Motorcycle Jumper Cables

Motorcycle Jumper Cables

EVALUATION

Several months ago Mr. Editor Girdler came up with what he fondly declared to be an original

idea: because motorcycle batteries are a weak link in the system, and because car batteries and cables are large and powerful enough to endanger the bike’s components, and because the faddish factories are dispensing with the reliable kick lever for backing up the electric leg, why, what the world needs now is jumper cables for motorcycles.

The ink was scarcely dry before we heard from the rest of the world. There are such cables already on the market. At least two accessory firms are in promotion, and at least one more was preparing to make such cables.

That’s good news. We'd like to take credit, but we can’t. More important is that we all now have a way to protect against the dreaded click of a non-cranking engine.

Because they arrived first, almost by return mail, we show here the cables from Holeshot Performance. They are made of 10-gauge copper braided wire, coated, with copper clips. The cables are 5 ft. long, the clips are color coded, as in red for positive, black for negative. The set is small enough for the average fairing pocket, too big to be stowed under the seat. Retail price is $13.95, at foresighted dealerships or direct from: Holeshot Performance,

31 1 Chestnut St.

Santa Cruz, Calif. 95060.

Also in production are jumper cables from Patten Enterprises. They didn’t send a set to try—we tried the HP cables and they worked well while being small enough to avoid turning bike and battery into an arc welding kit but according to the literature the Patten cables are color coded and are 4 ft. long. They sell for $7, mail order only from:

Patten Enterprises

PO. Box 6578

San Diego, Calif. 92106

Quality Cycle Products’ Peter Nelson says they're going into production as this is written. Their cables will be small enough to fit in the palm of the hand, meaning they’ll be easy to pack away, but no specifications are listed. They’re hoping for retail store distribution, but meanwhile, the cables are $ 12.95 per set, from:

Quality Cycle Products 1 3624 Sherman Way, Ste. 164 Van Nuys, Calif. 91405 ga