Throttle cable broke.....
Throttle cable broke.....
...on my way to work this morning. I idled off the freeway into a diner parking lot and luckily there was a AAA guy there. I borrowed his torx set and opened up the controls to find the return cable ok but the throttle cable was broke off at the swage. Left it there for the day, locked up with the alarm on in public view. I'll get it on my way home and ride with my hand on the throttle body lever.
I'm guessing replacement is gonna be a pain. Anyone with experience?
I'm guessing replacement is gonna be a pain. Anyone with experience?
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: McKinney, TX
Easy fix. I've done it on my bike when doing bar swaps but recently one broke one my buddys 02 E-Glide at 6am on our way to ROT in Austin. Luckily we were close to home and had a spare bike that wasn't making the trip to pull one off of. Only took a total of an hour (most of that was the trip to yank the other cable)with roadside tools.
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 601
Likes: 6
From: Aruba
If your throttle cable broke, I'm guessing they haven't been lubricated correctly at regular maintenance intervals. On a cable that's taken care of, the outside mounts will fall apart before the cable breaks. If the throttle cable broke then there's a good chance the idle cable isn't too far behind it. Then again, who cares if the idle cable breaks when you're out on the road. You just have to pull it off so the cable doesn't get in the way of the carb returning to idle.
Cable replacement is easy. Loosen the cable adjustment all the way and you can usually get it off and back onto the carb and the throttle without too much monkeying around. Sometimes it's easier and takes less time to pull the carb off the bike if you're having troubles. Good excuse to clean up the carb while you're there.
Cable replacement is easy. Loosen the cable adjustment all the way and you can usually get it off and back onto the carb and the throttle without too much monkeying around. Sometimes it's easier and takes less time to pull the carb off the bike if you're having troubles. Good excuse to clean up the carb while you're there.
Thanks guys. Yeah, i remember the throttle cable being frayed when I bought it, which I noticed when I replaced the grips. I the return cable is just fine. It broke right at the swage connecting it to the grip. I got her home alright by pulling the cable out of the housing at the throttle body end. Held the cable in one hand to regulate throttle and used the other to steer. Practiced in the parking lot for a few minutes and then hit the highway......in rush hour traffic. Never got over 30 mph. I hope to replace them this weekend. Not too upset about it considering this is my first "breakdown" since I bought the bike (bought with 15k 2.5 years ago now it has 38k).
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 601
Likes: 6
From: Aruba
Buddy of mine on an old Heritage broke his throttle cable with two days to go on a two week 3500 mile ride. He spent the last two days riding with the bare cable wrapped around his right hand. It looked like he was trying to start a lawn mower 
All this with 18" apes. (He scrapped the idle cable when he installed the apes years before.)
All this with 18" apes. (He scrapped the idle cable when he installed the apes years before.)
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