Forum

[rustygman]

thanks for the posts Johnny, both were helpful. I cannot believe how light your clutch action is, I definitely need to look at mine though going into a clutch is new territory for me and a bit daunting - just checked mine and it can be done with a 2 finger pull but its not easy. I am planning on riding my bullet back to india next year so I better get to know the bikes internals a bit better. Thanks again.

[Norm]

I find it interesting to see statements being made by people who know nothing about the early Electra clutch. It has a design fault, rectified in later models

[Riggers]

Calm down dears!!! Alan R - Where is your calming influence? Tell us a story PLEASE!

[grunda 12]

whats this all gang up on grunda!! grow up ,indeed, read this thread from top to bottom how is my cable never broke in a million mile constructive to someone who is questioning the poor quality of a cable that has broke as i say black you say white and yes i,m grown up ,comment on the content of the origional post,if i,m wrong then OBVIOUSLY I NEED TO GROW UP!!!SOME PEOPLE WANT TO WIND THEIR NECKS IN A BIT thats all i,m saying,but as i,m a youngster maybe i should grow up any way this has got rather tedius but i,m sure there will be a few more comments throw what you want if thats your bag but as i say read noels thread at the top of page 1

[Les H]

I have to agree with Noel, it IS possible to have batches of poor cables, and I also suggested to a supplier many years ago that their batch of cables should be investigated. Way back in the late 60’s and over repeated time slots since then, one could find cables that broke with very little usage, even though the poundage they were pulling was as light a load as one could achieve…i.e. a normal amount. There are four very likely possibilities. 1) The steel of the cable is below par-------2) The flux used to clean the wires is too corrosive, which weakens the steel or is left within the inner wire strands were it chemically eats away over time----------3) The steel wire is overheated during soldering, possibly up to red heat, which in effect destroys the cable strength---------4) the wire is not fanned out sufficiently and therefore is pulled through the nipple………There are no ways the first 3 problems can be spotted visually but if samples from every batch were tested to destruction by loading up to breaking point, the recorded breaking strain poundage would give some indication of good and bad production runs or faulty construction methods, however if flux corrosion was the culprit this would not show up immediately. So unless you have actually had the misfortune to have cables that break with little use it might seem something else is wrong, and prompt suggestions that the loading you have is too high but I can vouch this is hardly ever the real reason, and I know absolutely for sure you CAN get bad batches of cables, and you can get good cables that last for "ever" and wear away the barrel in the lever first before they ever break, and both types having identical usage. Many cables are sold loose without any branding names so there is no reputation to uphold, whereas some cables are sourced as factory parts, unfortunately if the factory is Indian, then one can imagine that top quality is not going to be their claim to fame. For British stuff “Doherty” produces cables and levers and have a decent reputation, and would probably honour and guarantee against a short life breakage....I don't have any up to date hands experience with these unfortunately.

[apparently lucky eddie]

My clutch is the same as yours Johnny S., no slip, no drag and full lever movement with one finger.

[Alan R]

OH HELL !!!------------ I'm probably going to regret this, but here goes}----Clutch cables, eh ??.... Come on guys---let's get a grip !! (that's the token "joke" out of the way)..... I've been thinking back down the years as to the various different makes of bikes owned and when (if any) a clutch----or front brake---cable has broken.... During my Grass-Track days in the Southern Centre ACU all my cables were bespoke made, by me, to fit the various different machines ridden... I had a couple of nipples pull off---my lack of fanning the tail out---but no actual breakages.... With road bikes,the one machine that does stays in my memory is the Moto Guzzi California 1100i that Joyce & I rode all around the coast of the Irish Republic..... Why??--- because you have a very thin cable ( same size as the throttle ) going from the lever immediately into a 45 degree bent aluminium tube, then down to activate a twin-plate, car-type clutch..... In the 10 days we were there I lubricated the aluminium tube part with some engine oil off the dipstick.( About 1,000 miles covered)..... Conversely---a few years ago my Bullet65 clutch cable gave way just upon entering a busy roundabout----dumped me overboard !!..... Thick, heavy cable with excess solder in front of the nipple..... The Jap bikes I've had all seem to have a pressure die-formed Aluminium semi-nipple actually on the cable which then fits into the normal brass barrel.... ie no acids used and better for mass-production.....Routine maintenance and sensible routing help tremendously but you can't see poor quality until it gives way !!...Yes, it won't do our hosts any harm to keep a close eye on their suppliers quality from time-to-time,----(Have a look at the valve stem seal dimentions for example---they don't fit !!).... Finally, my recent Hinkley Triumph Thunderbird (3-cly. model) had a lovely, light, self-lubricating, zero-maintenance clutch unit-----but it was HYDRAULIC----and that I suspect is another story...... Finally---and here I'm being a bit "deep", but as a "family" of bikers we all squabble from time-to-time don't we ??.... But let's "kiss & make-up"?... Pucker-up--who wants to be first ???

[grunda 12]

HI ALAN,just read 2 reasonable replies here to the sub standard clutch cable issue yours and les h,s as you say pucker up !!

[ROCKER 59]

Look hear Grunda, there are some people on this forum who give up there time to try to help other bullet owners who are having problems in one way or another with there bikes. A lot of these guys have a great deal of practical knowledge and all you can do is try to discedit them . I have not as yet heard anything remotely helpfull come from "you" and yes I know this thread is about poorly made cables but not all cable that fail are down to poor quality but poor maintenance in many cases, it was this that was only pointed out, I and others thought it was very helpfull.

[Pwayman]

Originally I was going to mention the fact that the factory-fitted clutch cable on my 350 Bullet snapped at the gearbox end (and the clutch action has always been 'light') but I'm pleased that I didn't as I couldn't stand all the flak in this thread!