Motorcycle Security Buyer's Guide
Dane Cook does a stand up comedy skit where he takes a motorcycle helmet to the bar
(though he doesn't own a motorcycle, which is probably a good thing considering
drinking and motorcycles aren't a smart mixture) and using it to pick up chicks. Of
course, when they want a ride on his non-existent motorcycle, he leads them out to the
parking lot to an empty spot and insists that it must have been stolen. The targeted female
surely feels sorry for grieving Cook and takes him home to comfort him.
Sure, it's a funny skit. But it's all too common that the helmet isn't just for show and the
non-existent motorcycle does in fact exist but ends up somewhere where it wasn't left.
That is definitely not a laughing matter but it happens all too often. Let's face it, we
spend so much time and money on making our motorcycles something to be envious of
and there are those people who just go ahead and take what they're envious of regardless
of permission. And since motorcycles don't have all that extra metal and door locks
wrapped around the controls, all it takes is a skilled hotwire thief plus the cover of night
and you're walking out of the house to a stomach full of that "no, no, no, no, no, no,
NOOOO" feeling. Even if you have a garage to safely store your beauty in at night when
she's sleeping, there are plenty of other opportunities for shady types to get their hands
on it.
So what do you do? Adopt a Doberman and tie it up next to your bike at all times? Install
a tracking device? Remove the rear tire and take it with you like you would a bicycle?
No. We can't even begin to contemplate how horrible those ideas are. Instead, invest
your well earned money in a serious tire lock, an alarm and even a motorcycle cover and
please step away from the Doberman pups.
Disc Locks
You don't want to just slap a bicycle lock on your bike and call it a day. We are talking
about your pride and joy here. Motorcycle locks are made specifically for motorcycles
with the specific intention of making sure that it stays right where you leave it. The
simplest and most unobtrusive way to keep you bike from being the victim of a good
hotwiring thief riding off on it into the night is a disc lock. They're not big and they're
not bulky but they just lock directly onto your rear disk and will keep it from moving. If
your rear disc can't roll, your bike can't roll. But you don't want a lock that's going to be
an eyesore on your motorcycle and you certainly don't want to call attention to what's
protecting your bike, which makes disc locks great because most of them such as this
Abus Granit Quick
Mini Disc Lock is small and discreet.
Chain locks and Cables
Want something intimidating or fear that a few strong men and a pick up truck can work
around a locked disc? Chain locks are great for making contemplative shady types know
that your bike isn't going anywhere and attach to a stationary object to keep your bike
from being carried off, disc lock and all. But these chains aren't your childhood bike
chains. Check out the
Abus Granit Extreme Plus 59 Chain lock. No set of metal cutters are going to make
it through it's specially hardened links and the chain inserts directly into the lock to keep
anyone from even imagining trying to pry it open. Unless a thief is determined and
skilled enough to take your bike and the object it's chained to, your motorcycle will stay
right where you want it.
Maybe you prefer the look and functionality of disc locks but still fear the pick up truck
trick. Cable adapters are an easy fix. The
Xena XXA-150 Cable Adapter comes with a simple cable
attachment that links right up with rear disc locks and can be attached to a stationary
object near the rear tire. Have an issue with your helmets walking off while you're away?
These cables can also attach right onto your helmet when it's not in use to keep it from
going anywhere.
Alarms
"Silent but deadly." Sound familiar? No we don't mean that! We were talking about
thieves. A lot of really determined (insert curse word of choice)s won't see a lock and
just walk away. And they certainly won't announce that they're going to try to mess with
your bike and lock before or while they're doing it. So while you're inside the restaurant
enjoying a nice meal, some sneaky (insert curse word again) might be trying stealthily
and quietly to tamper with your lock. Even if the parking lot or street isn't deserted,
people may not pay attention to this sneaky suspect. Solution: announce their presence
even if they're not willing to.
Many disc locks not only keep your bike from rolling off, they come with built in alarms
that will scream the second someone tries to mess with it. Even if you're not around to
hear it or (let's face I, most of us ignore alarms) don't realize it's going off, the alarm
won't let an attempted thief do it without others noticing. And if no one is around to hear
it at all, chances are that the alarm will be enough to scare away a creep anyway. Any of these
Abus Electronic
motorcycle security systems are the cream of the crop when it comes to disc lock alarms.
With 3-D position control, this puppy can sense when the position of the disc or shocks
changes and will sound the alarm.
The scariest thefts are the ones that happen right at home or in the shop. A closed door
just isn't enough for some people, which can lead to both theft and vandalism of not only
you bike but your workshop and equipment. To protect the space where you store your
motorcycle, check out the wall or ceiling alarms such as the
Xena XA Garage and Shop
Alarm. This small device discreetly mounts anywhere you would like on a wall and has a
20-foot infrared beam that will detect intruders when activated and let out a 110 decibel
alarm as well as automatically call up to three preprogrammed numbers to alert you.
Covers
If you store or park your bike outside at any point, a motorcycle cover is a given. But
these protective cocoons aren't just great for keeping your bike sheltered from the harsh
elements, they also keep you bike sheltered from wandering eyes. Sure, we all want our
babies to be admired and gawked at, but the worst is when that admiration turns to "I'll
do anything to have that." Some people just don't understand the concept of looking with
your eyes and not with your hands. So stick with the "our of sight; out of mind" motto
and cover your motorcycle up when it's not in use to keep it safe. We love the
Dowco
Guardian Weatherall Plus Motorcycle Cover, which comes with some serious grommets
that are sewn directly into the cover and can be secured with a lock. If someone tries to
get at your motorcycle, they'll need to cut through the actual cover.
Another fun little additional security measure for your motorcycle cover is the
Dowco Guardian
Motorcycle Cover Alarm. This add-on has a pin-pull so if anyone tried to remove your
cover, it'll throw out a 130 decibel alarm.
So while Dane Cook's little trip to pick up girls might be funny in theory, there really is
no excuse for losing your bike. Disc locks, heavy duty chain locks, cables, alarms and
covers aren't going to let your motorcycle go anywhere. If you've ever felt that gut
wrenching panic that hits when you realize your motorcycle isn't where you left it, you
know that it's something you never want to experience again. If you haven't felt that yet,
keep it that way. It's not a pleasant feeling. Just ask anyone who's had it happen before.
|
