Think your ground anchor and chain keeps the SV safe?

Worrying news for anyone who thought their Oxford Hardcore chain was an effective security device. Mine went wrong and got stuck and so I had to cut it off this afternoon to free the bike. I went and borrowed a set of ordinary bolt croppers and with no effort at all cut through the 11mm padlock. In under 5 seconds! And it's THATCHAM approved! I'd hate to see what the security industry think doesn't qualify?

As for Tracker, I'm afraid that I have no faith left in it after my mate's beautiful K6 GSX-R was stolen yesterday by scum. Despite being the Gucci all-singing and dancing version, they only recovered the (removed) Tracker in Dartford, Kent.

[Luckypants]

IMHO Oxford chains = chocolate.

I use Diamond Security stuff. Tested by gippos, they could not defeat it.

There's some nice videos on YouTube of a guy going at various Thatcham approved chains with bolt cutters and ploughing through them like they're paper. It's a bit biased because it looks like he works for Almax, who make a supposedly un-cuttable chain.

Originally Posted by Goonermadness

As for Tracker, I'm afraid that I have no faith left in it after my mate's beautiful K6 GSX-R was stolen yesterday by scum. Despite being the Gucci all-singing and dancing version, they only recovered the (removed) Tracker in Dartford, Kent.

Sorry to hear that mate. How long was it between the bike being reported stolen and the tracker recovery?

He got a text message at 4pm yesterday saying that the bike was being stolen (from the alarm) however he was away in Coventry for work (ironically working with the National Autocrime Unit.) By 10pm, the police (as quick as humanly possible) had located the tracker unit in a lock-up. That means that they stripped it and possibly the bike down in a matter of hours. If anyone sees a black gixxer 600 LV06USP knocking around, feel free to shop him.

a** holes. my mate had his black/orange gixxer nicked recently. if they want it that bad they'll have it no matter what

You can get the hardcore locks for ?15.... go figure

Originally Posted by Goonermadness

He got a text message at 4pm .....By 10pm, the police had located the tracker unit

Blimey, 6 hours from nicked to (nearly) recovered! If they hadn't stripped it straight away...

I'm looking at the Almax videos now and I'm sold. 124 quid may seem like a lot of cash but so is my 300 pound excess

Originally Posted by ranathari

a supposedly un-cuttable chain.

If you have the tools and money, nothing is un-cuttable. Liquid nitrogen & a light weight hammer. I rest my case.

Originally Posted by Goonermadness

If anyone sees a black gixxer 600 LV06USP knocking around, feel free to shop him.

If they were so organised to at least rip the tracker out of the bike within 6 hours, then that bike was nicked to order, by professional theives. Chances of seeing that numberplate in use (or even the frame still having the engine inside it) are pretty slim. But then since your mate works for the Autocrime unit, he knows this too.

IIRC, if you have a certificate saying you paid for professional installation of a tracker device, tracker pay the value of the vehicle (up to something stupid like ?10million) & you don't have to claim from the insurance. It's been a while since I dealt with Tracker though.

Back to the OP... you went for the weak link in the chain (the padlock) which is exactly what most criminals will do. The way I look at it, it'd be an inconvience to loose the bike, but it'd be claimed for on the insurance, so I'd get something to replace it. I'm looking to change it anyway...