TOPIC:

  

Page 221 of the manual above (assuming I have the right page, which is questionable in this manual!)

They don't specify where the choke plates should be when you back off the idle screw to create clearance, and it makes a big difference. I would love to assume the choke should be fully closed but my assumptions tend to be untrustworthy. (I also don't trust the diagram, which shows how to measure the gap with the choke closed....and you measure it fully open)

So where should they be? You can' adjust this once its on the bike and I want everything perfect this time around.
 

The diagram you posted clearly shows the choke plates closed.  

Agreed, but it also illustrates the gap that you measure when the choke is fully open, per the instructions, which is why I don't trust the diagram by itself.

However I will trust you over it, if you think that's the right way to do it.

EDIT: That diagram appears to be very wrong, because the idle screw moves the pulley which moves the throttle plates, not the choke plates. The choke plates are directly in line with the choke lever, and are not even shown.

So I'm still stuck wondering. I'm going to assume the choke plates should be closed when setting the idle screw clearance because I don't know what other benchmark there is other than wide open and that pretty clearly isn't right. Not that anything in this manual is clear.

I feel your pain. The manual is very nondescript for being OEM service information, a lot of it is poorly translated and the terminology is not clear. The fast idle link clearance should be measured in the position right before it actually starts moving the throttle plates. They use "Choke plate" and "Throttle plate" interchangeably. All the fast idle link does is raise the idle when choke is fully applied to prevent stalling. The only way to really adjust it is by bending it. I wouldn't worry about it too much unless you are having idle issues. I know the one on my KZ750 is slightly over extended causing a high idle when it's fully choked (around 4k). I just modulate it with my hand to get it to 1500rpm. Are you having a problem with idle being too low?

Excessive idle on a cold motor is "less than ideal" 

Wookie58 wrote:

Excessive idle on a cold motor is "less than ideal" 

Agree.  But very common.  The Mikuni BS carbs are known for it too.  

kz750spectre wrote:

I feel your pain. The manual is very nondescript for being OEM service information, a lot of it is poorly translated and the terminology is not clear. The fast idle link clearance should be measured in the position right before it actually starts moving the throttle plates. They use "Choke plate" and "Throttle plate" interchangeably. All the fast idle link does is raise the idle when choke is fully applied to prevent stalling. The only way to really adjust it is by bending it. I wouldn't worry about it too much unless you are having idle issues. I know the one on my KZ750 is slightly over extended causing a high idle when it's fully choked (around 4k). I just modulate it with my hand to get it to 1500rpm. Are you having a problem with idle being too low?
 

Only at first startup, then later I have the opposite problem. It still won't start with choke, but I have to choke it soon after starting or it will die. Sometimes. Lol. It's quirky but I'm living with it, spending 95% of my bike time riding and only 5% worrying about it.

My bike jumps up to 4k RPMs if I full choke it dead cold. That fast idle link is pushing too much. To be honest I have got it down to a science. I full choke the bike until I hear it kick off and then as soon as the RPMs start to rise I hit the kill switch. Then I open the choke to about 10 percent from fully closed and it backs off the fast idle cam. Restart the bike and you are good to go.