Kryptonite Disc Lock
KRYPTONITE DISC LOCK
CW EVALUATION
Cheap insurance
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED with many motorcycle-oriented security locks/chains/cables is their immense proportions. They may do a good job of protecting your bike from thieves, but they’re not very portable. With its Evolution 2000 Disc Lock, Kryptonite has bridged the gap between size and security.
Small enough to rest in the palm of your hand, the Disc Lock is designed to loop through a brake rotor, thereby immobilizing the wheel. A red plastic covering protects against scratches to the bike and makes the Disc Lock easy to spot, enhancing its effectiveness as a theft deterrent. And thanks to its small size and relatively light, 1.2pound weight, the lock can be easily stored in a jacket pocket or a tank bag.
With a claimed pull strength of 3 tons, a pickand drill-resistant cylinder and a half-inch steel shackle, the Disc Lock is also plenty strong. We attacked ours with a hacksaw and a crowbar to no avail-good for peace of mind, bad if you happen to lose the key. Not to worry, as Kryptonite has a computerized key-registration program and will mail out a replacement within 24 hours.
Over several months of use, we found the Disc Lock to be durable and, with one exception, trouble free. The lock can be difficult to open and close, a problem that seems to be in the cylinder, which sometimes sticks when the key is turned. Still, the Disc Lock fit every motorcycle we used it on, although the design and hole pattern of some discs mandated that the lock be attached to the wheel’s spokes or rear sprocket rather than the brake rotor. Even so, the lock’s effectiveness was not affected.
Available from motorcycle dealers or directly from Kryptonite (320 Turnpike Street, Canton, MA 02021; 617/828-6655) at a suggested retail price of $40, the Evolution 2000 is not the perfect theft prevention. Determined criminals can still use a torch or a hand grinder to cut through the lock, or they can pick the motorcycle up and toss it in the back of a van. But the Disc Lock works as advertised. Used as a highly portable first line of defense against theft, it is definitely cheap insurance. □
