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Portable disc lock / alarm combo ideas?

2K views 18 replies 9 participants last post by  steinbachphoto 
#1 ·
After hearing of two bikes getting jacked today (one on the forums and another through a friend) I've decided it's time to secure my bike a bit better. I know that nothing is going to prevent people from jacking the thing and I'm not really interested in bolting it to the floor or anything (I've seen those but I live in a high-rise, can't do that here).

I'm wondering what people think are the best portable solutions for this? I park downtown for work a lot so any kind of huge chain deal isn't gonna be too useful if I have to lug it around. I was thinking some type of disc lock + hard-wired alarm combo would be good so I could take it with me wherever I go. I don't need a proximity sensor or any of that stuff that will just end up pissing off the guy parked next to me. Something like an ignition kill / tilt / knock sensor and a solid but portable disc lock seems to be a good combo.

Anyone got any recommendations? It seems the prices on these things are all over the map for the same features - I'd rather not break the bank if I don't HAVE to. Once again, I know the thing is never 100% safe but any good bang for the buck solutions would be awesome. Any bit of a deterrent is better than the cheap ass bicycle lock I use in my parkade that I need a backpack for just to carry.
 
#2 ·
Sorry but if you can't chain it to a tree or lamp post take the money you were going to spend on any kind of alarm and put it toward lowering your deductable.

Unless your bike is bolted/chained/welded to something immovable it's going to be tossed in the back of a pickup/van and gone in 15 seconds if someone wants it.
All your alarm is going to do is let the thieves know it must be valuable, the owner's "protected" it...

Immobilizers, disc locks, what ever, can all be defeated later in the barn...
 
#4 ·
^ He's right.

Unless you lock that shit down, anyone can take it.

I'd recomend the heavy chain linked Kryptonite lock, then a Xyena audiable disc lock. 2 reasons. The chain links (big squared off ones) are really hardened, makes it almost impossible to cut with bolt cutters. Grinder will cut through later. The audiable disc lock make scare off dumb kids that sit on the bike, or keep one guy from rolling it into a truck. Plus, soon as you turn the bars you have 10 seconds to realize you left it on, will keep you from wadding your shit underground.

You know those audiable cable locks?? They have a 130db alarm in them and it's some 1" thick cable with some hollow or rope center in them. Junk. Don't think that POS is the best of both worlds, it's the ElCamino of bike locks, not good at either. Bolt cutters cut right through it, took me all of 10 seconds to chomp through one a guy had lost the key for. The audiable part takes about 30 seconds to foil. One can of expanding insulation foam srayed over it mutes it. Done.

You wanna out smart the criminal, start thinking like one. Most of them are opportunistic, you make it easy for them, it's gone, you make it harder for them, 9/10 they move on to the next dumb ass who doesn't lock their shit and leaves it in plain site.
 
#6 ·
......You know those audiable cable locks?? They have a 130db alarm in them and it's some 1" thick cable with some hollow or rope center in them. Junk. Don't think that POS is the best of both worlds, it's the ElCamino of bike locks, not good at either. Bolt cutters cut right through it, took me all of 10 seconds to chomp through one a guy had lost the key for. The audiable part takes about 30 seconds to foil. One can of expanding insulation foam srayed over it mutes it. Done....
ohh good info to know, time for me to go shopping for a new bike.. :laughing
 
#7 · (Edited)
#8 ·
#11 ·
when ever I park in a sketchy place I park my bike in 4th or 5th and roll till it locks up. put my Xena disc alarm on the front rotor on the back of the fork. no matter what you do its locked. you cant take it off the side stand,roll it, or do anything without the alarm going. The disc lock immobilizes along with parking it in gear. Xena alarm is loud as F@#% and good luck getting that off your rotor. I live in a high rise and these alarms are damn loud in the underground.

Thieves tend to steal bikes they can unload or part out unnoticed...
Custom Motorcycles don't get stolen unnoticed. if you have a tricked out bike and it gets stolen 9/10 you will know the thief
 
#18 ·
Thanks for the replies - I'm thinking of getting one of those Xena deals for the Gixxer. I live in a high-rise with 'secured' parking so I'm more about just the opportunist 'that looks easy let's grab it' deal. I part close enough to work that I'd hear that thing going off if someone started screwing with my bike. For my 1198 (when I get it in a couple months - owner's waiting on his Panigale) I'm thinking of one of those pager alarms as well. As long as I'm not too far away I figure I can get there in time to deal with the situation (diplomatically, of course :angel). Anyone had any luck with those? I had an older one on one of my vehicles but the amount of false alarms led me to just ignore the thing - wondering if they've improved.

As much as I know insurance will cover it - I put a lot of hours into my vehicles (love custom fabbing stuff) and blue books don't account for any of that so whatever I can do to even just help lower my risks a bit is worth the investment to me.
 
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