Topic: Former motorcycle thief comes clean, gives advice for avoiding guys like him.

[fastbroshi]

http://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/t5shp/ex_thief_chopshop_operator_ama/

[CycleRanger]

From the comments: "My bike is very loud, and very hard to start. Do loud exhausts deter thiefs?"
 

[CBGhia]

I just read the whole thing.  WOW. Great information in there about keeping your bike safe.

[fastbroshi]

I know!  He confirmed some strategies that I'd been suspecting for years.  He's getting a fair share of negative responses, but less than I anticipated.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Good tips. Makes you not want to own a good, newer bike.

[LesterPiglet]

I'm wondering just how stealworthy our bikes are.

[mono]

"usually not bikes over 10 years old"??

whew!  i'm safe.  but really, i'm sure our bikes are great candidates for getting stolen by any hoodlum who wants a bike.  granted most of the gangsta types want to ride Jixxers, but if there's one thing i've learned it's that a thief just likes to steal sh*t.

my dad always used to tell me "remove temptation" when referring to leaving stuff in your car that a thief may want to take - i practice that same policy for everything now.  i positioned my TV and stereo equipment so people can't see it from the street, i leave my garage closed, lights on, have motion sensors with floodlights, etc.  i make sure i don't have flyers hanging on my front door for days -- all the standard stuff.

and when i take the bike somewhere, i park it somewhere conspicuous - not next to a huge truck or in the middle of the parking lot, and i put a big brass padlock on the head tube lock.

[sangyo soichiro]

Just read the whole thread.  Pretty interesting stuff IMO.

This stuck out though...

My bike's got drums in the rear, so I can't use disc locks there. There's nothing convenient to chain it too in my lot. Is there anything else I can do? I do lock the steering, my bike looks pretty ratty, and I try to keep it hidden from the road as best I can. What else can I do?

Drums, what are you on, some CB from the 70's?

 

[Duke McDukiedook]

Yeah, I caught that too.

[johnsy]

wish I would have seen this yesterday. My CBR was just stolen this afternoon. Krytonite lock and all.

[dave500]

its heart wrenching,,that bike thief says they ride the bikes away mostly or prefferably,one trick on our older bikes would be to switch say 1 and 2 plug wires over,itll run like a pig and hardly pull,a bit harder to do on a late fully faired bike.

[HondaMan]

There's a lot of ways to disable these bikes conveniently. One is to remove the spark: makes them into 500 lbs of stuff that won't ride away, so it has to be picked up and taken. Some of my custom Ignitions provide this (hard to build!), but there are other ways to provide it yourself, like a hidden switch under the locked seat that breaks the Black wire, or Red, or Black/White elsewhere. Mine has dual-layer relays on it, just 'cuz I can do that...someone would have to defeat the Ignition Switch, the Transistorized Ignition's Security Switch, the main relay and the AUX relay to ride mine away. By then, I would probably have come out and clubbed the SOB with a wrench (or worse), then asked him what he thought he was doing...

[fastbroshi]

Yup, multiple layers of security is the best bet to thwart thieves.  They usually go for the easiest one to get, unless you've got some particularly rare or desirable bike.   I thought it was interesting that they've figured out how to bring their own ECU's with them when attempting to nab a Ducati. 

I've though about disabling my ignition - would just need to unplug a wire from the Hondaman box, that would cost them some time.

[dave500]

a fake vomit on the seat?

[fastbroshi]

I use a plastic owl myself.

[CycleRanger]

I use a plastic owl myself.

I think the real thing is more effective! 

[K5 Keith]

Learned a lot reading all that! I've been putting too much trust in the steering Lock... Last night I was replacing the three piece fork/seat lock and new ignition and I realised this lock is secured by only a small screw and plastic cover. Unscrew the cover and the lock falls right out. That wouldn't stop a child! Not to mention I had the tank pulled back and a new ignition plugged in in about a minute. Reading this article just after my observations made me rethink security. Even if "pros" don't target the bike I'd like to make it much more difficult for a delinquent to get away with my bike. It could turn up later as a chopped up cafe! Only cool If I'm the one doing it.

[fastbroshi]

I use a plastic owl myself.

I think the real thing is more effective! 

Hey! That was my joke arsehole!    So how long were you holding onto that pic before you got to use it?  That's hilarious man, especially if it's your bike there.

[CycleRanger]

I use a plastic owl myself.

I think the real thing is more effective! 

Hey! That was my joke arsehole!    So how long were you holding onto that pic before you got to use it?  That's hilarious man, especially if it's your bike there.

Believe it or not I just googled "owl on a motorcycle" and hit a home run!

[fastbroshi]

Damn you Google.   Why do you mock me so?

[dave500]

owl on a motorcycle,you might have ended up with "blind" al wilson from canned heat?

[andy750]

On our bikes just remove the 15A fuse when parking the bike. Easy enough. No fuse no ride.

[RAFster122s]

That fuse trick only works one time for a potential thief who discovers it or returns for it. Or if they watch you shut it down or start it up. Standard blade fuses are easy to bypass as well. I live in a small military town about 15 miles from the Mexico  border so if any of my bikes were to disappear, it is unlikely to ever be seen again if it wasnt a joy rider and recovered wrecked.

The drug problems here by youth and older addicts would make about any nice bike regardless of year suspect for theft as well.

Given the cafe craze and growing popularity to chop or cafe the 70s Honda and other bikes that are easier to support with new and used parts, then it would take long for a would be thief of my cb550 even my small S90 to realize the potential coin they could return even stolen and sold whole or chopped up for parts.

So, being the paranoid type regarding theft (since I worked hard to earn and save to buy my bikes) my bikes are either stashed away out of sight by anyone in storage or some of the more lustworthy models are riden, enjoyed, and have already employed many of the theft deterrent steps recommended. They are kept close and are insured against theft.

Concealed carry is very common as is open carry in this state and both are fully legal. Plus property laws arent against defending yourself on your own property.  So, I ride and openly carry often. Any thief who watches me will see this and they will view it as not worth it or it will enhance their rush as they plot and take my bike.
I will try not to make it easy for them so they will move on or that's what I have the insurance for...