On a Scotland tour a few weeks ago my mate had his data-tool alarm and immobiliser go tits up, we reckoned it may have been the wet weather ??? He had it removed at a local Honda dealer following RAC recovery. It certainly immobilised his Pan! He had fob and the keys and couldn't start it! Anyway after a day waiting and some bill paying we completed our tour. Great stuff.

A week later My wife and I set off for a two week Europe tour ( much dryer there ) We made it to within half an hour of Geneva our first planed stop early evening and needed fuel/food/wee so stopped at the services. Guess what. Went to unset the datatool alarm / immobiliser and it went tits up !! Could not believe it ! After lots of fob pressing key turning alarm sounding lights flashing stuff, it got dark. Had to camp in the services which was not too bad, they were open 24hrs so loo and coffee/food available all night, great.

In the morning we realised we had pitched the tent in "piss corner"
( lesson learnt : the quiet corners are used for other things too)

Anyway as I hadn't paid out for "European cover" on my RAC ( that didn't go well with the wife ) I felt it was time to get to work with the wires and remove the darn thing, which I did without too much bother actually. Result ! I was hero again, for today anyway.

Then there was a shift change at the services and the guy taking over heard of last nights problem from his work mate. He came over and spoke very good French ( he was French) and explained that it has happened before due the the bloody great radio mast just there, "look" " oh yeah" I said in my best French head nod. He then waved his arms and made a gesture indicating I should go over the far side of the area and it should work ok again. I think that's what he meant? The only other thing that I could imagine he meant was " I live over there by that radio mast and your F*****g alarm kept waking me up all evening so bugger off that way and don't come back ! "

So I wonder if anyone else has seen or heard of issues regarding the datatool alarms and mobile phone masts and the like? It sounds quite possible as the datatool appears to use 430mhz +/- on the fob to operate the unit. RF interference from another strong close source could disrupt the operation?

Or are they just a pain in the arse?

PS: the rest of the trip was great no more problems ..................well apart from the cat having a leg amputated by a very well off vet ( he is now!) while we were away.

yep been there

after market alarms can be affected

likewise with standard immobilser systems

just move the bike or car and try again

locking wheel nut keys are another security device that can catch you out

I don't know about bike alarms/immobilisers (i have just ripped out the one that came with the FGS) but there is a well-known issue between radio masts and car security systems. When the 'new' Range Rover was launched in 1994, the company got overwhelmed with complaints from owners that they parked in Heathrow airport's long stay parking and the cars wouldn't start when they returned. It was the airport staff who found that the solution was to push the cars to the other side of the car park, where they would start straight away. Apparently a nearby radio mast was causing the problems.

The RF from masts also kept waking up the car's computer if you parked near one, and flattened the battery. Not good for a 50 grand car.

A heavy chain and lock do not seem to have these problems.

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2006 XT660R daily ride, 1994 XT600E about to be reborn, Blog: http://goingfastgettingnowhere.blogspot.com/

A friend who used to live near the Fylingdales listening station in north Yorkshire said some cars, particularly Suzukis had the same problem when driving near to it.