Advice on locks security and gap?

[Bdc72]

Hi any recommendation on reasonable priced security for my bike. I have an oxford chain and looked at a xena disc lock, but how good are they?

Also honda offered me gap insurance for £225 for 3 years, but I can get cheaper on line £170 for 5 years from 123...any advice?

Any tips, recommendations appreciated

Cheers, B

[-Matt-]

Info on chains https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=287876&highlight=
Best are generally considered to be Almax / Pragmasis but they aren't cheap and can both be got through quickly with powertools if they really want the bike.

Info on anchors and alarms https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=287675&highlight=
Get something to chain the bike TOO if you haven't already got a sturdy fixed point, or it will just get dragged into a van or pulled away somewhere quiet they can chop it off and wheel it away.

Oxford chains aren't much use besides a visual deterant / stopping thieves who are too poor to afford cheap bolt cutters.

If you're going to get a disc lock i'd look an alarmed one. The disc lock itself won't stop them dragging it so its a bit redundant if you have a good chain on already, but its a good cheap way to have an alarm that doesn't risk draining your battery.

[Teflon-Mike]

Disc locks are a convenient deterrent to casual thief against a 'wheel away'. None are impervious to determined scroat, and none will stop one chucking your bike in the back of a van.

Chains? great to tie the bugger down to something hard and immoveable, to deter both the casual wheel away and less determined scroat from lifting it in back of a van.

But only if locked to something hard and immoveable; other wise about as much good as a disc-lock and ten times more cumbersome to carry.

There's little that will stop the determined 'pro' who comes tooled up to take your bike. All you can do is make it a little more inconvenient for them, and hope they'll pick a softer target.

As far as security goes; anything is better than nothing; but always a compromise between how much of an inconvenience it may be to a scroat, and how much it will be to you!

Oxford locks? Well, they have a whole range, which spans most of the market from cheap and nasty, right up to big, impressive and expensive. Oxford dont make stuff, only market it, and some stuff it pretty good, some stuff, pretty dire; but on the whole its mostly 'average' value for money, though there is the odd googlies in the bag.

Xena Discie? Not familiar with it. Would have to handle one in the metal. Looks a bit gimicky with its double clamp, but single lock... £18? It would do the job, I guess, but, so would many others in that price range.

I have no idea what 'gap' insurance is? Tend to be of the opinion, that most insurance is a way to get you to give some-one money for nothing; so apply a healthy dose of sceptasism to all. But do iliminate.
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[Ben90]

Gap insurance is like walking into Honda and noticing they only sell full price bikes which are missing an entire front end, and being told Yamaha will sell the other half to you separately.

A great idea - if you're an insurance company.
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[j.silvs]

[j.silvs]

Gap insurance:

You buy a bike for £4k
It gets nicked or you crash. Insurance offers £2k
Gap insurers then add the extra to make it back to purchase price. Not market value. So you get a second cheque for £2k

Finance Gap:

Same as above but if there are any other costs incurred whilst waiting on payout, like interest on payments etc. that will also be paid.

Generally Gap is a good product but be careful. When I worked at Ford they had in their terms that if you accept the first insurance offer they will not pay out on Gap. And of course everyone reads the whole policy!!!

Just make sure you read it and search for reviews. Generally your better off with Honda's as it will be smoother due to working with each other... You would hope anyway

Or just don't buy a bike with a stupidly high price and search for sold prices, not selling. I got a payout of £450 more than what I paid for my bike after putting 10k more miles on it and a lot more wear!

[Sabs]

Kind of a related question, if you pop down the shops, do you lock the bike up? What about in a car park for an hour or so? I've never really thought about it before but it's just dawned on me I don't know what the done thing is! Do you carry your chain around with you on the bike?
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[j.silvs]

I always carry a disc lock no matter what. Oxford do the boss which is over 16mm so that most bolt crops won't cut them. Plus has an alarm.

[Rogerborg]

[Bdc72]

Thanks you again for all the tips and advice, vey helpful and really appreciated.... Best get shopping and then I,m ready for the new arrival on Saturday... Soooo excited!!

Happy days!

B :0)

[-Matt-]

[sensi5446]

I use a thick wire lock to attach the bike to something solid when out and about and a disc lock as both are light to carry, at home I use 2 chains and a ground anchor.

[Bdc72]

Which is the best then almax or pragmasus... Both work out the same price with the squire lock. 16mm £160 or 19 mm £180?

And would 1m be long enough. Want something I can squeeze under the pillion seat preferably.

Cheers,

B

[Joncrete Cungle]

[-Matt-]

1m may fit a skinny wheeled 125 but it will be tight and leaves no room spare so you will have to park tight to everything. If you move onto bigger bikes it will be near useless, i'd get 1.5m minimum. Almax have scored similar to pragmasis on general reviews but theres a bit more info available on almax and personally think their customer service is much better.

The only real difference between series 3 and 4 is firstly weight/cost - but mainly how long they withstand powertool attacks. 2-3 mins@series 3 and upto 5 mins series 4. Both are so far proven undefeatable to crop attacks. Essentially unless you have a brand new panigae theyre likely to whip the grinders out for you might as well get series 3.