Living with a tracker....

[Richie-Toye]

Evening all, I'm considering having track it now fit a tracker to my GS (we use them on our hgv's at work so I Know the product well) does anyone else have experience of any issues with a tracker causing dead batteries due to the canbus not shutting down ecu's on board?
I've asked 2 dealers if there's any known issues and got opposite ends of the spectrum answers.... One wouldn't touch them as they have had customer bikes coming back in with such issues and the other trying to sell me the road Angel bike tracker system on the spot!
The tracker company haven't fitted one to a bmw bike before and were thinking of just connecting it to the battery and seeing how it performs first (which kind of defeats the object as Johnny bike thief would probably spot the cables and device and rip it out and also there's not many hiding places for it on a GS)....your thoughts or experiences please would be welcome!

 

[bigmadstu]

I've fitted one to a GS before, was a TK102B tracker. It has a built in battery which is recharged from the bikes battery. I wired a relay so the tracker is only getting charged when the bike is running. Bike is used regularly so no problems so far.

 

[DING-DONG]

This is the way to go.

http://www.biketrac.co.uk

But hide it well, under tank ! and don't take the power from the battery for the reasons you state .

 

[Bendy toy]

I had one in a caravan. It got recovered but was damaged and repaired by the insurance. However, they refused to cover any of the stuff I had inside.

End result I paid a fair whack to protect my property but got shafted anyway. A good insurance policy and lock the bike properly is the best option. The van had a Bulldog (very heavy) wheel clamp and a hitch lock. They had almost zero slowing down effect on the thieves. They also chopped down a small tree to get their van into the compound.

That said, a bike tracker might make sense when the bike is regularly parked in big city. It all depends if you want it back after the tealeaves have bashed it about to get the locks off and thrown it into a van.

 

[kevingambrell]

I keep looking at having one of these fitted to my 650gs and the 1200GS but every time fight shy due to the subscription.
Looking at what I already pay in fully comp insurance and GAP insurance on the 1200 it just feels like im spending
a large chunk of change already. Mind you if the bikes are stolen im still going to be out of pocket.
Im not sure what to think or do tracker wise.

 

[AberdeenAngus]

20 seconds.....<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qihms64S36c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[JimmyMac]

I have a Bike Trac on my HP4 Carbon, never affected the can bus or gave me any problems so far. The 3 year subscription is due in May, I will soon be getting one fitted to my GS, I only got it on the HP as the insurance wouldn't cover me unless I fitted one. Great piece of mind.

JimmyMac

 

[Bendy toy]

I have some 1mm thick cutting discs. Used carefully they are like scalpels and they slice very quickly through hard steel. Strangely, they even work on aluminium sheet.

Grinders are noisy but a minute to take out a security chain is insane. Cheap chain of course will bolt crop in a few seconds.

I believe trackers make great sense as they have to reduce insurance costs, but until insurers make a considerable cut in premiums to cover the tracker costs Im not that bothered to be paying out even more hard earned. The cheaper trackers that dial your own mobile sound great but how many of us will want to tackle a bunch of "tool" wielding pikeys using a van with fake or stolen plates?

I guess it depends if you want the bike back after it's been taken. If its tricked up with performance parts and farkles the tracker may well make great sense. Especially as additional insurance for "modified" vehicles can get into silly money.

 

[comberjohn]

I used to have a business which supplied tracking systems to business users. Remember, most trackers are used for asset management. Time in, time out, etc.
Work vans and similar although I also supplied units for JCB's and plant.
It's one thing if your insurance requires it, plus, they would normally expect it to be from one of the recognised companies. Fitting something you bought on eBay will not impress them if it's nicked.
What the low lifes did with plant was to park it in a quiet corner of a field for a couple of days and see if anyone came to collect it. If it was still there after that, there was no tracker. In Northern Ireland, generally, if it got over the border it was gone. Different country, different police force.
Let's say your bike is pinched and you know that it's in the middle of that nice travellers camp or a dodgy looking estate. Remember, these are probably not very nice people.
What are you going to do? Think the police are going to be interested?
Either spend the money on increasing your security with alarms or clamps or go with one of the established tracking companies. They already have a working relationship with the police and there's a better chance of a result.
Otherwise let it go and claim the insurance. Wouldn't want it back after they've had out anyway.

 

[Bendy toy]

Police used to love trackers because it was often an easy arrest & bang to rights. These days they never get onto the case before the tracker goes flat or the bad guys rip it out.