Motorcycle Safety Site

Cigarette Lighter
An accessory that makes sense for all

By: James R. Davis

Yes, I smoke. So? This tip has nothing to do with smoking.

One of the least expensive additions you can put on your bike is a cigarette lighter - and you should. (If you prefer, throw the lighter part of the assembly away.)

What I'm getting at is the value of having a 'hot' cigarette lighter receptacle on your bike. There are unbelievable advantages to you in having one on your bike, not the least of which is that it could result in your being able to save a life.

Like any accessory, you should include an in-line fuse when you install this device, but unlike your other accessories, you should wire this one directly to your battery and avoid the ignition switch. That is, you want the receptacle 'hot' whether the ignition is on or not.

Since these are NOT weather-proof devices, mount the receptacle inside a saddlebag and POINT IT STRAIGHT DOWN.

Do you carry a cellular phone? Ever had to use it only to find the battery was too weak? Now you have the ability to plug it in any time, anywhere. A 911 call is not an unthinkable requirement when out on the road, right?

Ever do campouts? Did you have to resort to blowing up an air mattress by mouth? A cheap air pump plugs into your cigarette lighter receptacle and makes that job trivial.

Ever charge your battery? It's a pain getting your charger connected to the battery posts, right? Besides removing covers (and the ever present possibility of breaking one of the plastic studs in the process), there is also the possibility of inadvertently reversing leads and destroying that battery. Wire your charger to a male cigarette lighter plug and whenever you want to charge that battery just plug it into the socket.

You get the idea. This is one versatile and inexpensive accessory that should be standard equipment, even if it's not politically correct.

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