Best ways to keep your motorcycle safe from thieves
We look at the best ways to keep your motorcycle safe from thieves, and some of the best security products available to prevent them from getting their sticky mitts on it.
Last year in London alone over 9000 motorcycles were stolen. That’s a staggering figure.
As a biker who rides in London pretty much every day I hate to see thieves get the better of us. So it’s time to fight back, not literally as some of these bastards are armed. Instead, let’s look at some of the best ways and products to prevent your motorbike from going walkies whilst at home and away.
Top Tips
Follow these tips to keep your motorbike safe from thieves:
Chain up the rear wheel of your motorcycle to something immovable like railings, lamp posts or a ground anchor. Keep the chains as tight to the machine as possible and try to ensure they are off the ground as they’re harder to cut through.
If you can, keep your motorcycle in an alarmed secure garage, especially at home.
If you’re out and about, park your motorcycle where it can be seen, not tucked away down a quiet alleyway. It might be tempting to hide your bike but the more eyes on it the less attractive it becomes to a potential thief.
Always lock and cover over your motorcycle if it’s outside. Having a cover means your bike will better blend in and be harder to identify as a worthy target.
Use a proprietary part marking system like Datatag or Alpha Dot to deter professional thieves and help trace your motorcycle if it is stolen. A little sticker on the dash is a good way to signify these parts are marked and traceable.
Always use approved locks and chains such as Sold Secure or Thatcham. Buying this level of security has the added benefit of reducing insurance premiums.
Products
Locks, chains and ground anchors
Almax Immobiliser Series IV UBER 19mm + Squire SS65CS Stronghold Lock + Defiant Ground Anchor
Millenco Snaefell Diamond Lock and 22mm Chain
Although ground anchors are a bit of a mission to install, they are a solid immovable object you can chain your motorbike to - making the thieves job even harder. And because most thieves are lazy this makes your precious ride less worthy of nicking.
When buying locks and chains always look for the sold secure marking, this way you can rest easy knowing it will be a proper pig to cut through.
Covers
Oxford Aquatex cover
No thrills here, cheap and cheerful is the best way. If you spend anything more than fifty quid on a bike cover in London then chances are it will get stolen. Just keeping it real.
Disk locks
Oxford Alpha XA14 Alarm Disc Lock
Abus GRANIT™ Detecto XPlus™ 8077
Disks locks are a quick and easy way to add additional security to your bike, although a chain and padlock are always the more secure option. Some disk locks are alarmed, which is handy, as you don’t want to faff around with installing a Thatcham approved alarm system.
Alarms
Alarms might be a bit of a thorn in the side at times (especially if fitted incorrectly), but they are fairly effective as a deterrent. Just bear in mind that they drain the bike's battery if you don’t ride every day, so be sure to keep it on a trickle charger over the winter.
Personally, as someone with a Datatool alarm fitted to their bike, I'd prefer an alarmed disk lock, but if you are in the market for an alarm then Datatool is the way to go.
Trackers
Trackers in replacement of an alarm are without doubt the better option, and most motorcycle dealers offer them free of charge on new bikes, such as Honda (Datatool), and Ducati (Biketrac).
Trackers alone won’t stop your bike getting stolen, but they will help you to get it back by alerting you via call or text message if your bike is being tampered with. If you rely on your bike every day then you need a tracker.
A big plus over a traditional alarm system is that the MoniMoto tracker is completely wireless! Pretty cool aye.
For both of the trackers to work, you’ll need to purchase the tracker itself and then pay a monthly subscription fee of around ten pounds. Totally worth it in my humble opinion.
Combine all of these products above together and you've got yourself one 'hot' motorcycle, and by that I mean ain't no one going to wanna nab it.
