F3 1998 throttle (also possible cct replacement)
 

Hey, new member here.

I bought my F3 in spring 2025. It has been kept and maintenance has been good, I bought it from my childhood friend as he's moving on to Harleys.

The engine (to me) seems to be in good condition, nothing's broken. I do however have some issues and questions about how a bike of its age is supposed to function, what is normal and what is not.
60000 km / 37282 miles on it. One owner before me.

Here they are:

Cold start -> Starts up great, engine sounds good BUT there is a quiet rattle (tik-tik-tik-noise that goes hand to hand with RPM) coming from the right side of the engine. I decided it is the CCT. It is the original OEM part, and I know it is typical in this model for the OEM CCT to start acting up at some point. The noise goes quiet after a moment of idling. I can't clearly hear it if I give it some gas on neutral. I do however start hearing it during driving.

Driving -> Lower gears (1st-3rd) while accelerating at high RPM it feels and sounds good. However, steady driving at higher speeds (80kmh+/50mph), if I accelerate especially on higher gears (5th+) it feels less responsive to gas. There's a small delay before the response, and it's not as efficient in accelerating. Kinda feels more sluggish. The engine goes steady howevcer, there's no hiccups during acceleration. I also hear a louder tik-tik-tik-tik -noise that goes hand to hand with RPM. This worries me a bit. The bike has been kept in a warm garage over winter, and it had this issue last summer too. CCT?
Could the slower response to gas be because of carbs? Fuel filter? It's not overly BAD, but I feel it. It's an 28 year-old bike, so I of course expect there to be SOME signs of wear, but what is normal and what is not? Where should I begin with my investigation? I am most willing to learn whatever maintenance and fixes I need, as I love this bike and want to keep it in good condition without paying hundreds to bike shops. I have to add that last night when I took the bike for its first spin after winter, it was very cold outside.

Do these issues sound familiar?