Xena Disc Lock Alarm
Xena Disc Lock Alarm
CW EVALUATION,
Making bike thieves Xenaphobic
SOME IDEAS ARE SO PATENTLY OBVIOUS that the first time you see one of them, you smack yourself in the forehead with the palm of your hand and exclaim, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Xena’s Disc Lock Alarm is just such an idea, combining two common motorcycle security systems-a disc lock and a motion-sensitive electronic alarm-into one innovative anti-theft device. The end result is a simple theft deterrent that not only prevents the front wheel from rolling but also emits a loud, highpitched chirping noise if the bike is disturbed in any way.
For the most part, the Xena is a conventional disc lock with some batterypowered electronics piggy-backed onto its steel body. Its solid-state circuitry includes sensors that can detect even minor shocks, as well as subtle changes in the angularity of the lock. Once the Xena is armed-accomplished by simply locking it on the disc-any movement in any plane triggers an ear-piercing chirp. Another sensor, an infrared unit on one side of the lock’s U-groove, detects the presence of a disc; so, even if the Xena is somehow removed without first being disarmed, the departure of the rotor triggers the alarm.
Although the Disc Lock Alarm is a clever device, it’s not new. Xena debuted the concept a couple of years ago, and what you see here are new-and-improved models. They’re available in two sizes (the light, compact Micro and the beefier Classic) and finishes (yellowand-black paint or polished stainless steel). The electronics are the same on all the models, but only the two Classics use a “double locking pin” that prevents the jaws of the lock from being pried
apart. After you push the locking pin into place, you then give the key a halfturn, which captures the T-shaped end of the pin in an undercut groove.
We used both Xena models on some high-profile motorcycles during recent road trips and quickly became quite enamored of them. On several occasions, they sounded off late at night, warning us that someone apparently was tampering with the bikes. In one instance, the shrill chirp was audible even in a hotel
room some distance from where the bike was parked.
As with any security device, the Xena is not foolproof. Unlike many hardwired alarms, it doesn’t disable the ignition, and neither can it page the bike’s owner. But for price, portability and ease of use, Xena’s Disc Lock Alarm is a screaming deal.
Literally.
DETAILS
European Accessories 13771 Fountain Hills Blvd. #114 Fountain Hills, AZ 85268 480/816-6964 www.xenalock.com Price.. .$80 (polished Classic costs $10 more)
Ups
Difficult-to-pick key/lock combination
Adjustable for sensitivity through orientation on disc
Because it's an alarm, you won't try to ride away with it on the bike
Downs
Classic a 5-pound lump
Keys, if lost, hard to duplicate
