by John Wallie

Created on: November 08, 2011

When it comes to motorcycle security, there is no absolute preventative measure. From experience however, I can tell you that anything you do will increase the odds of your beloved ride never being stolen.  For most riders, there are at the least, two places where your bike will spend time standing still.  That would be home, and work.  Whats most important here is the location of where it is parked. At home a good place is in your garage with the doors closed and locked. But if you're like a lot of motorcycle owners, you may not have a lockable garage. Maybe not even a carport too. If that is the case, parking under a light or a window will help. Try not to park in shadows or near bushes. That's where the bad guys hide. There are alarm systems  available for your bike. They can be as simple as the all in one unit that can be placed under the seat that will sound when the bike is jostled. They can also be as sophisticated as ones with perimeter sensors, which will sound a warning to those getting too close. Immobilizers that will disable the bikes ignition and if equipped, the bikes electric fuel pump. They also can have a wireless remote to activate them from a distance, or even page the owner when something happens.

Another good thing to have is something visible to the eye of the potential bad guy. A disc lock is always a good bet. These locks will clamp over the bikes brake rotor and will not allow the bike to roll more than a few inches is either direction, the bikes brake caliper gets in the way of the lock being able to rotate fully. A bright colour(yellow, fluorescent green, etc...) is a good idea. It can be easliy seen by the bad guy, and by you for that matter. Hate trying to ride off before removing that little thing, can really do a number on your bike, and ego too.  If you still feel unsure at this point, another item is to use a D-lock on the back wheel, usually around the wheel and either the swing arm, or the chain will work just fine. This will make it tougher on the would be thief. There are even more devices out there for the owner to help secure his/her bike. Something else out there that helps is a device called the grip lock. It clamps around the handle and the brake lever. You can lock the device with the brake applied. Makes it tough to roll the bike. This along with a disc lock and even an alarm system, will work for you while at work too. These can be stored on the bike while travelling which means you can use them when you are at work, usually the second place your bike may spend a lot time at. 

Remember, no bike is one hundred percent safe from the bad guys, these products and their usage will go along way to ensuring your bikes safety. If the bad guys can't get it quickly, they will almost always walk away. The one thing they don't have is the time needed to get through all these safe guards. But don't get me wrong, make sure you have the proper insurance coverage for your bike. Keep your feet on the pegs, and your right hand cranked.

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