Keeping Your Motorcycle Secure

No one likes having their motorcycle stolen. It's a huge pain to report to the police, deal with the insurance, and be out a valuable form of transportation. Maybe worst of all, you'll be losing your beloved bike, and for many motorcycle riders, that's close to as sad as losing a pet. With a little bit of planning and some specialized equipment, you can reduce the chances that thieves will be successful if they try to steal your bike. Just follow the simple tricks listed below!

Here at Interstate Cycles, we ride motorcycles ourselves, which is why we know how important it is to keep thieves away from your bike.

If you need security equipment or just need a new bike altogether, stop by our showroom and service center in Lake City, Florida. We'll make sure you get everything you need to keep your bike secure.

Park Smart

Where you park your bike will determine who can see it and who has access to it. If you live in an apartment complex, you might not have many choices for where to put your bike. The best solution is a gated parking structure where security cameras can watch over your bike and where a coded gate will keep people from riding away with your motorcycle. If this isn't an option, try to find some off-street parking, or even consider parking your bike near your front door. If you live in a residential neighborhood, park your bike in your garage or in a fenced backyard or side yard. Wherever you park it, make sure you continue to employ other safety devices. You don't want to bet the safety of your bike on the assumption that thieves won't be able to see it.

Physical Security Devices

Nothing beats a giant hunk of case-hardened steel for keeping thieves from stealing your bike. Many modern locks are extremely difficult to breach and will provide a major deterrent to anyone who wants to take your bike. In addition to big U-Locks and chain setups, a disc locks and steering locks are also useful deterrents. A disc lock attaches to the disc brake of your bike and because of its sensitive location, it's extremely difficult to remove without doing major damage to the bike. Steering locks keep your handlebars locked in place. These often come standard on bikes, but it's important that you use them consistently as thieves will be able to quickly notice if yours is engaged or not.

Electronic Security

For a more modern form of security, turn to an electronic security system. The two main systems are alarms and tracking systems. Tracking systems come into play if your bike actually gets stolen. This small beacon sends out a GPS signal which you can track. All you have to do is share the information with law enforcement and they can retrieve your bike for you. Alarm systems work just how they would on a car. If you try to tamper with the bike, they'll go off and draw lots of attention to the bike. A brave thief might be able to work through the alarm, but if nothing else, you'll increase the likelihood that the crime will have a witness. Both of these systems can be quite affordable, especially when you consider how much money they could potentially save you.

Change Your Routines

One simple security measure that many people forget is to change their routines. Skilled thieves will observe a situation and sometimes even gather information to look for the best opening to make their move. If your routine is the same every day, they'll quickly be able to figure out when their window of opportunity is. Try to change up your routine to throw would-be thieves off your track.

Hopefully this guide gave you a few tips for battling thieves. If you have any questions or you need parts and services for your motorcycle, stop by Interstate Cycles. We carry a broad selection of motorcycles and our service center works on all makes and models. If you live in Lake City, Gainesville, Tallahassee, Alachua, Valdosta, Jacksonville, or Sanderson, Florida, stop by today!