How do you lock your bike up... suggestions appreciated

**WildBoarMouse** · 5th July 2005, 19:16

Right... If you keep your bike in the garage the whole time, or if you park it up only to walk into a shop, or to sit down within sight of your bike; how do you go about locking it up for those times where you anticipate leaving it out for more than a few hours. Not over night... Just for a few hours e.g. while you're at work during the day

If I'm away from the bike for any period of time, I'd like to be able to stick a chain lock on the bike... but have nowhere to carry the bloody thing. The area under the GSX seat is certainly big enough for a disk lock (so long as it didn't fall through onto the road during travel) but is way to small to fit any kind of decent chain lock. I'd rather not carry a back pack around just to avoid these situations.

Disk lock's are great... so long as you don't forget they're on there and mangle your own bike

They're also a little less visible to a potential thief who may manage to mangle your bike by not realising it's on there either... yet still trying to make off with the thing.

Has anyone got any suggestions? The must be a few people out there that have come up with a good compromise!

**onearmedbandit** · 5th July 2005, 19:27

I'm not in the habit of leaving my bike unattended for more than 5 minutes, but if I have to I at least lock the steering lock and arm the alarm. As it's very rare for me to leave it, I haven't taken any other steps to protect it. When it's parked in the garage, its locked, alarmed and my truck is parked over the doors so there is no way of entering or taking the bike if entrance is gained. (If my cage is broken into, the factory immobiliser kills the computer so it ain't going no-where).

On the subject of disc-locks, you can buy ones that have a motion-activated siren, to remind you or a thief, also there are those that come with a 'key' that you put into the ingnition on your bike, stopping you from starting the bike before you remove it, hopefully reminding you at the same time why it's there, ie you disc lock is still on.

**bugjuice** · 5th July 2005, 19:29

I've got a disc lock for my bike. You usually get a bright yellow/orange sticker to put on the dash/triple clamp somewhere, and that should remind you, and warn others. Normally, they come in a pouch, you can attach the pouch solid to the bike somewhere, like to the frame etc..

I also leave the bike in gear and flick the kill switch, just to make it that little more tricky.

There are some cable locks that wrap round real tight in a coil, until you unwrap them, they're quite space savvy

**Ixion** · 5th July 2005, 19:31

Well, you always presumaly have the standard steering head lock, and ignition lock.

That's probably enough to deter casual joyriders.

Beyond that, the big problem is that it's not too hard to chuck a bike on the back of a ute. So disk locks etc don't really help that much.

I always try to fasten the bike to something immoveable. A lamp post , cage if you're in a group that includes one, a building , something.

How I do that differs bike to bike. The Whale has heaps of luggage space. so here I use the steering headlock. Then I have a stronge special purpose chain and padlock (hasp is recessed so you can't get bolt cutters on it) , which I put through the front wheel and round the frame. Then I have a strong steel strop , about 1 inch diameter and 8 foot long. This goes through the frame and to something fixed, as above. Secured with a honking big U lock that also locks through the back wheel.

Li'l Ratty, I can't carry this.So I have a smaller flexible wire strop that I lock the frame through a fixed thing, Then steering head lock, and a disk lock. that;s all light enough to stow in my jacket pockets (they're quite large), or in my bag.

**DingDong** · 5th July 2005, 19:38

Impossible to fully protect your bike... but if only for a few hours you can put a small pad-lock through the bottom of the chain (if you got one) just befor the rear sproket, and as long as your chains not stretched the chain will jam if someone pushes it, or break, if someone rides it off hard... if you take off normally and not like a mad man, I'm sure you'll notice before you stuff your chain...

I take no responsibility for any damage to you or your bike should you take any of my advice... I'm not an authority in this subject

**DingDong** · 5th July 2005, 19:42

Originally Posted by Ixion

....so here I use the steering headlock. Then I have a stronge special purpose chain and padlock (hasp is recessed so you can't get bolt cutters on it) , which I put through the front wheel and round the frame. Then I have a strong steel strop , about 1 inch diameter and 8 foot long. This goes through the frame and to something fixed, as above. Secured with a honking big U lock that also locks through the back wheel.

Li'l Ratty, I can't carry this.So I have a smaller flexible wire strop that I lock the frame through a fixed thing, Then steering head lock, and a disk lock. that;s all light enough to stow in my jacket pockets (they're quite large), or in my bag.

Excessive or paranoid?...

**Waylander** · 5th July 2005, 19:45

Be hard for someone to steal your bike anyway wouldn't it OAB?

Disk locks work but as you said you just have to remember that it's there and not act superior to bikers on less fancy bikes than yours. Had a guy on a ducati somethin or other laugh at me one day when I parked my 250 Rebel next to him once as he was leavin. Then I laughed at him as his bike fell over from the front wheel jaming on the disk lock.

**Ixion** · 5th July 2005, 19:54

Originally Posted by wayne kohi

Excessive or paranoid?...

Depends on how much you trust people I guess. I don't put everything on all the time, depends on how long I'm going to be away, and the area I'm leaving it in. Even with the full monty on the Whale it takes only a couple of minutes to secure or remove. That's cheap peace of mind. And carrying the gear is no matter on the Whale. It all fits neatly unde rthe kitchen sink.

Li'l Ratty I can securein 30 seconds.

**Aitch** · 5th July 2005, 19:58

and one of those wiggly windy things from the lock onto the handlebars

**riffer** · 5th July 2005, 19:58

A Magnum Security Chain (5-star rating) wrapped around the back tyre and frame and around a three inch thick pole.

When the gargre is finished in a few days (yeah right) add a locked roller door to that.

But that's just at home...

At work its parked in the basement of the State Services Building, with camera security, swipe-card access and security guards.

Out on the street it's a worry. I tend not to leave it alone too often.

Or, as I did last Saturday week for Trashy's leaving do, I park it next to a newer looking bike (in this case Sels1's BMW) in the hope they'll steal that first

**roo** · 5th July 2005, 20:00

heh... when I got my baby and was even more paranoid than now (if possible), i went and got me one of them uber-wicked german disc locks. ([heat/freeze/cut/break]-proof). Coupled with the funky yamaha-speshul-sekure-key-to-komput0r-sekret-password-exchange(tm) (which really only means you fork out $5000 when you lose the key) it deters most theives.
I figure the only people who'll successfully steal it are those who know exactly what it is, where it is, and want it enough.
You probably aint gonna stop those guys anyway, short of hiding beside your baby all day and jumping out with a 12guage loaded with rock salt when they finally turn up. (if you havent dozed off in the meantime...). Or for a reasonable fee, I'll come and watch it for you while you work...

Now I just got to figure out how to stop those cunts who sit on her, tweak her mirrors, flick her switches and leave her in gear. The day I catch somebody f*ckin doing that is gonna be a day worth remembering.

**crashe** · 5th July 2005, 20:01

I have a disc lock that goes on the front wheel...
The steering lock, I have never used as it is a awkward place to get at.

I have started the bike up with the disc lock on....it only moves 10 inches....
I am wanting to get one of those windy thingee's that can be attached to the disc lock and then on up to the brake or gear lever as a reminder I have the disc lock on.

At night the bike is locked up in the garage.
No matter where I go, I lock up the bike... unless I am in the fish n chip shop etc etc and then I stand out side with the bike...

I ain't taking chances of any one nicking my baby.

**WildBoarMouse** · 5th July 2005, 20:05

Originally Posted by onearmedbandit

I'm not in the habit of leaving my bike unattended for more than 5 minutes, but if I have to I at least lock the steering lock and arm the alarm. As it's very rare for me to leave it, I haven't taken any other steps to protect it. When it's parked in the garage, its locked, alarmed and my truck is parked over the doors so there is no way of entering or taking the bike if entrance is gained. (If my cage is broken into, the factory immobiliser kills the computer so it ain't going no-where).

On the note of alarms... are they really worth it for bikes?

**Waylander** · 5th July 2005, 20:08

Originally Posted by WildBoarMouse

On the note of alarms... are they really worth it for bikes?

If you get one with a tilt and shock sensor and the main unit of it is well hidden then yea. If the bike is worth a bit and helps lower insurance cost I believe.

**DingDong** · 5th July 2005, 20:16

Originally Posted by roo

Now I just got to figure out how to stop those cunts who sit on her, tweak her mirrors, flick her switches and leave her in gear. The day I catch somebody f*ckin doing that is gonna be a day worth remembering.

This has never happend to me... I hope it doesnt catch on, because someone will die... unless its a hot chick wanting a demo

hugh voice "ooooh yeah.... its fast baby"