Motorbike security

eidolon

eidolon

eidolon

Soldato
Joined
31 Oct 2002
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Newcastle upon Tyne
After reading this thread I was wondering what's the best methods of securing your bike? What are the essentials I should get for when I get my first bike?

(I'm a complete bike n00b so go easy on me :D)
 
Garage, alarm, ground anchor and lots and lots of chains attached to anything on your bike that can't be easily removed.
 
Ground anchor sunk into either the ground or something extremely heavy (concrete poured into a dustbin is one I've seen used before). A decent chain and padlock (note: Thatcham approved means bugger all really) with not much slack locked through the frame (not a wheel, it can be removed). Reason for not much slack is that if it can be put on the ground then it can be hit with a sledgehammer or similar.

In a garage ideally so it's out of site and adds another layer of security for them to get through. If it's not in a garage then a cover often helps as if it can't be seen then it will usually put off opportunist thieves.
 
If your after a decent chain and lock, then i suggest Almax. Watched their demo at the NEC a couple of years ago. They broke most if not all the "top rated" thatcham approved chains and locks very easily and were nearly kicked out of the bike show for doing it. Seems the "top rated" lock people werent happy about how quick their locks and chains could be broke!

Ground is a good option as well.
 
I'm not too worried about when it's in the garage as that's got good locks and would have my car parked up against it too so it should be safe enough, I'm just wondering about when I'm out and about or at work, what's the best security for that sort of situation?
 
I'm pretty rubbish when it comes to security when my bikes out, occasionally use a chain, but its a pain to carry most of the time.
As mentioned Almax chains are very good, but very heavy and not ideal for carrying around. I don't have a ground anchor or chain at home either, but the shed is quite secure and its a big enough pain getting my bike out with the keys for the shed/gates. The bike will only get through the 1st gate at a certain angle to the next gate through the porch at the side of the house.
 
From the stories ive heard.. id have to say a good insurance policy.. If they really want it they will take it :/ Of course all the above will help but as said carrying chains etc with you when out and about must be a lot of hassle. Shame :(
 
I never carry a chain with me when I'm out.. but I never leave my bike anywhere unsafe either! Either surrounded by about 20+ other bikes or just outside a shop etc for 2mins.
 
They'll get it if they want it.

If it's somewhere public, make it very public. Once I parked my bike at Lakeside in a multi-story carpark... while I was shopping (about an hour, at about 8pm-9pm), someone unbolted my fuel tank to get at my electrics and only left it when they found a Meta alarm where they thought the normal loom would be... Then I took a job at Lakeside, and in the five months I've been leaving it in plain sight in a main thoroughfare that's always got people around, it's not been touched.

If it's at your house, just try and make sure no one knows it's there. i.e don't leave it out - when you get in, put it away. If it's out of sight, they won't know it's there, and if they don't know it's there, they can't steal it.

The stories you hear about bike thefts are absolutely shocking, if they want it badly enough there's literally no stopping the scumbags.

Besides that, an Almax lock attached to a ground anchor that's attached to something pretty ****ing solid.. you know, like.. the planet. As above, try and keep the chain off the ground, to help fend off brute force attacks. Zanx's videos of him chopping through chains that cost £££ in under a minute is pretty scary... makes you realise that if they want it they'll have it, so when it comes down to it, you best security at home is obscurity.
 
Luckily I live in a quiet secluded area, so I'm not overly worried about my bikes security.

However it is locked in a shed with an link to the house alarm.
 
Nothing I did stopped them getting my 125 -

In a locked, alarmed garage
Steering lock on
Chained up
Battery disconnected
No fuel
Parked behind the car
Alarmed

They still managed to take it. I now don't bother with all the fancy stuff, just steering lock, a basic alarm/chain combo and a damned good insurance policy.
 
Hmmm.......this doesn't sound good.

Would it be illegal to have an Alsation as my pillion and tie him to the bike when I leave it parked?
 
funnily enough you can get tank bags for pets, though an alsation may be a bit large!

As previously stated if they want it they will get it. An Almax with a ground anchor would reduce the chances of this happening. (Saying that a friends R1 was nabbed despite an Almax, they pulled a lamp post out of the ground to get the bike.)

Chains are big and heavy, buy 1 for each site the bike is left at regularly.

NEVER wrap the chain around your chest when riding, if you come off the consequences can be very nasty.
 
oxford monster, hopefully I wont find out if its worth the money.

theres nothing you can really do to stop someone taking it if they know what they're doing and they want it, you can stop joy riders and silly little chavs nicking it though with a big chain.
 
I dont use anything anymore as most determined thieves will get bike whatever, have alarm to put off the chav scum...but instead park in very public places, certainly wouldn't leave a bike in town at night.

heard my old r1 alarm warning beep a couple years back , rushed out and there was a 4 inch screw in my ignition GITS

Don't buy oxford anything, remember when a large percentage of all there locks could be opened like this.. just cant trust them anymore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zy8sEj8etU

edit: most modern bikes have a imobilizer thats de-armed from your key automatically, and when combined with a good alarm thats at least 4 points of imobilization so they aint gonna get it started in a hurry
 
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Tree or lamp post, biggest ass chain and padlock you can get. Like I said, they tried to get mine on a number of occasions but unless they are determined with some serious bolt cutters they won't get it. They usually won't bother unless your bike is really something special.
 
As has been said. If someone really wants to nick it, they will, no matter what security you have. The key is to stop the oppotunist theif.
I don't use a ground anchor but the bike is parked in a locked garage with my Lexus rammed up against the garage door. Essentially they would need to steal my car in order to steal the bikes.
 
I've got a disk lock on mine which is always handy because they won't be able to wheel the bike away, unless they take off the front wheel. On the lock I've got there is no access to the actual link, only a very thick block. Also I chain it to something very solid out side work, one of them steel anti-ram posts they stick into the ground, and I'm sure they won't be able to get that out lol.
 
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