security

[mimilamop]

Hi
I live in Feltham, West London.... more than a bit chavvy!! Just wanted to praise and recommend the security chain and wall anchor that I bought. Company is PJB Security, bought some humungous chain (think boatyard!) from them, free postage, and a padlock so huge it looks like something out of a cartoon! Just come back from 3 week holiday, my beloved scooter still chained to the wall! Many think my security measures extreme, but it certainly aids sleep!

[Simon0867]

Security is a big issue. I don't think it matters where you live, the skanks will find you. Last year I had a 50cc stolen from our residents car park. The dregs only rode it a few miles and then burnt it out. Impressively the police used DNA to catch the culprit but as he was legally a kid they wouldn't give me any details or I'd have pursued him in the small claims court.

I suppose I'd been a bit lax using only a cheap disc lock and chain. Now when parked up overnight my PCX has 3 heavy duty chains in it, a quality disc lock, cover and I've just ordered up a motion detector alarm.

I'll check out that company you mentioned, always on the look out for new security kit.

[honkerman]

I hear a lot about vehicle theft in the UK...is it really as bad as they make it seem, or is it just a stereotype?

[gn2]

Depends on what area you're in.
Big cities it can be horrendous, out in the countryside its virtually non-existent.

[Simon0867]

The main problem in Edinburgh is feral youth from the cities rough areas. They are not stealing the bikes to sell, but just to joyride and then destroy. It's sickening.

[Simon0867]

Bought a built in motion detector alarm that rigs up to the battery. Should help calm my nightime nerves

[Mr Elbows]

I suppose I'd been a bit lax using only a cheap disc lock and chain. Now when parked up overnight my PCX has 3 heavy duty chains in it, a quality disc lock, cover and I've just ordered up a motion detector alarm.

Where do you store your chains when on the go? Also, care to provide a link to what kind of motion detector you have?

[Simon0867]

I take one of the chains with me and leave the other two padlocked around the concrete building support I chain my bike too. I appreciate that some will say I'm risking the chains/padlocks being interfered with in my absence, however I check them each day and have a back up in the house if I see anything suspicious. I also put a disc lock on. It's worth noting again I'm not dealing with master criminals here, just skankly little neds who are looking to quickly pinch a poorly protected bike, ride it for a couple of hours and then trash it, it's a big problem in Edinburgh.

The alarm arrived today, I'll fit it tomorrow.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EASY-FIT-Only ... 4d0f7b3bed

I've also put alarm warning stickers on the bikes cover and one on the pillar !!

[maddiedog]

Glad it stayed safe. If you don't have a cover, you should definitely get one. The best thing you can do for security is add a cover; out of sight is out of mind. Criminals are opportunists, and will just skip over your bike if it's covered (unless the thief is a neighbor, in which you're really just screwed).

I had a friend over this weekend that had a 1/2" stainless steel locking hitch pin stuck on his F250. He lost the key. I got through the 1/2" thick pin in a minute or two, that's it. My cheap ($30) Ryobi cordless angle grinder in my garage makes quick work of any lock. Sure, I might need to change the batteries once, but that's just a minor detail.

Cover your bike if you leave somewhere unsafe!

[Simon0867]

I've got a cover on although I'll need to look at something bigger as I fitted my Givi topbox on yesterday The cover I have won't fit if I leave the box on.

[Mister Paul]

I've got a cover on although I'll need to look at something bigger as I fitted my Givi topbox on yesterday The cover I have won't fit if I leave the box on.

I have a large Oxford Stormex which is only about 8 months old. I used it on my Versys, but when I switched to the Forza found that the scoot fits in the shed, so the cover is sitting in its bag unused. It's plenty big enough for the Forza. If you're interested I'm open to offers on it....

http://www.oxford-shop.co.uk/item3713.htm

[Simon0867]

Hi, thanks for the offer. I know the Stormtex covers are pricey to buy new, what sort of money, inc postage (I presume you are in the UK) would you be looking for?

[Mister Paul]

Hi, thanks for the offer. I know the Stormtex covers are pricey to buy new, what sort of money, inc postage (I presume you are in the UK) would you be looking for?

They're £85 new. How does £45 posted sound?

[Simon0867]

Thanks for the offer, it's a very fair price but probably more than I was looking to spend on a cover. I can get a new Aquatex for £30 on eBay, which although not as hi-tec as the Stormtex, would do me OK.

Thanks again, much appreciatec.

[Valiant]

I've got a cover on although I'll need to look at something bigger as I fitted my Givi topbox on yesterday The cover I have won't fit if I leave the box on.

Get the largest size cover if that's the case. However I strongly recommend not leaving the box on anyway if you're leaving it parked in a shady area.

As mentioned in a previous thread, my PCX was locked up to a rack, right in front of the entrance to a Home Depot, covered, had an audible alarm, and some meth head lifted the cover(was still locked, he just forced it up) and cut off one of my saddlebags with the alarm going off all the while.

Accessory theft is a threat as well, one more reason not to leave anything valuable in storage if you're going to be away from your bike.

I had a friend over this weekend that had a 1/2" stainless steel locking hitch pin stuck on his F250. He lost the key. I got through the 1/2" thick pin in a minute or two, that's it. My cheap ($30) Ryobi cordless angle grinder in my garage makes quick work of any lock. Sure, I might need to change the batteries once, but that's just a minor detail.

I think it's pragmatically impossible to make any lock resistant to an angle grinder. However with well-designed disc locks you could make it more of a chore and a risk, as the positioning means that the thief would have to risk cutting the disc rotor itself to get the lock off.

[Mister Paul]

Thanks for the offer, it's a very fair price but probably more than I was looking to spend on a cover. I can get a new Aquatex for £30 on eBay, which although not as hi-tec as the Stormtex, would do me OK.

Thanks again, much appreciatec.

No problem. :-)

[Seth]

I can't install an anchor where I live, so I built a deterrent using a plastic 55 gallon drum, some 19mm chain, rebar, and concrete. It should be pretty self-explanatory from there, but essentially I set the chain in concrete with rebar through the links for extra measure. There's approximately 483kg (1066lbs) of concrete in there, plus the weight of the chain and rebar.

I read an interesting "Ask Me Anything" thread on reddit with a former motorcycle thief and chop shop operator. There are some lessons to learn there. I think it is well worth the time to read through it. https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/co ... erator_ama

[yak]

@Seth, i spent 30 minutes reading that entire reddit thread about stealing motorcycles (the thread was closed 3 years ago so there are no new comments). The thief says that stolen Ducati's are a goldmine. If dealers are having a difficult time selling PCX's , maybe no one wants to steal them.

[Seth]

@yak -- That was one of my take-away's too. The margin is probably pretty low on a PCX vs a supersport or Harley too. I doubt the pros are out there targeting scoots. Meth heads are a whole other thing of course. They're thieves of opportunity.

[j.d.b.]

How do they start them quickly, without the key? Are PCX's ignition locks defeated simply say, with with a small flat-blade screwdriver?