Topic: Adding clubmans. What do I do to shorten the cables?

[BrandonB13]

I'm cafeing my 78K. Do I need to buy shorter cables or can I cut the existing cables?

[y2kc0wb0y]

Don't need to buy new ones. You can re-route the throttle cables out to the front of the bike and back in on top of the lower triple tree follow a clean line along the frame rail over the coils and down to the carbs. The brake line can be loosened at the master cylinder (handgrip) and re-positioned as needed. * Edit you'll need to re-bleed the brake if you crack this line loose. Clutch cable should be fine as long as it's the stock length.

That will be $19.95

[domer]

you can buy shorter, cant cut them unless you have someone who can swag new ends on. mine are stock length and creatively re-routed...
oh and the search function will become your best friend...

[Freaky1]

My stock clutch cable has been melted in a couple of spots because it it too long, even with cable ties and rerouting. My throttle cables have rubbed spots on the back of my headlight bucket, plus not to mention they stick out pretty far and they were shortened, but not enough. Motion Pro has a good example of how to measure them for cutting but they can be a little pricey. We have a motorcycle junkyard in Denver that will make custom cables, so check your yellow pages.

[Little_Horse]

You actually can modify them if you know what to do. A propane torch will melt the solder holding the barrel to the cable. Heat it and when it starts to become a liquid tap it and all the solder will fling away. Then cut the cable with a cut disc of some kind. Place the barrel back on the shortened cable take some plumbers solder as it is larger in size and some flux on the cable and barrel then melt new solder on. Now the cable is done so on to the housing cut the same amount away as you took out from the cable. For a new housing end I have used bullet casings I have been given, no idea about the size but I have drilled them out the epoxied them on to the housing with great success. I suppose you could use anything the right size or have ends machined just for this but if you are like me an avid reclaimer of useless things then you use whatever comes your way.

~Little Horse