Norton (??) brake cable.

[JFerg]

Can anyone identify this cable, which came with stuff believed to be late Norton, Commando era.  It's new, unused.  Distinguishing feature is the rubber boot mid cable, which conceals a spring.  No switch, just a spring, but a stiff spring, like a valve spring.  Half inch ID, 2 1/8" long, and won't compress at all under finger pressure.  There's also a natty little rubber concertina cover for the presumed pedal end.  Having the adjuster mid-cable is unusual, too

[Rex]

I bought some NoS cables from Ebay a while back and they had a similar fitting to this, although they still had the switch mechanism in place. I assumed they must be for early Tridents, A75, Commandos etc.
Incidentally, it wouldn't be late Commando, but early Commando, as late ones had a front disc brake.

[L.A.B.]

It isn't Commando.
It looks too short, the lower end fitting is wrong, not the usual 'switch' and the adjuster is in the wrong place as it would be at the lower end of the cable.

http://www.classicbikeshop.co.uk/norton-commando-roadster-front-brake-cable-with-switch.html
   

[mini-me]

Rear Brake?

[L.A.B.]

Rear Brake?

No. Commando is completely different once again.

http://www.vintage-motorcycle.com/index.php?language=en&site=4&pid=25&id=3251&limit=0

[JFerg]

With the adjuster mid-cable, my thought was that this was probably a foot brake cable.  Drum brake, obviously, but with the drum on the opposite side to the pedal.

[JFerg]

Mystery solved.  The adjuster is metric, which ruled out a few ideas.  Transpires that it is a parking brake cable for a Moto Guzzi Convert.  The Convert wasn't an automatic, it was simply a torque converter on the back of a torquey engine.  There was a two speed "box" but the idea was to select high or low ratio before you set off.  High gave a top speed around 80MPH, but low was designed for police escort and convoy work, top speed nearer 45MPH.  Obviously, having a torque converter demands a parking brake or you can't leave the thing to idle.

cheers,