Dual Nature

I have a 1985 Yamaha Virago 700 I went to leave my friends house today, and while downshifting the cable broke off at the clutch lever. It appears to be held on not by a screw, but by a metal retaining piece cast onto the end of the cable. Would i be able to pull through enough slack, and somehow make it work. I have been unemployed for the past 3 months so i dont have any $$ to buy a new one.. If that dont work, i have one other option I joined this forrum to ask a question for my friend on his first bike.. 81 Maxim 550 Well, he was in his first wreck a week ago. Rear ended someone who was sitting still, he was going 45. Needless to say the bikes screwed. He offered his cable if its compatable, so thats my question to you all Will the cable off of an 81 Yamaha Maxim 550 be compatible with that of an 85 Yamaha Virago 700 These are our bikes, his is the red one Mine is the orange one, incase you dont know the difference between them (Picture taken by my friend, she's the one on the bike.. not me. Taken yesterday of all things.. )

3M.. as in the company from Minnesota that makes tons and tons of stuff, tape being one of the most known? if not, i have no idea

My friend has a 1983 Yamaha Maxim 550, its his first bike and he got it just 2 weeks ago. Well, he forgot to shut off the key so his battery went dead. We jumped the bike, got it running for a few minutes. But when I took the cables off, the bike stayed on for 30 sec more, then just died. We tried jumping it again, with the same result. Once the jumper cables are off, the bike would just die. Does anyone know what would cause this? Im guessing some relay or electronic component. However, mechanics would be my area of expertise, and electronics my Achilles heel. So, truth be told.. i dont have a clue The extent of my knowledge being that once running, if it where only the battery, it should stay running until the key or kill switch is turned. Any help would be very much appreciated, hes eager to get back on the road

Hey guys, I have been riding Yamaha's all my life, street legal bikes now for 2 seasons. I have logged some 14,000 miles in that time ( only 4,000 this season ) I ride a 1985 Virago XV-700, its a V-Twin, shaft drive cruiser style bike. I have done some work to her in the past 2 years since i got her. It was really rough at first, i have had it painted, new drag pipes installed, new mirrors and data clusters, new tires, the seat recovered, and a few new electronic components. I prefer my yamaha over any hurley davidson any day. She's got enough power to handle any riding situation, but doesnt go through a gallon of oil every other week. Nor does it vibrate to pieces, and fall apart like a harley. I would like to get an R6 sports bike, but they're to expensive on insurance around here.. so that dream will have to wait for another day. Long story short, i came on here to find a solution to my friends bike problem.. but this seems like a good forum to stick around on. Maybe we can learn a few things every now and then, ya never know...