how do I remove the pull-choke?

[Anonymous]

It's a 1981 GS850 with the choke right in the center of the "head" (please forgive my terminology, I am but a youthfull mechanic, learning as much as I can through your infinite collective wisdom). I'm trying to gain access to my "head" bearings- I have the forks off and all I need to do to remove the handlebar assembly it to get the silly little choke off first, which runs through the "head". I figure I should be able to remove the plastic knob and then the rest of the threaded choke pieces would come off, but maybe the two don't seperate and I'll have to remove the choke cable at the engine?

I hope my references to the "head" make sense, I don't know what to really call it...

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Are you not replying because you don't know what I'm talking about, or because you don't know how to remove the choke knob?

[lukehan]

I have a 79' gs850 and I believe there is kind of a rubber padding in that section that must be removed first. There should be four bolts/screws on the underside that you remove and the padding comes off and you then have better access to the choke knob etc.

Luke

[Anonymous]

Thanks. Mine has some threaded pieces that lock it into place, when they're unscrewed I can pull the choke knob and maybe 2" of cable out, but I can't pull the handlebar assembly off because it won't fit over the choke threaded pieces and the threaded pieces won't come off unless I could remove the knob itself, which I have easy access to, but can't see a way of removing it from the cable.

[lukehan]

Would it help at all if you unhook the choke cable from the carbs? You may also have to remove the speedometer/tach if you are working on the steering stem bearings.

Luke

[Anonymous]

I was considering removing the choke at the carbs, and will do that if I can't find a way to remove the pull-knob. STEERING STEM, I knew there was a proper name for it... thanks.

[bradleymaynar]

Looking at the schematic on bikebandit.com , it doesn't look like you can remove the knob. The entire cable is an assembly. Take note of how it's routed from the handlebars back to the carbs and remove it. I can't imagine that it'd be too much of a PITA.

Brad tt