BMW factory installed Alarm...

[kdude]

Do anyone have this option installed on there ride ?

I'm about to finalize my GS acquisition and there are two bikes available , one of them is equipped with the alarm....

Any comments on this alarm system ?

Does it drain the battery ?

Does it work or does it cause problems ?

Need answers quick as the dealer is pushing me to choose which bike. I'm taking delivery on Tuesday in Montreal.

 

[GSmonkey]

My opinion is that they are crap. It doesn't drain the battery or anything, but it just isn't sensitive enough and this cannot be altered. I can easily demount all the hard luggage without the thing going off.

Buy the one without the alarm and fit a Datatool, which is what I would do if I were buying new.

 

[Mr K]

I have the OE alarm too.
It's not the most sensitive device in the world with regards to motion, but will trigger if you lift the bike off the side or centre-stand.....and it does all that immobilising and stuff too.

The attraction to me was that it's factory/dealer fitted and designed to work with the magic wiring system.

 

[Abelrider]

My opinion is that they are crap.

My opinion is that they are great.

They give me a decent discount on insurance costs and never even get activated. The fob doesnt even leave home.

Cost me nowt too.

 

[GSmonkey]

.... but will trigger if you lift the bike off the side or centre-stand.....

....but not while the thief is hacking off your disclock, u-lock, chain, breaking your steering lock, nicking your luggage, etc. etc.

Its a pile of junk.

 

[Mr K]

....but not while the thief is hacking off your disclock, u-lock, chain, breaking your steering lock, nicking your luggage, etc. etc.

Its a pile of junk.

I live in the NE of England - a place with statistically high bike theft rate.

My bike is chained to a ground anchor in an a garage built onto my house ...............

...........I reckon they would trigger my alarm if they were stealing my bike...............

...........power tools make a noise?????

................and by the way: I was asked for an opinion and gave it, from my point of view.

 

[Davel]

I have it on mine.

Insurers don't recognise it so no savings there.

It does drain the battery so I only use it when leaving it unattended at the shops etc.

Have a charger too for the odd charging up of the battery and haven't needed it since I've stopped leaving the alarm on at nights.

BMW claim equivalent to Thatcham Class 1 alarm but not according to insurers.

It hasn't given any problems though - apart from a slow battery drain which can easily be recharged overnight.

 

[Chisurz]

I had it fitted at build. It does the job. It is not particularly sensitive, but then doesn't go off when cars / people pass. It integrates well with the bike and the little red indicator is neatly contained in the instrument cluster.

No alarm is going to stop the serious thief putting the bike into the back of a refrigerated lorry...

A quick search on 'alarm' and 'thatcham' will provide various views on why it is not Thatcham approved, including B&W unwillingness to share proprietary information and their insistence that it meets the equivalent German standards...

The immobiliser is built in to all the bikes (make sure you get two keys... see another thread) and (so the dealer claimed) is the same system as used in the 7-series cars.

 

[Adventure Boy]

Alarm

I think the same they are not as good as say a meta 357a which is what i fitted to all my other BMWs
I retro fitted mine myself cost the same as having it fitted from new BUT BMW will charge you to make the indicators flash as the brain needs to be told that the alarm is there about £40.00 if I was able I would have had the Meta

 

[Mouse]

Compare the cost:

BMW alarm: 120 quid

Datatool: 350 quid

If you are only worried about insurance discounts, I don't think ANY alarm will pay for itself in under 5 years. BMW insurance give a discount of 2.5% for the alarm. On my premium of about 550 pounds, that's 13.50. So it would take me over 8 years to get back the cost of the alarm. It would take 24 years to get back the cost of a Datatool!

I have to confess, I hardly ever bother to use my alarm, and I think it was a bit of a waste of money. But you can set them to auto arm, but I hate this feature as they always arm when you are filling with petrol etc

 

[Pukmeister]

Mine has the factory alarm, and like folks say it isn't very sensitive (which I find a bonus) compared to my Datatool System 3 on my Yamaha which is super sensitive.

BMW haven't paid Thatcham for Cat 1 approval test (expensive) so the GS on its own doesn't give me a discount, but Carole Nash have discounted my policy with the Yamaha included on the policy due to its Cat 1 alarm status (???). I also fitted Datatag security marking which will take years to pay for itself (£59) but is a deterrent to the bike-breaking fraternity rather than the ride-away thief.

Any alarm is only a deterrent, the only way to properly stop a Thief is with Physical security.

 

[Gog yn y De]

It does drain the battery so I only use it when leaving it unattended at the shops etc.

I was under the impression having read the manual that after 7 days or so the movement sensor is deactivated to conserve the battery. This is evident once the red light on the dash stops flashing. At this point you can kick, knock, or push the bike on the ground without the alarm going off. You wouldn't be able to start it though.

Despite being in a very safe location, I still have the bike alarmed (factory), chained to a ground anchor, stearing lock, and in an alarmed garage next to the house - should be safe. If not, I'd take my hat off to them (if I wore one)

 

[kdude]

Now that's makes sense ! Cause of the colors available and my so demanding a yellow with silver panel and black seat I had to take the alarm....

called my insurance broker and he gave me a nice discount on my insurance and I asked him what would happen if the bike dissapeared if the alarm was not activated and he tld me "no big deal" the ins. co. will pay you anyways.... So its a win win situation..... hp