C

Cactus

Dead, not functioning (Can't start my bike..I think the battery's cactus) 1)

Cage

Slang for non-motorcycle type vehicles

Looks like it is gonna rain today so I guess I will drive my cage to work.

Cam Chain

The chain that drives the camshaft(s) from the crankshaft 2)

Captain Cook

Look (“let's have a Captain Cook”) 3)

Carbon Canister or Charcoal Canister

The main ingredient in an Evaporative Emission Control System (California Emissions). The canister has activated granulated charcoal inside it to trap fuel system fumes/ vapors instead of them venting to atmosphere 4)

Cark it

To die, cease functioning 5)

Castellated Nut

As seen on rear axles, this nut resembles the top (parapets)of a castle wall 6)

Cat burying shit, as busy as a

Busy (Sorry I can't help ya right now..I'm as busy as a cat burying shit)7)

Cat's piss, as mean as

Mean, stingy, uncharitable 8)

Catalytic Converters

Oxidizing Catalytic Converters remove hydrocarbons from the exhaust gas, while Reducing Catalytic Converters reduce the NOx emissions. Both types contain noble metal (platinum, palladium or rhodium), which can be poisoned by lead or phosphorous present in fuel or lubricants.9)

Centipose (cP)

Unit of dynamic viscosity (1 cP = 1 mPa s)10)

Centistoke (cSt)

Unit of cinematic viscosity (1 cSt = 1 mm2/s) 11)

Charging System

All of the components which charge the battery including; 1959-early 1984 model Sportsters consists of a battery, generator and a solid state voltage regulator/ rectifier. Late 1984 on consists of a battery , alternator and voltage regulator/ rectifier 12) 13)

Chewie

Chewing gum 14)

Chicken Strips

The areas one the edges of motorcycle tires that still have tread after riding. When a rider leans over while riding a line is left on the tire sidewall indicating how far the rider leans in curves. Called “Chicken” Strips since a wide area of untouched tread indicate the ride is afraid to lean over very much on curvy roads.

Chokkie

Chocolate 15)

Chook

A chicken (A dirt bike in OZ is often refered to as a chook chaser) 16)

Chopper

A motorcycle that has extended front end and forks. The term originated in the 1960s when the front end of the frame would be chopped off and welded back on an angle so that longer forks could be installed.

A real Chopper is any motorcycle stripped down to the bare essentials, to a minimum weight, and modified to make maximum horsepower and to go as fast as possible especially from a standing start. Anything that doesn't contribute to this objective is dispensable 17)

Chuck a sickie

Take the day off sick from work when you're perfectly healthy 18)

Chunder

Vomit 19)

Clacker

Anus 20)

Clearance

The amount of space between two objects; a piston and a cylinder, a bearing and a journal, a bushing and a journal, a bushing and a shaft 21)

Clutch

Motorcycles typically employ a wet clutch with the clutch riding in the same oil as the transmission. These clutches are usually made up of a stack of alternating plain steel and friction plates. Some plates have lugs on their inner diameters that lock them to the engine crankshaft. Other plates have lugs on their outer diameters that lock them to a basket that turns the transmission input shaft. A set of coil springs or a diaphragm spring plate force the plates together when the clutch is engaged.

On motorcycles the clutch is operated by a hand lever on the left handlebar. No pressure on the lever means that the clutch plates are engaged (driving), while pulling the lever back towards the rider disengages the clutch plates through cable or hydraulic actuation, allowing the rider to shift gears or coast. Racing motorcycles often use slipper clutches to eliminate the effects of engine braking, which, being applied only to the rear wheel, can cause instability.

Clutch#Motorcycles

Cobber

Friend 22)

Cockie

Farmer 23)

Cockie

Cockatoo 24)

Cockie

Cockroach 25)

Coil

Coil Spring

A coiled up section of spring steel used as suspension shock springs, dampeners for the engine valves, backpressure on the butterfly diaphragm in a carburetor.

Coldie

A beer (also refered to as piss) 26)

Come a gutser

Make a bad mistake, have an accident 27)

Compo

Workers' Compensation pay 28)

Compression

A reduction of volume and an increase in the pressure and temperature of gas that is caused by squeezing it into a smaller space. 29)

Compression Damping

As in shocks that have adjustments to control the speed at which the suspension compresses when hitting a bump 30)

Compression Ratio

A relationship of a cylinder volume between two positions of it's piston; Volume at Top Dead Center and Volume at Bottom Dead Center

Continuity

Uninterrupted or constant flow of current. It has little to no resistance. Testing for continuity is commonly done with a Multi-Meter or a Test Probe. 31)

Cooee, not within

Figuratively a long way away, far off (USA ain't within cooee of OZ) 32)

Corrosion Inhibitor

An additive that protects the lubricated metal parts from the chemical attacks caused by water or other contaminants33)that have extremely alkaline metal sulphonates and phenates. They prevent the creation of rust on metal surfaces through the formation of surface films (absorption of polar surface-active substances which have a chemical and physical effect and thus prevent water and oxygen from penetrating to the surface of the metal) and/or neutralisation of acids34).

Cotter Pin

Crack a fat

Get an erection 35)

Crack onto (someone)

To hit on someone, pursue someone romantically 36)

Cracking (Hydro-cracking)

Process that breaks the molecular bonds of hydrocarbons. Cracking is a process used in the petrochemicals industry to break down large hydrocarbon molecules by inducing internal oscillations through thermal and/or catalytic methods to produce new, smaller molecules of hydrocarbons.37)

Cream

Defeat by a large margin 38)

Crook

Sick, or badly made 39)

Crossply Tire

Tires arranged in a criss-cross pattern commonly with 4 or 6 plies i.e. 4PR or 6PR. 40)

Cush Drive

Rubber segments that are fitted between the rear wheel and the final drive sprocket to absorb transmission shocks. 41)

Custom

Cylinders




1) , 3) , 5) , 7) , 8) , 14) , 15) , 16) , 18) , 19) , 20) , 22) , 23) , 24) , 25) , 26) , 27) , 28) , 32) , 35) , 36) , 38) , 39)
2) , 4) , 6)
Haynes Sportster manual 1970-2010 pg REF*47
12)
1959-1985 Clymer Sportster Repair Manual
13) , 21) , 29) , 30) , 31) , 40) , 41)
Haynes Sportster manual 1970-2010 pg REF*48
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