#accessory

If you’d told me when I bought my Yamaha R6 – way back in 2003 – that one day I’d want a gear indicator, I’d have said you were crazy. However, years of having them on bikes that I have tested have worn me down, and now I’ve gotten accustomed to taking a quick glance if I’m ever unsure of my gear.

On the surface, chain maintenance seems a fairly simple task: lift the rear of the bike, get a rag, some cleaner, some lube, spin the tire a few times (you don’t really turn the bike on and let it idle in gear, do you?) and you’re done. But how do you lift the back tire? Having a rear stand is great, but usually only the sportbike crowd will have one of those. Centerstands also make the task pretty easy, but if you’re one of the many sport-touring, standard, naked, and adventure bike owners, just to name a few, who don’t have either, you’re S.O.L. Besides, even if you do have a rear stand, they take up space in the garage when not in use, and you can’t take it with you on a ride.

In my article,  Evans Off Camber – Precious Cargo: Riding With Kids, I had photos my daughter using a Children’s Riding Belt which actually straps her to my body. While I still think that it’s a good idea for longer rides where her attention could wander or she could fall asleep (I’ve seen it happen with other peoples’ kids), I’ve been looking for something more convenient for running errands or school drop offs. So, I contacted the folks at Left Coast Mobility Systems about getting a Grip-n-Ride to test. In a matter of days, I had not one but two Grip-n-Rides in my possession. The first is a standard $89 Grip-n-Ride. The second, a limited edition Street Art Collection Grip-n-Ride, priced at $169.

Previously, I covered how to install a Powerlet accessory electrical socket. While having access to constant power for accessories is convenient (particularly for maintaining your battery with a smart charger), it has a major drawback: If you leave your electronics on when you shut down the engine, you can easily kill your battery. The best way to prevent this from happening is to make the socket switch itself off with the ignition. Although the task is fairly simple, you’ll need to perform a little detective work before you start.