Lionel Helmet Lock Extension Cable
LIONEL HELMET LOCK EXTENSION CABLE
CW EVALUATIONS
Protecting your protection
IF A THIEF REALLY WANTS SOMETHING, he’s going to steal it, and there’s nothing you can do about it. That’s been a fact ever since Cro-Magnon Man took a loincloth off his cavemates’s laundry line.
So, no matter what precautions you take, if you decide to attach your helmet to your motorcycle, you risk losing your hat. But the people at Lionel Enterprises (776 Avenida Salvador, San Clemente, CA 92672; 714/ 361-9051) are thinking about at least slowing down the average thief, and that’s why they sell the Helmet Lock Extension Cable at a suggested retail price of $7.95.
This is simply a braided, stainlesssteel cable with a loop at each end. The idea is to run the cable through the chin piece of a full-face helmet and then connect both ends to the motorcycle’s stock helmet lock. This
offers several advantages. First of all, many motorcycles (early Honda Interceptors and Yamaha Secas come to mind) have poorly placed helmet locks, and the cable allows much easier access to those hard-to-reach places. Second, the cable is long enough to secure two helmets to a single lock. The product is coated with vinyl so it won’t scratch the helmet or the bike, and it’s small enough to be carried in a pocket.
But as for deterring theft? It would scare only a very stupid crook. First of all, a standard helmet lock is the weak link; most can be broken with a long screwdriver. And even if you use the cable with a good padlock, you’ve only added 20 seconds to the thief’s task: A pair of cheap wire cutters can chew through the product that quickly. Even though the cable is advertised to be '4-inch thick, without
the coating, it is closer to ‘/8-inch. So, if you're looking for something to make the job of securing helmets to motorcycles more convenient, then the Helmet Lock Extension Cable is a good product. But if you are seriously worried about somebody walking away with your most valuable piece of riding gear, there's still only one solution. Take your helmet with you when you leave. El
