TT250 clutch cable options

Sullybiker · 04-05-2017, 08:44 AM

Hi all,

I think my clutch cable might have lost it's tension. It's only a 1000 miles but I commute a lot and put a lot of gear changes through it and I wonder if I just got a weak one. It needed quite a bit of adjustment back to spec (2-3mm according to CSC, same as my Kawi) and in traffic with high engine temps it feels like it's rubber-banding and going further out of adjustment. Netutral is getting very elusive when the engine's hot, because the plates are sticking slightly. I've adjusted when hot (actually at the lights) but I feel I'm chasing a moving target.

Are there any third-party cables that fit? I used a Motion Pro replacement on my Ninja and it's great. I'm going to write CSC but I wouldn't mind a heavy-duty option if I can get one.

Either that or my clutch plates are knackered, but I baby them so I really hope not. I really think it's the cable as the bike shifts okay and is fine before I get to stop'n'go traffic and I think the cable isn't quite pulling the plates as far as it can when hot.

I have tried fresh oil, no difference.

2LZ · 04-05-2017, 10:20 AM

It's not loose on the lower adjusters??

humanbeing · 04-05-2017, 10:33 AM

From CSC's page https://www.cscmotorcycles.com/TT250...UTCH-s/318.htm (16003 bearing/ 6 bolts...), i guess these works fine...
Regular http://img.alicdn.com/imgextra/i1/38...!389662530.jpg (as Rebel...)

Oversize http://img.alicdn.com/imgextra/i3/38...!389662530.jpg

Ariel Red Hunter · 04-05-2017, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sullybiker

Hi all,

I think my clutch cable might have lost it's tension. It's only a 1000 miles but I commute a lot and put a lot of gear changes through it and I wonder if I just got a weak one. It needed quite a bit of adjustment back to spec (2-3mm according to CSC, same as my Kawi) and in traffic with high engine temps it feels like it's rubber-banding and going further out of adjustment. Netutral is getting very elusive when the engine's hot, because the plates are sticking slightly. I've adjusted when hot (actually at the lights) but I feel I'm chasing a moving target.

Are there any third-party cables that fit? I used a Motion Pro replacement on my Ninja and it's great. I'm going to write CSC but I wouldn't mind a heavy-duty option if I can get one.

Either that or my clutch plates are knackered, but I baby them so I really hope not. I really think it's the cable as the bike shifts okay and is fine before I get to stop'n'go traffic and I think the cable isn't quite pulling the plates as far as it can when hot.

I have tried fresh oil, no difference.

Knackered, there is a word I haven't heard in a while. Try 1/8th inch free play out at the end of the lever (where your little finger goes...ARH

Sullybiker · 04-05-2017, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2LZ

It's not loose on the lower adjusters??

I don't think so, I've shone a light down there and they look like they are much the same as the factory fit. I may check again though.

Sullybiker · 04-05-2017, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

Knackered, there is a word I haven't heard in a while. Try 1/8th inch free play out at the end of the lever (where your little finger goes...ARH

You can take the Brit out of Britain...

Trouble is ARH if I set that amount of play, when the lever is against the bar the plates are still a little sticky, whereas I used to be able to hunt for neutral with the lever at about 9/10ths travel. I've no problem changing gear and selecting first gear (although I first realised the cable needed adjusting when the engine stalled selecting first gear).

It's possible the plates have started expanding more than normal, but I don't know. The engine's running pretty cool, but the weather's warmer. Maybe all that cold weather riding just spoilt me.

I'm not sure but I think slightly warped plates might do this, I'm hoping it's not that, but I guess I'll know soon enough.

wilserchinarider · 04-05-2017, 11:46 AM

On my Hawk I have found that the clutch cable requires far less free play to function properly than spec., like almost zero. Try it with just a hint of free play...

Specification and china bike lol...with spec free play in the cable, the clutch lever is simply not fully disengaging the clutch...tighten the cable!

Sullybiker · 04-05-2017, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilserchinarider

On my Hawk I have found that the clutch cable requires far less free play to function properly than spec., like almost zero. Try it with just a hint of free play...

Specification and china bike lol...with spec free play in the cable, the clutch lever is simply not fully disengaging the clutch...tighten the cable!

Yes, I thought as the motor cooled and the cable tightened up I'd be in danger of the other problem - slippage - but there's not a hint of it.

Sullybiker · 04-05-2017, 11:58 AM

Actually if I did end up having to change the clutch it doesn't look too horrible a job on this bike.

My guess is if it's not the cable there's a chance I've just got some bad plates, and they've got worse. I'll need to have it sorted before summer, because it's not even hot at the moment.

Ariel Red Hunter · 04-05-2017, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sullybiker

You can take the Brit out of Britain...

Trouble is ARH if I set that amount of play, when the lever is against the bar the plates are still a little sticky, whereas I used to be able to hunt for neutral with the lever at about 9/10ths travel. I've no problem changing gear and selecting first gear (although I first realised the cable needed adjusting when the engine stalled selecting first gear).

It's possible the plates have started expanding more than normal, but I don't know. The engine's running pretty cool, but the weather's warmer. Maybe all that cold weather riding just spoilt me.

I'm not sure but I think slightly warped plates might do this, I'm hoping it's not that, but I guess I'll know soon enough.

I wonder if it is a broken clutch spring-----ARH

BlackBike · 04-05-2017, 08:18 PM

Since we are on the subject. When my bashan Is on the lift and running, I will carefully shift to 1st gear . Even though the clutch is being held on, the rear wheel is spinning. I can of course put my foot on the tire and stop it easily engogh . Is this acceptable?

Sullybiker · 04-05-2017, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackBike

Since we are on the subject. When my bashan Is on the lift and running, I will carefully shift to 1st gear . Even though the clutch is being held on, the rear wheel is spinning. I can of course put my foot on the tire and stop it easily engogh . Is this acceptable?

Yeah, it's normal. The gap between plates is tiny and it's usually filled with oil so it will naturally drag a little.

Likewise if your bike's cold you might not be able to push it in gear with clutch pulled in

Sullybiker · 04-05-2017, 11:21 PM

Having ridden back from work I think newer cable may help, but I seem to have the same bike a lot of people talk about now; I have to blip the throttle slightly to pop the bike into neutral, which isn't awful.

Replacement plates are cheap, even the whole assembly is quite reasonable, perhaps I should just see if a fresh cable helps, it's not like they're expensive. I can probably live with it as it is, but it was much nicer before. I hate holding the bike in gear and normally compulsively drop into neutral if I have to wait more than a couple of seconds.

I need to get the driver for the nut on the oil cleaner before being able to take anything apart (and a replacement gasket) but I'm increasingly curious about the condition of the parts. Nothing should be worn at 1000 miles of street riding, but it's always possible something's started to go prematurely.

Ariel Red Hunter · 04-06-2017, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sullybiker

You can take the Brit out of Britain...

Trouble is ARH if I set that amount of play, when the lever is against the bar the plates are still a little sticky, whereas I used to be able to hunt for neutral with the lever at about 9/10ths travel. I've no problem changing gear and selecting first gear (although I first realised the cable needed adjusting when the engine stalled selecting first gear).

It's possible the plates have started expanding more than normal, but I don't know. The engine's running pretty cool, but the weather's warmer. Maybe all that cold weather riding just spoilt me.

I'm not sure but I think slightly warped plates might do this, I'm hoping it's not that, but I guess I'll know soon enough.

What kind of oil have you got in it? Some bike clutches are very sensitive as to whether the oil is "wet clutch approved", and this is across all brands of C/B's....ARH

Sullybiker · 04-06-2017, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

What kind of oil have you got in it? Some bike clutches are very sensitive as to whether the oil is "wet clutch approved", and this is across all brands of C/B's....ARH

I had Valvoline 10W40 dino oil in it for the last 500 miles, I had a spare couple of quarts left over from my Kawi break-in. It's wet clutch approved.

I changed it to Rotella T 15W40 (non-synthetic) just to see if it made any difference but it was much the same once the bike was up to temp.

Rain here for the next two days, next job is to re-rig the clutch cable to normal spec (It's adjusted only at the perch at the moment) and tighten the chain which has slackened a lot since install. I've known inertia from a slack chain do funny things to shifting before, perhaps it will yield a result.

04-05-2017, 08:44 AM	#1
Sullybiker Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Western PA Posts: 363	TT250 clutch cable options Hi all, I think my clutch cable might have lost it's tension. It's only a 1000 miles but I commute a lot and put a lot of gear changes through it and I wonder if I just got a weak one. It needed quite a bit of adjustment back to spec (2-3mm according to CSC, same as my Kawi) and in traffic with high engine temps it feels like it's rubber-banding and going further out of adjustment. Netutral is getting very elusive when the engine's hot, because the plates are sticking slightly. I've adjusted when hot (actually at the lights) but I feel I'm chasing a moving target. Are there any third-party cables that fit? I used a Motion Pro replacement on my Ninja and it's great. I'm going to write CSC but I wouldn't mind a heavy-duty option if I can get one. Either that or my clutch plates are knackered, but I baby them so I really hope not. I really think it's the cable as the bike shifts okay and is fine before I get to stop'n'go traffic and I think the cable isn't quite pulling the plates as far as it can when hot. I have tried fresh oil, no difference.
	0

04-05-2017, 10:20 AM	#2
2LZ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Volcano, Ca Posts: 7,080	It's not loose on the lower adjusters?? __________________ "Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350
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04-05-2017, 10:33 AM	#3
humanbeing Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 2,436	From CSC's page https://www.cscmotorcycles.com/TT250...UTCH-s/318.htm (16003 bearing/ 6 bolts...), i guess these works fine... Regular http://img.alicdn.com/imgextra/i1/38...!389662530.jpg (as Rebel...) Oversize http://img.alicdn.com/imgextra/i3/38...!389662530.jpg __________________
	1

04-05-2017, 08:18 PM	#11
BlackBike Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: George West, Texas Posts: 4,097	Since we are on the subject. When my bashan Is on the lift and running, I will carefully shift to 1st gear . Even though the clutch is being held on, the rear wheel is spinning. I can of course put my foot on the tire and stop it easily engogh . Is this acceptable? __________________ ***************************************** 2015 Bashan"Blaze" BS250GY-31 (DB-07K-250) GONE 2017 Suzuki V Strom 650 XT "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." ~Benjamin Franklin~
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04-05-2017, 11:46 AM	#7
wilserchinarider Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 380	On my Hawk I have found that the clutch cable requires far less free play to function properly than spec., like almost zero. Try it with just a hint of free play... Specification and china bike lol...with spec free play in the cable, the clutch lever is simply not fully disengaging the clutch...tighten the cable!
	0

04-05-2017, 11:58 AM	#9
Sullybiker Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Western PA Posts: 363	Actually if I did end up having to change the clutch it doesn't look too horrible a job on this bike. My guess is if it's not the cable there's a chance I've just got some bad plates, and they've got worse. I'll need to have it sorted before summer, because it's not even hot at the moment.
	0

04-05-2017, 11:21 PM	#13
Sullybiker Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Western PA Posts: 363	Having ridden back from work I think newer cable may help, but I seem to have the same bike a lot of people talk about now; I have to blip the throttle slightly to pop the bike into neutral, which isn't awful. Replacement plates are cheap, even the whole assembly is quite reasonable, perhaps I should just see if a fresh cable helps, it's not like they're expensive. I can probably live with it as it is, but it was much nicer before. I hate holding the bike in gear and normally compulsively drop into neutral if I have to wait more than a couple of seconds. I need to get the driver for the nut on the oil cleaner before being able to take anything apart (and a replacement gasket) but I'm increasingly curious about the condition of the parts. Nothing should be worn at 1000 miles of street riding, but it's always possible something's started to go prematurely.
	0