Clutch cable foils show attendance

[Pat D]

Started out bright and early this morning for what should have been a beautiful Sunday back country ride to a vintage Japanese bike show in southern PA, 'bout 120 miles round trip. I've been looking forward to taking my bike to this show for the first time since I started putting it together 2 years ago. I've got about 1500 miles on it since it went back on the road, working out bugs. Had all my tools in the back pack, nice and cool and overcast, some rain where I was going but looking to move out by the time I got there.

Well, coming to a stop sign about 1/2 way there pulled the clutch, felt all wrong, and watched the end of the cable fall to the road. Got up on the sidewalk and called the support team(Dad). We both play with old cars, so we try to have someone on standby whenever either one of us is travelling in(or on) something old. We had discussed rescue the day before, so trailer was ready and straps were staged. 90 minutes later I and the bike were home.

So there is another show this coming Saturday, I'd like to make that one, so I gotta find a cable supplier that will ship pronto, tomorrow if possible, especially if it's coming from the other coast. 650 Central? OEM supplier? Bike is all stock. Thanks!

 

[5twins]

Was that a MikesXS cable? Oh, Heaven forbid, those pieces of junk, lol. I always carry a spare after mine broke on me. Luckily I had just turned down my street so I could almost coast home. If you can't find an O.E.M., get a Motion Pro. Most shops can order you a Motion Pro, hopefully have it before the week is out.

 

[Grinder]

Similar thing happened to me. I was 100 miles from home when the cable broke. Someone in our group had a mini vise grip that we used for a temporary fix. As luck would have it the ride was mostly freeway so only had to use the clutch a couple of times. +1 on the Motion Pro cable.

 

[retiredgentleman]

The E-Z Pull clutch cable that 650central sells works really well for me. The crap cables that Mikesxs sells are 0.080" diameter, while the E-Z Pull cable is 0.098".

I know the feeling when you lose your clutch when far from home. Just last month, I was about 190 kms from home, up in the mountains. Clutch quit working, and I stalled the engine at the side of the road. The original, 36 year old, clutch cable adjuster had broken into 2 pieces. I thought I was done like dinner. However, with the help of some electrical tape and 2 nylon cable ties, I was able to cobble the adjuster together, and make it home.

Gotta love the Japanese OEM high quality. I ordered another Yamaha OEM cable adjuster from my local Yami dealer......................all set for another 36 years!

 

[racerdave]

Several motion Pro's on ebay in a quick look

 

[Grinder]

My cable was the original from 77. Probably should have been changed a long time ago.

 

[FB71]

I got Motion Pro cables from BikeBandit in 3 days - If you need one for the weekend, I might have one in the basement, if you want to swing by one evening - yours for the taking

 

[scabber]

650 Central will air mail it to you. Order on Monday you will get it midweek. The E-Z pull or Motion Pro both are good.

 

[gggGary]

yup if they are really stiff, oil and other lube is a just a stopgap, the cable has rusted somewhere down inside and the strands are breaking one by one. Tick, tick, tick. +3 on motion pro, someone should stock them in at least three lengths. Cables for specials are way too long for a standard or specials with shorter bars installed. (nearly all of them ridden much in the last 10 years)

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Pat,
order two clutch cables. And an extra throttle cable while you are at it.
A trick from the past. Fit a second cable parallel to the replacement.
That way if the cable fails you can swap to the in-place spare by the side of the road.

 

[Pat D]

Good deal, folks. Got a Motion pro on order, gonna talk to 650 Central later today. I won't be w/o a spare in the future.