Bike security - Locks?

[ranier]

So recently, I've been seeing news reports of smaller scooters being stolen. Mostly 50cc scoots that can easily man-handled by two people into a waiting van or truck. The PCX is a bit larger and heavier so I think it'd be less of a target for thieves or maybe I'm wrong. The ignition shroud is a theft deterrent but any thief could probably find a way around that.

Anyone using a cable lock, disc lock or U-Lock to increase security?

[maddiedog]

I have all of the above (cable, alarmed disc, U-lock), but use none of them. If a thief really wants your bike, he or she will get it one way or another.

I think using a cover would be the best deterrent. Out of sight, out of mind goes a long way towards security.

[Theboybilly]

I agree with Dave-out of sight, out of mind. My PCX lives outside and is always covered, but I live in a very quiet neighbourhood. I lock it up with a reasonably strong Oxford chain and padlock and keep everything off the floor. I also use a GripLock which is also very convenient if just nipping into town. For the rest I have my insurance.

Bill

[Urbanian]

Many owners of 50cc bikes don’t bother to get them titled in their own names, and don’t get them licensed. A stolen 50cc bike is much harder to trace if the state (police) has no record of it.

Maddie’s suggestion of a cover is excellent advice. Before I had a garage I bought a 9x9 tarp from Home Depot for <$10; folded in half, ends sewn together, it slips like an envelope over the bike.

When parked in a public place, I park on the side stand for its kill switch, set the parking brake, flip the kill switch, and close the keyhole. If a would-be thief defeats all but one of these and leaves without my bike, that’s good enough for me.

[SmellyTofu]

Just thinking out loud but would/could a kill switch be installed inside the box whereby it just disconnect the battery in the off position? and by being inside the storage box underneath, we could flip the switch discretely and anyone watching us taking stuff out from there would know no better because they can't see the switch? a very simple and crude way of fitting another kill switch.

[you you]

Just thinking out loud but would/could a kill switch be installed inside the box whereby it just disconnect the battery in the off position? and by being inside the storage box underneath, we could flip the switch discretely and anyone watching us taking stuff out from there would know no better because they can't see the switch? a very simple and crude way of fitting another kill switch.

Yes you can buy battery switches. Good idea really

[SmellyTofu]

Given the bike doesn't really need any permanently connected power to say keep the clock in sync or an onboard alarm active, it just might be a "quick and dirty" way to have one kill switch. Add another one in the line for extra security. Just make sure the switch if it's in the under seat area not big that anything you store inside doesn't accidentally flicks the kill switch and disconnects the battery as you're riding.

[you you]

Given the bike doesn't really need any permanently connected power to say keep the clock in sync or an onboard alarm active, it just might be a "quick and dirty" way to have one kill switch. Add another one in the line for extra security. Just make sure the switch if it's in the under seat area not big that anything you store inside doesn't accidentally flicks the kill switch and disconnects the battery as you're riding.

There's a difference between a battery isolator and a kill switch. One of which is that an isolator generally requires a substantial turn of a knob to connect/disconnect so shouldn't happen accidentally.

[gn2]

Sym scooters have internal kill switches:

[you you]

Sym scooters have internal kill switches:

Are you on commission?

[gn2]

No, wouldn't be a big earner anyway, Sym UK sales figures are woeful.

[maddiedog]

That's a cool feature. If a thief knows his scooters though, it probably wouldn't help much.

It wouldn't be hard to mod that into the PCX... I'd just add a line to the kill switch somewhere.

[cessna151]

I put thieves into two categories: 1. opportunity thieves (those who decide on the spot to steal) 2. targeting thieves (those who decide ahead of time and plan out the theft). Things like secret kill switches and cable locks will discourage the first kind. But a good targeting thief doesn't care if the engine runs, they're just going to sell if for parts. The only thing that will discourage both is a good cover. Like mentioned before, out of sight out of mind.

[SmellyTofu]

Basically if someone wants your property, they'll get it short of locking the bike in a bank vault or just sit on the bike all day long to guard it.

[Anfield800]

For those of us in the trade, I think there are a couple, the advice is simple. Make your scooter harder to steal than the next one.

[you you]

For those of us in the trade, I think there are a couple, the advice is simple. Make your scooter harder to steal than the next one.

A couple of what?

[ranier]

I've only been in my current city for a few months and I've noticed that around the university and the hospital that the scooters are parked close to building entrances and not in a parking lot/garage. Usually with the bicycles and most of those are small 50cc scooters and about half of them have a cable or U-lock when parked. I can see the necessity with smaller scoots as they're probably easily stolen than a larger one.

I don't worry at work since I work on a secure facility (read:fenced,gated & guarded) and we have a nice moto/scooter parking lot close to the main entrance. There's also not many sketchy areas in town that I frequent. I may have to pony up for a decent lock if and when I visit friends in Richmond, seems scoots are frequent theft targets.