Attempted Theft

[SuperTed]

So having been fixed up by the osteopath tonight I come out of his place to find some f*@%!#g lowlife bloody scrote has had a go a STEALING MY BIKE!!
The steering lock has been kicked off and the steel shaft has broken through the top yoke. It seems to have done something to the bottom of the ignition barrel as the key no longer goes in all the way, so can't even take it out of the locked position, and the key is very tight into the lock.
The ignorant lowlife is obviously blind as well as bloody stupid as he missed the bright yellow disc-lock and the flashing light for the alarm - which I'm told by the lady next door is what frightened him off.
Does anyone have an idea as to what might be the problem with the ignition, how much a new barrel might be, and will I need to replace the top yoke?
Just to add insult to the wounds the RAC (who I have been with for 35 years) classified this as vandalism and therefore as chargeable...at £168 for the call out and £1.50 per mile for any recovery. Which is IMO a complete rip-off.
Fortunately there are still good people in this world and the chap opposite the osteopath brought me and the bike home in his works van.
It's probably as well that I didn't come out and catch the bastard in the act as I would probably be typing this whilst 'in custody'; but at least I would have the satisfaction of knowing that he was being fed through a straw.

 

[Nick V]

Ted, sorry to hear about your experience!

Depending on how technically-inclined you are, the cheapest way will almost certainly be to replace the steering lock with a second-hand item, and to do it yourself.
The difficult part is separating the lock from the top yoke, because BMW use anti-theft fasteners. When I built my K1200S streetfighter in 2009, I wanted to send my top yoke for powder-coating, so I drilled out the fasteners. It was a slow, fiddly job and I had to re-sharpen the drill bit several times (those bolts are designed to catch and break any drill bit being used to remove them), but I eventually got the holes big enough to use stud extractors. Suffice to say that if any thief wants to try that with the lock still attached to the bike, he/she is either a complete dumb@$$ or has the patience of a saint!
When it came time to replace the steering lock, I used two spare M8 Torx bolts I had available.

Keying a second-hand lock to the bike should be a straightforward matter of changing the lock tumblers. (That is, if the steering lock is the same design as, say, a pannier lock. I don't know - I've never worked on a steering lock.)

When you say "the steel shaft has broken through the top yoke", do you mean the steering shaft that runs through the headstock? Secured to the top yoke underneath the BMW badge?
If so, you may be able to get it welded. It's a cast-aluminium part, though, so it's really up to you. If you decide not to chance it, then again, the local breakers' is your best bet!

Best of luck! Let us know how it turns out.

 

[SuperTed]

Sorry, I should have been a bit clearer with what I meant, put it down to being bloody ANGRY!! Lowlife scrotes who think that things you have worked hard to get are theirs to take when ever they take a fancy to them should be castrated with as much prejudice as possible - and no pain killers.
But any way - the part that has semi-knackered the top yoke is the steering lock itself. Put the steering lock on, steel rod extends to locate in the hole in the back of the top yoke. The aforementioned bastard scrote seems to have kicked the handlebar and the lock rod has taken the side out of the inner part where the yoke is shaped for the steering head. I'm thinking that if I can get it to look more like it should, and take the sharp bits off it, I might just run with it and simply not have a steering lock.
Particularly when it was the rest of the security on the bike that means I still have it.
I'm just coming up on 40 years biking (yes, I am old) and this is only the 2nd time anyone has tried to nick my bike; and the last one was nearly 30 years ago.
So you can get as fancy as you like but a big lock works every time.
If I can work out how to do it I'll post a couple or three pictures to show the damage.
SuperTed

 

[Nick V]

the part that has semi-knackered the top yoke is the steering lock itself. Put the steering lock on, steel rod extends to locate in the hole in the back of the top yoke. The aforementioned bastard scrote seems to have kicked the handlebar and the lock rod has taken the side out of the inner part where the yoke is shaped for the steering head. I'm thinking that if I can get it to look more like it should, and take the sharp bits off it, I might just run with it and simply not have a steering lock.
Particularly when it was the rest of the security on the bike that means I still have it.
I'm just coming up on 40 years biking (yes, I am old) and this is only the 2nd time anyone has tried to nick my bike; and the last one was nearly 30 years ago.
So you can get as fancy as you like but a big lock works every time.
If I can work out how to do it I'll post a couple or three pictures to show the damage.
SuperTed

Ah, I see what you mean.
I currently have an F800GS standing in the garage (after last having owned one in 2012), but I haven't had the time to look at it yet!

Effectively resisting theft is a 'layered' approach, or what corporate raiders call the 'Poison Pill defence'. It's about putting so many obstacles in the way of the thief that he/she just gives up because it's simply too much effort, and goes for an easier target.
If it were me, I'd get the bike back to original nick. As you point out, that steering lock is part of the reason you still have the bike! Given some thought and the right resources, it won't be difficult to repair at all.

Thinking about how to stop similar damage from happening again, why not ask the local engineering shop to drill the top yoke steering-lock hole to a greater diameter, then press in a hardened steel insert?
If the insert can be fabricated to take advantage of whatever clearance there is between the lock and top yoke, the clearance can be made as small as practically possible, to stop anyone getting leverage on the stop rod.

 

[SuperTed]

Update on repairs

Hi Guys,
Well I got on to those nice people called Motoworks and got the electronic ignition switch & steering lock as used parts and they do a nice bit of kit to repair/replace the key barrel so I haven't had to go down the pain in the ass route of getting new keys from the dealer at the extortionate cost. That little lot cost me the princely sum of £95 delivered straight to my tame BMW tech. The only part I couldn't get used is the top yoke. When examined it was found that in breaking the steering lock the aforementioned lowlife bastard scrote had also managed to severely crack the yoke round the top bearing housing, which has rendered it not repairable - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!
Having tried three different possible sources for a used one, and come up empty, I have bitten the bullet and a new one has been ordered - at £285!
So a phone call was made to the insurance company who said: Yes, that's fine; but whatever point the repairs are at Stop. They wanted to know where the bike is so that they can arrange a visit by their assessor but couldn't even give me a rough guess as to when that might happen, but to still stop. Well as my tame BMW tech has, or is about to have, all the needed bits that ain't happening. Even he has said that insurance claims dealt with at the dealers are frequently done and completed and then the bike owner sends the bill to the insurance, presumably with a note requesting payment. So its going to get finished ASAP so I can get back on the road with my bike.
Fortunately my dearly beloved has lent me her Honda CB500X to razz round and commute on. It's a great bike, but its a Honda and just not the same.
Once everything has been done and sorted I will let you all know what the total damage was and what it cost to get fixed.
But Happy New Year - I hope it doesn't happen to you.

 

[brut33]

The problem is, the miscreants these days ply their trade with impunity because the rozzers are to busy investigating mildly offensive ‘tweets’ posted by z list celebs.

Better luck in the new year Ted

 

[SuperTed]

It's Fixed!

Well had a complete surprise on Monday (5th Jan) when I got a text from my tame tech saying that my bike was done!
WOW, Happy Days!
The bill from the shop; Cooper Motorrad at Tunbridge Wells; lists the new yoke, sorting the ignition barrel and steering lock and the recovery to the shop. Normally he doesn't charge me for the collection but as it is going through the insurance he has put it through the shop and has to show the recovery on the bill. So the one part, labour, a couple of new bolts, plus the VAT came to: £499.33
The bits from Motoworks cost £95.96
So totalling £595.29
I expect to get a cheque from the insurance for £395.96 - when is a whole new question.
Thing was he was expecting the fork bridge (top yoke) on either Monday or Tuesday and it turned up on Saturday, the guys in the dealer workshop told him that as they weren't busy and it was a straight forward job they went ahead and did it; which is fine by me 'cos I've got it back now.
I knew that the folk at Cooper's at Tunbridge Wells are good people and I can highly recommend them for all kinds of BM biking stuff. The dealer principle on the bike side is a great bloke called Steve Franklyn. If he can help with something he will.

 

[polecat]

The problem is, the miscreants these days ply their trade with impunity because the rozzers are to busy investigating mildly offensive ‘tweets’ posted by z list celebs.

Utter bollocks !!!!!!!

 

[Madmountainman]

I can't remember the last time i used my bike's steering lock for this very reason. I just use a disc and u lock from Abus, highly visible, saves the hassle of an easily broken steering lock - which is then an almighty and costly pain to put right - and isn't too much trouble to do. If the scrotes do try to nick my bike, they'll have to do a load more damage getting the, much harder to remove, locks off that, hopefully, will put them off. Either way, my steering lock remains functioning and i can more easily cope with damage to a more easily repairable part of the bike. The scrotes did try to nick my previous GSA by cutting through the rear rack - this was chained to a post - with the u and disc locks in place as well. They were so thick, they'd started cutting the rack before noticing the other locks and then had given up. Sorting the rack was a much cheaper, easier and cost effective thing to do, so i speak from experience.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I can't remember the last time i used my bike's steering lock for this very reason.

Me too Rich, never use it

Also, another thing that pisses me off royally at a GS event or on tour, is a Tosser who uses his bastard steering lock and then blocks you in and you can't move his fecking GS, so you have to go looking for him

 

[cookie]

Me too Rich, never use it

Also, another thing that pisses me off royally at a GS event or on tour, is a Tosser who uses his bastard steering lock and then blocks you in and you can't move his fecking GS, so you have to go looking for him

just give the bars a kick. the locks snap quite easily apparently.

HTH.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

just give the bars a kick. the locks snap quite easily apparently.

HTH.

Not cricket though................but I'm often fecking tempted and it's usually the last person to be ready, for the off...........who's faffing about (not your goodself, I might add)

 

[cookie]

Not cricket though................but I'm often fecking tempted and it's usually the last person to be ready, for the off...........who's faffing about (not your goodself, I might add)

yes. i probably should have owned up on that other thread. i don't keep people waiting though. it spoils the fun of trying to catch up