Some little Sh**s just tried to nick my monster!

[northantsrich]

Hi Guys.

Some little prats just attempted to nick my monster. I do keep it outside but always locked and under a cover. They took the cover off and tried to week it back but the lock did its job. I can't believe some people.

Anyway I thought I would ask if anyone has any tips. Just about to get an alarmed disc lock from amazon right now but thought I would ask you all for tips.

I love that bike and would have been gutted if they had nicked it!!7

Rich

[Petej]

Tough one without really getting it in a shed/garage/garden, other than locks and a decent alarm, I have a Datatool S4 and I managed to set it off myself and my word that is loud!!

Some people have no respect, feel for you constantly plays in your mind once someone has tried to take your pride and joy! Had my Escort RS stolen when I was 18 I nearly cried :(

Hope you get something sorted.

[SunEye]

The best thing is to lock the bike to an immovable object using a very strong chain and lock (Almax make good ones). However that may not be possible (my bike lives outside and has nothing to be locked to).

An alarm is an option, but also making the bike difficult to move is worthwhile.

Personally I have an Almax chain through the swingarm and rear wheel, Xena disc lock alarms on front and rear discs (double the volume when set off and twice as long for a thief to silence), another lock goes through the bike cover behind the front header and through the front wheel, another lock goes through the bike cover and the front of the front wheel because in strong winds the front of the bike cover tends to ride up. Putting locks through the cover means that a thief has to cut through the cover to get to the controls. I also park it next to a neighbour's GSXR1000 which has fewer things immobilising it than my Monster and so might be more attractive to a thief.

Regardless of what I do I have to accept that if someone really wanted my bike they could steal it. All I am doing is trying to deter the opportunist and casual theives.

[pegboy]

all of the above and if possible a sensor light??

[Tonio600]

If the bike is kept on your property I'd fit a ground anchor.

[jonzi]

If the bike is kept on your property I'd fit a ground anchor.

Can a ground anchor be fitted to a wall? and if so how easily do they come off?

My girlfriends owns a ground floor flat, but not the front garden, I currently leave my bike in the garden but not chained to any thing.

I can't screw the anchor to the ground as she doesn't own that bit, but I could probably do it to the outside wall.

When we leave, can I just unscrew the anchor or are they permanent features for ever more?

[NewMon]

Sorry to hear you've been targeted. I made a ground anchor by burying a steel hoop in concrete - when I left the property, I just left it there - the grass grew over it soon enough. Alternatively, try something like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001IGV2J8 - you could remove this when you leave. The bolts are hidden when a chain is put through.

Try to arrange things so that there isn't too much exposed chain that would allow boltcutters to be used. And don't bother with an outside light, the police told me once that they just make it easier for the crooks to see!

[Tonio600]

I reckon it would take a pretty thick and strong wall to securely fit an anchor in. Not sure a brick wall would do the job tbh... The screws are quite long and will require you to drill wide and deep.

I fitted one in the concrete floor of the shed where I store the bikes. I don't think it can be dismantled without being cut to bits. The bolts are rendered useless by hammering in their heads some tiny steel marbles. I can't see those coming out again.

[Tonio600]

Alternatively, try something like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001IGV2J8 - you could remove this when you leave. The bolts are hidden when a chain is put through.

I don't think that's the job of the chain to prevent the bolts from being undone. See the tiny marbles?

With rust and time helping, I can't see one of those going away uncut either.

That's the whole point of a ground anchor though. Not going anywhere.

[NewMon]

I don't think that's the job of the chain to prevent the bolts from being undone. See the tiny marbles?

Yeah, you're right - just leave it there as well. Surely it'll be fine fitted to a brick wall? I've fitted various crap to my walls with just regular bolts and they are still there after 10 years.

[SunEye]

You can fit a ground anchor to a wall. They are usually bolted down using shield anchor bolts like this
http://s7g3.scene7.com/is/image/ae235?$p$&layer=0&size=281,281&layer=1&size=281,281&src=ae235/20323_P
Obviously when you remove the ground anchor you will leave behind some holes in the wall. Fitted correctly it would not be possible to pull a ground anchor off a wall without serious risk of pulling the wall apart.

Some ground anchors appear to be designed never to be removed. On many the anchor is bolted to the ground/wall and has a cover that goes over the bolt heads that stops them being reached when the anchor is in use. This means that the anchor can be removed when required.

[SunEye]

If you really can't fit a ground anchor to the wall or the ground you could create your own moveable ground anchor. It's not as good, but it is a deterrent. Just fit a ground anchor to a paving slab (or two) or even better a concrete railway sleeper. You can move the slabs/sleeper, so they aren't permanent fixtures, but they make it tricky for a thief to lift the bike into a van by adding significant weight and awkwardness to the process.

What you are trying to create when securing your bike are a series of deterrents for the thief. An alarm makes a loud noise and may deter an opportunist, but if the bike can be wheeled away a more determined thief will still take it with the alarm blaring. Putting something through one wheel means that one end of the bike will have to be lifted. Putting stuff through both wheels means that the whole bike will have to be lifted. Adding an extra 100kg chained to the bike will mean the thieves will need an extra body or two to carry the bike away. A determined gang with a van could still do it, by using a sack truck or dolly to move the slabs/sleeper along with the bike, but they'd probably go looking for something easier to steal first.

[Musty]

Another thumbs up for Almax chains and Xena alarmed disc locks...

[utopia]

In lieu of a garage, your best move (if its at all possible) would be to create an access to the back garden so you could park it somewhere out of sight.
If its visible then the likleyhood is that sooner or later some scrote will try to nick it (again).
Even under a cover, its still obvious that its a bike.

When I first returned to biking about 10yrs ago, I wasn't quite so diligent and occaisionally left my dominator on the front drive if I was going out again soon. Within six months, the steering lock had been smashed. On that occaision I'd only left it for half an hour while I had a quick cup of tea.
Since then, I never leave a bike out the front, and I've had no further trouble.
I try and keep a very low profile, to the extent that I seldom even clean the bike out the front.

The worry is always that, having tried to nick it once, they might be back in a week or two to have a better crack at it.
On a positive note though, if they left it obvious that they'd tried once (ie left the cover off etc) then it may have just been an opportunistic one-off, as any sensible thief would surely cover their tracks if they intended returning.
Then again, they may well not be sensible. Scrotes usually aren't.

I know how you must feel.
My love for my own monster borders on the obsessive, and I value it far higher than its market value.
You have my sympathy.

[simontt]

I fitted a ground anchor on a well lit public spot (which does not inconvenience anyone) at the communal underground car park, chain (16mm) the rear wheel vs it, plus another chain (12mm) vs the swingarm and rear wheel, plus disk lock on front wheel. All Thatcham gold sold secure approved.

Touch wood nothing happened.

[northantsrich]

Thanks for all your help.

I have decided to get an alarm disc lock and a GPS tracker that I can fit. I think this on top of the chain should do the trick.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003XDN58K/ref=ox_ya_os_product

Any thoughts?

Rich

[FLATTOP]

Concrete railway sleepers are pretty formidable i used to fit these a few years ago they weigh about 300 kilo and take four men to lift them correctly with the right tools. Good luck with what ever way you go but to be honest a garage is the way forward out of sight out of scrotes minds.

[northantsrich]

Concrete railway sleepers are pretty formidable i used to fit these a few years ago they weigh about 300 kilo and take four men to lift them correctly with the right tools. Good luck with what ever way you go but to be honest a garage is the way forward out of sight out of scrotes minds.

A move is on the cards!

[TrickyD]

Sorry to hear you've been targeted. I made a ground anchor by burying a steel hoop in concrete - when I left the property, I just left it there - the grass grew over it soon enough. Alternatively, try something like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001IGV2J8 - you could remove this when you leave. The bolts are hidden when a chain is put through.

Try to arrange things so that there isn't too much exposed chain that would allow boltcutters to be used. And don't bother with an outside light, the police told me once that they just make it easier for the crooks to see!

I've got one of these mounted to a wall outside our house, it works really well. The balls that were shown do pop into the bolts after you install it which kid of makes it a permanent fix (you'd probably have to angle grind it off the wall to remove it). It actually keeps the chain off the floor as well which makes it harder to sledgehammer off.

[salbalboa]

you could try a gsm auto dialer from here www.pocketdiallers.com

i bought one for my alarm as a cheap alternative. it works perfect the phone battery lasts months and will call me direct when its activated. you could put it under your bike seat with a tilt switch. also has a microphone built in too

i got the phone for 99p of ebay and the pcb for £18.you will also need a pay as you go sim card with some credit.

[chris_s2r]

I do chain my bike to the lamp post and got a fantastic insurance cover, but also fitted a mini GPS tracker to my bike. It is not expensive one with police monitoring, but a tracker bought on Ebay for £20.

It uses GSM sim card to message me back when needed (O2<->O2 = free). I even can set a position of where the bike is "guarded" by this tracker. When my bike would leave that area and alarm is set, I shall receive message feed informing of where my S2R is. Additionally I can get messages with what speed bike is doing and a Google maps link.

Next step for me is to get a dedicated GSM device for a PC where I will be processing messages from a tracker. Performance maps for a track day or just simple trip recording and Google maps view, all possible with data acquired ;)

[northantsrich]

I do chain my bike to the lamp post and got a fantastic insurance cover, but also fitted a mini GPS tracker to my bike. It is not expensive one with police monitoring, but a tracker bought on Ebay for £20.

It uses GSM sim card to message me back when needed (O2<->O2 = free). I even can set a position of where the bike is "guarded" by this tracker. When my bike would leave that area and alarm is set, I shall receive message feed informing of where my S2R is. Additionally I can get messages with what speed bike is doing and a Google maps link.

Next step for me is to get a dedicated GSM device for a PC where I will be processing messages from a tracker. Performance maps for a track day or just simple trip recording and Google maps view, all possible with data acquired ;)

This sounds like what I have just got. Lets hope the bike lasts until I get it in the post!!! Where did you put the unit in your bike?

[chris_s2r]

This sounds like what I have just got. Lets hope the bike lasts until I get it in the post!!! Where did you put the unit in your bike?

It is really small device, but as you know there is not much space around.
Mine is under the seat at the moment, but will move it to battery area.
I would prefer it to be attached to the battery itself, but you could also stick it on the bottom of your fuel tank. Saying that, if you have a metal tank then your reception on the tracker may drop a bit. Worth playing around before fixing it permanently.

[Lg61 XKZ]

Sorry to hear that they have tried this in plain view - I had my brand new less than 1 month old Monster stolen from my garage in my back garden (gates and garage locked, with security lights...) - bike was replaced but I use a ground anchor - my suggestion is all of the above, alarm, anchor (if poss), cover and also get it GPS tracked because the police told me that it gets put somewhere for 48 hours before its shipped/broken down.

[northantsrich]

Update!!!

OK so some little **** attempted to nick it AGAIN!!!!!!!!

It looks like the alarm disc lock worked. Best £25 I ever spend.

[northantsrich]

Sorry to hear that they have tried this in plain view - I had my brand new less than 1 month old Monster stolen from my garage in my back garden (gates and garage locked, with security lights...) - bike was replaced but I use a ground anchor - my suggestion is all of the above, alarm, anchor (if poss), cover and also get it GPS tracked because the police told me that it gets put somewhere for 48 hours before its shipped/broken down.

Sorry to hear about your bike.

[utopia]

The worry is always that, having tried to nick it once, they might be back in a week or two to have a better crack at it.
On a positive note though, if they left it obvious that they'd tried once (ie left the cover off etc) then it may have just been an opportunistic one-off, as any sensible thief would surely cover their tracks if they intended returning.
Then again, they may well not be sensible. Scrotes usually aren't.



Damn. Sorry to hear that.
Though not entirely surprised.
I guess you're now in a combined state of worry and relief.

At least you now appear to know that you're dealing with "not very sensible scrotes" here.
Its good to know your enemy.
I guess you've also spooked them with your alarm now (they may or may not have noticed that its not an onboard system) and hopefully they will now cease to view it as an easy target.
I doubt that they'll be back with a van or anything, but I bet you'll be gagging to get your tracker system fitted asap.

For what they cost, I'm wondering about maybe using a second disc alarm, to double the confusion, at least while the heat is on ? With one on each wheel, the bike would have to be carried away. Also, if you can get them, a mini one would do (for scooters and suchlike), and being much lighter, you could then carry it on short trips too.

Those mobile phone-based auto-dialer/tracker devices look interesting, but I don't know much about them and the pocketdialers.com website is unavailable.
I'd be interested to know more.

[littlejimmy12]

I went round all the local garages and left notes for the owners to see if they wanted to rent space. Finally found one v nearby. I stuck an ad in Gumtree and now me and 2 others share the cost of the garage, works out at £35 a month. Worth every penny, all the bikes are chained together and alarmed plus we are having a garage defender put in soon.

[Nickj]

That'll be good news on the secure store front then, way easier to keep the bike clean if it's living in a garage.

So peeps you have a tracker fitted, same as the GPS track me apps for tablets. So your tablet gets nicked.. you tell the police it's at xyz and here's a pic of the scroate. They'll probably do nothing about it.
You have to hope that they'll not take the same line.

[Dookbob]

I had to delete this post, it could have been seen as discriminatory against scroats.