To Lock or Not To Lock? That is the Question

at the end of the day, the only way to stop a pikey stealing your bike is to not own a bike.
if they want to steal it, they will, but all you can do is make as much of a ball-ache for them as possible, shame we cant beat the living bejesus out of them, legally, if we catch them at it.

Just stick a disc lock under your seat.

I have an abus alarmed one and its great. Loud too

[keith_d]

I'd consider three categories:

1) Joyriders

Usually young and looking for something to have fun on. A disk lock and electronic immobiliser will probably send them looking elsewhere.

2) Opportunist Bike Thieves

Better equipped than joyriders, they will probably have bolt croppers in their van. It's difficult to stop them completely, but a heavy chain and a noisy alarm might encourage them to look elsewhere.

3) Professional Thieves

These guys have things like angle grinders, hydraulic cutters and liquid nitrogen. They will break into buildings and cut through serious chains for the right bike. So if you have an expensive bike make sure your insurance is up to date.

If you don't want to take your chain with you, consider a disk lock and a steel cable to secure it to something solid. That should deter group 1 and maybe group 2.

Originally Posted by tom-k6

at the end of the day, the only way to stop a pikey stealing your bike is to not own a bike.
if they want to steal it, they will, but all you can do is make as much of a ball-ache for them as possible, shame we cant beat the living bejesus out of them, legally, if we catch them at it.

Pikey, do you mean traveller? I own and have owned in my years of biking lots of bikes (have to do something in retirement except fishing, non of them are expensive by the way) but none have been stolen by travellers, but i think the SV isnt the most desirable bike either so maybe thats why.

If they want it, they will have it and so long as its insured, cest la vie!

i am using the word pikey as a term for theiving little get's who will move around looking things to steal, such as vehicles, lead flashing and children that arent bolted to the ground overnight =D

Ah! Yes we have had the lead stolen off our porch roof for gods sake, most of the houses in the street where done in a couple of nights, they came up cut it with a stanley type nife, rolled it up and were off!

[yorkie_chris]

Friend of mine had some trouble like that, someone peeled the corners back and embedded some razor blades in there.
Went out to work one morning and noticed blood all over the roof

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Friend of mine had some trouble like that, someone peeled the corners back and embedded some razor blades in there.
Went out to work one morning and noticed blood all over the roof

FANTASTIC! about time something like this happened, wouldve loved to see the theif's face as he lost at least 3 finger tips while balancing on a porch roof.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Friend of mine had some trouble like that, someone peeled the corners back and embedded some razor blades in there.
Went out to work one morning and noticed blood all over the roof

Excellent!!!

We had simmilar with hanging baskets of all things, some wire to lock them to the hangers with the ends left about 1/2" long and pointy cured it, there was blood on the points after only 1 night



Back to the OP, how about a spare pillion seat with the top box bolted to that? Nice and handy for commuting and quick change to the other seat for pillion carrying, plastic pod for solo weekend use

[Geodude]

Originally Posted by nikon70

Currently I use a Master chain with links about 10mm and a built in lock.

There is no room under the rear seat to carry it so I have to use either a rucksack or a top box either I would rather not use...

so... when I leave it at work...

do I leave it unlocked, as the sv is not the most saught after bike and hope for the best...

or do i continue to lock it with the chain and use to top box...

or should i use this oxford patriot ???

submit your answers on the back of a post card in 50 words or less to, PO Box Please don't Steal My Bike

You could use one of these lock carriers http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MOTORCYCLE-STO...item3f0508f41b