Best cable route for clucth cable

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Hi All , which is the best route for the clutch cable?, is it from handlebar lever across the front of the steering head, down the timing side of the frame spine, through the hole at the rear of the main spine where the loom goes through, then down?
Thanks
 
Mine runs as you describe but not through the grommet (I use it for the harness only but I could be wrong!) Take it down in front of the side tube, behind the batt tray cross bar/in front of ISO and between the feed and return pipes. That gives the smoothest run which is what I guess you are looking for. I think if you ran it through the grommet it puts in a more of a bend but it would be neater. If you have the right length which is often a bit long depending on the bars you have watch where it sits between the oil tank and batt tray. It can chafe badly here and I slip over a piece of heat shrink as protection.
 
Keith1069 said:
Mine runs as you describe but not through the grommet (I use it for the harness only but I could be wrong!) Take it down in front of the side tube, behind the batt tray cross bar/in front of ISO and between the feed and return pipes. That gives the smoothest run which is what I guess you are looking for. I think if you ran it through the grommet it puts in a more of a bend but it would be neater. If you have the right length which is often a bit long depending on the bars you have watch where it sits between the oil tank and batt tray. It can chafe badly here and I slip over a piece of heat shrink as protection.

Hi Keith, yes that is what I'm looking for , smooth run and not too twisty, keeping the grommet just for the harness was in my mind that is why I thought there may be a better way of running it. At present have stnd Euro bars on Interstate Mk3, cable does seem a bit lengthy but not excessively so.
Thanks, hope you are not snowed in, we are just gatting it heavy now!
 
Sure isn't riding weather! We've had 6" so far and another heavy fall tonight. I work from home so no excuses there! The warm south eh!!
 
I fitted a new clutch cable recently and tried a few different routings. The best route for me, with Euro Interstate bars, was along the front of the oil tank, in front of the battery tray, over to the left side of the bike, outside the left (primary side) downtube and then underneath the main spine in as straight a line as possible. I have a Taylor type head steady, and I'm not sure if the standard head steady would get in the way. I tried routing it through the grommet and it definitely wasn't the best. Any other route on my bike and the cable was too long to have a nice smooth arc both on the bend around the steering head and where it curves down to the gearbox. It may be different with your bike, though, so you could experiment a bit till you find the easiest pull with the fuel tank in position.
 
daveh said:
I fitted a new clutch cable recently and tried a few different routings. The best route for me, with Euro Interstate bars, was along the front of the oil tank, in front of the battery tray, over to the left side of the bike, outside the left (primary side) downtube and then underneath the main spine in as straight a line as possible. I have a Taylor type head steady, and I'm not sure if the standard head steady would get in the way. I tried routing it through the grommet and it definitely wasn't the best. Any other route on my bike and the cable was too long to have a nice smooth arc both on the bend around the steering head and where it curves down to the gearbox. It may be different with your bike, though, so you could experiment a bit till you find the easiest pull with the fuel tank in position.

I have a Taylor headsteady too so that gives me even more room. I think it's just a case of perseverance until I find the best route, as you say the grommet is not the best and I want to use that for my loom.
 
My 850 Mk111 is round the headstock, down the timing side, over the cradle tubes and downwards behind the front lugs of the battery cradle.

Through the grommet hole would give a horrible run.
 
Best cable route for clucth cable

In the test run (without the tank) I have the clutch cable running along the right side...

Best cable route for clucth cable

and through the grommet. Then down through the battery tray to the gearbox.

It doesn't seem too bent. I'll know more later.
 
So far so good,
Aim is to get a straight shot into the gearbox top.
Hoses must be accounted for while mocking up for road.

hobot
 
For a 72 combat I used a venhill nylon cable. It is 57" long.
I started at the bars and hooked it to the lever.
It travels in a loose bend arced in front of the speedo about a 1/3 of the way up the guage from bottom.
It travels along the right side of the main spine of frame.
I used thick black zip ties not snugged just loosely to hold along side of spine.
You can go through the stock head steady if you like.
A soft bend behind the stock air box back plate and straight down to outer trans housing opening.
Nice smooth pull nylon cable helps immensely I'm sure but no binding using the above route.
Hope this helped
Marshal
 
Dave — the best result for me was to route it through the spine and the headstock bracing tube over to the left side of the spine, following the route of the left hand carb cable and then between the rear of the airbox and the front of the battery box to get the straightest route to the gearbox. I got the easiest clutch pull with this routing, after trying a few other routes. This may or may not work for you. I have a Taylor type head steady, and I can't visualise if this routing would work with the stock steady.

Keep up the good work!

Dave
 
Seems to me I recall seeing a Norton tech bulletin about this but I can't locate it at the moment...
 
MexicoMike said:
Seems to me I recall seeing a Norton tech bulletin about this but I can't locate it at the moment...

There is a diagram in the INOA Tech Digest. That's how I route mine. I don't send it through the grommet. I did find that cable routing can make a big difference in clutch pull.

Debby
 
I know this thread is old, but I am installing cables on flat (drag) bars for the first time, and am having a bit of an issue with getting the clutch to pull easily with the stock routing as described here and shown at http://www.preservationcycle.com/index. ... temid=1739

Best cable route for clucth cable


I have a new Venhill FL cable for UK bars, and am wondering how others with flat bars have done their routing to get good light pull?
 
I use the routing as per your pics with Euro bars and have a smooth operating cable, the Euro bars are not completely flat but have a small rise. I also use a Venhill cable.
 
gortnipper said:
I know this thread is old, but I am installing cables on flat (drag) bars for the first time, and am having a bit of an issue with getting the clutch to pull easily with the stock routing as described here and shown at http://www.preservationcycle.com/index. ... temid=1739

Best cable route for clucth cable
fwiw
This drawing is lifted out of the INOA tech digest figure 2-7 clutch cable routing, and was drawn by Mike Frick, the then INOA TD editor. I know this, because it was based on my hand drawn submission to him. I was a contributor to that Tech Digest.
Based on my 5 mile never registered MKIII commando, the original routing WAS through the grommet in the frame web, but I would NEVER use it in practice.
Since then, I ALWAYS put a loop of 2 or 3 black tie wraps around the back bone tube and forward of the coil mount brackets then under the smaller lower tube. I run all wires and cables untied and inside of the tie wrap loop against the neck, which keeps these items freely moving but not able to touch the tank.
I only tie the clutch cable at one spot anywhere...where the diagonal frame rail hits the back bone tube as shown on the drawing.
 
Thanks for that , pulled my MK 111 tank , and yes it was running through the big grommet as per stock. Am re-routing the cable.
 
Hi!

Another thought routing the clutch cable...

I always route my cable under the tank, attached loosely with zip ties under the tank mounting brackets, passing the carbies and directly into the gearbox.....

Got a large manx tank and got a tommaselli condor plus bar....

I route the cable this way because for one reason [very important for me]:

if the cable breaks when i am on tour i can change it without detaching any other part of the bike in a few minutes....
 
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