So on my way into work today my clutch cable snapped... it broke off right at the top where it attaches to the lever. Why would that happen??

It snapped about 5 blocks from home, and then the bike bucked funny and then it stopped and some guy almost hit me with his car!!! Then I was stopped in the middle of the street and people were honking at me.. but I couldn't move the bike because it was stuck in gear and I couldn't get it into neutral OR start it. Luckily there was road construction up ahead, and these construction worker guys came over and picked up the bike and moved it into the construction site. They were really nice and tried to look at it, but there wasn't much to do because the cable was snapped right off. I called my boyfriend and he came to where I was and was able to some how get it into neutral and then I pushed it home and took a cab to work.

Is it normal for the cable to just SNAP like that?? I'm glad it wasn't the brake cable!!!!  

Anyone have a spare clutch cable for me?? I have my old one at home.. the one I replaced after I crashed... I'm going to look at it again when I get home tonight and see if I can put it back on, it's pretty rashed up stuff and my mechanic told me to get a new one.. but maybe it will work as a temporary fix until I can get a new one.

Clutch cable failure is not common, but when it does break, it always goes unexpectedly.  The inner cable is made of braided steel wire, and if neglected, it will corrode and weaken, leading to a sudden break.  Also, the inside of the outer sheath can fail, causing roughness that will wear and break the inner cable.  Keep the whole thing lubricated and it should last the life of the bike.  If it does go, replace the whole cable assembly - a failing inner will have chewed up the inside of outer (if you know what I mean), which will then make short work of a new inner.

It will often fail near the handle-bar lever.  There is some exposure to the elements here, and the cable gets maximum stretch at this point from the force applied in one direction by the lever, and in the other direction by the clutch and friction with the inner cable, without the 'give' in the cable that protects it further down.

Many years ago when I owned a Honda 250K1, the same thing happened to me.  As you found out, you're really stranded when it happens.  When I came to replace the cable with a new one I discovered that someone had done a cheap repair and used a cable much thinner than spec!

Quote from: MeighanSo on my way into work today my clutch cable snapped... it broke off right at the top where it attaches to the lever. Why would that happen??

I had one snap in the same place after 10 or 15 thousand miles.  But I had a few days of warning, although I didn't recognize it as such.  My clutch started getting harder to pull, a little bit at a time.  I would fiddle with the freeplay, but it didn't make much difference.  At one point I think I actually noticed a couple of severed cable strands where the cable came out of the housing.  You'd think I would have gotten a clue from that.  

When mine snapped I was about the same distance from home (thank goodness!), shifting into 3rd gear or so, accelerating from a stop light.  Of course the lever hit the handgrip and the revs shot sky high at the same time.  I had about 3 blocks to think about what was going on before the next stoplight (and opportunity to turn towards home).

I was able to slowly shift down by "matching revs".  But when I got to the RED  :x  light I had to stop, so the bike did the "chugga chugga" until it died.  Hmmm - how to get going again?  I was in first gear, so I thumbed the Start button to get the bike rolling (probably not the BEST idea, but hey).  I reved up and then "matched revs" again so I could shift into 2nd gear.  I may have even made it into 3rd gear before the stop light another 4 blocks down the road.

Match revs, shift down ... match revs, shift down ... brake ...  chugga chugga chugga DIE.  I did it all again as I turned right for the second time.  Another 4 blocks later I did it one last time at a stop sign.  I take that back - the last time would have been in my driveway.

Why would it snap?  I came up with a few possibilities:

1) I had never lubed the cable.  ("Noob!")  Over time the friction inside the cable housing increases, and you have to exert more and more tension on the cable.  Meanwhile ...

2) The threaded adjustment parts have rather sharp edges.  If the cable gets dragged back and forth along those edges because they are not well-aligned, or because of all the tension on the cable ... it's just a matter of time.

3) In your case you didn't have very many miles on the cable, right?  I'd probably chalk that one up to poor construction, unlesss you find signs of the previous two possibilities.[/list:u]

Quote from: MeighanI called my boyfriend and he came to where I was and was able to some how get it into neutral and then I pushed it home and took a cab to work.

Hmph.  Some boyfriend.  (Just kidding!)

Quote from: MeighanIs it normal for the cable to just SNAP like that??

No, not really.  Not when it's that "young".

Quote from: MeighanI'm glad it wasn't the brake cable!!!!  

That's probably one of the reasons that bikes these days don't USE brake cables, along with the fact that the rotors & pads can outperform a conventional cable setup.  Than again, about the time you accidentally slit the brake hose, you wish that you DID have a cable....  

Quote from: MeighanAnyone have a spare clutch cable for me??

I have a brand new one waiting for me at the dealership down the street.  (Thanks for reminding me!  I sent my previous spare off to someone else, ordered a replacement, and then forgot about it.)  If you think I could ship one from Utah faster than you could get one in locally I'd be happy to pass it on for the cost of replacement + shipping.  Let me know!

Yea brake line is hydraulic... and will take a severe intentional cutting job to go through it. Dremel tool or big pair of cutters.
Cool.
Srinath.

Didn't you just have an accident??  I'll bet you had front end damage and did not replace the clutch cable.... :dunno:

I usually carry a leatherman tool with me.  If that ever happened to me and I still had a ways to go I would probably strip the cable casing off just enough to expose the cable and wrap it around a tool so that I could pull the clutch in as needed... and enjoy the slow ride home.

Quote from: Hi-TDidn't you just have an accident??  I'll bet you had front end damage and did not replace the clutch cable.... :dunno:

I usually carry a leatherman tool with me.  If that ever happened to me and I still had a ways to go I would probably strip the cable casing off just enough to expose the cable and wrap it around a tool so that I could pull the clutch in as needed... and enjoy the slow ride home.

I replaced the cable when I crashed

Sorry for being a noob, what do you recommend for a lube...

A white lithium grease?

Some WD-40?

Quote from: Hi-TDidn't you just have an accident??  I'll bet you had front end damage and did not replace the clutch cable.... :dunno:

Nope.  Re-read the last paragraph in Meighan's opening post.

Quote from: Hi-TI usually carry a leatherman tool with me.  If that ever happened to me and I still had a ways to go I would probably strip the cable casing off just enough to expose the cable and wrap it around a tool so that I could pull the clutch in as needed... and enjoy the slow ride home.

Brilliant!  

Well lookie there- "the one I replaced after I crashed."

Yep.. so I have no idea why it would break...

There are some parts that are easier and cheaper to order straight from the dealer... this may be one of them.

Ride safe!

Quote from: coll0412Sorry for being a noob, what do you recommend for a lube...

A white lithium grease?

Some WD-40?

Hmmm, I couldn't say about lithium grease ... probably OK.  I would steer clear of WD-40 unless you promise to lube 2 or 3 times as often.  (It's thin, and meant more for dispersing water and penetrating / cutting grease than long-term lubing.)

For some hopefully helpful info on lubrciating cables, see the Adjusting the clutch cable thread -- and follow the links that show up there.

stupid question....Did you purchase a cheap aftermarket.....low quality clutch cable...?? that prematurely failed

Quote from: werase643stupid question....Did you purchase a cheap aftermarket.....low quality clutch cable...?? that prematurely failed

no

my clutch sometimes is hard to get back into first.....when I get to a stop light i'll downshift all the way down and it'll go into neutral after 2nd instead of going into first and i try pushing it down again and it wont click into 1st....it just gets stuck in neutral... then eventually i'll upshift a couple times and try again and it'll go into first.  its weird.....Any clue as to why it does this??  (sorry thats off the subject, but you guys are talking about clutches sorta)

Mine did a few months ago. I was 1/4 mile from astop light. I just hapened to look down as I shifted and noticed some fraying. 30 Ft from the light I pull the clutch in to coast and it snapped. So the bike bucked until it died, luckily I was able to steer it into a parking space. A new cable was $17~.