Bike theft - What do you do to stop it?

**janno** · 10th July 2007, 16:30

Pinching bikes seems to be more of a hobby in Unzud than in Aus - seems like alot of KBers have got their bikes nicked lately. I don't hear so much of it in Brisbane, though could just be living in blissful ignorance of course.

Anyway, the bike and I are moving over to New Plymouth in August. And I'm a little concerned that it'll get pinched, which would rip my undies after all the effort of getting the damned thing over, let alone losing my pride and joy. (My bike that is, not my undies).

What do people do for security if they are leaving their bikes for any length of time in a public place?

And bike security at home? I'll have a garage to put it in, but I'm wondering what measures to take to try and prevent someone pinching it from the garage.

So what are people's tricks of the trade? Apart from leathal booby traps of course . . .

**babyblade250rr** · 10th July 2007, 16:47

generally speaking it's very unusual for someone to steal a bike from a locked garage, as for parking in public places for a period of time cheap option disc brake lock, if the bike really is your pride and joy consider a motorcycle alarm, a good one will set you back around $500NZ fitted. You may want to look at getting one fitted before you bring your bike over if you can find it cheaper.

**TLMAN** · 10th July 2007, 16:54

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...91594.htm?p=29

Try the above link, it states its for a Harley but will fit most bikes. I think you can also get a small GPS tag that is able to give you the location of the bike if it is ever stolen so you can track it down and ask nicely for it back....

**janno** · 10th July 2007, 16:55

Baby blade - Hey - good point! Hadn't thought of that. I'll check out the bike alarms over here. One of the good things about having 10 trillion bikes wherever you go in Qld is that the market for add ons is quite competitive.

Bling to you for being brainy.

Thanks, tlman, just looked at that link. I'd be worried that if it shat itself in a random location I'd be stuck . . .

**babyblade250rr** · 10th July 2007, 16:56

Good idea and good luck with it!

**Steam** · 10th July 2007, 16:59

If I had a nice bike and needed to leave it out a night, I'd use a Steel mate Alarm. $100 or less.
I'd also fit a Snitch, one of those clever GPS trackers you can monitor in realtime. $1500 or so.
A real tough disc lock. $100
And a top-of-the-line Oxford chain and lock to tie it to a lamppost. $150

Look, if a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing properly.

**James Deuce** · 10th July 2007, 17:00

I have insurance. If your bike gets targetted there's nothing you can do to prevent it going that won't result in the bike theft victim (attempted or otherwise) ending up in court on charges themself.

**WarlockNZ** · 10th July 2007, 17:03

I bought a Hyosung .. nuff said ... LOL

An alarm and a disk lock is always a good place to start ... but if someone really wants to take it ... there isn't much you can do to stop them.

**inlinefour** · 10th July 2007, 17:05

Originally Posted by janno

Pinching bikes seems to be more of a hobby in Unzud than in Aus - seems like alot of KBers have got their bikes nicked lately. I don't hear so much of it in Brisbane, though could just be living in blissful ignorance of course.

Anyway, the bike and I are moving over to New Plymouth in August. And I'm a little concerned that it'll get pinched, which would rip my undies after all the effort of getting the damned thing over, let alone losing my pride and joy. (My bike that is, not my undies).

What do people do for security if they are leaving their bikes for any length of time in a public place?

And bike security at home? I'll have a garage to put it in, but I'm wondering what measures to take to try and prevent someone pinching it from the garage.

So what are people's tricks of the trade? Apart from leathal booby traps of course . . .

In my 27 years of riding I have only had one bike pinched and I put that down to a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Also after considering the sequence of events I wonder if it was someone I knew because of what happened. At the end of the day, if someone is going to try to steal your bike, thats what is going to happen. I had Titan locks, stearing lock and had the bike parked in what I thought was a wise place. At the end of the day, the best bet is to have the bike fully insured. I did and the replacement bike was by far a better bike to the one that was stolen. I was just lucky that I had more than one bike, so my riding time was not hindered in any way. But it would bite if you only had the one bike, because the wait for the payout was a lenghty one...

**babyblade250rr** · 10th July 2007, 17:06

Originally Posted by WarlockNZ

I bought a Hyosung .. nuff said ... LOL

An alarm and a disk lock is always a good place to start ... but if someone really wants to take it ... there isn't much you can do to stop them.

This is true!

however unless you have some phenominal bike that's just impossible to find they may go through the effort of somehow taking it otherwise the two options are relevant and preventative as more off the A Holes that pinch bikes are in it for the easy joy ride.

**janno** · 10th July 2007, 17:09

Originally Posted by Jim2

I have insurance. If your bike gets targetted there's nothing you can do to prevent it going that won't result in the bike theft victim (attempted or otherwise) ending up in court on charges themself.

I agree with insurance, I'm always covered for just about everything but nuclear war.

However, my bike is 19 years old, only worth $4-5 k tops, and here's the kicker - I very much doubt I could ever find another one in such good nick as only 10,000 were made to start with and they were grey imports to Aus and NZ.

This bike fits me like a glove, I don't want another bikey, I want my bikey . . .

**F5 Dave** · 10th July 2007, 17:15

I still reckon it is worth trying to make it harder. I rarely leave bikes in public places anymore but Hidden kill switch & disclock are a good start, but get a disclock with an alarm so that you don't ride off with it on. Best to fit to rear brake disc as it won't make so much damage. Sometimes the disc needs a hole drilled larger to fit it.

You'd think you'd have to be a plonker but I broke a calliper once. Put it on outside a mate's house, knocked on door, no reply, oh well, rode off. Oops!

In a garage (alarmed of course) still chain it to the ground anchor (Abus do a good one). You might think that NZ is a haven of thieves, but I think you will find theft is common everywhere & getting worse as people get more greedy thinking the world owes them something (gen Y) or need drug money.

Oh a word about Disc & various locks that take circular keys. I won't say how on this thread but they are easy to foil (I guess many have seen the threads on various sites so just keep down guys) but many of these locks can be quickly & easily picked. I bought a bike with one of these locked under the seat so I tried it & picked it inside 10 seconds once a I modified a tool.

Take a look at the garage & the lock used, update to deadlock. Plywood at min over windows so can't see in & hard to just break way in. Lock roller doors from inside, don't rely on remote openers.

Never leave your bike outside your house for too long, best least people know it's there.

**James Deuce** · 10th July 2007, 17:20

I use a disk lock outside work and bright yellow curly cord strung between the levers to remind me I've put it on.

Someone could still lift it into a van or truck, or even onto a trailer, provided they had a couple of burly mates.

At home it's in a locked garage.