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Motorcycle security on a trip?

In KY, key in or key out is 2 separate laws on the thief's end & they get less time one way. more the other. As I understand it can make a difference in insurance coverage?

You're joking, right? Are you telling me that KY justice defines theft by availability? Then by extension, if the lady leaves her purse on the table and the thief grabs it and runs away, that's different than if it is in her hand and he grabs it and runs away? (I'm just talking the theft charge, not the potential assault charge in the latter case). Are KY judicial formulas really that idiotic?
 
This saved my Harley once

http://www.westendmotorsports.com/dowcoguardian-secure-alarm-weatherall-plus-covers-p-18815.html

The above product installed in the cover pocket saved my motorcycle. I had my Road King parked in a secured apartment garage. They attempted to steal it in the middle of the day while most people were at work.

I parked my bike and had a Kryptonite chain locked around a pole. Had a rotor lock with siren locked on the rear, had a regular rotor lock on the front and the Guardian cover with the special pouch for the cover alarm installed. The alarm cover works like a grenade pin. If it is pulled out wile activated the sound is so loud and ear piercing you can stand next to it without ear protection.

When I parked in the garage for lunch I notice the alarm was going off. I went to inspect it and was surprised what I saw. Next to my bike was some metal filings where the removed the front rotor lock. When they went to pull the cover up the alarm activated and they left. What I saw was the metal filings and the cover partially removed. They will not know that you have this installed before the remove the cover. Maybe some thieves may look for this and disconnect it from the bike but it would also take more time to find where you connected it and remove it. It is simple to connect and remove yourself. The cover goes on like any other cover. The lock set up I used mught sounds excessive but I only did it like that when it was parked in that garage. When I'm out riding I always used a rotor lock and the fork lock along with the security system on the bike.

I will say the Harleys are more of a targeted bike, I had about $12K of extras and it drew a lot of attention. I do feel like less of a target while out on the BMW but still take precautions to prevent theft.

The cover with alarm is highly recommended by me

Jason
 
Another factor for thieves targeting Harley's over BMW's may be that they read the latest consumer report that Harley's are more dependable than BMW's :rolleyes
 
In KY, key in or key out is 2 separate laws on the thief's end & they get less time one way. more the other. As I understand it can make a difference in insurance coverage?

I worked insurance claims for 31+years and whether the key was in the vehicle or not didn't impact the validity of the claim or the amount paid. However, it did cause us to increase our investigation to make sure he was not party to the theft. We looked closely at the credit history vehicle condition, loan balance, marriage status and any other thing that could make him want to have the vehicle "stolen ".
 
I wish those who get their bike stolen with the key in the ignition the best of luck in getting their insurance company to cover the cost of the theft.

A pro wonÔÇÖt have any problem taking your "ugly" GS and breaking it down for parts.

I cover my bike and park it near the room door or the motel entrance. I stay in a nice area of town and always remove the key and use a lock with an alarm. This wonÔÇÖt stop a real pro, but it will make the thief more likely to take the bike that is not locked and parked away from foot traffic in an unlit area.

E.

I was referring to a BMW Rally only with the key in! Otherwise cover it!
 
I try to find a hotel that has the overhead hanging out from the building. I always park the bike under it right next to the door and keep the shades open. Bottom line though, if you are in a bad neighborhood or nasty area, don't park there.
 
BMW Theft Rare

BMWs are rarely stolen because there is too little market for used parts or bikes - major reasons Japanese bikes are stolen. However, excellent advice by others on security precautions. When I stopped at a motel in Montana last year, the clerk offered covered space near the office without my asking.
 
I heard a joke today from another rider:

Q: How do you keep your Harley from being stolen
A: Put a BMW cover over it.
 
In 38 years of riding 49 states and Canada, never have I done more than remove the key and sometimes cover my bike.
Never had anything stolen or messed with.

All this nonsense of U-lock, and disc brake locks and chains does nothing except make the biker owner feel good.
If a thief wants your bike, there is nothing short of sitting on it with a loaded gun that will stop him.
 
In 38 years of riding 49 states and Canada, never have I done more than remove the key and sometimes cover my bike.
Never had anything stolen or messed with.

All this nonsense of U-lock, and disc brake locks and chains does nothing except make the biker owner feel good.
If a thief wants your bike, there is nothing short of sitting on it with a loaded gun that will stop him.

Agree 100%. I have the same history. Surprised no one has suggested having an armed guard watching the moto.
 
Being the victim or not is often a result of the odds that you stack against the thief. Unless you are targeted at a place that you frequent..Home, work etc, sometimes thefts are even "done to order" at these locations.

Thieves will frequently troll for a vehicle that they have previous experience with, That is to say they have established a method for stealing & transporting the machine as well as how they have learned their favorite way to convert it into cash (whole or in parts as they may prefer). The customer base for the stolen vehicle/parts is also an important part of their knowledge base, which results in their M.O. Most often this type of thief (Pro) will be very careful to do as little damage as possible so as to protect his "investment".

The joy-rider will have little plan & often will create much damage when doing the theft. In addition to this, for some message of contempt when the joy ride is over, considerable damage will be done purposely to the machine.

The covered bike is a "pig in a poke" requiring more risky and time consuming investigation for the pro thief during his "shopping/trolling" tour.

Great Ideas have been previously posted. I would however not rely too heavily on the safety of a parking lot in an upscale neighborhood. Crooks like these places due to more valuable merchandise being displayed/available than at more modest locations.
 
A quick and dirty fix is to put a padlock through a hole in your front brake disk. To remind yourself you have it locked buy some bright orange 3/16 rope and tie a loop in both ends. Oner loop gets locked in the padlock the other goes around your handlebar near your starter button. It's a simple deterrent!
 
I'm really getting tired of sitting on my bike with my 9mm while everyone else is in a nice comfy motel room.

I'm gonna get a rat bike
 
Funny, the night my friend's motorcycle was stolen is the one and only night he didn't chain it to the post. He got home late from a night out, was tired and too lazy to perform the usual ritual.

Oh well.
 
Bikes in motel rooms

Ha! Always the best security. Rode my '76 Honda XL350 Enduro cross country (FL to TX) in 1977 (with stock knobbies), making sure it was tucked in the motel room each night with me. Helpful tip: Always let it cool down BEFORE you bring it in the room. Otherwise you're sleeping with hot engine/gas fume remnants the rest of the night LOL.

As a small hotel owner who takes pride in what we offer to the public, I can tell you that if you even tried to put a motorcycle in one of our suites, or a bicycle for that matter, you would be evicted in a heartbeat and there wouldn't be a refund. We do provide a locked enclosure for bicycles but not for motorcycles.
Summertime it is not unusual to have more than 20 boats in our parking lot with an average value of approximately $60,000.00 each.

Now here is a humorous but true story. Two years ago my brother and I were on our way to Arkansas and were staying at a friends house in New Mexico. The gate to his back yard was too narrow for either bike (my 1150 and his brand new Harley with less than 1,000 miles) We had the house to ourselves as our friends had to leave town. They did however have a security camera which I could look at the bikes from the bedroom I was in, and they assured me that the monitor would beep loud enough to wake me if there was movement anywhere near our bikes. Around midnight the beep woke me and as I looked at the monitor, I observed my brother walking around the motorcycles and then looking around the side streets. When he came back in I asked him if he heard anything and his reply was that he couldn't sleep for fear someone would steal his Harley. I rolled over and went to sleep. Two hours later - the same thing.
After three hours I heard the bathroom shower on and when I checked it out, he said he couldn't sleep.
We left Albuquerque about 3:30 in the morning.
 
I have been a cop for 26 years and never have done or heard of someone getting their motorcycle stolen from a hotel in the city I work. Tallahassee, Florida............The ones that do get stolen are usual sport motorcycles near our colleges and those type cases are rare. If persons want your property, no matter what you do person will take it. I would enjoy my trip, secure it with the key, have good insurance, and just have fun. Irode from Florida to Alaska, gone for 3 weeks, without having a problem.
 
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