Bike security without a garage...

[chris86uk]

Hi All

As title suggests, looking for good recommendations for increased security for my next bike. I don't have a garage, it will be left on my front drive.

Had my Xmax300 (i know, scrote magnet anyway) stolen from my driveway beginning of the year. It had an Oxford Monster chain wrapped around the rear tyre which the scumbags made easy work with the angle grinder. Steering wheel lock which don't seem much of a deterrent it seems.

Rather naively I didn't think thieves can do much with the bike as it was keyless and you need the fob to start the engine etc etc. I guess they have ways around this?

My employment has changed so I won't need the next bike for long commuting (the xmax was perfect for this) so next bike more of a weekend/touring toy.

So for the next purchase, I am thinking:-
1. Not a scrote magent bike again like the Xmax, MT07, speed triple etc. Ive seen an old yamaha diversion im tempted with.
2. Ground anchor? I can cement one in on the front garden area as its block paved currently. Is this better than just wrapping a chain around the rear tyre?
3. Better chain - the oxford cost me about £180 IIRC from the stealer. Ive seen online that Almax have a good rep, but more expensive. Against an angle grinder is there really much difference?
4. Alarmed disc lock?

(I live in a London borough, SE, Zone 6 if that matters)

[A100man]

Divvy 600 will be a good choice. You can wrap that with a Wilko's bicycle lock and it will be safe.
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Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[ThunderGuts]

OK, so firstly we'll assume you either don't have a back garden or can't get the bike to it? The easiest theft prevention measure is hiding from view - if they don't know you've got it, they won't know to steal it. To follow up on your other points;

0. Starting mechanism is irrelevant; they're unlikely to hotwire a bike there and then, more likely to push it using a scooter somewhere first

1. Connected to the above, less desirable and unwieldy bikes are probably less likely to get nicked (but anything can get nicked!)

2. Ground anchor is only as tough as what connects it to the bike, i.e. the chain. If they're happy to blatantly use angle grinders then it probably won't actually make that much difference. Might deter a different type of thief, e.g. opportunist with mates to lift into a van.

3. Good chains will slow them down, but a good chain in such a position that it's hard to cut (so difficult to access, ideally not resting against anything solid like the ground)

4. It's something else for them to deal with so I'd fit one as even good ones aren't mega expensive. Better through the sprocket than the disc if it'll fit though (easy to undo disc bolts and wheel it away, sprockets are bit more fiddly). Not sure an alarm will make much difference to the particular thieves that got you last time, an angle grinder was probably noiser

More layers of security will make the bike less appealing. The key is to get everything tilted such that the work involved it getting it is no longer worth it for the bike (but most bikes are worth £1.5k minimum so there's always some value). Alarms, chains, ground anchors, covers etc. will help build up that deterrence. CCTV might help too, as may good security lighting.
____________________
TG.

[Riejufixing]

[A100man]

[1198]

Buy a cover, use it. Apparently bike thieves are too lazy / incapable / unwilling to lift covers to see what’s there.

[ThunderGuts]

[A100man]

[notbike]

Almax series 6, or pragmassis equivalent, and a giant fuck-off ground anchor. And a cover, but not one that has fucking "panigale" or "repsol" written on it. The idea is to use a scruffy looking one so people think it's a piece of shit.

There is no other way.

[ThunderGuts]

There's another option actually, depending a bit on who you live with. If you've got a light enough bike and/or a low enough threshold, store the bike in the hall / front room?! I have known people actually do this. Maybe not advised if you've got a suspended floor, but a solid floor it'd be fine. Out of sight then. That said, if it's a desirable bike the flipside is a determined thief will then be entering the house to get it.
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TG.

[Bhud]

[slowside]

Could you put up one of those steel motorcycle sheds on your driveway? Won't really provide much of an obstacle, but fullfills the out-of-sight criteria as well as giving you some weather protection.

Then sink a ground anchor and a good chain through the shed floor to the concrete drive. If they do decide to try and cut it, they'll have to work in the cramped confines of the space provided by the shed.
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Triumph Sprint RS 955i - Sold
Triumph Street Triple R 675

[A100man]

[xX-Alex-Xx]

Ground anchor for sure with a decent chain (put through rear wheel). Bright yellow fat disk lock on the front. Alarm with motion sensor (proximity sensors are good too). At least a basic cover to keep it out of sight.

Optional: ED-209, moat with sharks with lasers on their head.
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DILLIGAF

[A100man]

On reflection you can have an equivalent age Fazer for not much more..
____________________
Now: A100, GT250A, XJ598, FZ750

Then: Fizz, RS200, KL250, XJ550, Laverda Alpina, XJ600, FZS600

[Hetzer]

I have a £16 motion and shock sensor with an ear-hurting siren. Nothing will stop 1st or 2nd tier thieves from lifting the bike into a van other than you confronting them with a bat and all my alarm is for is to wake me up in my bedroom (as happened last night when the thunderstorm set it off).
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[steve the grease]

I have said this before but you can get a rape alarm on Ebay for beans like

[url] https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Personal-Panic-Rape-Alarm-Keyring-Loud-Sound-Safety-Security-Attack-130db-White/273234143565?hash=item3f9e06294d:g:3ksAAOSwYK1bBqiq[/url]

They have a cord which when pulled set of a 130db alarm. At £2.99 each 5 or six of them attached to the cover and the bike would help put off most thieves at least a little bit and cost very little on top of the lock /chain/ground anchor
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All the above is my personal opinion, you can see my lips move, but I'm talking out of my arse.
I've been riding, and fixing , bikes for 50 years, in that time the more I learn, the less I am absolutely sure of.....

[MCN]

[Polarbear]

Why is he called Steve the Grease?
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Amber Phoenix]

I'm in same boat as you, living in middle of terrace, so got to lock bike up on the front drive. I use 16mm Pragmasis chain and Torc ground anchor and rain covers. However, my wife and I only have old FZ6 and CBF500, so far less desirable.

A while ago I wrote a big motorcycle security guide on my blog here, check it out.

Key take homes: 80% of theft happens at home, so really beef up security there.

Bugger all will stop an angle grinder, so best you can do is ensure it takes a lot longer to grind through. So fatter chains, Almax & Pragmasis go up to huge size now 22mm links, not cheap but they'll take a good while to grind. Otherwise, add more things they need to grind, multiple chains (even if thinner), disc locks etc. As mentioned above, try and raise chains off the ground - much harder to grind something dangling in the air.

Rain cover helps keep prying eyes out, and if locked on slows them down a little more too.

You won't 100% prevent a theft, but if you can make your bike seem far more hassle to pinch than it's worth, you should be ok.

Otherwise, can you rent a garage anywhere nearby?
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Beginner Biker Adventures Blog
Yamaha FZ6 S2 2007

[MCN]

[Robby]

Security is about different layers and types. Don't throw all your money into one security control, it will get beaten.

Things I would do:

1. Detection. It's on your front drive, so a ring or nest doorbell gives you CCTV backed up in the cloud. I prefer nest, but ring doorbells are chunkier and more obvious to thieves. Thieves do look out for obvious CCTV and tend to avoid it. If it isn't in view of a doorbell, then I'm also a fan of the nest cameras, I have a couple of them. Very high resolution, good focus, and night vision.

2. Detection/prevention. One of those cheap motion-activated lights is good, but can be a pain in the arse for you and your neighbours if it lights up their bedroom every time a cat walks by.

3. Chain and ground anchor. Worth having. They will get through any chain with an angle grinder, but the move expensive the chain the longer it will take. An oxford chain is 5 seconds - quick enough to not wake someone up. A better chain would be 30 seconds, which might be long enough.

4. Disk lock. Can also be defeated, but it takes a lot more time to get past a chain and a disk lock. Could use a brake lock instead if you always forget to take the disc lock off.

5. Tracker. You can get them on ebay for £30 and put a PAYG SIM in there. They end up being a pain in the arse, and flattening your battery or just not working. A proper tracker is now something like £200, and a tenner a month subscription.

I would shy away from going too hard on the physical security. Every lock and chain you put on there is one you have to remove and store when you want to ride the bike. Likewise, bringing it inside or manouvering it into the garden means you have to get it back outside every time you want to ride.

Also worth writing to your councillor and asking for CCTV on the street, or more police patrols. Both are effective to persuade the local scrotes to do their crime somewhere else.