CHOKE DOESN'T WORK

[grego]

HI ALL

well today i discovered that the choke doesn't work. i don't know how much travel it should have but it only goes an inch at best. i didn't want to force it. i chased the cable to the carb and i found that it is all enclosed with a nut. i looked at the service manual and the only thing i found for the "start plunger" is how to adjust the slack. i need your expert instructions on
1. to determine if the porblem is in the hand grip
2. the cable
3. the carb

also need expert instructions on how to fix it.

i also discovered that the rear brake adjusting nut has a nail in it instead of a cotter pin.
am sure finding a lot of things to raise some doubts about the history on the bike. when i bought it the odometer said 168 miles. the cycle shop i bought it from said the owner had all the work done at his shop. oh its a 2006

safe biking
grego