Alarm is it worth it?

[bottleofred]

Is it worth retro fitting an alarm to a 2013 GSA air cooled bike?

I park in London all the time?

I don't know the cost yet either.

 

[Pukmeister]

The factory alarm isn't Thatcham approved therefore doesn't attract a reduction in premium from most insurers. Most bike thieves will chuck a bike in a (stolen or cloned) van and drive off whilst people watch, alarm blaring.

A decent lock and chain to secure the bike to something will slow them down, possibly causing them to look elsewhere. A tracker may be worth having, although I'd wager a pro thief will have it removed and slung somewhere leaving the bike to be stripped for parts.

Check out the threads on stolen clocks/instrument clusters then get yours secured. Seems a popular source of income for London scrotes recently.

 

[JJH]

Fuckers who are stealing bikes cars and equipment are first moving the stuff to a quiet location and just leaving it there to see what happens happend to a friend of mine reciently. He left keys in as he checked cattle in a field jeep was parked in adjient field and was driven off. Found that night in a local town just parked. He was lucky. If the keys are in ingiton insurance won't pay. JJH

 

[JJH]

Sorry I did not answer the question so yes I think a good alarm that gets you a discount on your insurance is worth it. We have all heard about people loading vans up with bikes as the alarm was screaming away. We don't seem to hear of the thefts that were prevented. JJH

 

[Pukmeister]

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?352933-Clocks-stolen&highlight=stolen+clocks

 

[Greg Masters]

This forum is full of threads and posts of bikes with electrical problems and flat batteries - too many associated with dodgy alarms.

 

[JJH]

I never cut any circuit wheather fuel or starter or any €1000 ecu with a €50 alarm. Just 2 wires neutral and live gives noise if the bike is moved. Rest of wires just taped up not the antenna leave that long. JJH

 

[JJH]

Mostly had bmws with oe alarm never had a problem. Maby don't keep them long enough. JJH

 

[Blue Sweeper]

I was on the last day of a tour before leaving Morocco about five years ago. One of the guys on the tour had a bike with an after market alarm/immobiliser fitted. It absolutely pissed down, I'd never seen rain like it before, waterproof clothing was useless. He stopped in a garage to fill up with petrol and the alarm/immobiliser refused to disarm when he tried to start the bike again, leaving the guy stranded. It took the combined effort of several of us to get the bike going again, which delayed us the rest of the day and a VERY late arrival at our hotel that night.

Roll back even further, about 15 years ago, I was in Bournemouth working in a small secure building with no windows. I'd parked up outside and noticed three bikes parked in the small car park. I'd been there about half hour or so and I could hear one of the bike alarms go off. I went to the door and looked outside to see four scrotes lifting the bikes into the back of a scummy old van. I shouted at them and they dropped the bike and legged it. Other folks were walking by taking no notice at all.

Personally, I think alarm/immobilisers on bikes are useless and can be a right pain. So more trouble than they are worth, get a decent lock and chain.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

More trouble than they are worth and always seem to be problematic on bikes.

You'll be better off spending your dough on a decent chain and lock than having one of those bleeping fucking things which will go wrong just when you don't need it to

 

[Nutty]

I thought about getting one on my GSA, but didn't bother. Made no difference to the insurance premium either.

 

[Pukmeister]

Decided to take a leaf from my own book so I just ordered a set of locking wire pliers and some stainless wire for my clocks. Should be here next week.

If anyone in the Fareham area needs their instrument cluster securing, drop me a PM. Not giving a 100% anti-theft guarantee but hope to make theft more difficult for the scrotes.

 

[Bendy toy]

The Touratech instrument surround looks handy for (maybe) slowing down the headlight scripted. Saying that it only takes two M6 torx screws to lift headlight and instruments. Some security screws might help.

 

[Bendy toy]

That should be headlight stealing scrotes.

 

[bikemad]

Had alarm on my 1st GS but not one on the current bike was a pain,kept rearming after turn off then it's remembering to disarm it to put it away in garage lol,also had a battery drain factor to remember too.
The thing is I looked in the book & found out how to reset it to turn on only when I wanted ,which Iv done for its trip via courier on its way to a new GS'er

So I'd say big D locks n chains attach it to lamppost etc better off than alarms

 

[birdseye]

Simple. Alarms arent a deterrent because people just ignore them and walk on. Solook at it as an investment where the return is the reduction in insurance premiums. Whatsort of % age return is it. Is it good enough for you?

 

[bottleofred]

Many thanks to all of you for your replies. Much appreciated.

 

[Mart75]

Hi - I had a Meta Alarm fitted when I got my GS last year - no problems at all - would recommend Dave Spraggon - he works around the London area if you are thinking about it - has been fitting alarms to BMW's for years 07970099891 - I think others have recommended him elsewhere on the forum