Throttle Cable Life

[02 Ultra]

02 ultra classic still running the original cable 97000 mi on it. I looked at it real close and I see no fraying or anything unusual. How long do these things normally last? Don't want to break it on the road.
Thanks
02

[Ohio HD]

Only throttle cable I've ever "had" to replace, was on dirt bikes. Never had one go bad on a street bike.

[Coff 06]

My 06,the cable only had one strand left,couldn't even tell.that was at 5yrs old.Glad I found it before it broke.          COFF 06

[JBarrettB]

Maintenance and correct adjustment, oh and not removing them with needle nose pliers from the sleeve. They can last a long long time...

JB

[guido4198]

My 1985 throttle cables are still working just fine...262,000 mi. Later.
I've thought about replacing them "just because"...but seem to always have other priorities.

[Bakon]

Question to you is how did you treat it. Lube it, take it on and off nicely or beat it up with pliers?

I would think to replace it before it broke, but who know after reading the others milage.

If it breaks on road you can always swap the return cable with it temporarily. It works but I think it was a little short (or long) and idle doesnt set right.

[onehawghead]

My 02 Ultra with a little over 137,000 miles still have original throttle cables along with clutch cable. Lubed regularly and all 3 of them look good. Am debating whether to replace them also.

[Tsani]

The only reason I would replace cables that are lubed regularly and in good shape on the ends is if adjustment is needed and can't be made anymore. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Evo160K]

I use a barnett cable, so it may not act like a stock cable.  About every 50,000 miles or so my cable will become difficult to pull and adjust, even with periodic lubrication, that's my clue.  I think the ss cable begins to wear into the teflon tube it slides in.

[bigfoot5x]

Just curious here: Why do you use Barnett cables if you have that problem after 50,000 miles? I have 82,000 miles on my bike and the cables seem to be as good as new. I have had the same luck with bikes that had 72,000 and 53,000 miles on them when I traded them in.

[who?me?]

still working just fine...262,000 mi.

262K?! Outstanding. I'd like to know more about this machine.

[Harpo]

All you guys are crazy.  The only reason the MoCo went to fly by wire throttle (that costs about 20 times as much) is because of the total unreliability and associated safety issues with cables.

[Evo160K]

 bigfoot5x,
You ask a good question.  Some years back I put a dellorto carb on the bike and modified the throttle cable wheel guides, didn't like the looks.  The modification caused me to need custom length cables which harley didn't offer.  Barnett made them and still has the plan, so I continue to use Barnett.  I like their product and their proactive customer service.

[Princess Butt]

My '97 Road King let go of the throttle pull cable at about 92,000 miles. It happened when I was leaving work one day.

I was able to fix it in the parking garage in about an hour. Luckily, I had a new set of cables at home.

Look carefully at the grip end. That's where mine failed. I lubed them regularly and didn't give any indication of a problem, they always pulled smooth.

[Tsani]

All you guys are crazy.  The only reason the MoCo went to fly by wire throttle (that costs about 20 times as much) is because of the total unreliability and associated safety issues with cables.

Really? Let's hear about that.
I have never had a reliabilty issue that I could not trace to my negligence and have never heard of much less experienced a "safety" issue. Cables are proven. If I break one, I can swap them or rig something that will get me home or to a shop. They don't leve me at a high idle, don't need a software fix, and what are you gong to do when your TBW controller freaks out? Can you say Toyota?

Not agaisnt TBW, it's the next stage, but really, defend that statement. unless of course you work for Russel Publishing. Then I wholly understand.

[truck]

I'm pretty sure Harpo was being sarcastic.

[Tsani]

Yeah, so was I.