Protect Your Motorcycle From Theft! [Conclusion: The key is to make thieves give up]

Sadly, I often see people on social media and blogs asking for information about stolen motorcycles. Even if you've never been a victim of theft yourself, perhaps you know someone close to you whose motorcycle was stolen?

If you haven't taken any significant precautions and neither you nor anyone around you has been a victim, you're lucky. However, if you continue without taking proper anti-theft measures, you might wake up one morning to find your beloved motorcycle gone!

Are you neglecting anti-theft measures, thinking, "I'll be fine"? Overconfidence is very dangerous.

This time, we're talking about anti-theft measures to protect your precious motorcycle. Let's reconsider anti-theft measures once again to protect your bike and continue enjoying your motorcycle life! Even if you have been a victim, please read this article to the end for tips on how to avoid becoming a victim again.

"I just need to buy a sturdy lock that's hard to break, right?" ← This idea is actually dangerous!

The most important thing is to create hassle and make the perpetrators give up.

Here, we'll discuss why choosing only a sturdy, hard-to-break lock is not enough! The key is to understand what thieves dislike. This is where all anti-theft measures begin.

First, keep in mind the times and situations when theft is most likely to occur.

The conditions that make it easiest for thieves to act are...

• When it's raining
• In winter
• Late night to early morning on Monday (0:00 to 4:00)

I will explain each one in order.

• When it's raining

This is because the sound of the rain can mask footsteps and the sounds of the crime.

• In winter

Due to shorter daylight hours, it's harder for thieves to be seen, and the longer dark hours also delay the discovery of the crime.

• Late night to early morning on Monday (0:00 to 4:00)

Since many people start their work week on Monday, foot traffic is at its lowest during the week. The hours between 0:00 and 4:00 are also the time with the least foot traffic, regardless of the day of the week.

From this, it's easy to understand what thieves dislike. That's right, they most fear being heard making noise during the act and being witnessed committing the crime.

You might think this is obvious, but I'd like to delve a little deeper into this seemingly obvious point and, at the same time, introduce effective countermeasures.

Specific measures

Make them think it will take a long time to steal!

Not wanting to be heard or seen during the crime means not wanting to be noticed, right? This means the longer the crime takes, the greater the risk of being noticed.

So, you need to give the perpetrator trouble and make them think it will take a long time to steal. Providing a sturdy, hard-to-break lock is not wrong. However, this alone is insufficient.

Thieves have all sorts of tools. Even expensive, sturdy locks can be broken with hydraulic cutters if given enough time. Let's implement further measures to make them spend more time and effort!

Q. How many locks should I use specifically? A. Two or more.

According to the National Police Agency, the probability of theft drops to 1/8 when two locks are used compared to just one. This shows how much thieves want to complete their crime quickly. Use at least two locks!

Types of locks

・Chain locks

Chain locks offer the most robust options. A powerful bolt cutter can cut a 10mm diameter chain. Therefore, choose a chain lock with a thicker size.

KRYPTONITE

New York Chain & EV4 Disc Lock 12mm x 1000mm

While hydraulic cutters can cut chains over 11mm in diameter, they require more effort than bolt cutters. More powerful electric hydraulic cutters make noise. Thieves who want to avoid making noise would likely want to avoid them.

・Disc locks

Use these in conjunction with other locks. A word of caution: if you forget to remove the lock and start riding, disk damage and a fall are inevitable, leading to expensive repairs.

If you have a disc lock with an alarm, a loud sound will go off when you lift the bike, making it extremely unlikely for the owner to start riding without noticing, and thieves dislike noise.

However, the high price of alarm-equipped disc locks often makes them difficult to afford. If you can't afford one, a regular disc lock without an alarm function is fine. It's still effective for security. Be sure to choose one with a reminder wire to prevent forgetting to unlock it, and attach it to the handlebars.

KRYPTONITE

New York Disc Lock / Yellow

・U-locks

They are portable and relatively affordable.

DAYTONA

STRONGER U-lock 220mm

Attaching a chain lock to one wheel and a U-lock to the other is also effective.

・Cable locks

Portability and affordability are advantages, but they often lack sturdiness and can be easily cut with bolt cutters. Consider them better than nothing.

KRYPTONITE

Kryptoflex 7FT Cable Lock 500g 10mm x 2200mm

Always use a motorcycle cover to avoid being a target for theft!

Just as important as locks is a motorcycle cover. Not only does it protect your bike from wind, rain, and dust, but it also makes it less conspicuous and prevents thieves from identifying the model.

When choosing a motorcycle cover, an important security feature is having slits for keyholes (holes to pass locks through) at the front and back. By passing locks through these front and back slits, you can make it harder to lift the motorcycle cover.

When thieves are looking for bikes to steal, they lift the motorcycle cover to check the model. If there are locks, they also check those to prepare the necessary tools for the crime.

If the cover is difficult to lift with locks passed through the slits, and sturdy locks are also attached at the front and back, there is a high possibility that the thieves will give up before even identifying the motorcycle model.

DRC

Off-road Motorcycle Cover 250cm x 175cm Full Size Trail

https://bikeman.jp/

Other effective anti-theft measures

・Dummy cameras

Many can be purchased for around 1,000 yen and can deter thieves. To reiterate, making thieves give up is crucial for protecting your beloved vehicle. Since an investment of around 1,000 yen can significantly increase the chances of protecting your vehicle, it's a highly cost-effective measure.

・Temporary garages

You can cover your motorcycle immediately after returning home, without waiting for the engine and exhaust to cool down. Adding a lock to the garage itself can further enhance security.

・Laying gravel to the motorcycle parking spot and installing sensor lights

If you have a detached house, laying gravel on the path from the entrance to where your motorcycle is parked can be effective, as it makes footsteps more noticeable. Additionally, illuminating intruders in your yard with sensor lights can significantly increase the chance of preventing a crime.

Let's review your motorcycle's anti-theft measures again!

What do you think? Take this opportunity to re-check the security environment of your motorcycle. Thieves are the enemy of motorcyclists. They make money by selling stolen bikes. The reason they repeatedly commit theft is simply because it's profitable.

If there are no easy-to-steal motorcycles, the number of thefts will decrease. Taking even a little effort to protect your beloved motorcycle contributes to reducing and eventually eradicating theft. Your anti-theft measures also help protect other riders' precious motorcycles.

Don't underestimate professional thieves. While there may be no such thing as a "professional" criminal, they certainly have the know-how to make off with motorcycles more efficiently than ordinary people.

Overconfidence, thinking "I'll be fine," is the most dangerous thing. To prevent criminals from profiting from your beloved motorcycle, make sure to take solid anti-theft measures!