Alarm Question

[keiff]

Any one fitted an alarm to a 1200 GSA, I know they come chipped to the key as an immoblizer, but a couple of insurance companies I have spoken to so far, don't seem to recognise it and still want a Thatcham approved alarm fitting if I'm going to get a decent quote from them.

 

[BobJ]

Try BMW's own insurance - they're still the cheapest for me. I was insured with Carole Nash when I had my R1100RT which was fitted with a Datatool Stealth alarm/immobiliser. When I bought my 12GS, I was told by the dealer that there were problems fitting non-OE alarms to the GS because of the canbus electrics! Yes, I bought that hook, line & sinker It's probably complete bollocks. Anyway, Carole Nash said they wouldn't give me anything for the BM alarm as it wasn't bloody Thatcham approved
So I told them to stuff it and switched to BMW's own insurance which was a whole load of cash cheaper than the Carole Nash quote - even if I'd managed to have a Datatool of similar fitted to the GS.

 

[terayon]

When I bought my gs I was going to have a thatcham approved cat 1 on but the alarm company didn't want to fit it due to the can bus. Bmw alarm was £75 cheaper, I phone my insurance company who asked "is it thatcham aproved" and no it wasn't, I expected a big hike in the premium, but after they talked to the underwriters (equity redstar) they said, no problem and no extra cost.

Insurance was £250 with no garage

 

[Wierd Bob]

............ Anyway, Carole Nash said they wouldn't give me anything for the BM alarm as it wasn't bloody Thatcham approved
.......

Just get talking to the right person in Carole Nash. That was the initial line they gave me, I just kept nagging my way up the food chain and they accpeted it.
Its only something niggeling that it doesn't get thatchm approval. Someone told me what it was but I forgot.

regards

Bob

 

[Magwych]

I believe it is because you can turn off the auto-arming feature

 

[Shep]

Just my opinion, but i feel the BMW alarm is about the lowest form of protection you can give your bike, it is so insensitive I managed to remove all my camping gear, the panniers and tank bag and the seats before the alarm sounded and then it was only when i picked the bike upright to put it on the centrestand.

The alarm itsself is very quiet and would offer little deterrent to the scum.

Shep

 

[Wierd Bob]

Just my opinion, but i feel the BMW alarm is about the lowest form of protection you can give your bike, it is so insensitive I managed to remove all my camping gear, the panniers and tank bag and the seats before the alarm sounded and then it was only when i picked the bike upright to put it on the centrestand.

The alarm itsself is very quiet and would offer little deterrent to the scum.

Shep

True, But I don't think the other ones I've experienced (spyball and lasersomethingorother) were much better. I could still take stuff from the bikes but yet high winds would still set them off.
An alarm is to make the insurance company feel better, A dirty big chain is to make you feel better.

 

[terayon]

I believe it is because you can turn off the auto-arming feature

You can do that with a meta 357tv2 and thats cat1 and classed as one of the best.
The reason it doesn't get a cat 1 thatcham approval is it has no perimeter detection. Meaning there is no additional switch/circuit for detecting someone taking your seat off. Normally they have a magnetic/micro switch under the seat or hump to detect someone breaking in that way.

 

[umberto65]

Try BMW's own insurance - they're still the cheapest for me. I was insured with Carole Nash when I had my R1100RT which was fitted with a Datatool Stealth alarm/immobiliser. When I bought my 12GS, I was told by the dealer that there were problems fitting non-OE alarms to the GS because of the canbus electrics! Yes, I bought that hook, line & sinker It's probably complete bollocks. Anyway, Carole Nash said they wouldn't give me anything for the BM alarm as it wasn't bloody Thatcham approved
So I told them to stuff it and switched to BMW's own insurance which was a whole load of cash cheaper than the Carole Nash quote - even if I'd managed to have a Datatool of similar fitted to the GS.

Totally agree... same happened to me. I was with Swinton and swapped an 06 blade for a GS. I had a Datatool 4 on the blade but Swinton wouldn't recognize the BM alarm and give me a similar discount. Went with BMW Insurance and my premium was... halved!

In all fairness the BM alarm does the job... just about (DT4 is way better). However, there isn't much that could stop a thief determined to nick your pride and joy (a friend of mine lost his MV to a group of B*****DS that broke into his house, opened the garage door from the inside, loaded the bike into a white van together with leathers, boots, 3 helmets, tools, spare tires... all... while the house burglar alarm and the bike alarm were going off.)

 

[SteveW19]

Have the BMW alarm fitted to my GSADV which I fitted for my own peace of mind and it seems to work fine. I agree in that it makes no difference to the insurance premiums. Have a multi-bike policy through Ducati Insurance and they didn't require it (or any of my other bikes) to be alarmed due to the imobilisers that are fitted as standard, and even fitting a recognised alarm such as datatool would not affect the premium. Mind you they were cheap in the first place. If I had just the GS then BMW's insurance would be very cheap, but they couldn't do multi-bike last year.

 

[andyclift]

I looked at having the BMW alarm when ordering my GS but hit the same problem with approval. Best price I got for insurance without the alarm was £300 wityh most quoting £450 -£600. Then phoned BMW insurance, they quoted £175 WITHOUT the alarm and £15 less with it. BMW Insurance was so cheap so, as nobody takes any notice of an alarm anyway and it would take years to break even on the alarm cost against the insurance saving, I decided not to bother getting one.

My wife also has BMW Insurance. New rider with no bike experience or no claims and BMW quoted £110. The best we could get elswhere was £350.