Suggestions to secure your bike?

Cucho · Apr 14, 2014

G'day All:

I've been looking at alarms, disc locks with and without pagers, and some other items to secure your bike. I don't want to break the bank to buy something but don't want something cheap that won't do the job.

Your suggestions are welcomed.

Thank you for your feedback ahead of time.
Carlos

dduelin · Apr 14, 2014

No self respecting thief nicks a sport tourer. They are heavy and sell in small numbers. There's no money in it.

schlep1967 · Apr 14, 2014

From what I've seen, disk locks are very effective ........ at causing you to tip over when you forget to remove them. If I were going to get one I would probably start here Scorpio Probably costs less than your insurance deductible.

ST Gui · Apr 14, 2014

No every thief has a high level of self-esteem.

Gizmo · Apr 14, 2014

I've carried a disk lock in my pannier for 119,000 kms now. I think I've used it 2-3 times...I just don't seem to overnight or stop in areas that feel like high threat areas. YMMV

st1300r · Apr 14, 2014

I ride an ST I could leave the key in it and it would probably still be there. Take the bags off you're gold.

You are way under the radar. It's not a cult classic it's not a hugely popular bike were it's liberated for parts.

If someone really targeted it they're gonna pick it up and stuff it in the back of a van not mess around with an alarm or wheel lock.

For whatever reason they do seem to get pinched on the other side of the pond. Which has the HISS alarm system.

If you do get a disc lock put a cord from it to your handle bar. You really don't want to forget it's there LOL.

dwalby · Apr 14, 2014

+1 on the "thieves are not interested in this bike because there's too many other more profitable options" theme. Especially true on the 1100, maybe a bit less so on the 1300. Since Honda stopped selling them that probably means the demand is low enough that stealing them doesn't make much sense either.

Blrfl · Apr 14, 2014

st1300r said:
For whatever reason they do seem to get pinched on the other side of the pond. Which has the HISS alarm system.

That's more a bike-theft-in-general problem. I can't speak for the rest of Europe, but insurance companies in the UK give you a break if you have an immobilizer whether your bike's a high-theft model or not.

--Mark

caldercay · Apr 14, 2014

dwalby said:
+1 on the "thieves are not interested in this bike because there's too many other more profitable options" theme.

My Hayabusa was stolen, cable-locked to a light pole in a gated townhouse community (friend's house).
Turns out it was right down the street in an apartment complex. It was stolen for "joy riding".
How was it recovered? The kooks dropped it and damaged the stator cover, thus yanking loose the two stator wires.
They abandoned it and it eventually got towed to a lot and they reported to police who called me.

Would someone steal an ST to joy ride?

MileHigh · Apr 14, 2014

Use the factory installed Honda theft deterrent, the lock position on the steering head.

Nobody is going to steal an ST. It would take 6 men and a mule to lift one into a truck.

Shoot, probably half the members here use a radio knob or an oil fill cap glued to a short key for the panniers when parked. If I'm at a motel, I pull my oil fill cap/shorty keys out of the panniers and stow the Garmin.

dduelin · Apr 14, 2014

caldercay said:
My Hayabusa was stolen, cable-locked to a light pole in a gated townhouse community (friend's house).
Turns out it was right down the street in an apartment complex. It was stolen for "joy riding".
How was it recovered? The kooks dropped it and damaged the stator cover, thus yanking loose the two stator wires.
They abandoned it and it eventually got towed to a lot and they reported to police who called me.

Would someone steal an ST to joy ride?

GXSR1300 Hayabusas are popular with the stretched swing arm & custom paint riding urban biker "clubs". They wouldn't be caught dead on a ST1300.

TourNut · Apr 14, 2014

Bought a MC alarm system from ChatterBox . Got it installed and it works ; but only one of two key fobs worked , they sent me 2 more - they didn't work either. Tech support is non-existent because of actually been made in China , American sales dept. claimed they didn't know anything about their own product - a previous management and staff apparently did - a lot of good that does for new customers ! If the system quits , I'm going to some other company for replacement.

OldWingit · Apr 14, 2014

I always use my disc lock at a motel, lets me sleep better. If you use it all the time you wont forget it.

Ed

Old Glory · Apr 15, 2014

I use a disk lock with an alarm, which I probably wouldn't hear, lock the steering and put a cover over the bike; it makes it a lot less visible - especially if it's yellow!

John-

Superzuki · Apr 15, 2014

Old Glory said:
I use a disk lock with an alarm, which I probably wouldn't hear, lock the steering and put a cover over the bike; it makes it a lot less visible - especially if it's yellow!

Yes, a cover is the number 1 deterrent. It's the same crime to lift the cover to find out it's not a bike you'd want to steal. (In Florida) I also use a disc - lock, with an ORANGE line to the right grip.

bmcdonau · Apr 15, 2014

I've only owned one bike in the last 30 years that I locked and that was the Blackbird-closest thing to a sport bike I've owned since the 80s. Now I just lock the steering which really doesn't do much to deter a determined thief since the average thug can probably break the lock in about three kicks. Apparently Honda's are some of the easiest to steal because the steering lock lugs aren't very big. I usually stay in decent motels and have insurance in the unlikely event someone steals the bike.

skyboybry · Apr 15, 2014

Just park next to a Harley or crotch rocket, perps won't even look at your ST.

T_C · Apr 15, 2014

skyboybry said:
Just park next to a Harley or crotch rocket, perps won't even look at your ST.

The other riders would probably prefer you park in front of their bike. Thieves will try to move the ST to get it out of the way and probably tip it over effectively stopping theft of any of the bikes.

I bought a disc lock on sale at Cycle-Gear a while back. Haven't really used it yet but will keep it handy for travel.

Rider33 · Apr 15, 2014

A skilled thief can steal any bike in 60 seconds or less, no matter what you put on it. Things like LoJack can help you to get it back tho not necessarily keep it from getting stolen. The goal is to make your bike a less attractive target as most thieves are not exactly over-achievers. Generally speaking the ST is in less demand on the used parts market so that helps. Locking the fork means they'd need to take extra time to crack that which also helps. I'd say chaining it to something heavy like a light pole would also give them pause but at 600#+ I'm not sure that really would matter much. Really, the cover might be the next best bet. It takes time to take a cover off & time is the one thing they don't want to waste. Why fool around with 600#, fork-locked bike with a cover on it when there is a tasty little 600 that some squid has parked wide open down the road?

Rider33 · Apr 15, 2014

PS: this is the one I use when I use one. The nice bit is that it packs down to the size of a small box of cereal so stashing it in the panniers is no problem. Wrap that with a light cable lock w/ alarm around the middle and your average thief is going to have a *** moment before he moves on....

http://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-ultralight-bike-covers-6.html

Suggestions to secure your bike?

Cucho

Carlos

dduelin

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace

schlep1967

Bill

ST Gui

240Robert

Gizmo

Dean

st1300r

dwalby

Blrfl

Natural Rider Enhancement

caldercay

MileHigh

Juvenile delinquent

dduelin

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace

TourNut

OldWingit

Ed Wing

Old Glory

Superzuki

bmcdonau

skyboybry

Hi-Hi!

T_C

Rider33

Rider33