Aftermarket clutch cable query

[Guest]

Is there anything to look out for when buying an aftermarket cable vs. OEM?

It is to suit my '83 GS1100E

thanks

[focus frenzy]

well unfortunately, for the most part you cant handle the cable before you buy it as more often than not you will have to order it.

I made the mistake of getting a major name brand aftermarket clutch cable once, it was about as thick as a bicycle cable and lasted a month before it broke.

I only use factory replacement cables now. the level of quality is far enough above the aftermarket cable to more than make up for the slightly higher price.

[bwringer]

Agreed -- the OEM cables are much better quality and come pre-lubed. And they're maybe two bucks more than the Motion Pro cables.

Then again, CRC2 and Dennis Kirk stock Motion Pro, and sometimes you're in a hurry and you don't want to wait a week or two for a stock part...

The Motion Pro cables generally work OK, but they're nowhere near as durable.

[Nessism]

A little thread drift here...does anyone know if the clutch cable from a 1000S will fit on a 850 with low bars? Since installing the euro bars on my 850 the clutch cable is a few inches too long and binds up more than it should despite careful routing.

[loungeguy69]

Don't know about the 1000s cable but I agree with the other comments about OEM cables. I've been through 4-5 cables and cheap knock-offs aren't worth the trouble. Case in point: I snapped a generic cable 5 miles from home, had to bump start in 1st, then make a lot of right turns to get home without a clutch.

BTW argonsagas had a good response about making his own clutch cable. I didn't do a search but I'm sure it's on here somewhere.

[seuadr]

so the motion pro cables don't hold up well? i just fully replaced all my cables on the bike with motion pro from Z1..

[loungeguy69]

I don't know about Motion Pro. They usually have good stuff. If their cables are as good as their tools and other parts then they're probably ok. I just know that 'no name' brands aren't worth the effort.

[rudy]

I've bought MP cables in the past for the Yammies. Seem pretty good. Clutch cable for the 400 is definitely beefy. I always keep originals for a backup though. Not hard to lube a cable yourself either, just use ENGINE oil, not that crappy cable lube the bike shops try to sell. Nothing like some good old fashioned slippery dino in there. They harp about blowing the dirt, grime and crap out of the old cable with pressure. Well, honestly, how much dirt could you get in your cable housing on a street bike? Off-road I could understand.

I've priced cables from the dealer. $50 each for clutch and throttle, and there's still no guarantee that they're actual OEM. Might just be MP cables that I can get from Z1 for $12.

If you don't trust your aftermarket cables, inspect them once in a while for fraying. Doesn't take that long to do.

[loungeguy69]

Engine oil is the best lube for cables. It's cheap too! I've used it for nearly 25 years with no problems. However, new stuff may be ok too. Don't ignore progress.

[loungeguy69]

BTW: Make friends with the parts guy at your local dealer. If he's worth a darn he'll let you know the info on cables, etc. Sometimes the dealers have old stock lying around (clutch cable) so it's worth asking.

[TheCafeKid]

I've bought MP cables in the past for the Yammies. Seem pretty good. Clutch cable for the 400 is definitely beefy. I always keep originals for a backup though. Not hard to lube a cable yourself either, just use ENGINE oil, not that crappy cable lube the bike shops try to sell. Nothing like some good old fashioned slippery dino in there. They harp about blowing the dirt, grime and crap out of the old cable with pressure. Well, honestly, how much dirt could you get in your cable housing on a street bike? Off-road I could understand.

I've priced cables from the dealer. $50 each for clutch and throttle, and there's still no guarantee that they're actual OEM. Might just be MP cables that I can get from Z1 for $12.

If you don't trust your aftermarket cables, inspect them once in a while for fraying. Doesn't take that long to do.

I recently pulled my speedo and tach cables and cleaned them out and re-lubed them, and they actually had quite a bit of crap inside of them, especially the speedo cable. I dunno really how it gets in there, but it did and it was thick nasty black stuff. One thought would be maybe its simply collected dust over time, and mixed with the old lube and turned into that nasty cake. Made my speedo trip out for a while, and I thought maybe it was the speedo itself, or the drive, as I cleaned it once and it did nothing, but the second time is when i really blew it all out and all that crap came out.