Anti-theft advice - bike thieves are stupid it would seem

[jonnyk5614]

So my old bike was in the carport the other night along with the new one. It was missing its disk lock as that was on the new'n.

Next morning found that some delightful chaps (or chapesses) had chopped the ignition barrel wires and tried to start it.
They were unsuccessful though, foiled it seems by a sizeable red switch not far from the starter button that says "STOP & RUN".
Yup, they didn't notice the kill-switch was off! :yes:


So yeah, not the most Hi-Tech immobilizer but seemingly worth flicking your kill switch when you park!


Cops laughed and went "yeah, they're not the smartest - can you bring it in for fingerprints please? Half the time they forget to wear gloves!"

[haydes55]

Make your bike hard to steal, they will still try, they will fuck up your bike then give up.... The damage won't be worth paying the excess of your insurance.

Leave your bike easy to steal, they will actually get away with it, then you can claim insurance and get a new bike.

Unless your bike is irreplaceable, over insure it by a grand or 2.

[R650R]

Not thieves, more likely feral scum out scavenging 'trying' to steal.

Turn fuel tap off too if you have one... But if proper thieves will prob be lifted straight onto van or ute and gone... Did hear of some tools down here who couldn't even smash a steering lock, the guy found his bike 200m away.
I don't know how you go about over insuring given you will be paid out market value anyway. AA is the only place that does agreed value on cars don't know anyone doing it for bikes???

[Erelyes]

Unless your bike is irreplaceable, over insure it by a grand or 2.

Why? So you can pay a higher premium, and then have the insurer find out you undervalued it by $2k and pay out only market value? Sounds like a shitty idea to me.

[FJRider]

... So yeah, not the most Hi-Tech immobilizer but seemingly worth flicking your kill switch when you park!

A simple hidden kill switch (in an easy to reach place) is easy to fit and use ...

[jasonu]

A simple hidden kill switch (in an easy to reach place) is easy to fit and use ...

That doesn't stop some coons throwing your pride and joy on the back of a ute and driving off with it.

[FJRider]

That doesn't stop some coons throwing your pride and joy on the back of a ute and driving off with it.

If they want it ... they'll take it. Just make it difficult for the idiot spur of the moment coons ...

I've never had theft issues with my FJ. Does nobody want to steal them .. ???

[Erelyes]

Make your bike hard to steal, they will still try, they will fuck up your bike then give up.... The damage won't be worth paying the excess of your insurance.

Leave your bike easy to steal, they will actually get away with it, then you can claim insurance and get a new bike.

Depends on whether it's a pro or an amateur. Which sort of thief are you having around today? (https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/t5shp/ex_thief_chopshop_operator_ama)

[Delerium]

So my old bike was in the carport the other night along with the new one. It was missing its disk lock as that was on the new'n.

Next morning found that some delightful chaps (or chapesses) had chopped the ignition barrel wires and tried to start it.
They were unsuccessful though, foiled it seems by a sizeable red switch not far from the starter button that says "STOP & RUN".
Yup, they didn't notice the kill-switch was off! :yes:


So yeah, not the most Hi-Tech immobilizer but seemingly worth flicking your kill switch when you park!


Cops laughed and went "yeah, they're not the smartest - can you bring it in for fingerprints please? Half the time they forget to wear gloves!"

Thieves in general are thicker than pig shit, and lazy. ITs why they do thievery.
Good news you kept your bike.

[varminter]

You only have to watch a few of the cop shows to see how depressingly stupid the average lawbreaker seems to be. I'm convinced that they wear jandals because shoe laces at too difficult.

[Matt_TG]

If they want it ... they'll take it. Just make it difficult for the idiot spur of the moment coons ...

I've never had theft issues with my FJ. Does nobody want to steal them .. ???

They don't know what they are missing!

[awa355]

I always reckoned that a bike that has to be lifted up and carried away, or needs time to cut chains etc, is less likely to be taken than one which can be wheeled away.
Nothing is going to prevent a planned theft.

[pritch]

Nothing is going to prevent a planned theft.

Exactly. If they know what they have to deal with, and they have the time, there is nothing you can do to prevent theft. All we can do is make things difficult enough so that they decide to pick the low hanging fruit and steal some other poor bugger's bike.

Bearing in mind that security is always a trade-off against convenience and we all have to choose our own level of embuggerance.

[OddDuck]

GPS tracking (not too pricey these days), some trackers have a fence setting so if it moves then the bike sends you an alert text

Bike alarm

Motion sensor lighting

Hidden kill switch

Locked garage with decent bolts (discretely done: obvious security means goodies inside)

IR camera with IR lights on motion activated or continual loop recording - half the time (at least) the cops know these guys by sight and if you have frames showing faces then they know who to look for

Keep it out of sight of passers-by and never leave it visible or accessible from the street at night

Avoid vehicles that sell easily in the stolen goods market (I guess in bikes this is Harleys? Not really sure)

If its distinctive or rare it's recognisable, therefore a risk to be seen on, therefore hard to fence or sell

Anchor chain through wheel or frame to dynabolted mount into concrete floor

Keep it quiet about where you live and what the security is, make sure that the scumbags don't get word of your bike at your address and how to get around locks / alarms

Get a dog and reward it every time for kicking up a fuss if strangers enter the property

As another poster said, it's about the level of hassle you don't mind living with.

[pzkpfw]

How about a hidden switch that simply connects ignition or something to the horn?

Seems a lot of bikes are fiddled with while outside the owners own house.

Some bastard has a go at the bike - it does a nice parp.

Simple?

[FJRider]

They don't know what they are missing!

Actually ... I like it that the FJ is not attracting attention. Easy to insure too ...

[jonnyk5614]

I've heard people doing the hidden immobilizer stuff but, to be honest, didn't a guy die on a group ride in Wellington when his Harley immobiliser suddenly cut his engine?

In short - not a fan of messing with the engine wiring, not only for safety but also for when some pesky spade connector has come loose, it is 4am, pissing with rain and you are out in the whops.