Derbi Cables
US models: Here are listed 27 different cables, for Derbi mopeds sold new in the US from 1976 to 1989. Cables for bikes from other times and places may or may not be the same as these.
Engine types: The engine types are abbreviated as pp (piston-ported), pr (pyramid-reed), fr (flat-reed).
Cables pass through frame: On sheet-frame Variant models, the throttle, decomp(start) and rear brake cables pass through the frame. That makes them never get pinched by the steering, but makes replacement more difficult. The little Derbi serviceman says “When replacing Variant cables that pass through the frame never pull out the old cable, without attaching the new cable to the end of it.” Otherwise it becomes ten times more difficult.
Leone cables: In the 1980’s there were high quality aftermarket cables made in Taiwan. In the list below they have non-Derbi part numbers beginning with CBL.
Throttle Cables
Here are listed 7 different Derbi throttle cables. There are 3 throttles, 1976-80, 1980-86, 1987-90, abbreviated as Der 0°, Der 90°, and Domino. The Domino throttle is a sliding block type with a cable pinch bolt, so the throttle cable #6 and 7 inner wires are endless on top. The other two throttles are wrap-around type and take double-ended throttle cables #1 to 5.
Curved pipe: The DS50 throttle cable does not have a curved metal pipe. It has a side-pull carb top instead, because of the low floor. Cables 4, 5 and 6 do not have a curved metal pipe because on those frames (C5, SLE-X and Variant Sport) it is not needed. There is enough room above the engine for the conduit to curve.
Conduit length: A straight-pull (Der 0°) throttle requires a cable conduit 70 mm longer on top, compared to a side-pull (Der 90°). It has to curve gently around and come straight in. But a straight pull (Der 0°) throttle is on bikes with piston port engines. Those have carburetors 45 mm more forward than bikes pyramid reed engines and side-pull (Der 90°) throttles. You can tell that by the position of the choke button in the center panel. The net difference is 70 minus 45. The ’76-82 Variant throttle cable conduit is 25 mm longer than the ’83-85 Variant conduit.
C5 and RD50: The C-5 Diablo and RD50 models have wide off-road handlebars and so need longer cables. But the engine sits higher because the frame has a high ground clearance. So the two cables that go to the engine, throttle and decomp, are not much longer. The decomp cable is the same as Variant and the throttle cable is only 45 mm longer.
Laguna: The Laguna has narrow and low handlebars, and so requires shorter cables. The Laguna tubular frame is different than the Variant pressed sheet frame, so some cables can be routed differently. The Laguna decomp cable is 150 mm (5.9″) shorter than Variant. The rear brake cable is 120 mm (4.7″) shorter. The front brake cable is 95 mm (3.7″) shorter. From these known length differences, the Laguna throttle cable is estimated to be 95 mm (3.7″) shorter.
# E 00 C throt 0 Derbi# 00 price use Throttle Cables .
1 75 985 0 000.50.09.170 none 1r ’76-82 SL, SLE, TT
1 75 985 0 000. CBL-T100 $38.0 1r ’76-82 SL, SLE, TT
1r 75 985 0 000.50.09.170 $34.0 nylon lined with pipe 2g
1v 75 985 0 000.50.09.170 $22.0 not lined with orig. pipe
2 99 890 90 000.43.09.170 none 3r ’78-82 Laguna
3 99 960 90 0A0.09.30.171 none 3r ’83-85 SL, SLE
3r 99 960 90 0A0.09.30.171 $34.0 nylon lined with pipe 2g
3v 99 960 90 0A0.09.30.171 $22.0 not lined with orig. pipe
4 75 1030 0 000.28.09.170 none 4r 78-82 C5 83-87 RD50
4r 75 1030 0 000.28.09.170 $22.0 nylon lined two-ended
5 99 935 90 0F0.09.00.171 none 5r ’85-86 SL-X, SLE-X
5r 99 935 90 0F0.09.00.171 $22.0 nylon lined two-ended
6 115 935 D 0A0.09.40.171 none 6r ’87-89 Variant Sport
6r 115 935 D 0A0.09.40.171 $12.0 nylon lined one-ended
7 115 1100? D 0E0.09.20.171 none 7r ’87-89 DS50 Scooter
7r 115 1130 D 0E0.09.20.171 $10.0 nylon lined zero-ended
F R O N T B R A K E C A B L E S
Here are listed 6 different Derbi front brake cables. There were different styles, lengths C and exposed lengths E.
Derbi or Domino: There were two kinds of hand brake controls. ’76-86 had Derbi type, chrome, welded to the handlebar. ’87-89 had Domino type, black clamp on with integrated CEV switches.
Exposed length E is about 12 mm longer for ’87-89 Derbi mopeds (Variant Sport and DS50), because their Domino lever mounts have slotted M6-threaded cable adjusters. ’76-86 Derbi mopeds with Derbi-made welded lever mounts have slotted cable stops instead of adjusters. Compare the E of #2 and #5 below. They’re 12 mm different.
# x E mm C 00 000.50.09.170 price 1976-80 Variant Sxx controls Vintage Cables
1x 100 0945a 000.82.09.230 $22 1976-86 Var. SL, SLE, TT Derbi original use #1a
1a 100 0945a 000. CBL-B100 none 1976-86 Var. SL, SLE, TT Derbi says Made in Taiwan
2x 100 0910a 000.80.09.230 $24 1978-80 Var. SL, SLE, TT Derbi original use #1 (longer)
3x 100 0850a 0D0.09.00.231 $24 1978-82 Laguna xxxxxx Derbi orig. use #1 (way longer)
4x 100 1100? 0A0.09.20.231 none 1978-87 C5, RD50 xxxx Derbi original
5x 112 0995a 0F0.09.00.231 none 1987-89 Variant Sport Domino orig. nylon-lined
6x 112 1050? 0E0.09.20.231 none 1987-89 DS50 xxxxxx Domino orig. nylon-lined
R E A R B R A K E C A B L E S
Here are listed 8 different Derbi rear brake cables. There were different styles, conduit lengths C and exposed lengths E.
Derbi or Domino: There were two kinds of hand brake controls. ’76-86 had Derbi type, chrome, welded to the handlebar. ’87-89 had Domino type, black clamp on with integrated CEV switches.
Exposed length E is about 13 mm longer for ’87-89 Derbi mopeds (Variant Sport and DS50), because their Domino lever mounts have slotted M6-threaded cable adjusters. ’76-86 Derbi mopeds with Derbi-made welded lever mounts have slotted cable stops instead of adjusters. Compare the E and Eo of #4 and #7 below. Both are 13 mm different.
Anchor bar: 1976-82 Derbi SL, SLE and TT (piston ported) models can have two possible rear brake cables, depending on whether or not the bike has an “anchor bar”. It’s the bracket that attaches the brake plate and carries the braking force to near the swing-arm pivot. It’s purpose is to isolate the brake action from the suspension action. So going over bumps does not change the braking behavior. Mopeds generally do not have a anchor bar, but motorcycles generally do. The first Derbi models sold in the US 1976-78 did not have it, then they did 1979-80, then they did not again after 1980.
31 mm difference
Exposed length E is about 31 mm longer for ’76-82 Derbi mopeds (Variant SL, SLE, TT) with a brake anchor bar installed. This is a result of the cable stop being relocated farther away from the brake arm. The cable conduit stops at a tab with a 4.5 mm hole, located on the steel anchor bar, rather than a slotted and bottomed 6.5 mm hole in a tab on the aluminum brake plate.
SL, SLE, TT rear brake cable with threaded rod,
is different for bikes with or without anchor bar
1979 with anchor bar
Service bulletin 2
Anchor bar upgrade kit: In 1980 they offered a Rear Brake Modification Kit which was an anchor bar, some hardware, and an anchor-bar-type brake cable 000.80.09.430, to replace the no-anchor-bar cable 000.82.09.430. The installation instructions are given in Service Bulletin 2 shown here.
Because of this you can’t say what rear brake cable is correct just from knowing the bike’s identity (make, model, year, ID number). You have to know whether it has a brake anchor bar installed or not.
Hand/foot brake plate
has M6 threaded hole
Hand or Foot Brake: ’78-82 Laguna and C5 Diablo models had a dual action rear brake, activated by either the left hand or the right foot. Unlike the other models, the brake plate had an M6 threaded hole and the cable had a non-removable threaded adjuster and spring.
# Eo E mm C end caps .900…000999 price 1976-80 Variant SL controls Vintage Cables
1 096 181 1510 ∅7 ∅4/9 000.80.09.430 $27 ’78-80 SL SLE TT for bar Derbi original, says nothing
1a 96 191 1510 ∅7 ∅4/9 000. CBL-B101 $24 ’78-80 SL SLE TT for bar Derbi says Made in Taiwan
2 080 142 1510 ∅7 ∅7/0 000.82.09.430 $18 ’80-83 SL SLE TT no bar Derbi original
2a 90 152 1510 ∅7 ∅7/0 000.82.09.430 $18 ’76-78 SL SLE TT no bar Derbi original
3 072? 143? 1600? ∅7 ∅7/0 0A0.09.10.432 none ’83-87 RD50 xxxx no bar Derbi original
4 072 143 1525 ∅7 ∅7/0 0A0.09.70.431 $26 ’84-86 SL, SLE xx no bar Derbi original
5 000 145 1390 ∅7 M6/ 000.62.09.430 $29 ’78-82 Laguna foot/hand Derbi original
6 000 132 1550 ∅7 M6/ 000.79.09.431 $29 ’78-82 C5 xxx foot/hand Derbi original
7 086 156 1540 ∅7 ∅4/9 0A0.09.80.431 none ’86-89 V. Sp, SLE no bar Domino orig. lined, good-used
8 086? 156? 1590? ∅7 ∅4/9 0E0.09.10.451 none ’87-89 DS50 xxx no bar Domino orig. nylon-lined
Others (imperfect alternatives)
2b 100 183 1450 $16 ∅7 upper, ∅7 lower for no bar, like #2 but with shorter conduit
1b 121 193 1460 $20 ∅7 upper, ∅4/9 lower for bar, like #1 but with shorter conduit
D E C O M P ( S T A R T ) C A B L E S
Here are listed 4 different Derbi decomp cables. The decompression cables for ’87-89 Domino controls have a smaller diameter (5.0 – 5.5 mm) upper end than the ones for ’76-86 Derbi controls (5.5 -6.0 mm).
# E mm C 000.00.00.000 price 1976-80 Variant SL, SL controls Vintage Cables
1x 42 735 000.82.09.400 $15 1976-87 SL SLE TT C5 RD50 Derbi original, tarnished use #1a
1a 42 735 000. CBL-D100 $16 1976-87 SL SLE TT C5 RD50 Derbi says Made in Taiwan, fresh shiny
2x 42 585 0A0.09.00.401 $26 1978-82 Sport Laguna x,x,x Derbi original (only one) use #1 (longer)
3x 42 825 0A0.09.30.401 none 1987-89 Variant Sport xx Domino original (only one)
4x 42 ??? 0E0.09.00.401 none 1987-89 DS50 Scooter xx Domino original
C H O K E C A B L E S
Here are listed 2 different Derbi choke cables. Only the flat-reed engine models ’86-89 had choke cables.
# E mm C 000.00.00.000 price 1976-80 Variant SL, SL controls Vintage Cables
1x 70 950 0F0.09.00.651 none 1986-89 Var. Sport, SLE-X Domino original nylon-lined
2x 70 1120? 0E0.09.20.651 none 1987-89 DS50 Scooter xx Domino original nylon-lined
# E mm C 000.00.00.000 price Modern Cables with nylon-lined conduit
1r 70 950 0F0.09.00.651R $12 replacement for 1, 2.8 x 37.4″ 1-ended
2r 70 1150 0E0.09.20.651R $12 replacement for 2, 2.8 x 45.3″ 1-ended (can cut conduit if too long)