Security advice needed on new purchase

L

londonman

Guest
Hi Guys,

Firstly, as a someone new to Harleys, I assume they get stolen a lot, right?

I am looking to buy a brand new 48 next week. So desperate for some advice.

I am finding insurance very expensive, I started a separate thread about that.

I am looking to keep my bike locked up in my garden over night, as long as I can get it through the garden door. I had a Ninja a few years ago, because of the mirrors, I couldn't get it through the garden door. It was just too wide. Otherwise, I also have a small piece of garden area in front of the house, and I have one of those "U" things bolted onto the house wall, and then a chain on the bike.

I had a bike stolen a few years ago.

If I take it into work, I would leave it on the pavement in front of my shop. Hopefully the traffic warden won't saying anything. I have seen someone else do the same.

I need to know couple of things.

a) What type of security does HD's come with as standard?

b) What type of security would you recommend as a "must" for my 48? Alarms, locks etc.

I have had nice cars and bikes, and for me owning something nice gets spoiled in London because you are constantly worrying about vandalism and theft. We don't bother buying nice cars anymore. Couldn't afford it anymore anyway.

Anyway, your thoughts and experience is welcome.

Thanks.
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

Hi - they do come with built in imobiliser as standard, i always carry an abus city black lock, which is quite compact, good quality and enables me to lock the bike to something solid! No lock is invincible but a good one will deter most oppotunist thieves !
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

Thanks Simo. I am trying to get some online insurance quotes right now. Do you know which manufacturer the immobiliser is by? Thats one of the questions. Do you know if an alarm comes with the bike? If so which manufacturer?

Sorry for all these questions. I have paid my deposit, but don't have the bike yet, so I am not 100% what the answer is on some of them.
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

Also, do you know if comes with Data Tag or Alpha Dot or something similar?
Thanks Swedishpark, I'll take a look.
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

londonman said:
Thanks Simo. I am trying to get some online insurance quotes right now. Do you know which manufacturer the immobiliser is by? Thats one of the questions. Do you know if an alarm comes with the bike? If so which manufacturer?

Sorry for all these questions. I have paid my deposit, but don't have the bike yet, so I am not 100% what the answer is on some of them.
Click to expand...

Best ask the bike shop if the 48 has just an immobiliser or an alarm as well fitted as some Harleys have both and I would imagine (?) the insurance company would be satisfied with you telling them HD as the manufacturer.

I bought an Almax chain a few years ago, good but bloody heavy, but I see they now do lighter ones to carry. But having said that you could keep one of the big heavy ones in your shop. Make sure of a good padlock.
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

Almax sell padlocks that they recommend for their chains & they are worth the money. At home, get the bike in a shed at least, out of sight, out of mind. At work, you need to chain the bike to summat permanent, like a lamp post, as the chain will be worthless if the bike can be picked up & put in a van, or go to work on a Honda 90! Any alarm must be Thatcham approved to make any difference to your insurance. Don't leave the bike at the front of your house, always keep it away from prying eyes. Try not to look like a big nasty biker & don't wear clothing with HD all over it. Theives don't wear stripey tops & carry a black sack with "swag" written on it anymore, they have high tech tools now, like google earth & google street map to locate targets, hence the out of sight, out of mind. Been a victim meself, so I know how it feels. Good luck.
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

londonman said:
Hi Guys,Firstly, as a someone new to Harleys, I assume they get stolen a lot, right?
Click to expand...
I would say not. All bikes are prone to theft, but there are much more popular bikes with thieves than Harleys
londonman said:
a) What type of security does HD's come with as standard?b) What type of security would you recommend as a "must" for my 48? Alarms, locks etc..
Click to expand...
I believe all HDs come with an integral alarm and immobiliser, much better than any aftermarket one. But they are a waste of time. No one responds to alarms. Your biggest threat is someone picking it up and putting it in the back of a van. Invest in a decent ground anchor and substantial lock and chain (or two one for each end of the bike)The best thing you can do is to not advertise the location of your bike in public media, or even use geo-tagged photos. Harleys are often targeted by specialist not opportunists.
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

All the above and also consider fitting a tracker, so if it does go astray when you are no looking, it will send you an alert to notify it's being messed with and you have some chance of following where it went, or catching them in the act.
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

Hi ,I agree with all the comments above , but for home security I got a great big bloody dog ,any one or anythink sets foot on our property and he goes mad best security I ever got ,
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

THIS will open your eyes and makes you realise a lock is only a deterrent, no matter what you pay for it.

The key thing to take away from this is, if you have a ground anchor positioned near a wall and the chain is not accessible (ie wrapped around the frame) on the wall side it's highly unlikely you will get the bolt croppers in there to break the chain.

A common practice is to fit an anchor to the wall. Don't do this unless it's a concrete wall as a block/brick wall is easy to overcome and often owners have some home to see a block/s missing from the garage wall where the thief has simply pulled it out.

In a public area you will have to be be pretty ballsy to use this size bolt croppers in broad daylight, but as the statistics show in London this does indeed happen in busy streets where there are multiple bike parking areas and bikes go missing despite being locked up.

If it's parked up outside your workplace then you would like to think the standard alarm would go off before it went, but lock it to a post or something secure too.

Never lock it through the front wheel either as that is easy to remove............but even through the rear it's not always 100% safe

Capture_zpsk6s3qv04.jpg
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

Always worries me when I'm away. If anyone gets into my garage they've got a bike really, cos while they're secured and bolted to the ground well enough, a bit hunting about will find you a hacksaw or even an angle grinder. It's unlikely that the neighbours would take a ha'peth of notice to be honest. Hmmm, may have to put a real cartridge in the alarm mine next time :wink:
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

londonman said:
I just looked at some of those videos. Shocking. Are their chains any good?

Thats a nice bike on your picture. Its a small picture, so I can't see properly, is it a 48 or 883?
Click to expand...

no it's a nightster 1200
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

Hi Mr Pitts,

Thanks. Some useful advice. I don't have any HD clothing, and don't plan on getting any. I hate wearing any brands that has the name in big. Just my thing. I like subtle things (mostly), apart from bikes. I couldn't be the big bad biker even if I tried, I was told I like the "nice guy" type, which I don't always like. Anyway, I have my own style. A few years ago I had a bike which was popular with teenage kids, I think it was an Italian brand, my mind is gone blank. And it was stolen. I think by a van. They found it something like 6 months later. It cost me more to collect it from the police depot, as the police had their own scam on how to make money from me, they were charging me to hold the bike. To add salt to wound, the bike was useless. It was so wrecked that I had to bin it. Luckily it was a cheap bike.

Anyway, back to this bike. I have a big problem which I just realised. My garden door is not wide enough to get the bike in. I checked the width online, and I don't think it will fit. My Ninja never did, and I had a big black ninja.I used to park it in front of the house, with chains to the wall. It never had an alarm. I have 2 sheds. So I have room for a bike. What should I do guys?

At work, I will keep in front of the shop main window. I won't need to chain it, but I will. I have a large empty window in front of my shop. And I stare out of it all day. I have a business, where I have no staff nowadays, and I am not trying to grow the business or take on staff, so mostly its just me. I have a bicycle rack in front of the shop which also doubles as large plant pot, something I built and designed for customers. I will chain it to that I think. I can see any movement in front of the shop. I may consider drilling something into the concrete. I need to work that out.

Its going to cost me a bit to break a wall and put a bigger door in. If it cost ?500 I would do it. Damn, this purchasing is creating so many other little issues. I hope its worth it.

mr. pitts said:
Almax sell padlocks that they recommend for their chains & they are worth the money. At home, get the bike in a shed at least, out of sight, out of mind. At work, you need to chain the bike to summat permanent, like a lamp post, as the chain will be worthless if the bike can be picked up & put in a van, or go to work on a Honda 90! Any alarm must be Thatcham approved to make any difference to your insurance. Don't leave the bike at the front of your house, always keep it away from prying eyes. Try not to look like a big nasty biker & don't wear clothing with HD all over it. Theives don't wear stripey tops & carry a black sack with "swag" written on it anymore, they have high tech tools now, like google earth & google street map to locate targets, hence the out of sight, out of mind. Been a victim meself, so I know how it feels. Good luck.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

Gizmo said:
I would say not. All bikes are prone to theft, but there are much more popular bikes with thieves than HarleysI believe all HDs come with an integral alarm and immobiliser, much better than any aftermarket one. But they are a waste of time. No one responds to alarms. Your biggest threat is someone picking it up and putting it in the back of a van. Invest in a decent ground anchor and substantial lock and chain (or two one for each end of the bike)The best thing you can do is to not advertise the location of your bike in public media, or even use geo-tagged photos. Harleys are often targeted by specialist not opportunists.
Click to expand...

I am not a social media person. i don't even use FaceBook. And I don't know anyone to send pictures of my bike to :) Sad old me :) So I am not worried about that. However, I do need to find someone who can install some ground anchors. And I am going to order those Almax chains tonight. I am just wondering if there is anywhere to carry the chain on the bike? I suppose its a naked bike so no compartments. :)

Here are some useful answers for anyone else who is looking to buy the 48. I was asking this question last night. I now have the answers:

A 2015 48 will come standard with the manufactures Immobiliser as well as ABS. It is manufactured by Harley-Davidson.
A 2015 48 will come standard with an Alarm also manufactured by Harley-Davidson.
A 2015 48 will come standard with Key less go (proximity sensor key)
 
Re: Security advice needed on new purchase

I am ahead of you on that one. I was searching last night about GPS based trackers, any that you can recommend. I feel like I am in school, and I am getting points for being a good boy.

I am not just worried of it getting stolen just simply because of how much I paying for it. I think a lot of emotion is attached. I am hoping to customise, and it would kill me if I had spent loads of time and money customising and then some low life stole it.

Dazzlin said:
All the above and also consider fitting a tracker, so if it does go astray when you are no looking, it will send you an alert to notify it's being messed with and you have some chance of following where it went, or catching them in the act.
Click to expand...
 
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