Cyclone C-11 alarms - any good?

[neil.]

Hey folks,

Thinking about getting one of these as they're cheap and the reviews seem to be (mostly) positive. I know some chaps here have them and I'm wondering how you're all getting on with them in the long-term, especially those of you who cover a lot of miles all year round. Are these alarms up to that kind of constant use/riding in all weathers? Any horror stories of immobilisers failing and leaving you stranded etc?

[Pol Anorl]

Ye there great! never ever had a problem with my old one, i did take the speaker out though, it was embarasing getting off and on in a petrol station

"welcome to the cyclone c11 alarm system"
"Please remember to arm the alarm"

that came out swiflty, other than that great for the money get one

problems i found with it where when mine got too wet the blue led i had on stayed on but was faint, probably my dodgy wiring though
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[neil.]

Thanks for the reply! Indeed... I don't think I'll get the talking version..... Are you using the immobiliser and remote start features?

[nowhere.elysium]

Had one on the Bandit. It's OK, but does make a noticeable dent in the battery's charge. Also, by default, the motion sensor on it is a little bit on the paranoid side. For thirty quid, you can't really go wrong, though.
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[Marmalade]

I've used them on a few bikes, got one on one of my bikes and will probably get one for the one I just got.

Only issue i've ever had is once armed it can sometimes go off within about ten seconds, rearm it and it's fine.

Might be something to do with the voltage sense thing and once you know it can happen it's not a problem
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[Pol Anorl]

[LordShaftesbu...]

I've had 4 fitted to 3 different motorbikes and never had a problem. They're great, and show just what a ripoff the Datatool-type alarms are.

[serlant]

same as others, have had one on my VTR since april and in that time have done over 5000 miles so 200 a week or so and never had and problems with the battery always starts first time and have never needed to charge it, and remote start works fine, and with the immobiliser being standed isn't an issue as when installing it you realise how it imobilises the bike and that it would only take me 30 seconds to remove the alarm and get the bike started. edit: and no tools required to fix it if stranded because alarm is borked.
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[Teflon-Mike]

As others; well rated for the money.

Apparently the latest C11 is a bit better than older ones, you can adjust the shock sensor and it has a couple of other features; (higher current rating; better fob coding)

I messed around with the remote start function; but didn't use it. Idea was to go 'key-less' so the fob does the job of the ignition switch.

Few things about alarm:

1/ Going Keyless;

you are taking away a layer of defense. Alarm is simply doing the job of the ignition barel.

You are dependent on the alarm & fob to get on & ride. Not great if remote batteries die.

Also risk you can 'accidentally' turn ignition on with fob in your pocket, or pressing wrong button, & bike is 'startable & rideable'.

I have wired C11 in parallel with key; this can STILL be done, and I have! & If you leave lights on.... you come back to a flat battery! BUT; keeping key; while any-one might be able to turn the indicators on, flash the lights, sound the horn etc, even turn engine over.... they wont start the engine!

2/ Remote start?

Imagine some twit has bashed your gear-lever as they have walked past the bike, or bent down to take the lock of thier bike parked next to it or 'something'..... You walk casually towards bike; click 'dissarm' indicators flash & siren chirups; You click the lightning button; and the alarm clicks and the ignition comes on; you click the lightening button again, and it puts current on the starter solenoid to turn starter motor and turn over engine...... PROVIDED you have a neutral light inhibitor... thats as reliable as the neutral lamp, the bike WONT lurch forewards off the stand, before you can get to and 'save' it.....

Not a scenario where I would have much faith in the reliability of the neutral light circuit!

BUT, that kind of thing asside; unless you have a fuel injected bike; chances are, it wont start simply on touching the start button; it'll need choke and or throttle tickling to get it running.....

So apart from pose factor; I dont think its much practical 'use'.

3/ Current Draw / Battery life

Does have a reletively high current drain; though I believe its not significantly higher than many other systems. On CB125's 9Ah battery, I've left the bike a week, while on holiday & come back LED still flashing.

On Snowie's bike; instalation is a little more 'sensitive' than on the Corporal, & a heavy rain shower can set off the alarm; same week, though her alarm was also still lit when we got home, though I suspect if it was set off a lot during that time, might have flattened battery.

Only niggle was, battery low on return, enough juice to wirr starters but not make sparks; had to stick them on the charger for an hour to get them topped up and running.

4/ Cutting Out / hassle

I have had a couple of niggles with them, cutting out the engine when not wanted.

Each time, related to the alarm resetting, due to lack of power.

Ie; if power supply to alarm interrupted, can, depending how its wired, kill the engine.

Happened half a dozen times I suppose; traced to a loose battery wire on one occassion; low battery on others....

THIS is the scenario; battery is 'low', click fob, dissarm alarm, click, to activate ignition; put key in, press start..... current draw on starter drops the volts on the battery; alarm re-sets, imobiliser goes active... engine wont start...... you keep cranking..... battery gets flatter & flatter.... then you 'twig' alarm has re-set, to you fiddle with fob to de-activate imobiliser.... repeat!

You get bike started, but with very depleted battery..... ride off, headlamp on; pull up at a junction or traffic lights, revs drop, volts stop going into battery, start coming out, and "Welcome to Cyclone C11 Alarm System" as it resets and the engine conks!

This SOUNDS worse than it is; & if you know what the problem is & how to avoid it, its not a problem, just a quirk.

5/ Bypassing alarm

This is not difficult; & the 'get you home' solution to any alarm 'hassles' like flat fob (have had that one a couple of times) or low battery resets. BUT I';m NOT for obvious reasons going to explain on open forum!

Overall; its lights and noise, to detur the magpies; LED is bright, noise loud voice and siren; does the job well. Actual 'security', of imobiliser? Its NOT a lot, but, one more thing to slow, delay or hinder the tea-leaf.

Living with it? No major problems; as said, watch what you do with the key-fob. Does have quite remarkeable range, though curiosely directional, depending on where the antenea wire is located! Cutting out, not the alarms fault; user error letting battery go low. Key-fob is nice and sturdy; batteries in it dont always last T^HAT long though; worth getting some spares.

£24.98 to your door? Easy fit? Does the job? Its a lot of alarm for the money. AND; people that make them; British, in the UK, know what they are selling; happy to talk to you, sort problems etc; supporting thier product, which is worth a heck of a lot! Its not some bit of Chinky Tat that is cheap, takes six weeks to arrive and all you can do is chuck it in the bin when it stops working; Cyclone will 'help' with probs Supply key-fobs etc.

What more can you say about it? They are just great VF£
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[neil.]

Cheers everyone, I think I'm convinced...

[neil.]

Mike, thanks for that brilliant reply. I ride pretty much every day apart from when I'm on leave, so a week or so around Christmas time and in the summer, tota of about 5 weeks in a year. I don't think battery getting low will be a problem because I cover lots of miles. Unless the battery gets to the end of its life in a few years.

The bike is a CBF125, fuel injected, so the remote start should work okay as there's no choke to fiddle with etc. Not sure how practical that actually is though. Spare remote batteries can be easily stowed under the pillion seat (I assume something like a CR2032 button cell?).

[neil.]

£22.98 delivered (not interested in the talking one).

[LordShaftesbu...]

I've never ever used the remote start feature. As Mike said, it's just asking for trouble.

I quite like the remote arm feature though, or at least the idea of it. Say if someone tries to hijack the bike while you're at lights you can stop them getting very far.

[Teflon-Mike]

[LordShaftesbu...]

[neil.]

[Jebus]

i got one on my new baby varadero, sadly didn't have an instruction manual or anything with it so don't know if its got immobiliser, anti hijack or the other features apart from the movement sensor, can anybody explain how they work or know were i can get a copy of the instructions?
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2nd time around CBT: 8/9/11
125 Varadero

[Polarbear]

[Jebus]

That would be really helpful many many thanks !
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2nd time around CBT: 8/9/11
125 Varadero

[Polarbear]

will do tomorrow,
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[nowhere.elysium]

[Polarbear]

[neil.]

Well the deed is done, had a friend come over and we fitted these to both our bikes (we both have the same bike which helped). Nicely soldered and heat-shrinked in, as well as covering all the wiring up with that flexible ribbed conduit stuff. Better than the factory's effort with the bike's loom itself.

The beauty is that the alarm box connects via its own block connector to its own loom so you can still remove it really easily and leave its loom soldered in place with no effects on the bike's electrics at all.

Kids were impressed by the bike magically starting itself, and it's bypassable if you know what you're doing so I have no worries about being stranded. No way of hot-wiring it via the ignition barrel now. The build quality is really good IMO especially the connection blocks and the relays in the thing give a good meaty clunk. Only the sticky pads on the box and siren are a bit poor IMO so we glue-gunned the siren in place as well as strapping a cable tie to the box - belt and braces, as it were. It's BLOODY loud and the blue warning LED is very bright - will get a vid up soon.

£23 very well spent.

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