[Nimbus]

So after about 100 miles round trip yesterday, I was headed home on the I-state. As I was exiting, I pull in the clutch to downshift and hear a nice "snap" as the lever goes into the bar. Unbelievably, I was able to downshift from 6'th to neutral and pull off the exit. Further, I was actually able to get a smooth start from N to 1st as I rode the sad miles home without assistance from the clutch. Let me just say that it is absolutely no fun approaching stopsigns/lights without a clutch. Between judicious speeding and dogging, I only really had to stop one more time. Sadly, that was the worst. Slight grade up and the bike stalled. I wonder how bad I munched things by starting it with the starter?! I felt so awful. Anyway, it wasn't the cable. It was the cable holder (the piece that is riveted to the clutch arm/rod) that broke in half. WTF? Anyway, if anybody has an extra :roll: , I'd be happy to buy it off you.

So, the really interesting thing is the downshifting. I could shift fairly easily down through the gears. No real crunching sounds, it just popped in as the revs came down enough to bog the higher gear. I didn't even get the compression braking once.

 

[doxiedog]

First broken cable? I'ts always fun :lol: Thank god for e-starters!... I would really hate, to bump start a SV. away from every light :shock:

 

[Ben_JamminVFCC]

How do you start moving without a clutch?


I had a similarly clutchless experience...but it had to do with where the clutch cable connected to the engine and a roadside repair fixed it...temporarily...it seems to be missing a locking nut.

My experience was at 2:30 in the morning and I was freezing and I was 5 minutes away from my fiance's house and I'd been riding for 5 hours to get there....beat that!

 

[evilbologna]

I need enlightenment as to how ya started from N and got it into first without the clutch. I can upshift and downshift just fine without the clutch, the only problem would be leaving from a stop...

 

[PhoebeusFenix]

I had a experience like that yesterday! Went to a place about 2 hours away for a poker run/meet and just as we were pulling in to register, snap. It happened on my ex500(this thing is a pos, but a good first bike), I had no idea what to do. Good thing there were like 30+ bikers there, damn creative people you are. It wasnt really the cable but the thing used to hold the cable to the lever.

 

[Nimbus]

I need enlightenment as to how ya started from N and got it into first without the clutch. I can upshift and downshift just fine without the clutch, the only problem would be leaving from a stop...

OK, there are actually 2 ways as it turns out (I'm sure both are terrible for the transmission/starter). The first time, I was able to push the bike about 5 mph in Neutral and, with the bike running simply toed the lever into 1st. It stunned me that this worked as smoothly as it did. No crunching or anything. I tried the same thing later and I got a nasty stall as I wasn't pushing fast enough. So, way #2 is to leave it in 1st and (shudder) use the starter to let it run itself started. I guess this works because you can have the clutch lever in to trip the safety.

Bummer is that the stupid metal clasp part that holds the ball end of the cable (down under the front sprocket cover) is connected to the entire $33 piece.

Has anybody used JB Weld with any success?

 

[avc8130]

My truck actually has a button to bypass the clutch so you can start the truck in first gear for those precarious situations off road. This is from the factory. I wouldnt worry too much about any damage. As for JB Weld. I have used it in the past with great results. Try it first.
ac

 

[Nimbus]

My truck actually has a button to bypass the clutch so you can start the truck in first gear for those precarious situations off road. This is from the factory. I wouldnt worry too much about any damage. As for JB Weld. I have used it in the past with great results. Try it first.
ac

My dad's Toyotas have that button. My Jeep is primative enough that it doesn't have a clutch interlock. I nearly drove into a woodpile with the parking brake on once. I'm hoping things are good. I'll be trying the JB Weld tonight. Thanks.

 

[donniej]

I had to ride my 72 Sportster ~30 miles home with no clutch... luckily it was in the middle of the night.

The up and down shifts weren't too bad but stopping sure sucked. I had to get it into nuetral, get a good running start and bump it into second. Push starting a 1000cc twin like this is *tons* of fun :wink:

 

[doxiedog]

I have usually used the starter to get going. And the kill switch to stop in low gear.The SV. shifts sweet, without the clutch,something you should practise :lol: Just in case :lol: Learning to do this,for the first time...with traffic honking :shock:

 

[Dillweed]

What part actually broke? The only "ball" I'm aware of is the one that holds the cable into the hand lever.

 

[Nimbus]

What part actually broke? The only "ball" I'm aware of is the one that holds the cable into the hand lever.

There is an identical ball at the other end, that holds the cable into the slave cylinder assembly. The part that broke is riveted to the end of the arm and it essentially split in half at the weak joint at the top (as in both riveted sides were free to move independently). Sadly it is a $35 part. Poor engineering at its best.

 

[r0ckrat]

Hope you got that fixed!

 

[Born again Biker]

Place was pretty active back in 2005.

 

[Digasi]

 

[Dave Art]

My very first street bike was a Honda CB160. That 160 had a very strange habit: If you used the clutch, the throw-out would go over-center, and the lever would go to the bar without releasing the clutch. Not knowing anything about how to fix motorcycles, I learned the art of clutchless shifting. I've had bikes break the cable over the years, but thanks to that CB160, it's never been a problem riding them.