Oil your clutch cable

[Doorag]

I'd highly recommend you get a cable oiler and give your clutch cable a bit of oil. I did this for the first time yesterday and now it feels all silky and new again.

I hadn't realised how bad it had got over time until I test rode some other bikes and felt how smooth the pull-back on the clutch was.

Oh, and check your oil and tire pressures while you're at it!

 

[CHEMIKER]

What kind of oiler did you buy? How did you like it?

 

[Doorag]

I got one off fleaBay for about a tenner. I got a slightly more expensive one that has two screws not just one. Worked pretty well. I'll definitely keep it.

 

[wrightme43]

I have a new clutch cable waiting on install on my bike. All adjustment is gone. I used the same thing David is talking about and it works great, but this one is just gonners.

 

[needsnumbers]

I posted a question about this over at sportbikes.net and nobody really thought much of it. After riding my buddies F4i I was floored at how nice his clutch felt. Smooth as butter and it's got 15k miles on it! Mine has 4k and feels cruntchy even after a full dis-assembly and greasing of the lever.
Do you recommend replacing the clutch cable with a higher quality piece or should I just get the inline oiler and call it good? If a new cable, got any suggestions?

 

[Spideyrex]

As I received my bike in 2006, the clutch was very rough and heavier than it should have been, especially coming from a Ninja 250. I rode it that way for almost a year until I lubed the cable and it made a world of difference. I only have 5000 miles on the bike, but I have only lubed it once. If you clutch does feel rough, this is a must do maintenance item. I got a cable luber and a can of spray lube at Cycle World for about $15.

 

[CDE]

I just did this for mine and it smoothed things up quite nicely.

You get it in a kit, or sperately. The one I got looks like these:

I'm going to be doing this every oil change.

 

[Debaser]

I posted a question about this over at sportbikes.net and nobody really thought much of it. After riding my buddies F4i I was floored at how nice his clutch felt. Smooth as butter and it's got 15k miles on it! Mine has 4k and feels cruntchy even after a full dis-assembly and greasing of the lever.
Do you recommend replacing the clutch cable with a higher quality piece or should I just get the inline oiler and call it good? If a new cable, got any suggestions?

I think the main problem with the FZ6 is not the cable but the clutch (lever) spring, visible externally above the clutch. If you disconnect the cable at the clutch end you'll see the lever and cable then move very easily. When I lube the cable I also lube all round the spring giving it some movement while I lube in order to get between it. The clutch engagement then feels much smoother. I don't know of an after-market spring unfortunately. A longer slave clutch lever may also help.

 

[Speedygonzales]

Am I the only one lubing their cable without such a tool.
It works good, just pull the clutch en spray away ... :thumbup:

 

[RJ2112]

Am I the only one lubing their cable without such a tool.
It works good, just pull the clutch en spray away ... :thumbup:

Same here..... that really only hits the exposed parts of the cable, but I am okay with that. Mine is out in all kinds of weather, and still works acceptably after 4+ years with this treatment.

Usually, when I have the white lithium grease out to spray on the pivots, I'll squirt some on the exposed end of the clutch cable, as well.
pull the lever in, and get that part of the cable wetted. Let the lever go, and repeat at the engine end.

 

[Motogiro]

Am I the only one lubing their cable without such a tool.
It works good, just pull the clutch en spray away ... :thumbup:

That little doohicky attachment actually does a great job of forcing the lubricant all the way down the cable which might help a little more with smoothness and cable life.

Also someone just did a post on a complete breakdown on clutch cable service for the FZ6. The clutch cable is in 2 parts and has a union which might explain why it is more difficult to operate than any clutch I've ever used.

Here's a link. http://www.600riders.com/forum/gara...be-your-clutch-cable-proper-job-pictures.html

Cliff

 

[Speedygonzales]

When you pull the clutch, spray and let the clutch go in again, spray and let the clutch go again, etz ... it wil get inside. Plus you need to spray in the cable hose hole, not really on the cable itself. It might not be as affective as with the tool, but it works fine for me.