How to tension your clutch cable

The various cables on your motorcycle will stretch over time and will need periodic adjustment. We can show you how It’s done in just a few easy steps.

Lawrence Minnie

22 Jul 2025 · 07:56Bike Ownership

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Taking up the slack

The clutch on your motorcycle employs a cable or hydraulic system to engage or release the clutch pack. Higher-end bikes often use hydraulic sets and won’t need to be set and these are best left alone but if you have a smaller capacity or entry-level motorcycle, they will most likely have a cable system.

Over time the cable will stretch and you will start feeling a great deal of slop in the clutch lever or in bad cases the clutch will not disengage. This can be rectified relatively quickly with very few tools required.

You will need:

8mm wrench
10mm wrench

Let’s get it done

1. Locate the rubber cover where the clutch cable enters the lever

2. Turn the thumbscrew until the slack on the cable is gone, test engagement by pulling the lever.

3. Replace rubber cover and test tension.

If the cable has stretched a lot the thumbscrew will not adjust out all the slack.

1. Use the 8mm wrench and loosen the lock nut on the cable adjuster

2. Use the 10mm the turn out the adjuster until enough slack has been removed so that the thumbscrew can be used for finer adjustments.

3. Tighten lock nut, Adjust as in before steps

4. Test clutch engagement

5. Replace rubber cover and check tension.

Written by Lawrence Minnie

Lawrence has been involved with motorsports for almost 30 years. Whether it's two wheels or four, if it has an engine, he will try to race it. This love of motor vehicles has led him to ride, drive, film, photograph, and write about his passion. Freelance for a while but now a permanent fixture on the AutoTrader team for over 7 years, Lawrence contributes written, photographic, and video content for AutoTrader and AutoTrader Bikes.Read more