Suggestions to secure your bike?

If you use the main stand, then a chain looped through the front wheel / forks and tight back to the stand - wheel can't turn & stand can't go up.
More of a deterrent, as if a thief want it then they'll have it.
You can also buy cheap "button trackers" that link to your phone in case it does go missing.

There's always the old wisecrack to rely on: "Park next to a Harley, the thieves will steal it first".

Michael

A little background... I have in the past, helped a red team that specialised in automotive theft (for those unaquinted with the term, I was paid to test security systems by driving/riding vehicles away & hiding them from tracking)....

krist0ph3r said:

living in an area that has a bad rep for motorcycle theft

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Firstly, welcome to the forum. Since you replied to an old thread, I'll assume you read it - all very good points.

Next, you live in Belfast (according to profile). I work in Liverpool, so the risk profile is probably the same. Although I park in a secure car park in the city, a Ducati rider that used to park next to me took his bike to the dentist in Liverpool - came out, it wasn't there.

So, the aim of the game is simple, make your bike less attractive to steal than the one you park next to, and you're golden.

Luckily, you bought an ST, old enough to be overlooked, and the parts market would immediately be flagged on this forum and a few others if thieves started chopping them. Good start. Plus, the scooter & scrambler gangs would drop an ST getting it off the side stand.

Given you're not a high profile target, avoid the electronics (which, FWIW, aren't worth the money regardless of risk profile IMHO). You don't need a tracker, if an ST or its parts pop up in Ireland, they stand out a mile.

My advice, would be to get a large chain & padlock - something from Oxford probably, and look to spend around 120Euro or thereabouts. Use it properly, chain the bike (back wheel) to something heavy/immoveable and don't leave any chain trailing on the floor.

Job jobbed. I wouldn't waste money on a disc lock, it'll only throw you off the bike the day you forget it's there.

I use one of these:

A Spot Trace. I don't worry too much about my old St1100 but I do have one of these that I attach to my bike when traveling - I velcro it under the lid of the fairing pocket. It alerts me with a text message if any movement is detected. I also have one hidden on my RV trailer and Jeep. (I had a trailer stolen a couple of years go). It does not take much movement to activate the tracker. Just standing up the bike off the side stand is enough for it to activate and send a movement alarm.

Theft insurance that you will never need.

krist0ph3r said:

Having just purchased an old (2001, so I guess not that old!) st1100, and living in an area that has a bad rep for motorcycle theft, I'm wondering if my puny (but Thatcham/Sold Secure certified) disc lock is enough. I've read that it's easy to just unbolt the wheel, unbolt the disc, bolt the wheel back on, kick the steering lock off, and roll away.

I obviously don't want to spend more on security than I've spent on buying the bike (which thankfully isn't much) and insuring it (which is significant), so I'm wondering what else can I cheaply do? It's a parking lot in the basement of an apartment building, the management doesn't allow me to embed an anchor point anywhere, and there are no decent spots to chain the bike to (there's a pillar, but it'll mean parking my bike uncomfortably close to my neighbour's car).

Thoughts, ideas?

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Welcome to the madhouse!

And congratulations on your new-to-you 2001!

Oh, and to add to this... Before I bought my ST, I was taking the car into Liverpool. So I rented a parking space from someone in an apartment block that didn't have a car.

I drive a Renault Megane. I was in the same car park (underground, behind a remote controlled garage door) as 3 Aston Martins, 2 Ferraris and a host of BMW cars.

No-one was going to even look at my car, even the day I left all 4 windows down.

Just drive past those 40 dollar hotels....

ST1100GOLD said:

If you use the main stand, then a chain looped through the front wheel / forks and tight back to the stand - wheel can't turn & stand can't go up.
More of a deterrent, as if a thief want it then they'll have it.
You can also buy cheap "button trackers" that link to your phone in case it does go missing.

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.....Until two punks on skateboards roll up, look around, then lift both the front and rear wheels onto their skateboards and roll the entire bike around the corner to a van waiting with open doors.

Igofar said:

skateboards roll up, look around, then left both the front and rear wheels onto their skateboards and roll the entire bike around the corner to a van waiting with open doors.

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Much easier just to park the van next to the bike & use some short scaffolding poles & a couple of friends.

I reckon the weight of an ST wouldn't be fun on skateboards (front/rear heading off at different angles).

Plus, if the owner comes back, you just drop the bike, jump in the van & you're gone (owner will care more about the bike than you in most cases). If the van is some distance away, you have some running to do. Not forgetting of course, that when dropping the bike, the owner is looking at the damage to their pride & joy, not your face...

ad.hom said:

Much easier just to park the van next to the bike & use some short scaffolding poles & a couple of friends.

I reckon the weight of an ST wouldn't be fun on skateboards (front/rear heading off at different angles).

Plus, if the owner comes back, you just drop the bike, jump in the van & you're gone (owner will care more about the bike than you in most cases). If the van is some distance away, you have some running to do. Not forgetting of course, that when dropping the bike, the owner is looking at the damage to their pride & joy, not your face...

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I don't know who collates the crime statistics quoted recently but apparently 500 motorbikes a week are stolen in the UK on average. That seems an enormous amount of bikes to me but I'm guessing (might be more accurate than the stats) that a fair proportion of that would be scooters and low value bikes that end up riding around housing estates in the inner cities until they're ruined.
AdHom, respect, you admit to driving a Renault .
Upt'North.

Upt' North said:

a fair proportion of that would be scooters and low value bikes that end up riding around housing estates in the inner cities until they're ruined.

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Yep, and most of those wouldn't know what to do with an ST - too heavy & no good in fields.

The other category, though happens much less, is the stolen-to-order gangs... and who in their right mind is ordering my ST while it's parked next to a Moto Guzzi, 2 triumphs a cruiser & 2 125cc learner bikes? The MG rider chains & disc locks his bike even in the secure car park, and I don't blame him for it. It does make me smile walking away from the ST while he's chaining his down.

Re the Renault, my father gave me some lip for it too (french electrics)... but the Euro6 compliant engine (meaning no road tax) and factory service plan soon ended that. Plus, the wife mostly has that now & I take the ST everywhere.

ad.hom said:

Yep, and most of those wouldn't know what to do with an ST - too heavy & no good in fields.

The other category, though happens much less, is the stolen-to-order gangs... and who in their right mind is ordering my ST while it's parked next to a Moto Guzzi, 2 triumphs a cruiser & 2 125cc learner bikes? The MG rider chains & disc locks his bike even in the secure car park, and I don't blame him for it. It does make me smile walking away from the ST while he's chaining his down.

Re the Renault, my father gave me some lip for it too (french electrics)... but the Euro6 compliant engine (meaning no road tax) and factory service plan soon ended that. Plus, the wife mostly has that now & I take the ST everywhere.

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You are right about the ST11 not being the thieves dream bike.
I realised recently I must have ridden the last 4000 miles with a U Lock in the top box, merrily rattling away. Never used it once. I think the last time I used it was in Germany last summer.
It's now a garage ornament, which obviously means the bike will be nicked next time I'm out .
And yes Renault do build a good diesel engine, the 1.5 and 1.6 take some beating.

Upt'North.

Although, as it's got a Carol Nash agreed value..........

Upt' North said:

You are right about the ST11 not being the thieves dream bike.

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I reckon it applies to the 11 and the 13, especially if the thieves are half knowledgeable & know that the police gave up using them over safety concerns.

krist0ph3r said:

Yeah, I know. Nobody's gonna steal it (now, if there was some way to buy peace of mind on eBay )

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I try to always remember to take the key out of the ignition.

Quite a few years ago when my son was in college, I rode to Memphis for the college triathlon championship. When I was checking into the hotel I realized that I had left the key in the bike. Being Memphis, I hurried back out to get it and the bike was gone! My son and his buddies had seen me drive up and noticed the key in the bike and the little b@$+@ds hid my bike! They thought it was pretty funny?

ad.hom said:

Much easier just to park the van next to the bike & use some short scaffolding poles & a couple of friends.

I reckon the weight of an ST wouldn't be fun on skateboards (front/rear heading off at different angles).

Plus, if the owner comes back, you just drop the bike, jump in the van & you're gone (owner will care more about the bike than you in most cases). If the van is some distance away, you have some running to do. Not forgetting of course, that when dropping the bike, the owner is looking at the damage to their pride & joy, not your face...

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I saw this happen to a Harley Davidson, until I stopped them at the Van....Happy ending for the Harley Owner, not so much for the thieves