Maintaining motorcycle cables is not hard.

Keep your motorcycle cables in good repair and clean and they'll last a long time.

Yeah okay I know, sounds like Mom and Dad as you were growing up. But nothing can be further from the truth. Motorcycle cables can get dirt in them and wear out faster than you think. The last thing you want is to twist the throttle and get nothing.

Most bikes only use cables for the throttle but there could be other instances where your bike may have other cables. Brakes on a nice old BSA or cruise control on some of the more luxury bikes. So we'll go over basic care used on all cables.

Almost all cables are made from braided wire. Most will have a flexible metal jacket covered in plastic around them for protection. At one end will be an adjustment screw.

Cable can get debris in them so make sure that every once in a while you drop a little light weight oil in them. Good Ol' 3 in 1 oil works well. This will keep the cable sliding smooth and help to keep the rust out. Run the cable in and out of the protective cover to distribute the oil well.

Make sure the cables are not too loose. You'll want a little bit of play in them but not a lot. Check your manual. If there is no reference use your judgment or consult your mechanic. You can adjust the cables tighter by unscrewing the adjustment screw at one end.

At some point the cable will have to be exposed, usually at the opposite end from the adjustment screw. Here you want to make sure that the cable is not rubbing on a part of the bike. You can easily fray the cables here.

When checking for frayed cables, lightly rub a rag across the cable to see if the rag catches on the broken strands. What ever you do, DO NOT use your bare hands. If the cable is frayed it will cut you open and it's one of the more painful ways to get cut, trust me.

So that should do it for the cables. If you're not sure or don't feel comfortable doing this check, take it to your mechanic so that you know their good condition.

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