what this could be?

[stopintime]

My first thought (not the only explanation, I'm sure) is the throttle cable.
It's used a lot and it will fail after some time. "Some time" will be different in different situations.

[Howie]

Throttle cable is a good possibility, but before going there check free play and make sure it is lubed at the throttle tube end.  When you check if it is lubed look for frayed cable strands.

[Two dogs]

+1
Don't risk it inspect and or replace it !!
 I had one fail on me when my bike was only 12 months old
the throttle jammed on at full revs while riding ,managed to get my hand down and pull the cable at the spring
under the tank   , hit the kill switch pulled in the clutch and coasted to the side of the road....a very scary 5 seconds .
Mechanic said it looked like it had been kinked on instal at the factory and slowly frayed wire by wire.

[jeffreyjames]

Thanks! I'm pretty mechanically un-inclined.. Would you mind letting me know what to do to check, and what kind of lube to use?

[Howie]

Year and model?

[jeffreyjames]

2007 S2R 800. Thx

[Heath]

This is what I used and had great results.  You can also use it as a chain lube.

[Speeddog]

Thanks! I'm pretty mechanically un-inclined.. Would you mind letting me know what to do to check, and what kind of lube to use?

Mechanically uninclined?
Working on the throttle?

I'd recommend, at the least, getting someone who *is* mechanically inclined to assist.

I use white grease.

[Heath]

Where can you buy a replacement throttle cable?

[Howie]

jeffreyjames, if you look in your owner's manual you will find instructions on lubing the cable.  You will also be able to look for fraying.  If you don't have an owners manual you can download one here   http://www.ducati.com/services/maintenance/index.do

Free play is about 2mm.  Minor adjustment is done at the top.  Since your bike is injected you only have one cable and the throttle body side is easily viewable and relatively easy to disconnect so you can find where the binding is.  I also forgot to mention that you shoul make sure the grip itself is not rubbing against anything such as a bar end mirror.

Mechanically uninclined?
Working on the throttle?

I'd recommend, at the least, getting someone who *is* mechanically inclined to assist.

I use white grease.

Gotta agree.

[duccarlos]

Lube the cable!!!

[ScottRNelson]

I had throttle sticking issues with my ST2 a few years back and finally opened up the throttle housing and followed the cable from end to end.  I checked the motion on the throttle bodies, checked the cable, and checked the throttle itself.  It turns out that the previous owner had added a bar-end "cruise control" that you could tighten to hold the throttle at one position, and it wasn't releasing completely.  Since I generally have no need for such a thing on the roads that I ride, I grabbed a few washers and fixed it to be 100% off all the time no matter what.  That solved my particular problem, but then I also knew that everything else was in good shape too.  Oh, and I lubricated everything with DuPont Teflon spray lube, the same stuff I use on my chain.  The throttle action remained good from then on.

So I suggest examining every part of the throttle connection from end to end, then you'll know for sure exactly what operates smoothly and what doesn't.