Preventing Motorcycle Theft
Your gleaming Indian® motorcycle is one of your pride and joys and you probably get a kick out of watching people drool over it. However, not all those who admire your bike have good intentions. Potential thieves scope out motorcycles to steal. Motorcycles are small enough to take away and valuable enough to make the risk worth it. To keep your motorcycle safe, you need to be proactive in your approach. Read on for some motorcycle security tips from your friends at North County Indian Motorcycle® in San Marcos, CA. If you’re looking for Indian® motorcycles for sale near San Diego or Oceanside, visit us to get a tour of our inventory.
Daily Parking
Where you live plays a role in keeping your motorcycle safe from thieves. You probably won’t buy a new house just for your motorcycle but understanding the risks of each area can help you keep your bike safe.
It’s easier to steal a bike from an apartment complex because there are more vehicles in the parking lot, allowing a thief to scope out numerous options in one location. There are also many people coming and going all day long, not all of whom live in the complex. This lets thieves slip in and out with relative ease.
In a residential area, you get different kinds of threats. Since thieves are less likely to target such areas, owners have a tendency to let their guard down. This means that sometimes it becomes too easy for a thief to take off with your bike.
When parking your bike, look for a spot that’s more out of sight so thieves are less likely to notice it. If possible, store your Indian® motorcycle in a garage or a fenced backyard. If your apartment complex has security cameras, try to park your bike in view of the cameras. For added security, you can chain your bike to something sturdy nearby.
Security Tools
There are now high-quality locks and chains that are very good for deterring potential thieves. Multiple security measures might frustrate or convince a thief that the effort isn’t worth the risk. Steering locks secure the steering column, which prevents anyone from moving the bike, while disc locks clamp to the disc brakes, keeping the wheels from being able to spin.
To keep your biking gear safe, you can get a saddlebag that has locks. If you opt for chains, ensure they’re wrapped around a non-removable part of the bike. We recommend you get a ground anchor. The easiest way to steal a bike is to lift it into a van and drive off. A ground anchor has solid metal loops through which you slide a chain. They are either bolted into the ground (or wall), concreted in or temporarily screwed into the dirt. You may not be able to install either of the former two styles since they will leave holes when removed (or they may be impossible to remove at all, in the case of the concrete style), but the latter style is simply a long corkscrew that twists firmly into sod and is very difficult to remove with a bike attached.
Electronic Security
There are plenty of modern security methods you can use to secure your motorcycle even more. Alarms are good for drawing attention to any attempted theft and scaring the would-be thief away. Unfortunately, it’s very easy for an experienced thief to disable these.
You can instead opt for a tracking system that can be used by law enforcement to locate and retrieve your motorcycle. Even if you’re able to track the bike yourself, you should always go to the police and never try to retrieve your bike by yourself. As with any electronic security system, it’ll work best if it’s not obvious and stays hidden away.
Keep in Mind
If you park in a big parking lot, consider getting a cover for your motorcycle. Scoping thieves will not want to lift the cover and show any interest. They’ll be forced to move on to the other bikes in the lot, even if they’re not as great as your model. When you’re parked in a new or unfamiliar place, make some periodic rounds to check that your motorcycle is safe.
If you have any expensive, rare, or sentimental accessories, remove them after parking your bike. Having these stolen along with your motorcycle can feel like an additional blow. If you have secure saddlebags, you can leave these accessories in it till the next time you ride your bike.
While it’s true that the more customized your bike is, the more attention it will draw, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Having a bike that stands out means it’s more identifiable and people will notice it. A thief driving away on such a machine or trying to sell customized parts is more likely to get caught. The extra details also help law enforcement search for your bike. If you use social media to report the incident, more people will notice and remember the bike.
As long as you stay proactive about it, you should be able to ride your bike for years on end. If you’re still looking for a motorcycle to call your own, come to North County Indian Motorcycle® and check out our collection of Indian® motorcycles for sale. We’re located in San Marcos, CA. If you’re looking for Indian® motorcycles for sale near San Diego or Oceanside, visit us and we’ll help you find the right bike for you!