When you ride your motorcycle, you might feel on top of the world. Your bike gets you where you need to go quickly and safely, and you love the sense of independence that only your motorcycle can bring.
As soon as you park your bike, though, that confidence begins to disappear. You might maintain control over your bike when you ride it—but once it's parked, its safety may seem like it's out of your hands.
You don't need to worry though. Even though parking your motorcycle does make it vulnerable, you can take several steps to ensure that your bike will stay there until you return to it. In our post below, we'll tell you what makes motorcycles so appealing to thieves, and let you know what you can do to prevent your motorcycle from becoming a target.
Why Crooks Love Motorcycles
Fortunately for most motorcycle riders, car theft is still more common than motorcycle theft, in part because cars are more common modes of transportation than motorcycles. However, many motor vehicle thieves still see motorcycles as easy targets. Unlike cars, they easily lift into the back of a truck. Their parts also go for high prices, which makes them appealing to many criminals.
Some bikers also leave their motorcycles idling while they run inside for a few minutes. This can make their motorcycles easy targets for joy riders, along with more professional thieves.
Thieves target certain motorcycle brands over others. Honda is the most-stolen motorcycle brand, followed by Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Harley-Davidson. Predictably, motorcycle theft increases during the summer and decreases during the winter.
Unfortunately, if your vehicle gets stolen, the chances of you getting it back are fairly slim. In 2007, Statistics Canada reported that only 11% of motor vehicle thefts resulted in the police arresting an accused thief. That number represents just half of the typical crime-solving rate in other property-related crimes.
Luckily, though, motor vehicle theft has steadily declined for since the mid-nineties. In December 2014, Ontario police made several auto theft ring arrests, breaking up a group that stole 29 vehicles and 1 motorcycle in the Greater Toronto Area. And in 2013, the York Regional Police arrested 2 members of a motorcycle theft ring who had stolen at least 35 motorcycles.
While the police work to make Ontario a safer place for motorcycle riders, you can do your part to make your bike a less attractive target for potential thieves. Read below to learn what crucial steps you can take to secure your motorcycle against theft.
How to Protect Your Motorcycle
1. Use a Cover
The best way to protect your bike from theft is to prevent it from becoming a target in the first place. When you're at home, park your bike in the garage or in another discreet location. If you must park it on the street, always keep it covered. This keeps your bike away from prying eyes. A cover also conceals your security measures, which means thieves can't prepare ahead of time for any anti-theft devices.
When you go around the town, park your bike in a well-lit, busy location. Your parking spot should be clearly visible from the surrounding shops. If you bike in a group, always park your motorcycles together.
2. Use Locks
Most bikers turn the ignition off before leaving their bike. However, few people remember to lock the ignition as well. You should also use your steering lock. Although most thieves can easily break these locks, they provide a good first defence against thieves and make their job more difficult.
You can also lock your bike to a nearby sturdy, immobile object. If you use a chain, pick up the slack by wrapping it around the stable object multiple times—criminals can use hammers and chisels to break chains that lie against the ground. Wrap the chain around the bike's frame rather than the wheel.
Consider investing in a disc lock as well. On their own, disc locks only deter joy riders, not thieves who want to steal your tires or hoist the entire bike into a waiting van. However, disc locks with alarms often scare thieves off and alert bystanders to the situation.
The more types of locks you can use, the better. Most thieves can easily overcome one lock, but they'll have a much harder time if one of your bike's wheels has an alarmed disc lock and the other wheel has a chain tethering it to a nearby lamppost.
3. Add a Kill Switch
A kill switch is a button you must press to start your bike. Potential thieves might be confused when they try to start the motorcycle and find that it won't turn on. They might assume the bike is broken or decide this particular bike will take too much time and energy to steal.
Secure Your Motorcycle
Now that you've read our blog, you know how to keep your bike safe, no matter the brand or season. If you have further questions about securing your bike, talk to your local locksmith in North York. He or she will be able to offer specialized solutions for your particular motorcycle and area.
For a locksmith in the Markham area or in 905-477-7618the Newmarket/Aurora area 905-477-7618call 905-477-7618.
For a North York area locksmith call .
Affordable Lock is a locksmith in Markham serving the Greater Toronto Area, including Scarborough, Aurora, North York, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Vaughan and Stouffville. With over 30 years of experience, we pride ourselves on looking after your commercial or residential locksmith needs. Affordable Lock’s showroom in Markham showcases a wide selection of keys, locks and an assortment of other security products for your home or business. Whether you are looking to upgrade your home or business’s security, or solve security issues, Affordable Lock Services Inc. in Markham is here for you! Give us a call today.
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