While disassembling my 1993 K75 project bike I came across this object zip-tied to the center portion of the center stand mounting bracket. It has no markings on it at all.  It's magnetic enough to stick to the refrigerator door easily (but not super strong like a neodymium magnet). It doesn't seem to be in a position to somehow trigger any sensor and it certainly is not holding up the center stand cross bar.  Whatever it is (was) it seems to be serving no more purpose. Was thinking maybe some kind of sensor for an aftermarket alarm or something but that's just a guess. I took it off to clean up the center stand and was about to dissect it to see what's inside (besides a big magnet), but I thought I'd first throw this mystery challenge out to you guys for fun. Any guesses? 

Some people fitted them under motorcycles to help activate the traffic light change. They were supposed to activate the coil of wire imbedded in the asphalt at traffic lights. I used to have problems activating certain lights and I got in trouble for dismounting at one particular set of lights and activating the pedestrian button. I had been watching him watching me after sitting through four light changes. A long and interesting argument ensued he was going to book me.
Regards Martin.

Another hypothesis: it could be a cure for weak springs, to make the stand stick to its support. 
Or a very optimistic system to prevent puncture by magnetising nails before they hit the rear tyre.

A similar devise is fitted on steel hull boats to reduce/prevent corrosion, just a wild guess 

MartinW wrote:Some people fitted them under motorcycles to help activate the traffic light change. They were supposed to activate the coil of wire imbedded in the asphalt at traffic lights. I used to have problems activating certain lights and I got in trouble for dismounting at one particular set of lights and activating the pedestrian button. I had been watching him watching me after sitting through four light changes. A long and interesting argument ensued he was going to book me.
Regards Martin.

I'm now far enough removed from that job to admit this: multiple decades ago I used to design traffic systems. The problem you had there Martin was that the detector loops for that traffic lane had drifted out of tune. I have no idea about Aussie law but had that been the case in the UK and the problem had been reported to the local traffic authorities, yon peeler wouldn't have had a leg to stand on. I had a similar problem when on late shift in Belfast and spent weeks jumping a red light even after I'd reported it; then one night it myseriously started detecting LFB again.

You're right about the magnet; I recall them being on sale. They don't work of course as the detector loops rely on a magnetic field being disturbed by a mass of steel passing overhead.

@Moriati: that's a big chunk of zinc called a sacrificial anode and it has to be bonded to the hulll. I have some not-so-fond (but somewhat interesting!) memories of changing two sacrificial anodes on a boat in about ten feet of water. It took an hour to change one and I used up almost a full bottle of air doing it. I also came up with a real appreciation of the problems that NASA had to solve for working in weightless conditions.

Thanks Dai, You are a man of many talent's, and i learnt something new again 

Can it be opened?  I recall spare key carriers that had magnetic cases that you could attach under a rocker panel or wheel well.  I

f it isn't one of the signal triggers it might be a key case.  Strange place to put it, though.

It supposedly triggers traffic lights. 

https://motorbikewriter.com/mythbusting-green-light-trigger/

Many states have laws to address the issue of motorcycles not being able to trigger traffic light sensors. Since you're in Seattle it might be handy to know that RCW 46.61.184 provides for motorcycles to proceed with caution after one failed cycle:

https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.184

Dai after I triggered the green light by hitting the pedestrian button the cop pulled me over and asked me what did I think I was doing in a rather caustic manner. I said that I had sat through four cycles of lights and that it obviously wasn't going to change and that I only had three choices. One pull back out into traffic over a solid white line, illegal, two run a red light, illegal according to him or trigger the pedestrian button which I viewed as the safest option  and again illegal. As he had ruled all my options as illegal and was going to book me I asked him for future reference what was I supposed to do in this situation. He looked a bit confused, and after I pressed him for a solution he got a bit irritated and told me to go without booking me. I used to work with a lot of cops and I had a talk to a senior Sargeant who said that if a light fails to trigger I could have gone through the red in  safe manner. I still liked my method which the Sargeant said was illegal but funny and I could have been booked but it would have likely been thrown out of court.
Regards Martin.

In Toronto, I'd opt to dismount and trigger the pedestrian crossing lights. That's not deemed illegal and is the safest move.  If you're allowed to make a right turn on a red signal (which is legal in Canada but don't know if this is legal in Australia), the other option is to make a right turn and then execute a 3-point turn which puts you in the direction you want to go.  A U-turn would be illegal in Ontario.

Thanks guys. Traffic Light Trigger Magnet it is!

I can take my tinfoil hat off now assured that the government satellites aren't tracking me through this devise. 

And Duck, 
   I read through a bunch of your previous posts for fun. You seem to know a thing or two. If you're ever near Snohomish or Woodinville and want to see an amateur K75 restore attempt, hit me up. Take care.

MMM - from Seattle wrote:Thanks guys. Traffic Light Trigger Magnet it is!

I can take my tinfoil hat off now assured that the government satellites aren't tracking me through this devise. 

And Duck, 
   I read through a bunch of your previous posts for fun. You seem to know a thing or two. If you're ever near Snohomish or Woodinville and want to see an amateur K75 restore attempt, hit me up. Take care.

Great you are now more relaxed re magnet. 
However, don't throw away your tin hat just yet. You probably are being watched by government satellites... the question is which government?

MMM - from Seattle wrote:I can take my tinfoil hat off now assured that the government satellites aren't tracking me through this devise. 

That's what smart phones are for.