MZ Skorpion, Clutch cable snapped!

[WaiNYC]

The clutch cable snapped while I was commuting home from work yesterday. Ended up getting stranded in the middle of Manhattan -- on Park Ave, no less! -- for like 5 hours waiting for the tow truck to come. I know, I know, that the bike still works without the clutch. I had tried, but it just seemed too dangerous and much of an obstruction of traffic in the big city.

I have decided to replace all cables on the 20 year old bike -- other than the clutch, also the front brake line and the throttle.

Can anyone recommend me the make and model for these three cables? Many thanks for the help always

[edfmaniac]

Since the search engine here only works when it wants to, I can't find my post about a replacement clutch cable. But I'm 95% sure the Kawasaki EX500 Motion Pro cable fits well. Can't help with the throttle cable or brake lines.

[Micky Racing]

Hey,

i use an yamaha SZR cable end lever. much better !

[jaywillie2912]

The same thing happened to me on a 2002 Baghira with about 12000 miles. I used a replacement cable for a Yamaha 660 four wheeler. I do not remember which one. But I would recommend periodic replacement of the cable as a part of maintenance. When I examined the cable, it just pulled out, no damage. Would also carry that cable as a back-up on a long road trip.

[clem27]

The clutch cable snapped while I was commuting home from work yesterday. Ended up getting stranded in the middle of Manhattan -- on Park Ave, no less! -- for like 5 hours waiting for the tow truck to come. I know, I know, that the bike still works without the clutch. I had tried, but it just seemed too dangerous and much of an obstruction of traffic in the big city.

I have decided to replace all cables on the 20 year old bike -- other than the clutch, also the front brake line and the throttle.

Can anyone recommend me the make and model for these three cables? Many thanks for the help always

IMG_20160729_230705.jpg

Mine snapped as well. I replaced the clutch cable with one from a Ninja 500. Its been working for 2 years now.

[WaiNYC]

Mine snapped as well. I replaced the clutch cable with one from a Ninja 500. Its been working for 2 years now.

I just installed the clutch cable from a Ninja 500. But it seems to be about 2 cm too longer. I tried adjusting the nuts to tighten it, but that didnt work. The clutch is not engaging.

Is it a matter of getting a cable of the right length (I should have ordered one from Graham UK), or is there something else I can do?

Thanks for the help...

Wai

[dearden05]

Well, I'll be. Mine broke a few weeks prior. Still haven't gotten it fixed. I'm leery about getting the wrong item, because I suck at making product returns in a timely manner. My cable frayed and broke, almost flush with the ferule on lever end. My reading tells me this is almost completely preventable with proper and timely cable lubrication.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

some times a look in the junk box helps
mine broke and i pressed into service a spare from my Saxon Tour 500
with the use of a cannondale lever and a bunch of BMW fittings
that allowed it all to work

it finished up better than stock as it allowed a better path from one end to the other
results was less stress on the cable and less man power required to work the lever
dave

[edfmaniac]

Mine snapped as well. I replaced the clutch cable with one from a Ninja 500. Its been working for 2 years now.

I just installed the clutch cable from a Ninja 500. But it seems to be about 2 cm too longer. I tried adjusting the nuts to tighten it, but that didnt work. The clutch is not engaging.

Is it a matter of getting a cable of the right length (I should have ordered one from Graham UK), or is there something else I can do?

Thanks for the help...

Wai

It should fit since there are two people saying they have used that cable successfully, the Motion Pro specifically in my case. When you say the clutch isn't engaging, do you mean it's not disengaging? The clutch is always engaged unless you pull the clutch lever, and installing the cable in a manner that would cause the clutch to disengage would be quite difficult. I'm assuming you mean there is too much slack, since it is 2cm longer, meaning you need to open up the adjuster in the middle of the cable. There should be an area where the cable has threaded fittings that expand. Just break the pinch nut loose and unscrew until the cable is the proper length, then retighten the pinch nut.

[edfmaniac]

Well, I'll be. Mine broke a few weeks prior. Still haven't gotten it fixed. I'm leery about getting the wrong item, because I suck at making product returns in a timely manner. My cable frayed and broke, almost flush with the ferule on lever end. My reading tells me this is almost completely preventable with proper and timely cable lubrication.

Any cable will wear out eventually. Mine broke right at the clutch perch, but not due to a lack of lubrication, it was rubbing part of the perch. My experience shows that lubricating cables only attracts dirt and shortens their lifespan. Use only dry lubricants, like Dri Slide, or nothing at all.

[clem27]

Mine snapped as well. I replaced the clutch cable with one from a Ninja 500. Its been working for 2 years now.

I just installed the clutch cable from a Ninja 500. But it seems to be about 2 cm too longer. I tried adjusting the nuts to tighten it, but that didnt work. The clutch is not engaging.

Is it a matter of getting a cable of the right length (I should have ordered one from Graham UK), or is there something else I can do?

Thanks for the help...

Wai

It should fit since there are two people saying they have used that cable successfully, the Motion Pro specifically in my case. When you say the clutch isn't engaging, do you mean it's not disengaging? The clutch is always engaged unless you pull the clutch lever, and installing the cable in a manner that would cause the clutch to disengage would be quite difficult. I'm assuming you mean there is too much slack, since it is 2cm longer, meaning you need to open up the adjuster in the middle of the cable. There should be an area where the cable has threaded fittings that expand. Just break the pinch nut loose and unscrew until the cable is the proper length, then retighten the pinch nut.

On the EX500 cable, there is no threaded area to adjust, the only option is at the clutch arm.

For anyone else, here is how I have mine done:

[edfmaniac]

Looks like you are missing part of the clutch perch. That's why it seems too long. There should be a threaded collar at the perch that allows you to fine tune the play in the lever. If you can't find it, you can probably replace it with a complete universal lever and perch, or be safe and buy an oem Kawasaki unit from the same bike that the cable came from. Check bar size first of course.

[edfmaniac]

Then again, it looks like installing the rest of the perch might interfere with the gauge cluster. You might be able to make some extra room by sliding the clip-ons out a little.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

my traveller did not have an adjuster at the handlebar perch either
an i replaced the whole perch with one from a cannondale i bought at flea mkt at ama vintage days
dave

[edfmaniac]

I guess mine had been replaced. It had an adjuster.