Aftermarket Kits
What's that, bub? You say ever since you built that killer engine your bike's stock clutch slips like the Dynaflow tranny in your Aunt Ethel's '56 Buick, and you'd like to know what kind of upgrades are available? Well, just about everything. There are kits that add an extra plate or two to your clutch, as well as heavier springs and pressure plates. There are even kits for converting your diaphragm spring clutch to coil springs. To see what's available try barnettclutches.com.
Tech Tips
JUMP THIS
Homemade jumper wires the easy way
Top: A homemade jumper with...
Top: A homemade jumper with an inline fuse. Left: A commercially available jumper. Right: Another homemade set.
Deep in the bowels of my toolbox lies what might look like a motley tangle of old wire but in reality is a bunch of highly evolved diagnostic tools that can be used for anything from isolating and repairing complex (and not so complex) electrical problems to effecting a quick, albeit temporary, roadside repair.
What we have here are known as jumper wires. And yes, I do mean wires, not cables. Jumper cables are intended to transport a substantial number of electrons during periods of high current draw-for example, when you're jumpstarting a car or motorcycle-while a jumper wire is used to complete or temporarily bypass a low-current circuit so a component can be tested.
For example, suppose your horn has suddenly given up the ghost, you have no test light or voltmeter handy and you'd like to test the circuit before shelling out for a new hooter. The question is whether the horn failed on its own, has a bad ground or is not receiving current. Because a bad ground is always a prime suspect, you can use your jumper to connect the horn's ground terminal directly to a known good ground. If the horn blows, great; if it doesn't, take a second jumper and connect the horn's 12-volt terminal directly to a known good power source (the battery's positive terminal is the preferred choice). Still no horn? Well, that bites, but at least you know the circuit is working and you won't be wasting your dough on a horn you don't need.
A jumper wire is normally made with about 14- to 18-gauge wire, with either alligator clips secured to both ends or, less often, a terminal of some sort crimped on so the wire can be plugged into the appropriate receptacle on the bike. The raw materials can be found at any hardware, automotive or DIY store, or my favorite spot-the local Radio Shack.
Make your jumpers a convenient length; anywhere from 12 to 24 inches should suffice for most motorcycle-related applications, although there's no harm in making them longer. Most of the time simple primary wire will do, but if you really want to make a nice jumper head on over to an electronics store and ask them for a couple of feet of what's called instrument wire, which is a very flexible, high-quality wire used to make test leads for the electronics industry. If you go with primary wire and want to make a neat job of it, tightly wrap the wire around a pencil or long rod. When the wire is slid off it should retain its coiled form.
I'd recommend making at least two jumpers, preferably using different-colored wire (red and black are always popular) so you don't inadvertently confuse them and connect a power source directly to a ground or vice versa. Of course if you're the overachiever type you'll install an inline fuse holder in your jumper just in case you accidentally ground a powered circuit.
In short (that's an inside electrical joke), the jumper's uses are limited only by your imagination and of course the wire's current-carrying capability.