Broken Clutch Cable Riding Into Port Dover.

[Motorcyclemodeller]

So my brother and I are just pulling into Port Dover, traffic is stop and go. All of a sudden he honks at me.........broken clutch cable.......! No spare. I break out the tools. The cable snapped by the ball on the clutch lever...fine. I loosen the adjuster on the motor side all the way, loosen the lever side all the way. Cut the cable nice and clean, put a 90 degree bend in the last half inch of cable. Grab the bent cable with a set of mini-vice grips, and route it through the clutch lever. I used electric tape to secure the vice-grips to the clutch lever. Readjusted the clutch..........and away we go.........had a great day at Port Dover.

8) Dr. Dre! 8)

[argonsagas]

As soon as I saw the thread title..vice-grips came to mind. Been there. Done that!


WONDERFUL tool! Everyone should carry them.

[Anonymous]

Spoken like a TRUE mechanic. Bravo!!
I love these stories of how a little ingenuity (street smarts) can save the day.
I had an incident where I took a minor spill on some oil slick asphalt. No injury to me or damage to the bike...cept... busted clutch lever.
There was just a little stub left. Grabbed the trusty VISE-GRIP, locked it on, and away I went. A truely "must have" tool for any biker.

[AOD]

i need some vice grips! 8O

[Anonymous]

A clutch cable broke on me once while riding my old mans CB900. I didn't have any vice grips so I just had to make do. People got great amusement at watching me push the bike through the traffic lights trying to get enough speed to kick it into second. I dont regret that it happened, I will forever have the knowledge on how to ride a bike without using the clutch, but in saying that I will never be without proper tools to fix things like that again

[Anonymous]

way to go macgyver!

luckily i was only 5 blocks from home when mine broke, i popped it into first on my way down a hill and rode home in first. (bike had been shut off as i stood there yelling profainities)

[lartross]

When I was in Kenitra Morroco, in 1966, I had an old Lambretta scotter I had acquired in a basket for $10. It had a broken clutch cable and I had l while to wait before I could get to Tangiers to get one, so, I got it running and jerked it into gear...it died. I revved it way up and jerked it into gear...and promptly did a back flip to the amusement of all watching...I learned to run and jump on before slipping into gear until I got a clutch cable. What an addiction!

[lartross]

When I was in Kenitra Morroco, in 1966, I had an old Lambretta scotter I had acquired in a basket for $10. It had a broken clutch cable and I had l while to wait before I could get to Tangiers to get one, so, I got it running and jerked it into gear...it died. I revved it way up and jerked it into gear...and promptly did a back flip to the amusement of all watching...I learned to run and jump on before slipping into gear until I got a clutch cable. What an addiction!

[Anonymous]

Spoken like a TRUE mechanic. Bravo!!
I love these stories of how a little ingenuity (street smarts) can save the day.
I had an incident where I took a minor spill on some oil slick asphalt. No injury to me or damage to the bike...cept... busted clutch lever.
There was just a little stub left. Grabbed the trusty VISE-GRIP, locked it on, and away I went. A truely "must have" tool for any biker.

This will also work on broken break lever with just a stub stikin out

[lukehan]

lever fix

I had a broken brake lever on an old honda CB250, my dad fashioned a new one to attach to the stub out of an old deer antler, worked great and was pretty comfortable!

Luke

[AOD]

i now have vice grips in my underseat tool box.

[Anonymous]

It was the first time I took my husbands (now mine) bike out. I went for a wonderful long ride. Just as I got to the top of my driveway clutch cable lets go. I was so greatful that it happend when it did!


Agabby10

[Anonymous]

Clutch Cable woes

After breaking two cables on my '79 GS750 before it's demise thanx to a left turning cage. It came as no surprise when my '81 GS1100 started showing the same signs of failure; you know what I mean, that lovely cracking sound the cable makes as it's breaking one strand at a time. The kicker for me was that I was working in Victoria, Canada on Vancouver island at the time. I had trucked my bike out for the month that I was there and spent many enjoyable evenings after work cruising the island. On one Friday I saw a sign that read "Ferries" so I did a quick check to see if I had my ID and camera etc. then headed for the boat. An hour later I'm on the mainland and close to knocking on the door of some long-time friends. Spent the weekend there but still had to return to the Island......... here's where it started.
Just as I approach the Ferry terminal I hear/feel that first "snap". A couple more getting onto the boat and I'm wondering how long it's going to last! Motorcycles get to go to the "head of the line" so they are the first ones to leave when the boat docks. I am from Calgary, AB and the bike is tuned for mountain altitude. At sea level it needed to run a bit richer and warmed up before taking off. I went down to start it just before we were coming into the dock. Grabbed the clutch and sure enough........ the cable broke! So I started it anyway let it warm up. Then just before the chain was dropped from the boarding ramp, I shut it down. Rather that try pushing 600+ lbs uphill and bump-starting I opted to use the electric start with the bike in 1st gear. If it fires right away it's not too hard on the starter. I then spent the next 45 minutes cruising the South end of the Island from Shwartz Bay to Victoria. My Hotel was on the outskirts of town and I lucked out by slowing down just enough on the two red lights I did hit for them to turn green so I could continue. I made it to my parking stall in one piece. The bad news was the total lack of a replacement cable on the Island. I was told "2 weeks"!! Well, in 2 weeks I was back in Calgary and shopping at TJ's Cycle (thank Mark!) for some hydraulics. The bike now has brake and clutch master cylinders from an '82ish Honda.... (you can't tell at a glance!) NightHawk S and a slave cylinder from some vintake of Nissan car. It works well but I need to rethink my fluid mechanics to get more stroke from the slave. I'll post pics in the technical section after it's all done and looking pretty.


Ride safe,

Dave
AKA: AudioDoc

PS: If you need new or used parts in Calgary, go see Mark & the gang at TJ's. They have a full yard of parts and a sh_t load of knowledge!

TJ's Cycle
Used Motorcycle Emporium
and Custom Shop
5719 - 6 Street S.E.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2H 1L7
Phone: (403) 252-3030
Fax: (403) 252-1443

http://tjscycle.ca/

[Anonymous]

Check the thread 'Cable Repair' at http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...ic.php?t=24137
I don't ride anywhere without one of these kits.