Disc locks

[stalker]

I'm going to be riding to uni and I want something that will prevent people from just being able to walk off with my bike.

So, how much is a disc lock or whatever else kind of security device? And what else is out there?

cheers..

[Tenchi]

First of all, there's no delusions with protecting your bike - nothing will stop someone walking off your bike. The best you can do is deter them. To a truly determined thief, given enough time and enough resources, any and every method of protection can be broken, electronic or otherwise.

You have a GPX250, which limits your options. It means the frame is inaccessable from the exterior without a screwdriver set. The tools required to remove almost every bolt and chain is limited to a few wrenches and a screwdriver.

Your ultimate option is to go with a heavy duty security system. An example is the Scorpio security system, which from memory might have GPS integrated, along with a key fob that alerts you if the bike is knocked or moved, will set you back a good $600. Given that's roughly 10% of the new value of the GPX, a cheaper alternative may be a better option.

A heavy duty Kryptonite chain will set you back a pretty penny, but are very worth it. Given the GPX250's fairing, you will not be able to run the cable through the frame, however chaining the back wheel to something usually works pretty well - means they have to remove the back wheel in order to take the bike. These cost around the $90-$100 mark, weigh about 1 kg and are incredibly hard to cut through - I've heard rumours of people taking to it with an axe and not getting through. There are cheaper alternatives, such as a heavy duty chain and lock, or even a simple twisted steel thread wire (such as what you would see on University computers to lock them to the bench), however the general payoff is weight and security (e.g. I have a $70 chain and lock, it weighs about 2.5kg and is impractical to take everywhere).

An alarmed disc lock will set you back roughly $65 from memory. Xena produces one that on moving, will set off a 110-120 dB alarm. Please note that these alarmed disc locks are notoriously prone to being oversensitive - I'm not saying if you tell it it's ugly, looks fat, etc. it will start going off, but if you leave your bike in the wind it will go off repetitively, and if you have a centrestand (I think the GPX does) you can't use that. The batteries also require replacing every 8 months, it needs to be cleaned every few weeks of heavy use and as the battery dies it tends to go off randomly. A non-alarmed disc lock will be just as effective in stopping the wheel for $25 less, only it won't go *beep* when you move the bike. Note that if you get a non-alarmed one, be sure to get some sort of reminder to tell you you've got the lock on - riding off with the lock on SUCKS. You can get a cable that runs to the disc lock from Total Motorcycle Accessories for $10. Disc locks come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

The steering lock, like a car, is effectively useless as a deterrent. I use mine every time just because it means they have one more thing to do, and it is almost no effort to use. Anyone not strong enough to break your steering lock probably isn't strong enough to lift the front wheel off the ground and wheel the bike onto a trailer or into a van. It can be defeated by attacking the key cylinder anyway, as was pointed out in another part of the forum - the thieves busted the cylinder and wheeled it off before trying to start it.

Apparently there is another type of lock that goes across the handlebars, but I don't know much about that. Someone else may have something to add to this discussion on those though.

Where you park will also help - if you can, park your bike near a more lucrative bike. If I saw a R1 and a GPX next to each other and I was a thief, I'd want to go for the pretty R1 because an R1 brand new is what - $16k? 18k? A GPX brand new is $6k, so I would get higher yield from stealing the R1, even if it was just for parts. Make the bike unattractive to steal and people won't steal it. I've even seen stickers that you can buy for pushbikes that have "stick on rust" - funny as it may seem, these sort of deterrents do work to a certain extent.

If I'm in a bad neighbourhood, I will chain the back wheel to a post (preferrably something like a light post - sawwing through the post will mean they get electrocuted) put the disc lock on the front wheel and put the steering lock on. This means anyone stealing my bike will have to remove both wheels and break the steering lock before they have to carry the bike away - possible, but not a lot of fun, and requires more than just one or two crazy people. I think if someone does all of that to steal my ZZR, they're either really crazy, really stupid, or there's something I don't know about the ZZR like it's gold plated or something.

Do a quick youtube video search for a CBR600 getting stolen - takes about 14s for them to wheel it into a van and take off. If you think like a thief, you can think of how to steal a bike and consequently how you should protect it. However, keep in mind you're pushing shit uphill - a truly dedicated thief will stop at nothing to take your bike, even if they have to do it piece by piece.

And to all the thieves out there, I'd like to give a big F*CK YOU for all the pain you cause the rest of us, and I hope you die a slow and painful death.

This message was brought to you by the letter O and the number 2.

[KiM]

Nice write up there Tenchi
another thing would be, dont park ya bike where it is out of the way. Which uni are you going to? Maybe the others that go to your uni can provide some insite on where to park your steed.

[Tenchi]

Maybe the others that go to your uni can provide some insight on where to park your steed.

If it's Curtin university, the motorcycle parking areas aren't very good IMO. they have one next to 314, and at the business end there's one in the main car park towards the bus side end (Abacus 408 building end?). Both are very poorly lit and IMO unless you chain it up against the pole anyone could rock up and nick a bike.

I'd definitely be asking either security (9266-4444, or 4444 from internal phones) or administration (9266-9266, 9266 from internal phones) to direct your enquiries.

[Captain Starfish]

My Xena alarm lock works perfectly since I took the batteries out. There's a video kicking around somewhere of two guys who pull up in a van, drag the bike into it and disappear in about 20 seconds. Disclocks are more a visual deterrent, but they will give pause to someone who thinks they can hotwire a bike or just push it away.

If you want it secure against this sort of thing, you need to lock it to something with a chain.

But anchor points can be a pain to find.

Go a disk lock, get the brightly coloured curly cord which runs from the lock up to your throttle so people can easily see there's a lock there and you don't forget to take it off. And rely on the fact that it's a GPX You should be right.

[stalker]

Cheers, appreciate that write up tenchi.

And yep, i go to curtin.

[Tenchi]

Update: Disc locks aren't as strong as they look. I broke mine earlier. To be fair, it held together when I tried to ride off with it still on. It only broke after I unlocked it.

[CS2]

Update: Disc locks aren't as strong as they look. I broke mine earlier. To be fair, it held together when I tried to ride off with it still on. It only broke after I unlocked it.

Thats nuts haha

I guess if i did the same thing, the alarm would go off before i'd sit on the seat. great reminder to take off the disc lock

[stalker]

I might get a disc lock, $50 isn't much to part with.

[Tenchi]

Yeah, I also put the bike down while doing it. Leg was trapped underneath the bike and couldn't keep it up with just one arm. Even though I put it down very gently on the ground the fairing still got scratched a tiny bit.

The worst thing is that when you ride off with it on, it not only stops but pulls the bike to one side.

This is what I get for being in a hurry

[Billywhizz]

get one of those disc lock dont ride off thingymabobs
the one where it hooks into disc lock and also goes around the front brake lever to grip

helps you remember lock is on...

us old farts with alzhiemas use them...........

[Rob]

get one of those disc lock dont ride off thingymabobs
the one where it hooks into disc lock and also goes around the front brake lever to grip

helps you remember lock is on...

us old farts with alzhiemas use them...........

+1 from me.

[Tenchi]

Yeah, and they only cost $10.

I'm reconsidering it at all, since I take my bag everywhere I go - just going to throw the heavy duty chain in there and use that every time. That disc lock pissed me off anyway - you had to leave the key in until you popped it closed again, I had trouble getting it on and off almost every time... I will get one like teh Xena, only minus the alarm and plus the cable.

[CS2]

Tenchi I found the sweet spot for the Xena locks with alarms. basically dont lock it into the disc hole closest to the inside of the disk brake.

if you clip it through the one close to the edge it does not engage, the sweet spot is just between the furtherest hole in.

so

.....O
...O < Lock it to that one
O

And attach it to 6 oclock on the disc

Every time i lock it to the furthest hole on the disc it goes off after 5mins.

[DAVA]

I bought a Oxford Docking Station anchor and a monster chain for securing the bike at the house. Obviously cant take it anywhere with you, and besides, the chain weigh takes both arms to lift! but awesome security at night

[Dirty Sandchairs]

The worst thing is that when you ride off with it on, it not only stops but pulls the bike to one side.

plus the fact of looking like a retard

[Tenchi]

plus the fact of looking like a retard

Thank you for pointing that out. I scratched my bike, broke my lock and although I realised I looked like a retard at the time, you just had to remind me :'(...

Full face helmet with tinted visor ftw.

[CS2]

Thank you for pointing that out. I scratched my bike, broke my lock and although I realised I looked like a retard at the time, you just had to remind me :'(...

Full face helmet with tinted visor ftw.

lol

How recently did this happen?

[Tenchi]

Yesterday.

[CS2]

Yesterday.

Ohh I thought you were talking about this happening yonkers ago dude, shit that sucks are you planning on fixing all the damage?