clutch cable snapped!
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,831
Likes: 15
From: Nomad
clutch cable snapped!
My clutch cable snapped.....in the middle of traffic. Man, what a freaky feeling to squeeze the lever and have no resistance.
Only a couple of miles from home, got home OK. But, damn! That was weird.
Ever happen to anybody else?
Only a couple of miles from home, got home OK. But, damn! That was weird.
Ever happen to anybody else?
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,831
Likes: 15
From: Nomad
Snapped at the handlebar. Looked fine at last lube ~1500 miles ago. Hasn't felt funny or anything.
I'm just guessing a little piece of something got in there and ground the cable down. (I do probably more dirt road than I should, but, hey, it's Montana.)
I'm just guessing a little piece of something got in there and ground the cable down. (I do probably more dirt road than I should, but, hey, it's Montana.)
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,975
Likes: 12
From: NJ
Had mine stick while stuck in traffic 40 miles from home a couple months ago. Pulled it back and it stayed there. What the hell. First thing I thought is the cable broke. Then all of a sudden it sprang back into position, the bike lurched forward, and stalled. I was redfaced with embarassment but happy the bike was good to go.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,401
Likes: 2
From: Kansas City Mo
yup several times. The 1986 models still had the old shovel head clutch lever that came out of the transmission cases ,, except they milled the shaft down to a lot smaller diameter.. If you added a different clutch with a little more pressure. snap that lever right into. Had that happen twice. Snapped clutch cables several times.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,653
Likes: 18
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Man, I remember those days. I kept a pair of vise grips under the seat all the time. When the cable went, it always did it quite a ways from home, and always broke at the little thingybobber that slid into the recess of the lever. Out come the vice grips. Latch onto what's left of the cable and ride it home or to the shop. Of course, back then, a cable was 10 bucks and you could change it in about 5 minutes.
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,575
Likes: 4
From: Norfolk, VA
Right at the clutch lever pivot is where the cable does its most action...I keep two cables as spares just in case the one on the bike breaks....Sometimes the cables are not in stock when they are needed and that is why I have 2 on-hand....It sucks to miss a poker run/fundraiser for a broken cable.
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 378
Likes: 6
From: Pasadena, TX
What year is your bike? Mine broke right at the clutch handle on my '07 Deluxe and I think that some other 07's have broken. Maybe a bad batch?
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Hi, Tom from http://harleygoodies.com/ here. I had this happen in the middle of Los Angeles rush hour traffic once. I had to push my bike to the edge and leave it there for the evening. It was a bummer for sure.
Regards,
Tom
Harley Goodies
Regards,
Tom
Harley Goodies
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 967
Likes: 3
From: Eastern Massachusetts
It's been years since I had a cable snap, but the experience made me one of the few who put their bike in neutral at a stop light. The MSF folk like to teach that you should stay in gear "in case you have to make a fast escape." But I'm tellin' ya one unintentional launch into cross-traffic is enough for one lifetime.