Drifter86 Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 (edited) I am considering whether it's worth going down the road, as it were of getting into motorcycling if I don't have a secure garage or parking space for my motorcycle. I know you can insure and purchase effective locks etc for a bike, but I'm concerned that thieves could just pick it up and stick it in the back of a van. The bike would be parked outside my apartment building in my car parking space, that is tucked around the back of my apartment building, so not on the main street, but still not secure as it were. Any advice welcome, thanks Edited August 16, 2021 by Drifter86 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggie Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 Welcome to the forum If someone wants to get it they will. All you can do is secure it as best you can. Alarms, disc locks etc. Always try and make sure it's chained to something secure so it can't be lifted and make sure the chain is not loose and is kept tight against bike to make it harder for bolt croppers to be used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynax Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 The only thing you can do is make it as difficult and time consuming as possible, so rather than using one very expensive chain use 3 or 4 cheaper ones, and using a cover often deters potential theives. Might be worth asking the landlord/housing authority etc if you can fit a ground or wall anchor, no harm in asking. I wouldn't let the threat of possible theft put you off from getting one, even asking a neighbour or friend for the use of a garage might be an idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
husoi Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 As @Tiggie says you need to make the bike secure so it deter potential thieves. A secure bike will take longer to steal and thieves are opportunistic and will prefer easier ones. If the parking is permanent I would suggest an anchor added to what was said. If is worth the risk vs the enjoyment that is a personal choice and you're the only one who can say what is your best choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six30 Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 get something Chinese , no self respecting thief would look twice at it. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxie49 Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 (edited) We all go through this at some stage or another, I know I do whenever I have to leave my bike somewhere that isn't that favourable .... As has already been said, make it as undesirable to any potential scrote as you can. Invest in a good quality lock and chain Almax is a good one but there are others, secure it to something immovable if possible, lamp post or a ground anchor if you're allowed to fit one. I use a good quality disc lock, Abus, front and rear and last but not least I cover it up. I don't bother with the steering lock, firstly it's crap and secondly, if they break it, which they're likely to do, then find out they can't get your other locks off, you'll be left with a repair bill and probably won't be able to ride the bike till it's fixed anyway. I would also, in your situation, look at maybe renting a lock up or garage. You can consider an alarm, personally I'm not a fan, and also a tracking device, which would hopefully mean your bike will be found, I use Monimoto, cheap and effective, but there are others, such as Biketrak. Consider when you leave it, parking it somewhere well lit, and when out and about, if possible, park it somewhere covered by street cameras. Personally I wouldn't let the fear of having my bike nicked stop me from riding, the pleasure and stress relief I get from motorcycles far outweighs any of these concerns Edited August 16, 2021 by manxie49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mississippi Bullfrog Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 Just worth saying that if you don't engage your steering lock the insurance can probably get out of paying up for any theft. One of their usual conditions is that steering locks must be engaged. Yes - they are useless but don't give the insurance any loophole to wriggle out of paying up for a theft. If potential theft is an issue go for something old and tatty and use several locks, with at least one with some form of audible alarm. As said already, a cover tends to make the bike less visible and obvious to thieves. If you can lock both wheels to the frame and the frame to something solid that's as good a it gets most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peatear Posted August 16, 2021 Share Posted August 16, 2021 2 hours ago, Drifter86 said: I am considering whether it's worth going down the road, as it were of getting into motorcycling if I don't have a secure garage or parking space for my motorcycle. I know you can insure and purchase effective locks etc for a bike, but I'm concerned that thieves could just pick it up and stick it in the back of a van. The bike would be parked outside my apartment building in my car parking space, that is tucked around the back of my apartment building, so not on the main street, but still not secure as it were. Any advice welcome, thanks Same boat. Looking to get my first big bike, and was going to wait for the actual purchase of one until i've managed to get a house of my own, with a garage. That'll be about 1yr and a half away. But decided I just can't wait that long, and i'm going to risk getting one and having it in my parking space behind the houses I live and jamming my car up against it. Along with disclocks, chains, and anchored to a lampost. And tracker. Only you know if it is worth the ballache, if you know your area etc - Like has been repeated, make it as hard to nick as you can to stop oppurtunistic w@nkers. If an organised bunch want your bike, then nothing is going to stop them. Even being in a garage. And that is all you can really do, is make it hard for the scrotey ones. 51 minutes ago, Six30 said: get something Chinese , no self respecting thief would look twice at it. Sadly, not true anymore. Heard of a lot of them being stolen/attempted-to-be stolen around here. Mainly oppurtunistic thefts and for just ragging around and destroying. But lots being taken. Even things like the Terrain, which isn't exactly a crazy bike, is being targeted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drifter86 Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 Thank you all for your replies. Very much appreciated. I think I'll look into the possibility of a ground anchor. Hopefully this could be a real possibility as I have a designated parking space and I have a long lease on the property. Many thanks, Drifter 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxie49 Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 19 hours ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said: Just worth saying that if you don't engage your steering lock the insurance can probably get out of paying up for any theft. One of their usual conditions is that steering locks must be engaged. Yes - they are useless but don't give the insurance any loophole to wriggle out of paying up for a theft. If potential theft is an issue go for something old and tatty and use several locks, with at least one with some form of audible alarm. As said already, a cover tends to make the bike less visible and obvious to thieves. If you can lock both wheels to the frame and the frame to something solid that's as good a it gets most of the time. I hear what you're saying on this one, and I know full well from experience that insurers, annoyingly, do try it on. my insurance policy stipulates the following "your motorcycle must be secured with an anti theft device when left unattended" I did check with them ages ago, they don't mind how it's secured so long as it is. I had an attempted theft of a bike years ago, they snapped the steering lock but couldn't get the shackle lock off. I was left with a bike that I couldn't ride, ignition barrel was knackered and yokes damaged, cost me nearly £400 for repair. Since that I've never been a fan of crappy steering locks, the only time I ever put the steering lock on is if I'm going in to pay for petrol or quickly nipping into a shop for something. The annoying thing is that manufacturers know the steering locks are crap but still haven't addressed the problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerontious Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 Someone who wants to steal your bike has to know where it is. That simple fact is the biggest aid to security over and above any gadgetry or hardware you might buy. A few weeks ago I was reading about a chap who had his brand new panigale stolen from his garage. The thieves got into his house and got the keys to the bike, which he left visible, entered the garage from the door in the kitchen which was unlocked. used the keys to disable the bikes alarm, used the fob to open the garage door and rode the bike away. This fella probably lead the thieves to his house. How else would they have known where it was? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 1 hour ago, Gerontious said: Someone who wants to steal your bike has to know where it is. That simple fact is the biggest aid to security over and above any gadgetry or hardware you might buy. A few weeks ago I was reading about a chap who had his brand new panigale stolen from his garage. The thieves got into his house and got the keys to the bike, which he left visible, entered the garage from the door in the kitchen which was unlocked. used the keys to disable the bikes alarm, used the fob to open the garage door and rode the bike away. This fella probably lead the thieves to his house. How else would they have known where it was? Apple Air tag would lead them to it, as would many other marvellous modern trackers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Westerly Posted August 18, 2021 Share Posted August 18, 2021 Yes motorbike theft is an issue but neither I nor other 2 riders in my family have ever had a bike stolen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dynax Posted August 18, 2021 Share Posted August 18, 2021 Another thing I do is keep my keys seperate, the bike key is on it's own and kept in a safe place at home and when out away from the bike kept in a small internal pocket in my jacket. The lock keys are kept somwhere else at home and in a different pocket in my jacket, and the alarm fob is in an easily accessible pocket when out and about, and just in case anyone tries I can given the oppotunity set off the panic button and sound the alarm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastbob Posted August 18, 2021 Share Posted August 18, 2021 The only bike I have ever had stolen was when I had no other choice but to park it in the street . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NathFZ1 Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 On 18/08/2021 at 12:22, S-Westerly said: Yes motorbike theft is an issue but neither I nor other 2 riders in my family have ever had a bike stolen. @S-Westerly whereabouts do you live? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggie Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 Somewhere between the Pacific & Indian Ocean most of the time I believe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bianco2564 Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 I had a bike stolen nearly 30 years ago outside work in broad daylight, vowed not to have anything decent again but that didn't last. I never leave my bikes anywhere but at home,work or the odd bike meet, if it at all looks a bit iffy where I'm going I'll take the car. Do get a little paranoid when we go on holiday, extra security on all the bikes and garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trooper74 Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 My son John went missing. The whole estate was out looking for him ... We called the police .... After 3 hours he was found .... asleep under his bed. We hugged him and after a few tears we all went to bed... In all the fuss and upset, for the first time ever, i did not put the locks on my Yamaha 350 YPVS. In the morning it was gone !! I’ve never forgiven him !!!! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Westerly Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 7 hours ago, NathFZ1 said: @S-Westerly whereabouts do you live? In Gloucestershire, my son (when he had a bike) lived in Bristol Harbourside. My son in law lives in various places but he's a cop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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