Motorcycle Theft Prevention 101
Often you hear or read about car theft statistics or car theft prevention tips, but what about your motorcycle? Is your Mesa Arizona bike also in danger of getting stolen? Yes, it is. In fact, motorcycles are one of the most popular items to steal and it is easy to see why. They are small, compact and fast giving the thieves several options on how to steal your bike.
There are obviously two ways your bike can make an exit. If it is small and light enough, the thief/thieves may toss it on the back of a pickup and haul it away. Or they may just ride off into the sunset with it. You are probably a lot faster and less suspicious when riding a bike instead of hoisting it on a truck or trailer.
A good thief will always be able to beat any security system you select. Nothing is foolproof. The most efficient theft prevention strategy is to utilize several theft deterrents that make stealing your motorcycle so time consuming that the thief decided to leave it or move on to an easier prey.
1. Lock the ignition
While turning off your ignition is a given, many forget to lock it or are unaware of the benefit of locking your ignition. Statistics have shown that the majority of stolen Mesa motorcycles are those where the ignition has not been locked. While the thief of course can beat your ignition lock, it can add time to his (or her) escape and may be a deterrent. Having a separate ignition and steering lock is even better as it adds two steps. However, your bike can still be carried away.
2. Hide it
Throwing a cover over your bike can be a great idea and not only because it protects it from the hot Mesa Arizona climate. If the thief has to guess what may be under the cover, he might not even go for it. Likewise, pulling a cover off a bike is a rather obvious act and may draw unwanted attention to him. Also without knowing what bike may be hiding under the cover, thieves have no idea how difficult or easy the process of stealing said bike actually is.
3. File off serial numbers
..from your keys that is. Anybody with those numbers can have the keys to your bike recut. By first writing them down and then filing them off, you can ensure that duplicating a potentially lost or forgotten key takes more than a phone call. And you have the number on file, when you need a spare made by your Arizona car locksmith.
4. Lock it
Disc locks prevent spontaneous joyrides, but they also allow the bike to be just carried off. If you lock your bike to a stationary object such as a fence, you give the thieves something to work on. And it may just take long enough to deter them from going for your motorcycle, because the combination of both can be time consuming to defeat.
5. Install an alarm
Just like cars, motorcycles can have alarms too. You can hook them up to the disc locks, the cover or anything else that is suitable. An alarm can be an effective anti-theft strategy if you park your motorcycle in a popular area where it would draw attention. If you are taking a long distance ride through the Arizona desert, miles from any living being, an alarm isn’t really going to be a valuable theft deterrent.
6. Get insurance
While motorcycle insurance certainly doesn’t prevent theft, it can take the sting out of the loss of your beloved motorcycle. Many motorcycles are worth $20-30K and can make a serious dent in your wallet, but comprehensive motorcycle coverage can help to replace your bike (at least in spirit) in case of theft.
7. Hidden kill switch
While kill switches on motorcycles aren’t anything new, the installation of a hidden kill switch is not only a cheap way to protect your bike, but can also be very effective. While the thief, of course, can figure out where the switch is-eventually-the hope is that it will take too long and not be worth the hassle and time spent.
There are many other ways to protect your Mesa bike from potential theft such as:
- parking it in a well-lit area
- parking it in a group of bikes and making it harder to get to
- using high quality alarms and locks
- watch out for suspicious strangers
- and more
The Riverview Mesa mobile vehicle locksmiths at US Key Service can help you to re-key your ignition or replace lost Mesa car keys. We are experts in replacing specialty keys and remote control keys as well. No matter what vehicle key you need replace, our Mesa emergency car locksmiths can help.
Always make sure your ignition and locks are in top shape, and if you need help, U.S. Key Service can provide you with automotive door lock repairs in Mesa, as well as ignition switch replacements. For more information about our trustworthy vehicle locksmiths in the 85204 and 85203 areas of Mesa,contact us today.
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