Well Crap!
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 470
Likes: 84
From: wisconsin
Well Crap!
Yes Crap!I was out for a nice ride on a beautiful day here in Southeast Wisconsin.
I was just going to extend the ride for about an hour but my clutch lever was feeling slightly gritty... never thought anything of it about 2 miles from my house when it happened........... the clutch cable broke... crap! Well, I did learn some new ways of limping home without a clutch.... now i have to get it fixed..... did I mention aw crap yet!?
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 470
Likes: 84
From: wisconsin
What I learned about limping home without a clutch.
Do not Stop! keep it rolling if you can.
I only used 1st and 2nd gear.
At one point I had to stop this is not ideal.
I put it in neutral. To get moving again I gave it some
gas and dropped it into 1st it bucked and killed,
I restarted it; gave it a little more gas... same results only the front
wheel came up a bit (i am to old for wheelies)
Then I had an idea, I put it back in neutral started it. Traffic was clear so I
started kicking with my legs (think Fred Flintstone) to get it rolling.....
I then again dropped it into 1st and it kept going
that got me home. this was in the suburbs about 2 miles from my home.
I do not know what I would have done if I was out in the county 10 miles
away (as I was planning).... maybe called AAA
What is funny is how often my hand went for the clutch....
Do not Stop! keep it rolling if you can.
I only used 1st and 2nd gear.
At one point I had to stop this is not ideal.
I put it in neutral. To get moving again I gave it some
gas and dropped it into 1st it bucked and killed,
I restarted it; gave it a little more gas... same results only the front
wheel came up a bit (i am to old for wheelies)
Then I had an idea, I put it back in neutral started it. Traffic was clear so I
started kicking with my legs (think Fred Flintstone) to get it rolling.....
I then again dropped it into 1st and it kept going
that got me home. this was in the suburbs about 2 miles from my home.
I do not know what I would have done if I was out in the county 10 miles
away (as I was planning).... maybe called AAA
What is funny is how often my hand went for the clutch....
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 528
Likes: 140
From: Anaheim, CA
For the future, order a 2nd cable and keep it in your bag or zip tie it to the current cable. The latter is better suited for sportbikes which run the cable through the fairing, so when you install the replacement, you just zip the spare to it and attach the ends on the side of the road. The spare zipper to the current would look a little goofy on an HD but I guess it's better than being stuck if you don't have a bag for a spare.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 27,097
Likes: 4,676
From: Frozelandia, Minnysota
When I broke a cable, I just got it in neutral (or hit the kill switch when I didn't get it in time) for stops, then killed the motor and put it back in first. Green light, just hit the start switch and go; yeah, it'll lurch a bit, but a whole better than cramming it into gear I'd think. Once moving, matching throttle with shift is fairly easy through all the gears, and I rode like normal till time to stop again.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 25,310
Likes: 2,446
From: Eastern NE
Severed clutch cable 2-miles from home...more like a "oh darn" moment, easy walk, or push. Now...250 miles from home = that's a "crap-in-the-hat" moment. 
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 470
Likes: 84
From: wisconsin
When I broke a cable, I just got it in neutral (or hit the kill switch when I didn't get it in time) for stops, then killed the motor and put it back in first. Green light, just hit the start switch and go; yeah, it'll lurch a bit, but a whole better than cramming it into gear I'd think. Once moving, matching throttle with shift is fairly easy through all the gears, and I rode like normal till time to stop again.
i have been riding over 40 yrs and never had a cable break before... i was on virgin ground here.... just wanted to get it home mashing gears was only once when i came to that stop sign.
but if i break a cable in my next lifetime i will keep your method in mind
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,713
Likes: 299
From: SC
Broke a cable in an old Pontiac T1000 but never on a bike. When I broke it in that old POS car, I actually made it 20 miles home without having to stop even once. I'd downshift and slooooooowly approach every red light praying the whole way. Every light turned green before I had to stop completely. Once in a lifetime odds.
At least I know it's possible to make it home with no clutch on my scoot now. Thanks for the info.
At least I know it's possible to make it home with no clutch on my scoot now. Thanks for the info.
