Motorcycle Security
One of the things you probably love most about your motorcycle is how many heads it turns as you cruise down the street. It’s even a good way to meet people, since you never know when a fellow biker will come up to you as you’re parking to chat about your particular model.
While some of the attention your motorcycle draws is fine, not all of it is positive. Thieves are also watching your bike, particularly as you park it and walk away. They know how much it’s worth and will do whatever they can to make off with it if they’re determined to do so. And you don’t want to walk outside the next day, excited for a fun commute or a long touring ride, only to discover that your beloved bike is gone!
So how do you keep your investment safe and secure? There are a number of strategies available to you, and you may want to mix and match them to get the most protection possible. Your local motorcycle dealer is Big St. Charles Motorsports and we’ve provided some of our favorite motorcycle security tips below.
Consider Your Living Situation
It might surprise you to learn that where you’re living has an impact on how prone you may be to theft. Apartment complexes are much more vulnerable than residential homes for several reasons. For one thing, they have much higher foot traffic with so many people living in such close quarters. This leads to more vehicles in the parking lot, and the back-and-forth movement of people coming and going all day makes it easy for a thief to slip in unnoticed. So you’re going to have to take extra precautions and use several of the strategies below to protect your motorcycle.
However, this doesn’t mean those in the suburbs should rest easily and let their guards down! People living in houses can become lax about security and thieves will take notice of this. So if you live in a residential neighborhood, you'll also want to take note of some of the tips below.
Park Strategically
When parking your bike, the best place to park it is out of sight of others. This isn’t always possible, but when it is, it’s a great option! If you have a garage or shed that locks, storing your bike is easy. If you don’t, parking behind a tall fence keeps it out of sight of anyone walking or driving by your house.
However, if you don’t have an indoor space to park your motorcycle, like in an apartment complex, then you’re going to need to park it where it’s in full view of security cameras in your parking lot, and lock it to something strong.
Physical Security Options
Locks and chains are good deterrents for thieves. The more layers of security, the better. If a thief only has to pick a tiny lock, they’ll find your bike easy to steal. If you have multiple locks and chains, they’ll probably try to find an easier target.
Steering locks prevent the steering column from moving. Disc locks secure the brakes in place to prevent the wheels from spinning. Locked saddlebags will help to keep your riding gear safe. If you use chains, make sure to loop these around a part of the bike that cannot be removed.
One great way to prevent your bike from being lifted into the back of a vehicle and secreted away is to invest in a ground anchor. These are solid metal loops through which you slide a chain. They are either bolted into the ground or wall, concreted in,or temporarily screwed into dirt.
Depending on where you live, you may not be able to install either of the former two styles since they will leave holes when removed or be impossible to remove at all, in the case of the concreted style). However, the latter style is simply a long corkscrew that twists firmly into sod and is very difficult to remove with a bike attached.
Covering Your Bike
Another great way to reduce the chance of your bike being stolen is to keep it covered. A tight-fitting cover prevents thieves from scoping out the type of bike you have as well as any accessories they might want to steal from it. It also adds another layer of security. Thieves will look pretty suspicious peeking under or removing a cover, and it takes more time, so they may move on to an uncovered target instead.
We hope this guide helps you to keep your prized possession safe! Seeking motorcycles for sale near St. Louis? Visit our St. Charles dealership today to check out our current inventory of new and used motorcycles for sale. Big St. Charles Motorsports proudly serves the cities of St. Peters, St. Charles, and Columbia, Missouri.