The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2

Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: azcycle on February 19, 2010, 11:55:43 AM

Title: Clutch cable routing?
Post by: azcycle on February 19, 2010, 11:55:43 AM
I came across a recent receipt that indicated my father in law purchased a new clutch cable recently. That got me thinking, and I realized I never really questioned how the cable was routed... but now that I look at it, it doesn't seem correct.

My r65's clutch cable routes behind the handlebars (toward me) and then down to the right side of the bike, and under.  Isn't it supposed to follow the rest of the wiring from the left control in FRONT of the handlebars (behind the headlight) or somesuch?

Title: Re: Clutch cable routing?
Post by: Bengt_Phorqs on February 19, 2010, 12:06:09 PM
The usual routing is behind the headlight bucket, down the downtube,  and follow the right side frame rail under the motor to the clutch arm.  It's only so long so you're not going to have a lot of options.
Title: Re: Clutch cable routing?
Post by: azcycle on February 19, 2010, 12:27:39 PM
Thanks, that's what I thought.
Title: Re: Clutch cable routing?
Post by: nhmaf on February 19, 2010, 01:09:47 PM
Long & shallow curves, avoid sharp bends (in the clutch cable, that is)!
Title: Re: Clutch cable routing?
Post by: Lucky_Lou on February 19, 2010, 03:45:52 PM
Is it a standard length mines got the high bars.
Lou
Title: Re: Clutch cable routing?
Post by: JDS on February 19, 2010, 04:27:48 PM
looks like snow isnt your rally this weekend
Title: Re: Clutch cable routing?
Post by: Lucky_Lou on February 19, 2010, 05:00:41 PM
Weve had snow on and of for the last 3 months getting fed up of it now.....the big ride is 14th March will post some pics
Lou
Title: Re: Clutch cable routing?
Post by: Yikes on February 21, 2010, 05:31:31 PM
 Looking the question of clutch cable routing, I notice that, unlike throttle cables, which have different lengths for low bars (on LS's) and high bars (US bars) all the clutch cables are the same 1495mm length.  Makes me wonder why the difference for throttle and not for clutch.   :-/

I guess I won't have to replace my throttle cable when I switch from high to low bars, or is there some advantage to shorter throttle cables that I'm not seeing?

John M
Title: Re: Clutch cable routing?
Post by: nhmaf on February 21, 2010, 09:40:56 PM
I think that there are different clutch cable lengths - I know that I switched mine on my LS going from US bars to euro bars.   The difference in cable length is several inches - I don't have the part numbers handy at the moment, but the clutch cable length was more critical, IMHO, to get right.

throttle cables will really bind if not at least close to the proper length, as you'd have to shove the cable splitters far back toward the airfilter cover (and then put more abrupt bends in the short lower cables from the splitters to the carbs).  
Title: Re: Clutch cable routing?
Post by: bruce_launceston on February 22, 2010, 12:39:32 AM
The clutch cable needs to be routed between the 2 cross members toward the top of the front down tubes.
That should put it just above and to the right of the horn and the flat horn bracket (but below the top tube cross member).
This allows the cable to run down the 'inside' of the downtube curve and not get jammed between the downtube and the front engine cover ribs.

Hope you can make sense of that.

I had mine wrong and the outer sheath of the new cable melted through against the engine.

Cheers