Well, so that was iiinteresting...

[mauzo]

So, I did my CBT a couple of months ago, and I've been riding around since then on a CG, and I'm thinking about getting some DA lessons (I'm 33) because even though I probably won't get a bigger bike straight away I don't see much point doing one test just to do another in a minute: I'd rather spend the money on lessons.

So I thought today that perhaps I should get a bit of practice riding at high(ish) speeds, given that normally I'm doing 30-40-50 around and between towns, so I took it up the A38 for a bit, which I normally avoid because it isn't much fun on a tiny bike. So, there I am, trying to keep the bike doing 65, wondering whether it's pulling better in 4th or 5th, when I get to a bendy bit (coming up Haldon Hill from the south, if anyone knows Devon), go to change down, and the clutch lever just goes straight in, no resistance, and the clutch doesn't disengage.

My first reaction is that the clutch cable must have snapped, but whatever, DON'T DIE, and GET OFF THE ROAD. So I ease off then clonk it down into 4th, trying to match the revs, get through the nasty bit and take the next exit, wondering if I'll be able to get the bike home. Of course, I immediately come to a give way, and of course because I'm a bit shaky I slow down more than I have to, so although I manage to get if from 2nd to neutral without stalling I'm then stopped at a give way line wondering whether I have any chance of getting it into 1st without a clutch, when I remember Tef's advice (GET OFF THE BIKE), so I turn the engine off and walk the bike down the road a bit to a gateway where I can stop and look at what's wrong (thank you, Mike).

It turned out the cable hadn't snapped, it was moving the lever on the engine just fine, but there was no resistance; so after a momentary panic that maybe the clutch springs or something had gone I realised the adjuster nuts on that end of the cable had worked themselves loose, and the cable had adjusted itself to the point where the clutch didn't come off. So I got out the toolkit and the Yellow Spanners of Great Bendiness (I should really start carrying some decent spanners) and started fiddling with them. It took me a while to find the right place for the nuts (I was still being slightly stupid), during which time something like half-a-dozen each of cars, bikes and cyclists went past, not one of which stopped (bastards).

So, questions: How do I know I've adjusted it to the right place? I don't want to have it so the clutch is slipping the whole time. ATM it feels like there's about 20 or 25mm play in the lever before there's any resistance. And, would it be a good idea to put some loctite or
something on those nuts, or would that just cause trouble when they do need adjusting?

[Rogerborg]

Wakes you up, doesn't it?

Was the adjuster at the engine end rotated all the way in?

If so, it could have been the high speed vibes.

However, I'd be concerned that the cable has partially separated internally. Mine did that, I suddenly had a lot more slack, took the slack out, got a few more miles and then PTANG, no clutch.

Screw the adjuster at the bars all the way in, then start backing out the one at the engine end. Watch for the tension coming on the actuator arm, then it will start to move. Screw the engine adjuster back in a little until the arm relaxes and there's just a few mm of slack, and lock it off.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[mauzo]

It's got about half an inch of thread showing on the actuator side of the aluminium stop, and about an inch on the cable sheath side, which I think means the sheath is on the long side, but not all the way out? Should I be getting a new clutch cable? (I presume you can't get the inside out to have a look at it without destroying the cable?)

However, I just took a look at the picture in Haynes, and one of the bloody nuts is in the wrong place! Instead of having both 'upstream' of the stop, so they lock properly, it's got one each side. I'll have to have that off and fix it tomorrow before I go out. (They're also both the same size, which doesn't look right either, and is annoying because I haven't got two 12mm spanners unless I use an adjustable or the yellow one. I might see if I can find a 10mm nut that fits.)

I don't know where it was adjusted to before: when I stopped the two nuts had migrated to more-or-less opposite ends of the threaded rod. (I suppose it's possible they had been moving before this, given they weren't properly locked, and it just hadn't gone far enough to stop the clutch working.)

[Teflon-Mike]

Yes, they do that.. rather annoying at times.
The Benly engines been a bugger for it, excaserbated by the biting point shifting when it gets warm... I actually got used to 'adjusting' the cable on the move And checking it at traffic lights!!
anyway... both lock-nuts above the bracket, and yes 2 spanners needed to nip one against the other to lock location.
As to whether a new cable is needed.... for the sake of a tenner its piece of mind... but if they go, its normally at th elever end, so unhook the cable at the engine end, unlatch it from the lever and pull it all the way through the lever end and look for frettage or freying, if good, squib some oil on it and work it back and forth in the sleeve a few times, and repeat both ends, clean the pivot pin and the latch hole for the nipple.. put a dab of grease in there too so the nipple can turn in it.. helps reduce chances of the cable fretting and freying or pulling out of the nipple from bending the cable rather than turning the nipple; then make the procedure part of routine maintenence.
If, properly adjusted the clutch bite point wanders, then could be oil oil and a good service will often sort it out; else it will be a worn out clutch, but no big job on these; snowie's done a How2 on replacing plates and springs on here or on my webby, if you need it.

Glad, "Stop - Get off - Get Safe" worked for you.
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[petalbriefs]

lol! Bloody Haldon Hill!

I come from Teignmouth, so know it well, used to work in Exeter, so was part of my daily commute.

Thankfully never had to go up it on a 125, but have had to negotiate it in a 1.4 106 naturally aspirated diesel! (possibly the shittest car on earth) and that was not any fun!

Anyway, nothing helpful to add really, other than sympathy and to affectionately chuckle imagining you on that 'S' bend at the top of the hill and that happening!

Im sure you've already been told this before but just to add my own bit of experience, its ok riding a 125 at 65mph but a big bike is a lot more stable and a lot easier to ride at that sort of speed, so my personal opinon is, dont worry too much about practising on the 125, you dont really need to
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Proud owner of an R6 + ZXR400
Honda CBR 125 R - Stolen

[stinkwheel]

With practice, you can ride it without the clutch at all.

I've commuted for a fortnight on a GPZ500 in Edinburgh town centre with no clutch cable.

You need to snick it into neutral just before you stop and get it rolling before you snick it into first. The real trick is to match your speed so you don't actually have to stop fully, makes for really smooth progress.

Obviously, this takes a degree of experience you may not yet have.

Also remember for future your brakes WILL stop you and stall the engine even if you don't pull the clutch and that most bikes have a kill switch under your right thumb. In an emergency, it's the stopping that's the important bit and to do that you close the throttle and pull on the brakes. In fact, unless they have changed things, stalling on your emergency stop is not a fail on a bike test providing you sort yourself out properly having done so
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[mauzo]

@Tef: Thank you, I'll have it out and look at it in a minute, and I might order another just to be sure. As long as the bike's safe to ride: I've got to go up to Okehampton tomorrow, about an hour and a half away (on a 125, avoiding dual carridgeways) and I don't really want to be walking home with a bike and a whole lot of stuff...

@petalbriefs: I liked the 106 diesel I used to drive; it took a bit of pushing but it would go if you gave it the chance. Actually, one of the reasons I don't like DCs on the bike is that my brain thinks roads like that aren't safe unless I can do 80+ and get past everyone...

@stinkwheel: Presumably you had to arrange your commute so it was downhill both ways ? I'm not sure I'd fancy running the bike uphill off a junction, trying desperately to get it moving enough to get my feet up and click it into first... But then, I don't know what the jografy's like in Edinburgh; around here we have Hills. (And yes, I had remembered that brakes still work, and that it wasn't the end of the world if I stalled. I just didn't want to stall in 70mph traffic...)

[Teflon-Mike]

[Davie J]

I was so fucking lucky (distance wise) when my clutch cable snapped.

Moving into 2nd gear away from my front door.
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Kwak Z750R Black Edition
Marauder 125 K3 (Murdered by a Megane), Varadero 125 V7 (sold), Varadero Thou (Sold), CB500S (Sold).

[mauzo]

[Teflon-Mike]

[Jersum]

[virus]

[Alpha-9]

I had a rear shock collapse at about 45mph
Shit me up good
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Fzr-600 1999

[orac]

haldon hill on CG? are you a little on the crazy side. granted its not too bad from the south side, but still

I remember I was trying to keep up with a buddy on his 851 while riding a gs500 through those twisty bit the first time I rode them. it was enlightening hustling a gs5 though there at nearly 90. its gets a bit more interesting when you get past 3 figures through there, not that I have ever done that.
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Current rides - 2016 Triumph Street Triple Rx, 1994 Suzuki Bandit 400 VM, TGB 204 Classic 125cc
"with nothing left to lose, there is everything to gain. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog"

[mauzo]

[orac]

I don't know about the rules of using the crawler lane, as the suggests it's for slow things.
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Current rides - 2016 Triumph Street Triple Rx, 1994 Suzuki Bandit 400 VM, TGB 204 Classic 125cc
"with nothing left to lose, there is everything to gain. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog"

[Wonko The Sane]