Hi all,

As I'm planning a trip around the world I ponder about the best way to secure a bike. I have seen that a number of people have had bikes stolen and I'm curious as to the scenarios in which they were stolen. I would love for everyone to share how their bike was stolen on this thread. Including:

- where you left it
- where it was - what country/town
- what time of day it was nicked
- what you were doing at the time
- whether you were solo or group travelling
- what security measures you had in place
- and anything else that may be relevant (or not)

Near misses are welcome too!

Cheers,
Rossy.

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'10 Suzuki DR650. 2011-12 Sth-Nth Chile-Alaska. Currently in Cairns, Australia. www.followtheakubra.com.au

Great question Rossy. I haven't had the dubious honor of being selected for a theft - but I'd be very interested in reading responses to your questions in order to be better prepared.
- Mike

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Sandy & Mike Dimond

Been lucky enough not to have had a bike stolen from me yet... but here´s my take:

- Two most critical factors regarding theft are: which bike, and kept where. Certain bikes, like big sportsbikes and Harleys seem to attract thieves. And also even if your bike is not so high-value, but it´s very common in your area, they might want to steal it to sell as spare parts.

- Parked on the street in the big cities is a high-risk thing to do (much riskier than taking it into a courtyard, for example, or a garage, where it can´t be easily spotted, or taken). In rural areas, the risk is much lower, but it can still happen anywhere. Luckily, especially in the 3rd world countries, hotel and guesthouse owners often permit you to walk the bike to some place, where it´ll be a lot safer than on the street. Inside the reception, or on the hallway right next to your room is actually pretty common.

- Very few people seem to pay any attention to alarm units going off especially in the cities any more. Add to this the amount of trouble they seem to develop with the batteries dying during the trip, or possible malfunctions in the alarm itself, and I would consider very carefully, if an alarm is really worth it. Especially modern FI-bikes require the battery to stay in perfect condition, otherwise there may be many problems. But like everything else, this is just my view, and I´m sure a lot of people will disagree.

- By using extra locks, immobilizers, etc., you can pretty succesfully prevent an occasional junkhead from riding away with it. The downside is, they might break a few things like brake discs or ignition locks in the process. That´ll suck, but it´s usually still a much better outcome than if they get to ride it, because then it is often found crashed in some nearby ditch.

- But if a professional gang, who usually have a van, decides to steal your bike, they have ways to deal with the extra locks very quickly, and might very well succeed. It´ll be lifted to the van & gone in just a few seconds. It might help (but only a little!), if the place where you keep it is such, that they will be unable to get their van right next to your bike. Your best hope against these guys is that they dont spot your bike, dont want your bike, or that they see an easier suitable target close by.

- A bike cover seems to be a surprisingly effective way to ´hide´ it from view. Even the professionals would probably need to approach the machine & lift the cover first, to see what exactly is underneath - I dont think they´ll just set off and look for "any bike", that´ll be the junkheads who do that. And the pros certainly don´t like to spend any more time than is absolutely necessary, at the possible crime scene. A cover naturally won´t prevent anyone from stealing it, though, but it just might raise the odds in your favour a tiny bit.

- For me (a Finn), it seemed really tough to find any suitable comprehensive insurance for the bike, that would be valid outside the Green Card countries, so sometimes I´ve had to do without. This has naturally given me some extra motivation to always search for a place, that I have assumed will be safe, especially for the night-time.

It is rare, but it has sometimes happened even to RTW-travellers, and it really would be a nasty blow to the long-anticipated "big trip"! I wouldnt lose my sleep over this matter, but the things you _can_do_ are pretty simple in the end, and then it´s just hoping for the best!

Central London 2002: came back to the F650 to find the ignition was stuffed due to having a bent screw driver in it. Up pops the typical cockney half wit to tell me a bloke had come along, wrecked the lock then spotted the huge chain through the back wheel (and over the seat, not where he could chisel it against the road) and realised it was beyond him. No one had called the police or done anything except watch. The next bike in the parking bay had it's alarm wailing away for the whole time it took me to get going. The police constable who walked by wasn't going to do anything until I spoke to him then had the attitute that stolen bikes weren't his problem. I rode for a week with that screwdriver working the ignition.

Services outside Cardiff 2003: Went for a pee, and came back to find the bike on it's side. A truck driver had seen a kid shove the bike off it's stand, realise he couldn't push it against the disc lock and then ran off when the truckie shouted at him. The police were called by the service station staff , were actually helpful and went off to see if they had the kid in CCTV. Heard no more, but they tried.

Tip 1: The locks on the bike are a joke. Better not to use them than have some cretin break the ignition switch.

Tip 2: Obviously large and quality locks are going to defeat anyone short of specially equipped gangs. These gangs want new BMW's, Harleys, Ducati's etc. not fifteen year old XT600's with the same milage as the Starship Enterprise.

Tip 3: Big Western cities are the places where the bike will be stolen. A Nigerian street kid might like your GPS or tool kit, but he's got no use for the bike. Hide stuff from the kid, made the screwdriver brigade think you are too much like hard work.

Tip 4: Never think that you'll only be away for 2 minutes. OK, the big chain is a PITA, so use the disc lock.

As Pecha says, know your enemy and layer your defence.

Andy

pecha and Andy...very useful advice! Thankyou. Good to hear some real life stories. I guess my biggest worry in all is not that I'll lose my bike (which is a worry too), but that I will miss too many opportunities for walking around shops/parks/walking tracks etc because I'm worried about it being stolen. I guess like many other threads and you guys have pointed out...a good chain is probably the best option. It will stop the dull thugs and kids. But won't stop the pros...but then again nothing will unless its inside a building probably.

Cheers for the stories and advice. Keep it comin!!
Rossy.

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'10 Suzuki DR650. 2011-12 Sth-Nth Chile-Alaska. Currently in Cairns, Australia. www.followtheakubra.com.au

My advice would be to do what you easily can, like get the sturdy chain or disc lock, and use your head, where youre gonna leave the bike..... and then just learn to relax, and not to worry about it all the time (that´ll be the hardest part I think, but there´s no point in using your energy for something like that!!)

One more thing: IF you use a disc-lock, dont do like I did, and try to start off with the lock still attached to the bike, because you may find that the universe has suddenly tilted 90 degrees right or left, and your foot is stuck under the bike, and you´re gonna need external help to rise up from the tarmac again! This happened to me once in Italy, and could have very easily been a trip-stopper, but I was very lucky, and my foot wasnt hurt in any way.... it had actually protected the bike from any scratches, too! But still this is highly unrecommendable, and if/when the place is crowded (like it always is, when something like this happens!) then your feeling of humiliation will be oh so thorough!

Parking the bike in a position, where you´ll need to push it back a bit to ride forward might help, if your memory is like mine, and often fails. Also a bright wire or cable from the disc-lock to the handlebar could be an idea. But the best thing is to ALWAYS use the lock, whenever you leave the bike out of sight, even if it is just for 1 minute. That way you´ll get used to always having to remove it first, before setting off.

One more possibly useful if minor tip. Ditch the keyring your dealer gave you. I found a set of keys with a Rainbow BMW dealer key fob , recognised the ignition key style and was going to drop them in to a police station. Back where I'd parked there was a new RT with Rainbow logos on the number plate. I'm just thinking about what to do when a guy in a sytem helmet and the rest of the kit comes up and starts going through his pockets looking worried. He was very grateful when I handed the keys over and said I found them, although thinking back maybe I'd just helped him steal it

I like my MZ keys with the lock makers logo and Triumph Keyring over a set with adverts all over for which bike they fit. I could describe them to lost property people, but no clues to anyone dodgy who might find them.

Andy

If you think they´re gonna be able to ride away with your bike, how about reversing the wiring in your killswitch (so that it needs to be in "OFF" position for the engine to run??) And then you naturally leave it in the normal "ON" position, when you leave the bike.

That could be something that´s easily usable (for you), but just might take the thief some time to figure out.

Also, I once installed an alarm unit into my Vstrom, and noticed there´s a jumper wire on the back, that needs to be connected in a certain way, or the bike will be immobilized (ignition circuit off). Would be easy to add a switch there, and hide it from view somewhere near the subframe.

Personally I believe that good-quality disc or chain locks will in reality be enough to deter 99% of the occasional jerks (means that they´ll go look for something easier to steal & ride away with). And the pros with a van or a truck are still gonna make the bike disappear, no matter how many "tricks" or extra locks you´re using.

Now that I think of it, I find it kind-of strange, that I can very easily buy insurance against theft for my bike, that´ll be valid in Europe, or the US, or Australia. And yet there doesnt seem to be (or at least I havent found) any company offering proper insurance against theft, that would be valid more or less all around the globe. Strange because the areas, where I think the possibility of theft will actually be HIGHEST, are Europe, US and Oz!! I would also think that RTW-travellers will often be more careful about their bikes than "normal" riders, because insured or not, their big trip will be ruined, if they lose their bike.

Great response! Cheers all. I have a loud (painful) disc-lock, will look into a chain and pac-safes and probably most definitely add a waterproof killswitch somewhere near the airbox. I think thats a great idea!

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'10 Suzuki DR650. 2011-12 Sth-Nth Chile-Alaska. Currently in Cairns, Australia. www.followtheakubra.com.au

not yet!my secuerty system is a xena disc lock,,bear spray+amachete,,bear spray works on pit bulls+helmet thieves,machete is handy wood chopper,,xena is a very sturdy lock worth the money.

In Nottingham, UK, a few months ago. Had an overland preped XT600E that was targeted by an organised gang. Was chained up and in the 15mins I left it they had sliced through it and off it was in the back of a van.

Police response was good and immediate but unfortunately never got anywhere. Apparently had been watched for a while and were waiting for me to leave it. Not much could be done I guess. If they really want it they will probably find a way.

I had a sports bike that was stolen from outside my house, three locks and in a quiet area. They just crept up picked it up and carried it off.

While on a trip I do the following depending on how long I will be away.

In the street it was always cabled with a big thick stainless braid cable and alarm lock through parts of the chassis and luggage then up high on a light post or other tall big pole.

While camping it was parked either next to the tent with a cover or next the main office out of site from the road with a cover and locked up with the above cable setup.

I also didn't wash it on the trip (which meant I had to look harder for any faults) just to give it that junk look..But if they want it they will take it.

Hi, i have had the misfortune to have had 2 bikes stolen (once my fault as i left the keys in the seat lock) but will tell you a story that saved me a lot of money.
a friend came out his house to see his bike being pushed away, he gave chase immediately, the thief saw him, dropped the bike and legged it. As it was a fully faired sports bike the cosmetic damage was considerable and expensive.
About a year later i came out my mothers house to see 2 men pushing away my bike and rather than give chase i shouted to them to put the bike on the stand and i would let them go, 1 legged it and the other stopped put the bike on the stand before legging it.
i didn't get the satisfaction of catching the thiefs but i did same myself a lot of money. Andy

I rode my first bike 20,000 miles or so around central asia and back through Russia, left it a few times including chained to a tree in Turkmenistan for a week, no problems.

I got back to the UK, rebuilt my pride and joy (I'd crashed a lot while away and it was a bit bent or snapped in a few places), then some git knicked it from in front of my house and torched it at the bottom of my road when it wouldn't bump start. The police did sweet FA, even when I had the hooded top of one of them and a suspects name!!

It had an oxford chain on it through the back wheel which the thieves took. I now keep all my bikes in my house with a few dogs in the room with them. Although highly effective it helps being single for this approach, I personally love the smell of two stroke in the morning!

As with others, I've had a few bikes nicked and each one in a different way..!

1981 RD350LC, which had the clutch cover plate off and the innards covered with a taped plastic bag whilst I went to pick up clutch plates, suddenly 'disappeared'! Obviously chucked in a van never to be seen again!

1997 MZ Mastiff, chained and padlocked went missing outside my flat (Edinburgh) and was found 3 days later 3 miles away. The bike had stopped working the day earlier due to the R/R failing and couldn't be started. The thieving gits had pushed it 3 miles down the riverside and gave up when they couln't start it! Kids eh!?

2003 Yamaha XT600e, again robbed outside the flat with a dirty great (and expensive!) chain and padlock! I was really miffed as it was a gift to my girlfriend and rode our two XTs to Morrocco just weeks before and had other trips planned. We got it back, having been used as a kids scrambler, got it repaired and the same theiving little sh*t robbed it again! It was found in his shed with numerous other stolen bikes!

I now have a well secured lock-up, alarmed and when I leave my bike it's chained, has the factory immobiliser and the alarm texts my mobile! The texts work as when it went off a month ago, I dropped what I was doing in town, ran the two blocks to where it was parked and scared the shit out of a delivery driver who'd hit the front wheel with a box! I saw the van and went nuts thinking it would be chucked inside but believed him as it was full of boxes for delivery!!!

After being on a few adventures I do believe there's more chance of it being nicked in a western country rather than a third world country.

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Geoffshing

'Security is a product of one's own imagination, it does not exist in nature as a rule, life is either a daring adventure or nothing.'