A rear brake cable that's gummed up with old grease, dirt, and rust drags inside its housing, so the lever feels stiff and the brake never quite bites the way it should. A fresh cable brings back a light lever and confident stops on your early CT90.
The K0 through K5 Trail 90 works its rear drum brake off a left-hand lever, and that only feels right when the cable slides freely inside the housing. After fifty years, most original cables are stiff, sticky, or rusted where the inner wire meets the barrel. If yours is frayed at the ends, kinked, or crunchy when you work the lever, it's time for a new one.
Our replacement rear brake cable is a direct fit for the early Trail 90 and restores smooth, predictable braking.
Difficulty: Beginner
Tools needed: Cable lube or light machine oil.
Our Cables 101 video walks through cleaning, lubricating, and caring for your motorcycle cables.
It fits the early Trail 90, K0 through K5, covering 1966 to 1974. If your CT90 uses a foot pedal for the rear brake instead of a hand lever, it's a later model and doesn't use this cable.
Yes. New cables aren't lubricated from the factory, and a dry cable wears fast and drags. A quality cable lube or a light machine oil works great, and it only takes a few minutes before install.
Right now we stock the rear cable. If you need a front cable for your CT90, reach out and we'll help you sort out what's available.
Last updated: July 2026
