Cable tie - reusable?

[TXBikerGuy]

Before I start probing and prodding or worse--cutting, I figured I'd come to the fountain of knowledge here and ask the stupid question.

Is there a way to release this cable tie to reuse it? It needs to be removed in order to take the tank off.

Old me would have just cut it and replaced it with a black zip tie. New me is trying hard to keep this bike as OEM as humanly possible. The previous owner routed a battery tender lead through a place that has one of these same ties--so it makes me think it's possible. BTW...he routed the lead so seamlessly and clean that I didn't even realize it had been installed until I went to install one myself. I wish I knew who this guy was because he has much to teach about keeping a bike clean.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Cormanus]

TXBikerGuy, Once in a moment of desperation, I opened a cable tie with a needle or something about that size. It's a simple ratchet mechanism and if you can lift the lever and hold it away from the things it catches on you can open and reuse it. You push the pin or needle or wire in from the same end as you insert the point of the cable tie.

They should be made to be reused, but that's a subject for another day.

If the previous owner of your bike was a forum member, he or she didn't register it, so I can't help with who it might have been.

 

[Houtman_imp]

A very tiny screw driver is what I some times use .

 

[pekingduck]

That cable tie (zip tie) is not OEM Honda. For the most part, Honda uses several kinds of re-usable plastic (or plastic-coated aluminum) bands or clips, like the one right next to the zip-tie.

 

[zirconxi_imp]

I got these in local diy shop.

 

[TXBikerGuy]

Thanks for all the quick replies. That is may not be an OEM fastener makes sense--the previous owner must have had this type of zip tie handy. It's the same type used in the battery tender lead install. That makes this easier. Snip, snip and move along. I have plenty of black zip ties to replace it with.

But first, a little achilles tendon surgery in the morning and a bit of a medically-induced hiatus from riding for awhile. How's that for timing after just buying this awesome bike?

 

[Cormanus]

Hope you recover quickly.

 

[jtopiso_imp]

I got these in local diy shop.

beware: it's not the same to tidy-up computer cables on your desk that holding cables on a vibrating machine working under wide temperature ranges.

I'd use proper ty-raps (nylon, with metal ratchet)

 

[Gone in 60]

You know that now, if you take that bike to a concours-level show, they'll ding you a point in judging for a non-standard cable retaining device...

 

[zirconxi_imp]

I thought all cable ties are nylon?? Anyway, I only use cable ties to tied wires inside the airbox and battery compartment. Don't think it will be hot enough to melt nylon.

I got these in local diy shop.

beware: it's not the same to tidy-up computer cables on your desk that holding cables on a vibrating machine working under wide temperature ranges.

I'd use proper ty-raps (nylon, with metal ratchet)

 

[jtopiso_imp]

I thought all cable ties are nylon?? Anyway, I only use cable ties to tied wires inside the airbox and battery compartment. Don't think it will be hot enough to melt nylon.

I got these in local diy shop.

beware: it's not the same to tidy-up computer cables on your desk that holding cables on a vibrating machine working under wide temperature ranges.

I'd use proper ty-raps (nylon, with metal ratchet)

Not only melting: they can crack or they can come loose if they deform just a little bit. Then things start to vibrate, and everything worsens...

One design can be good for the desk cables, but on the bike... I'd use only proper ones and avoid the cheapest.

And the latch/ratchet (don't know how to call it), should be metal.

 

[zirconxi_imp]

Do you meant those metal tie we use to tie exhaust wrap? I had seen my friend tied his exhaust wrap with those. But i think the edge might eat into cables if it were use to tie wires. Nylon cable ties if crack/broken, just ditch it and replace. Until now i haven't had a nylon tie broken on me before i broke it/cut it during servicing.

 

[pekingduck]

I think he means the plastic ties that have a metal insert as the locking piece. They're harder to find, but they do not pull loose.

 

[zirconxi_imp]

My bad, seems like jtopiso already posted the brand, I had downloaded the catalog and now I understand what he meant.

 

[jtopiso_imp]

I think he means the plastic ties that have a metal insert as the locking piece. They're harder to find, but they do not pull loose.

Yes: that's what I meant.

Obviously, it's not the same to hold a brake-line or some other critical component than a usb 5v cable... but my point is the same: not all ties are equal.