When people say a certain motorbike is the most stolen in the UK? How do they mean it is stolen?

Question

Do they mean people just wheel them away without the keys? I have just purchased one of these "most stolen motorbikes in the UK" and was wondering how I can keep it safe, at home it will be in a locked garage in a very safe neighborhood, but when I go uni it is highly unlikely to be stolen but just to be on the safe side.

Answer 1

If you are talking about taking your bike to Uni, you will find out what "most stolen motorbike" really means, I'm afraid. College and University campus car parks are some of the least secure places to leave a vehicle...

Answer 2

Mine had an alarm, was partly in bits after a pre Easter refit and was stored in a locked garage. in a 'middle class' neighbourhood. neighbours who saw the van loading it thought it had 'broken down' or was being collected for repairs etc. It was 'lifted' into a van by pro's. the police had everything but evidence so did nothing. If the thieves don't think its nickable where you keep it, they will wait until you are out on it and you leave it parked. It takes seconds to nick thousands of pounds worth and in a few minutes the serial no's can be gone and it's instantly untraceable. Mine had a unique, custom paint job and a hand made exhaust and was last seen being ridden across Holland (I'm in the UK) by someone who had probably bought whatever it was without knowing any of it had ever been stolen. Good luck, but mine is by no means an unusual story and your bike is at greater risk of theft than any car. Perhaps it would have been less easy to take in a less 'safe', more 'crime aware' neighbourhood? Chaining it to something solid where people can see its being 'broken into' rather than in a garage where they can dismantle things discreetly before wheeling it into a van is your only real deterrent.

Answer 3

It's all about reducing risk. If they want it, they WILL have it away. You have to make your bike harder to steal that the one parked down the street. You have to use devices which will slow them down.

Not having the key means very little. Most motorbikes can be hotwired in a few minutes. An immobiliser will help agains professional thieves but can frustrate joyriders, who then vandalise.

Buy a thatcham approved chain and padlock and chain it to something solid. Buy a cover and use it regularly so people passing can't tell it from other motorbikes. If it's the type to be stolen by people who will break it for spares, datatag marking can help.

It needs to be chained to something solid as 4 blokes and a van can have the whole lot away in seconds, alarm or not.

Answer 4

For starters, "most stolen" is a meaningless statistical label. Obviously more R6s will be stolen than Ducatis, because there's more of them out there.

Having said that, thieves go for what they can get easily, and move on quickly, which in the case of bikes usually means anything currently being used on race tracks. So that's your R6 again!

Make life difficult for the scum, and they'll go nick someone else's pride and joy. Do as much as you can.....

The best security is free.....

Keep it out of sight - if they don't know it's there it won't get nicked. Shove it in the garage as quickly as possible when you get home, and park it where you can see it, or in the most public place you can when you're out. Avoid routines - if they know where it is, they'll come with a van and bolt croppers at a time of their choice and it could be gone in 20 seconds

If you're spending money.....

Ground anchors are good. Alarms are only worth bothering with if you've got money to burn but an immobiliser is good value. Unless you're on a Goldwing, two big men will be able to lift your bike quite easily, so only spend lots on a chain if you can chain it to something heavy.

Finally - don't panic. I've only had one bike stolen in 20 years (touch wood). I ride "nickable" bikes, I don't live in the best area in the country, and I'm careful but not paranoid. Most of the people I ride with would reassure you the same way

Answer 5

Bikes are especially at risk due to their lightweight construction and yes, they can be picked up and removed.
One of the best ways is a ground anchor in the garage and heavy duty chain and padlock. Installation isn't too difficult and easily explained on purchase.
Be proportionate to the value of the bike, but from what you say, I would suggest a reputable make. When at Uni chain it to a fixed point in a relatively public area. The more secure the better.
Datatags disk locks and alarms all help to dissuade people.
Be sensible, keep the bike locked away, covered, chained, in the garage. If someone is paying too much attention be suspicous.
But remember, the majority of bikes remain safe with their owners. Don't get too paranoid and spoil your enjoyment
What bike you got? GSX-R1100 would be a favourite

Answer 6

Use the factory fork lock although they can sometimes be broken by yanking on the bars good and hard. If a Harley, use a high quality lock on the fork lock. Buying a cheap lock defeats the purpose. If your discs are drilled (most are) and you can slip a good padlock through the hole, do so because that'll be one more obstacle to overcome before it can be rolled away. The front is the most handy but also the easiest to get to with bolt cutters. If the rear is more inaccessable, use the rear disc. The most surefire way is to get a BIG road bike. My Kawasaki Voyager weighs 960 pounds and it would take 6 BIG guys to pick it up and there'd sure be no snatch and run. It'd take quite some time to wrestle it onto a trailer or truck and chances are the thieves would be easy to catch...after trying to lift it they'd be laying there with broken legs, hernias, hemerroids, ruptured discs, pulled tendons and squashed toes. I figure if anyone is big enough and strong enough to steal my bike, he's welcome to it!

Answer 7

The cost of a modern Sports bike can be around £10,000 from a Dealership.

The cost to build that same bike from spare parts from the manufacturer is possibly around the £36,000 mark.

When a bike is stolen,it is often stolen to be broken down for spares....which end up on ebay etc etc.Easier to get rid of small bits than a full bike requiring docs and paperwork and far more money in spares.

Security on you bike is make it less attractive for a thief to steal....you cannot make a bike un-stealable....but you can make it more effort than its worth with these few simple measures.

ALPHA DOT....its a varnish like paste that you smear all over your bike in random/unseen places,the varnish contains micro-dots with a unique code....if a parts found with that code,the police can trace the owner....warning stickers are supplied to fit onto your bike.£30

DATA-TAG.....A unique code that can be melted or etched into almost all parts of your bike...lights/mirrors/fairing/tank etc etc....this code is meant to be seen and means the thief would have to explain why the codes there or replace the coded parts.....also contains a few micro-transmitters to place inside your frame and seat,that a police scanner can pick up.£50

BIG BLOODY chain and padlock...buy a strong chain and good padlock either purpose built from a bike shop or a hardware store...chain your bike to something heavy....lampost/railings/other bike or just wrap around its own wheels and through frame.....just mkaes the thief take more time and effort..hopefully they wont bother and go for another bike that is unlocked.£100

Park your bike somewhere in view or in public

Use common sense when and where to leave it.

Ask people you know to keep an eye on it

Hit anyone who gets too close to your bike with a pick-axe handle

Answer 8

there are always bikes which are most popular and there are always people that will want your prized possession but don't want to pay for it.To try and stop them a good quality chain but don't put it through the back wheel with the chain on the floor thieves will soon break it cos they have the floor for a lever easy to cut through,wind the chain so that it is off the ground much more difficult to cut through,an anchor in your garage ,alarm your bike ,basically the more deterrent the better the longer it takes the thief to get the bike free the more chance of him being spotted,remember if it takes you two minutes to lock your bike it Will take a thief 1 min to free it!! Good Luck.

Answer 9

Chained to the wall in the garage..
I spent months rebuilding a bike
had the front wheel chained to the back.
And the carbs were not set up.no batt
It was stolen from the garage in the daytime in a "good" area.
Nobody saw a thing..
the chain was not left behind
The bike was lifted.
Was told it was ether broken down for parts or in a container on it's way to the middle east????

Answer 10

fit a ground anchor in the garage and chain it down but if you park it outside chain it around the wheels i have known someone who lost a bike even when it was chained 3 burly blokes could easily lift a bike into a van fit an alarm systems as well