Watch out, there’s a bike thief about.
We all know that motorbikes have a tendency to attract the attention of the light-fingered amongst us and are prime targets for theft. This isn’t just hearsay or paranoia amongst bikers, either. The fact is, a motorbike is twice as likely to be stolen as a car, with over £3 million worth of bikes stolen every month.
It’s a crime that can affect all bikers, no matter where they live or what machine they ride. In fact, England rugby star Steve Thompson recently had his Triumph Street Triple stolen in London, just yards from where he was enjoying a coffee with friends.
Things could have been deliciously different if he’d spotted the thief (we certainly wouldn’t fancy our chances trying to outrun the country’s most capped international player and an angry one at that), but unfortunately the bike disappeared and, like 40% of all stolen bikes, was never seen again.
Steve has reportedly responded by fitting a Bike Trac unit to his new Triumph Bonneville. This Thatcham approved tracking device is invisibly fitted to your bike and monitors any unusual movements when it’s parked. As soon as it detects suspicious activity or the ignition being switched on, it sends out an alert that can be tracked by the owner and the police. The bike (and hopefully the thief) can then be located and recovered. Let’s hope his new security measures tackle any future attempts to steal his new Bonneville.
Though bike theft seems to have been around since motorbikes were invented, the technology involved in preventing it, as illustrated above, has developed just as much as the motorbike itself.
Other high tech devices available on the market, similar to the Bike Trac, will alert you and track a stolen machine when activated. The plethora of alarms around, like the best-selling Acumen Cat21 alarm and popular Meta 357T alarm and immobiliser will emit an ear-piercing alarm when somebody’s up to no good and also provide a host of other techie features, hopefully frightening the thief off whilst your bike stays safe and sound.
And of course, good old-fashioned locks and chains have now become so sophisticated that even Houdini would have problems helping your bike escape their bonds. Take the Xena XN18 disc lock for example – not just a virtually unbreakable lock, but a sensitive alarm to boot. Or consider the traditional approach of the OXFORD Monster chain and padlock, a weighty toughened steel beast that would test the strength of the most hard-core hoodie.
Not only can the right security measures help provide peace of mind and the avoid the disruption and expense of your wheels going walkies; if it’s Thatcham approved, the right lock, immobiliser or alarm could also lower your insurance premiums.
Now we realise that this blog has merely scratched the surface when it comes to motorcycle security products. We’d like to know your thoughts on the subject. So come on, Keep Britain Biking readers. Have you experienced bike theft? Was your machine recovered? Did a lock, alarm or other security gizmo stop the theft? What steps do you follow to keep your bike safe? Questions, questions…answers below, please.
Blog post originally written for Devitt Insurance and appeared on their Keep Britain Biking site in 2012.