Interesting Day. . . Roadside Repair

Yesterday, while taking a short ride I noticed my clutch was dragging slightly while shifting from neutral. The clutch cable adjustment nut was a bit loose and tightening it solved the problem. While tightening, I noticed exactly ONE strand of cable was broken. I made a mental note of it, but figured it was no big deal. This morning, after a 30 mile ride to meet up with a friend to begin an all day ride, I noticed the same slackness in the clutch. This time I was startled to discover that now MOST of the strands were frayed, leaving far to few intact to trust more than two blocks.

I just so happend to have a new replacement cable in my box of spare parts the previous owner gave me, which I just so happened to drop into my saddle bag that morning, along with a bunch of tools. I don't know why I brought that cable, as I'd never carried it before, but I guess yesterday's discovery was in the back of my mind. I'd never changed out a clutch cable before, much less on the side of the road, but it was a snap, and before long I was back on the road.

You expert riders probably already know this, but I don't think I'll ever take a trip without an extra clutch cable, even if I have to tape it under the seat! I was amazed at how quickly it went!

Out of curiosity, how many riders carry extra cables ?

One more does, now.

On the Norton, have one coiled up in the left side cover with all my "electrical" spare parts. On my airhead, have one cable-tied in place alongside the 'active' one. The Ducati is hydraulic, the HD I have no excuse. The wife's bikes, heck, she has no tools anyway so WTF.

I think not carrying one is a risky proposition. The risk is greater on older bikes, methinks, for whatever reason.

On one bike I carry all spares on cables. On my Norton I plan to carry a spare cable wire tied next to the original. On my Goldwings only if running to New York.

I had the clutch cable fail on mine while still running in the bike - cable pulled right out of the plug at the lever. Since I was only a few blocks from home, I managed to make it sans clutch.
Picked up a new cable the next day, and resoldered the other, which I've kept in the left cover ever since.

Happened a few times to me, and not always close to home. The way out is to ride in the slow lane if in the city and try not to stop, the gearbox is easy to shift without a clutch by blipping the throttle. If a stop is mandatory, I would paddle the bike forward and jam it in first then gas it up, this works well on level ground or on a downhill slope. For some strange reason, I never broke a clutch cable on any other bike I owned, I think my Nortons do it to spite me.

Jean

Commandos have a particular problem because you have got a brass nipple running in an aluminium lever. I used to snap clutch cables regularly. I reamed out my clutch lever & made up a steel bush for it years ago & haven't snapped another one since.

I've broke one years ago, always have a spare throttle/cluch cable but haven't used them - i put a nice smear of the lucas red grease along the cable ends at the beginning of each riding season (after cleaning the cables and re lube them) on all my bikes and haven't had a problem
mjg

When I used my Commando for everyday transport I had Italian levers on them, forget the brand right now...anyway they were better about the cable hookup and I never had another problem.

When I was 18 years old in 1976, I went with a friend from school to the salubrious city of Hull, my friend having a Commando Dunstall 810, in Black and Roadster trim(I blame this bike which I absolutely adored for my affliction to this day).

On the way out of the city there are probably 9 sets of traffic lights, and the inevitable happened and his clutch cable broke. I was riding pillion, and when we came to a stop which was at several sets of these lights, I was instructed to get off, push my friend who sat on his bike up to an appropriate speed, he then clicked it into first gear, left it at tickover revs, and I had to run alongside it and time an appropriate jump where if I was accurate, I would hit some part of the pillion seat, and he would roar off to the next set of lights.

This was very tiring and tested my nerves, as if I were to miss the seat my ride would be gone to the next set of lights. There's no way I could run fast enough to do it now, or have the stamina to do it several times, but the moral of the story is, always have a young fit pillion passenger with you if your clutch cable breaks :lol:

When I was in College (RCAT Salford) we almost all had motorcycles or scooters. One friend had a 650 BSA which was real tired and difficult to keep running. It also had a sticky clutch. When stopped at a traffic light, he always shifted to first gear and kept blipping the throttle while stopped.

One day we were side-by-side on the front row and, just as a bus was going past on the cross street, the clutch cable snapped. Of course it happened just as he blipped the throttle, and the bike took off, smack into the side of the bus. It was one of the old open rear-platform double deckers, and there were about 10 people standing on the platform waiting to get off at the next stop. Just a couple of milliseconds later and he'd have been up there with them.

I've never kept a vehicle in gear at a stop light since, until I started driving cars wiath automatic transmissions.

Certain things stick with you, don't they? I read something similar here before. Maybe it was from you, Frank. Anyway, whomever, I want to thank them. I've changed my stoplight habits ever since reading about the cable incident. Thanks again, Frank.

I have always carried a spare taped beside my original. That way I don't have to remove the tank or screw around. I taped the end closed to keep dirt out at the lever end.
Bruce

I carry a spare next to the connected cluch cable also. 6 weeks ago cluch cable snapped off just before a stop sign in a rural setting. Nice feeling being able to do the repair on the spot and continue on. I also carry a spare clutch lever, bolt & perch in my saddle bag. Anyone out there had lever or perch break??

Carrying spares is certainly a good idea. In my youth I accomplished many a roadside repair on motorcycles and cars. I turn sixty-five tomorrow and when it comes to breakdowns my first reaction now is to reach for my cell phone.

I usually carry a spare clutch cable and throttle cables with a "slotted abutment" bush if I'm going to be very far away from home (>50 miles).

When the throttle cable breaks that little bushing goes bouncing down the road before you can get pulled over. A spare cable does no good without it. In reality, though, I've only broken two clutch cables and two throttle cables in 35+ years. The clutch cables were probably my fault for poor lubrication habit.

I think I broke that many on my Honda 305 Scrambler in one summer back in the '60's!! It taught me how to get home with out a clutch! Never did understand why it was so tough on cables.

Ron L, take a flexible wire tie around the slotted adjuster and tie it next tho the spare cable. No sense losing the slotted adjuster & nut. Just a thought.

Jim:

I may have posted that story before, but if I save one guy from disaster, I don't mind a second post. Now in our late 60's neither my old room-mate nor I are still riding.