Protect Your Motorcycle and Prevent Theft With These Security Tips
Motorcycles are great; we love motorcycles. From the roar of their engines to the feeling you get when you rip that throttle open, it’s an unbelievable feeling, getting that instant acceleration and blasting your problems away for a short time.
We use them for all sorts of reasons, from commuting to and from a place of work to joyriding on the weekends; they’re a source of fun for many and a lifestyle for many more riders.
The problem is that other people like motorcycles too, and they like your motorcycle, potentially enough to try and take it from you.
Motorcycle theft is at an all-time high and is rising year after year, this, unfortunately, comes as no surprise given the price of motorcycles is rising and thieves can cash a more expensive cheque for the same amount of work, with top-of-the-range motorcycles costing around £50,000.
Additionally, tools are becoming more and more sophisticated, with the best power tools being able to be operated without the use of a cable, meaning they can be stuffed into a bag and used very easily to cut through chains, motorcycle locks, and the like before being hidden away again.
Thieves will stop at nothing to get something they want to steal, and for the price of a brake disc, they will happily cut through this to bypass the brake lock and retrieve the motorcycle this way. It takes thieves on average around 20 seconds to steal a motorcycle, some motorcycles may take longer, but generally, a team of thieves can steal a motorcycle in under a minute.
Most motorcycles are stolen from their owners’ homes or from the streets outside their homes, where the bikes may have been parked. Many thieves are opportunistic and may take the chance to steal a motorcycle without much planning. However, groups of thieves who know where motorcycles are kept may try to scout and survey the area in the days or weeks before they steal one.
Why do thieves steal motorcycles?
The main and most obvious reason why thieves steal motorcycles is that it’s a lucrative business to do so. The upside potential from selling the motorcycle or stripping it for its parts versus the 60 seconds of effort it would take to steal one is massive; they can get a good payday for minimal work. Or they can simply have a joyride for a while before dumping it somewhere.
Because it is difficult to track down individual parts from a motorcycle, bikes can be broken down and parts listed on marketplace websites, where unsuspecting buyers will purchase them, believing they have found a bargain.
Criminals can also remove chassis numbers, engine markings, and other identifying features and potentially replace them with an alternative number or leave them blank, making it incredibly hard to track these items and which motorcycle they may have come from. Often, selling parts separately will net thieves more money than selling the motorcycle as is, if they’re prepared to put in the work to strip the motorcycle down.
What can I do to stop the theft of my motorcycle?
It’s not easy to prevent a motorcycle from being stolen; criminals will go to great lengths to get their hands on a bike they want; potential thieves typically have specific bikes in mind due to order lists from possible buyers; and if you happen to have the bike they’re wanting, you could be in a bit of a pickle.
To access the motorcycles they want, thieves have been known to break down walls, hack through garage doors, and even enter garages through the roof on occasion. Nearly every year, we hear that motorcycle racing teams’ offices or shops have been broken into and valuable motorcycles or parts have been stolen.
However, it is not all gloom and doom because there are steps you can take to help avoid the theft of your motorcycle, or at the very least, take steps to decrease the likelihood that it will occur.
It is crucial to invest money in high-quality tools and surveillance technology. A thief is less likely to try to steal your motorcycle if they believe there is a high likelihood of being caught or if it would take too long to steal because of the presence of deterrents.
Realistically, if you value your motorcycle, you’re going to want to pay top dollar for top security equipment.
What security measures should I take to keep my motorcycle safe?
Park in a visible place
If you can’t park your motorcycle in a garage overnight and have to leave it parked outside during the day, you must do so in a place where people walking by can see it, or where you yourself can see it at all times.
Leaving it in a location that is well-lit, highly visible, and easy to notice will make it less likely that your motorcycle will be stolen. The more cover would-be thieves have, the more likely they are to try to steal your motorcycle, as they will have more time to break through chains and locks without being spotted.
Also, it will help you a lot if you can park where a CCTV camera or other form of surveillance can see you.
Chains and locks
Utilising chains and locks will help you buy more time if there is a thief trying to steal your motorcycle; although these items aren’t bulletproof and the right power tools will eventually cut through the chains, links, and padlock, they are designed to take a long time to cut through.
Some of the best locks on the market take up to 5 minutes to be completely cut through and removed; this is enough time to raise the alarm that the motorcycle is being stolen and hopefully scare the would-be thieves away to another target, protecting your pride and joy.
Furthermore, potential thieves may avoid a chained-up motorcycle, knowing that the time spent would be in vain.
Items such as disc locks also come in very handy, as they completely stop the motorcycle from moving, meaning they would have to be broken before the motorcycle could be taken away.
Immobiliser and alarm
Good equipment, such as an alarm and immobiliser, can prevent a motorcycle thief from making off with your ride. The engine control unit (ECU) includes an immobiliser that prevents the engine from starting without the correct key.
Even if the key spins and fits in the ignition barrel, it will not start the engine or turn the ignition on.
Install a tracker on your motorcycle
Trackers are powerful tools that can make it more likely that your stolen motorcycle will be returned to you in a timely manner.
You can easily tell the police and other responsible parties where the motorcycle is, which speeds up the time it takes to find it.
Covers
If you want to make your motorcycle less of a target, a motorcycle cover is a great investment. They’re not too expensive, and they add an extra degree of security by making it so that a potential thief would have to manually remove the cover in order to see what bike is underneath.
If you choose a dark cover, you may also hide your motorcycle during the day, making it less of a target for thieves who are seeking specific models. A black cover will help conceal your motorcycle from prying eyes and keep it out of sight at night.