Best Clutch cable for 750 Commando

I'm a new owner of a '72 Commando Roadster and love it! But the clutch cable broke and I'm not sure what the best replacement is and where to get it.
I checked Andover-Norton's website and they have one listed for Commando's, but another one, says Teflon, but no mention of which model.
Is the 51" the correct length?
I also searched the forum for installing tips and found a few, but where would I get the best install instruction. Someone mentioned the "riders manual". Where can I get one of those?
Any help is appreciated.

Electriclee said:

I'm a new owner of a '72 Commando Roadster and love it! But the clutch cable broke and I'm not sure what the best replacement is and where to get it.

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Venhill 'Featherlight': http://www.venhill.co.uk/News/Featherli ... nhill.html
https://www.venhillusa.com/
http://www.venhill.co.uk/

Electriclee said:

I checked Andover-Norton's website and they have one listed for Commando's, but another one, says Teflon, but no mention of which model.

Click to expand...

All A-N's '72 clutch cable options appear to be 'Featherlight' so I would expect them to be Teflon lined but you could email A-N for confirmation?

Electriclee said:

Is the 51" the correct length?

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That basically depends on the height/style of handlebar.
Assuming it is the US style? How long is the cable that broke? Is it the right length? If so, there's your answer.

https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-de ... 4-06-2814-
https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-de ... 2-06-6477-
https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-de ... 2-06-6477-

Electriclee said:

I also searched the forum for installing tips and found a few, but where would I get the best install instruction. Someone mentioned the "riders manual". Where can I get one of those?

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Replacement of the cable is a reasonably simple and straightforward job.
Use the factory manual procedure to adjust the clutch lifter mechanism before adjusting the cable (section C34,20): http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Repai ... mmando.pdf
Make sure the clutch operating lever inside the gearbox doesn't drop out of position if the pushrod adjuster is slackened off. The manual states to back off and lock up the pushrod adjuster by "one full turn" and this can be too much, a 1/4 to 1/2 a turn is often enough to give the required play at the operating lever.

The best clutch cable is the one you keep coiled up in the headlight shell for when the one you're using breaks. 8)

Danno is absolutely correct on the headlight storage location or you can thread clutch cable into place and wait ..... sooner or later it will get used ....
Craig

Thank you L.A.B. - A wealth of info. !
Much appreciated.
:lol:

Danno, Craig,
Thanks too, I will definitely be figuring out how to get the extra cable in the headlight.
Best,

AN clutch cables are all featherlight, it is what comes as standard these days.

Madnorton said:

AN clutch cables are all featherlight, it is what comes as standard these days.

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All Venhill clutch cables are Featherlite meaning a teflon coating inside the outer cable. It is a trademarked name. This is supposed
to alleviate the need to
ever have to lubricate the inner cable. I assume this is what A/N carries. I have them on two Nortons. On one of them the
featherlite cable lasted 2,200 miles before the steel strands separated and broke near the clutch lever. It's important to grease
the pivot well. Best bet is to buy two and keep a spare handy on the bike. They are consumables just like tires. Don't leave home
without one. :lol:

FWIW, over the last few years I've used two Venhill throttle cable kits. The quality of the components in the most recent kit was noticeably less than the first one I got. A Ducati friend noticed the same thing in the Venhill kits he was getting. Most recently, I made some cables with good old reliable Flanders components which were first class. They make finished cables for you too.
Bill

A brass cable barrel will gall in a alloy clutch lever and the flexing of the cable near the barrel will cause it to break . I have seen thin nylon sleeves to get round this or steel barrels on some cables.

lazyeye6 said:

All Venhill clutch cables are Featherlite meaning a teflon coating inside the outer cable. It is a trademarked name.

Click to expand...

Both Venhill and AN refer to them as 'Featherlight' cables not 'Featherlite', however, there seems to be no evidence that Venhill owns the rights to either spelling.

https://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmtext/

I use a Barnett clutch cable, it was suggested, im happy.

All this talk of busted cables, makes me think more and more that the best cable isn't a cable at all, but the Comnoz/cNw Hydraulic line connecting the lever to the gear box slave cylinder :shock: