How to chain up a bike securely?

[Neil A]

One way to avoid bike theft....

....is move to the Isle of Man. Might be a bit drastic, but I've never regretted it. My bikes live in an unlocked garage with no need for ground anchor nonsense (although I'm not giving out my address and/or directions to my house, before anyone asks).

No one is going to steal them - where would they go? Onto the ferry? I think not. Plus, they'd need at least four people to get the GS up our drive without starting the engine (it's steep). And I've got lots of nosey (old) neighbours who'd have their detailed descriptions and number plates as soon as they set foot in our lane.

Finally, before anyone comes back to say it, no they don't still flog people here. It's really quite civilised nowadays

 

[APE]

....is move to the Isle of Man. Might be a bit drastic, but I've never regretted it. My bikes live in an unlocked garage with no need for ground anchor nonsense (although I'm not giving out my address and/or directions to my house, before anyone asks).

No one is going to steal them - where would they go?

Joy-ride over the Mountain .

 

[WindyChuffer]

Easy. Feed chain through rear sub frame in front of pillion foot pegs and into concreted in ground anchor. Fit alarmed disc lock. Set bike alarm. Set steering lock. Fit bike cover. Simplez.

I use two chains; one on each side of sub frame and ground anchor. Sometimes chain to another bike too and / or a car.

Bike cover makes bike anonymous.

 

[The Grey One]

Not here either

....is move to the Isle of Man. Might be a bit drastic, but I've never regretted it. My bikes live in an unlocked garage with no need for ground anchor nonsense (although I'm not giving out my address and/or directions to my house, before anyone asks).

No one is going to steal them - where would they go? Onto the ferry? I think not. Plus, they'd need at least four people to get the GS up our drive without starting the engine (it's steep). And I've got lots of nosey (old) neighbours who'd have their detailed descriptions and number plates as soon as they set foot in our lane.

Finally, before anyone comes back to say it, no they don't still flog people here. It's really quite civilised nowadays

One reason I like life here in Austria is that I can leave the keys for the bike where they belong-in the ignition switch. Reading this thread just reminds me of some of the downsides of life in England. It's not so much that things get stolen it's the common attitude that it is somehow your own fault for not leaving it with a brace of savage dogs equipped with sub machine guns.

John

 

[WindyChuffer]

One reason I like life here in Austria is that I can leave the keys for the bike where they belong-in the ignition switch. Reading this thread just reminds me of some of the downsides of life in England. It's not so much that things get stolen it's the common attitude that it is somehow your own fault for not leaving it with a brace of savage dogs equipped with sub machine guns.

John

What's your address? Err...don't tell me, it's the Gasthof Hochalmspitze biker hotel...

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Personally I never use the steering lock. Too much damage can be done to the bike by somebody smashing it.

Andres

 

[WindyChuffer]

Personally I never use the steering lock. Too much damage can be done to the bike by somebody smashing it.

Andres

Sure, but it'll be in the small print of your insurance policy that you do....

 

[Country Bumpkin]

I don't have a garage and so will be having to leave my bike round the back of my house... out of sight but I need to chain it up.

I've bought a concrete in ground anchor and a crazy strong chain (10kg and apparently impossible to crop) with matching lock.

http://www.torc-anchors.com/products.php?cat=8

The chain showed up today and is MASSIVE and now I'm wondering if it'll even get through the spokes... but then I realised that taking a wheel off is pretty simple, so the chain's going to need to go through the frame somehow.

So my question is... Do 1200GS bikes have a specific place for security chains, or it's just a case of look and see where it might go?

Also, anyone seen instructions anywhere on fitting a secret kill switch?

Thanks, Justin

Surely if instructions are readily available to fit a secret kill switch....then technically its not.....secret !!

CB

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Sure, but it'll be in the small print of your insurance policy that you do....

Really?

If I have the bike U-locked and or chained but don't use the steering lock I'm in trouble if it's nicked??

Andres

 

[WindyChuffer]

Really?

If I have the bike U-locked and or chained but don't use the steering lock I'm in trouble if it's nicked??

Andres

I'd be surprised if you were covered without steering lock enabled. Its certainly in the BMW Motorad policy small print....alarm must be set and steering lock must be on. And when you claim, you are interviewed over the phone....which is recorded for later analysis for lies etc. I had all this when my GSA got nicked last year (from the same place that your old DRZ got nicked). Since then, my security measures have been upped considerably !

 

[Nobbyspiles]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Padlock-Security-Durable-Garages-Bicycles/dp/B0012EO3LU/ref=pd_sim_diy_1

Get two of these 110db padlocks
i take these on holiday or anywhere really
if i am leaving the bike and wandering off for a while
i put one on my centre stand
and one on my handle bars
this is in addition to my BMW alarm and my big boss padlock n chain
if that bike gets moved you get three seconds warning to leave it then you get 220db of fucking noise SUPERB and it only goes quiet when the bike stops moving

............

I think one of those locks would be enough.... 220dB.
Taken from Road & Track, April 2011,Volume 62, Number 8
"For the onlookers standing at the NASA Causeway six miles away (the closest public viewing area), you first see the shuttle rise and its white exhaust plume billow out of the flame trench in silence. Moments later you hear the rocket engines and feel the crackling noise pulsating past you. The sound pressure energy level at the launch pad is about 220 (db), and at a mile away, 135, where your hearing would still be damaged. Human death occurs at around 200 db due to intense vibration of the internal organs...............

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

I'd be surprised if you were covered without steering lock enabled. Its certainly in the BMW Motorad policy small print....alarm must be set and steering lock must be on. And when you claim, you are interviewed over the phone....which is recorded for later analysis for lies etc. ........ !

Blimey!

I'll have a look at my policy and see if there's any mention..........

Andres

 

[Boxerboy55]

Those that mind don't matter, those that matter don't mind.

I wanna be in team 2

 

[NLC]

Get a Farklebar. It has a stealth alarm system.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iBtjCwV7RTU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[duckspeed]

I guess "questions before the bike" syndrome comes from excitement and preparing for the new friend!!

So maybe it's a dumb question... I got plenty more to come

Those that mind don't matter, those that matter don't mind.

I like your thinking mate, Crack-on

 

[WindyChuffer]

Get a Farklebar. It has a stealth alarm system.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iBtjCwV7RTU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Oh dear....

 

[justinguitar]

@country bumpkin

no but the position of kill switch should be secret...

 

[justinguitar]

New level of stupidity reached

The massive (and damn expensive) "protector 16mm" chain doesn't fit through the hole in the now concreted in Oxford ground anchor!!



At least it will do for my ladys scooter...

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

New level of stupidity reached

The massive (and damn expensive) "protector 16mm" chain doesn't fit through the hole in the now concreted in Oxford ground anchor!!



At least it will do for my ladys scooter...

Don't even bother with a Torque Wrench, if you can't even measure a chain and eye diameter

 

[WindyChuffer]

New level of stupidity reached

The massive (and damn expensive) "protector 16mm" chain doesn't fit through the hole in the now concreted in Oxford ground anchor!!



At least it will do for my ladys scooter...

Well to be fair to you, Oxford doesnt make it easy as dimensions are not on their website.

16mm chain is what you would call a secure thickness, and quite common. It is reasonable to assume that it would fit in a ground anchor; after all if you are going to the trouble of fitting a ground anchor, why would you use a pissy chain & lock?

I used a concrete-in ground anchor, and the hole for the chain is almost big enough for my fist. I can't remember the brand of it though.