Someone tried to knick my bike last night but failed!

[puls3]

Hi all,

Not sure if I should call myself lucky or unlucky after what happened yesterday night! Got my motorcycle (Derbi GPR 125 R) two weeks ago https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=190517 and someone tried to steal it by cutting/damaging the cables (Ignition coils). Probably he was trying to disable the side lock so he could move the bike, but I guess he was clueless and left half way through.

https://i.imgur.com/Uta0N.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/NA04d.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/o3j8B.jpg

The ignition coils were torn apart and I couldn't start the bike, spoke to few neighbours and found a safe home for my motorbike for couple of days (in garage), the nice neighbour also said he was fine with me using this private parking for daily use without any fee/string attached (very nice guy).

I am kinda blank (trying to get back normal), lot of people recommended me to have security device and some even insisted I should find a share garage & so on. I took things very lite until I witnessed what happened y'day night. Is it easy to fix these coils/cables or should I take it to a mechanic? I have been having a very hard time since I got thinks bike .. getting it serviced, MOT, Road Tax, Insurance, accessories etc.,.. I have spent nearly a a grand doing these and totally broke now!

Any suggestions on how to fix this condition or is it good to fix at service center? Should I report this incident to Police & my Insurance company? I have a Third Party Theft & Fire, am not sure if my insurance company can do anything with this regard as it might look that it was damaged and not possibly stolen or attempt to steal.

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated with tips and suggestions to safe guard the bike I am so stressed after all these hassle.... damn those chav thief!!!

Cheers

[waffles]

It always sucks to discover someone has damaged something you worked hard to get. Not sure the police would help too much, they would give you a crime reference number. If you have TPFT then call your insurance company and see if they pay out for attempted theft damages. I doubt it though. However I am not an expert on this and may well be talking out of my arse!

As for keeping your bike safe, you will never ever make it 100% theft proof. All you can do it make it harder to remove and therefore less attractive to the average thief. My bike is kept in an alarmed and locked garage with a car parked in front of it. The bike itself is alarmed and I have a disc lock on there most times.

Invest in a decent chain and ground anchor - Almax are the dogs and heavy duty but the downside is that they are very expensive.
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Theory test - 19/8/09, CBT - 11/10/09, MOD 1 - 16/8/10, MOD 2 - 27/10/10
Past rides Yamaha XT125X, Triumph TT600, Honda XR250
Current rides Suzuki GSXR 600, Honda MSX125

[Ingah]

So you as good as left a grand plus (or whatever your bike's worth) in the street, overnight, with just a basic steering lock to keep it from walking off? A chav saw this possible money/entertainment just lying there, and failed to steal it successfully because he/she actually had no idea how to connect up the wiring, and has damaged your wiring/ignition only.

You were lucky in my book (although you do have my condolances despite the fact that you very nearly brought this down on your own head because it's not your fault the world is full of thieving scum).

That was a very opportunistic theft - if you want to prevent them get a decent chain / alarmed disc lock / alarm / anything that's not flimsy and totally crap (remember, people can cut through things so don't use a cable lock or something else equally naff!!)
I suggest you take a 2-step approach as it will protect far better than one or the other (i.e. noise (e.g. alarmed products) and physical protection (e.g. chains))

He'll probably be back, i vote overkill security.
But remember, if you don't use it every time, that time you can't be bothered is the time matey boy will be back (so think carefully and buy things you will actually use)

NB: My advice above is purely for preventing opportunist theft. A criminal gang will simply load your bike into a van if they want it and it'll be gone despite all the above measures (they ignore alarms and if you lift a bike up the chains aren't an issue). I suggest you think about and ultimately upgrade to Almax chains later on, when you've come to terms with the fact that people can and may steal your bike, and that if they do it's a massive headache! (In other words, the above measures are a "good start", but are not really adequete by themselves for keeping your bike in your possession).

Be wary of claiming for damage as you'll lose NCB, then have a claim to declare for the next X years (read: your insurance may well go up sizeably and cost you more than they pay you out).
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-- Ingah

[puls3]

Thanks @waffles & @Ingah for your advice and suggestion, much appreciated. I am still wondering how do I go about fixing it, since the ignition coils were damaged, should I replace them or would I be looking into fix a new system and change keys etc.,?

Cheers

[Ditto]

I always find a cover to be a good deterrent. If you put your mind set in that of a pikey theif, not many opportunist theives would bother looking under a cover to see what the bike is, let alone bother trying to take it off in my opinion.

Whenever i walk past a bike i give it a glance (not as if im going to make off with it) but ones with covers on i just walk straight on by. I imagine this is the same for opportunist thieves.
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CG 125 > Bandit 600 > CBR 600 FY > Street Triple R

[Asherz]

bike cover then fix a rape alarm to the bike =)

[Darth]

Its weird. Since i started putting a cover on my bike it just feels wrong to leave it there uncovered now - even though it is double chained and double ground anchored, and alarmed, and has a cctv camera pointed at it! Its the same with our gate. Anyone could open it but i get mega annoyed if the posty/fiancee/mate/ who-ever leaves it open and i have to go out and close it before i can rest easy! Neither of these things are actually going to deter any thief but without them i just feel it leaves an open invitation or a challenge.
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Harold_Shand wrote: I suppose it's like anything, you get your fingers burned when you start out, you learn from it and eventually become a complete arsehole about the whole thing.

[Ditto]

I think a cover is quite a good deterrent. It makes the bike anonymous unless someone has to lift it up and make a noise.
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CG 125 > Bandit 600 > CBR 600 FY > Street Triple R