How to prevent theft on a trip?

[moped-dan]

Hey guys. I built a motor bike last summer and rode it a few hundred miles and had a blast. I want to take my first motor bike trip this summer. Do any of you have tips on preventing theft while on trips and such? Like when you go into a restaurant or store? What do you guys do? I would be pretty paraniod having to leave my bike all by itself outside while I go get some food.

 

[spunout]

Hey guys. I built a motor bike last summer and rode it a few hundred miles and had a blast. I want to take my first motor bike trip this summer. Do any of you have tips on preventing theft while on trips and such? Like when you go into a restaurant or store? What do you guys do? I would be pretty paraniod having to leave my bike all by itself outside while I go get some food.

LOCK IT UP! i use a heavy log chain with a keyed padlock. the kind of padlock that requires a key to close it. that way, if you dont have your key with you, you wont accidentally lock yourself off of it.
i do NOT recommend combination padlocks....you can pop those open with a swift kick. and i forget numbers constantly

 

[happycheapskate]

I am using a 3ft heavy chain similar to the Kryptonite type with the fabric cover (15$USD at Walmart), a heavy duty disc padlock (I have tried to open one before with a hacksaw; I locked the key in a trailer far from home, cuss cuss cuss! If you make it through the outside casing, the hardened shackle will rotate and lock it again, DNI to get off.)
and a Master u-lock plus a cable lock. If possible, I run the chain through the frame around 2 metal tubes, and a solid item like a pipe fence. I u lock the front wheel to frame, and run the cable through the back wheel and the solid item. You can vary it up. There is an item called Bones which slide onto u locks to prevent using a scissor jack to break it.

If you can, weld a bracket to your engine. Its unfortunately a short job to get the motor off. (if you built one, you know how they go on, so its food for thought)

Try to park where you can see the bike frequently, and where a thief would probably be spotted.

I've heard of people installing secret killswitches and even shocking devices.

There are $10 bike alarms available too, but be sure it doesn't go off from wind or pedestrians using a handrail, or it may be ticketed or impounded by police.

I'd have witnesses to ownership, photos, receipts if you can keep or bring copies, and if your police system registers bikes by numbering or chemtags/magnetic tags, use those too.

It may be possible to register it with your homeowners insurance as well, as sporting equipment.

If your state requires insurance, make your insurance provider keep 4 photos (each side, front and rear of the bike with accessories/upgrades) in your file.

If your bike is ever stolen, you probably won't get it back, sad but true. But if you administer a beatdown on a thief, these measures would probably help you plead your case in court. Try not to get arraigned and don't use more force than necessary (try to drive the thief away or disable the bike then run away to claim self defense.) Remember, they have heavy tools and your bike for weapons!

There was a band named Bicycle Thief once, shortlived. I heard they got booed out of clubs.

 

[bamabikeguy]

First thing to do is build up a Peace of Mind.

The backroads aren't all that scary to negotiate, good people are everywhere, and since you are planning to avoid metro areas, small towns are the MOST mb.friendly places.

Protection of yourself is utmost, and on a MB-adventure, this will be done by talking to strangers.

I started with a Stihl chainsaw helmet, orange, adjustable, same as every telephone lineman and asphault guy, except orange. The air circulation is great, even if it looks like you are wearing a small pumpkin.

My other helmet is the Selma little league model, picked up on the Selma-Obama funfest, has a red/w/blue frog flashing the peace sign, and various other stickers. All the stickers are on the right side of this dark blue headgear, passing cars don't need to be reading my stickers.

Every county seat has a chainsaw dealer, anytime I needed oil, I shopped there, NOT Wal Mart. You'll tell that owner your route, your observations, and can get advise on quality cafes and sightseeing spots. If you pay a dime extra to buy gas from a sole proprietor, rather than an interstate franchise, you also will gain more attention.

Every guy you talk to may tell 10 others about the weirdo in the orange helmet. But the farther you go, you gain a reputation, truckers are radioing ahead and convoys (coal, timber, hay, chickens !!) are aware.

I thank the first trucker I talk to, for not honking, and passing on the thanks to his cb.buds.

So, that orange helmet has been on the Florida and Colorado run in 2006, before I knew you folks existed. MB.com would enable contacts and route targets, but in all my miles, I haven't seen but a handful of bikes. I zipped right by srdavo's driveway cutting through Pittsburg, KS., but didn't know it.




Possessions would be more vulnerable than the bike.

Have your e-items in a carrying kit, anything electric over $50-100. I only have the camera round my neck, no c-phone as of yet.

Campstuff, clothes & tools? I've never lost anything to theft, but everything is easily replaceable, often made in china junk. Goodwill does my laundry and has my tee-shirt swapping. The first time you take a trip, you'll be dumping heavy clogs, luxury mattress sheets and thick paperbacks.


Finally, the bike.

Follow my credo and shop local, eat 80% of the time at local Mom's home-kitchen. Spend 80% of your money with shopkeepers. Your business is important to them, and sometimes when you hang out at Pop's Conoco, you'll attract a parking lot full of townfolk.

I figured on an average day, I had a minimum of 5 extended stops, 2 for gas, coffee, eats, and the last stop including a water faucet. No need to lock the bike, make a big deal out of the dismount, bounce the helmet off the pavement, knock over the newspaper machine, lean it on the picture window.



You can act the clown with dignity, or not. Small town folks know horse theft is a crime, and cleaning up your mess is cheaper than a bike alarm.

But that bike will fall over once per day, (*bc the pigmetalmadeinChnkickstand snapped on Day1.

You are going to drop at least one fragile item in front of a crowd (per day), that last time you p*ssed on a "Welcome to Texass" sign, you forgot to close the barn door.

Point being, every night you'll be thinking about that days characters, and every mile you run give them more to talk about.

And by the end of 5 days you'll have built up a backroad myth for the locals to enjoy, (sort of like the blimp that flew by last summer).

 

[Slackbiker]

I don't like it but i carry 2 locks, one cable, one u-lock.

 

[happycheapskate]

99% of people will not steal your bike. maybe even 99.995%. But all it takes is that .005 percent to FFFF your day, or week, or how long it takes you to hitch a ride home and all the misery that entails, including not having your bike, and knowing some lazy creep somewhere is riding it "like he stole it."

 

[happycheapskate]

Uniden and Cobra and Midway make great handheld CB radios (40 channel, run on common batteries, but you can wire them to a rechargeable battery pack and use a 110v charger to plug in at hotels etc.

If you use a full face MC. helmet, you can get automatic voice recognition key up microphones/headset. They will pick up a lot farther away than they will get out, but they will let you chat with truckers close by or parked, and can help summon aid if you are down or broken down.

GE made some good ones in plastic portable cases, in the 70's and 80's. Look on Ebay and garage sales.

 

[bamabikeguy]

Cool pic hcs....

99% of people will not steal your bike. maybe even 99.995%. But all it takes is that .005 percent to FFFF your day, or week, or how long it takes you to hitch a ride home and all the misery that entails, including not having your bike, and knowing some lazy creep somewhere is riding it "like he stole it."

Here is the diff.....

In daily commuting, locking the bike is essential, anybody seeing your usual route, times and habits could plot a theft and getaway.

But this subject is long range traveling. Nobody, including YOU, know which way you are going or when you are coming. Sort of like a MB.bikeninja.

I have a cable dangling on the front of the basket, the key in my billfold, and anytime I wish, I can lock' er down. 20% of the time, I may lock it up, but nothing elaborate.

I also have a quick release on the saddle, when I stop for a 3 hour tour, I leave the saddle on a shelf at the cash register, or hide it in the azalea bush, then I have double double MB.ninja security, would baffle any halfwit pedestrian.

Because, this is no longer a 30 pound bike, but with everything loaded, probably approaches 80-90 pounds, all lashed together with zip ties and bungie cords. It takes ME 5 minutes to get up to speed.

It will not pedal away easily in high gear, it takes practice to get confidence in the stability. A thief would get knocked over on the first whoooooooosh by a Wal Mart truck.

So, if you park the bike in view of the window, act like the next best thing to a blimp pilot, answer the same questions you've heard before, your blimp won't float away.

Quick getaways are difficult, you could probably chase the thief afoot and whack him with a ninji stick within 100 yards.

Run out of breath? Hop in the cab and say "follow that bike" , and the capture will happen right after the driver gives him a heart attack horn blast.

Hopefully folks who read this never panic on a 2-5 day journey, the thief may think it is a bike, but it is a packed mule, and mules kick back, especially when a stranger take the leads.

Take my word for it, car theft is easier and quicker than a mule kickin'.

 

[bamabikeguy]

Oh, I have ninji's on the brain, my nephew says this redneckninji is the most popular at Camp Lejune, a 2:30 inspiration for dealing with mule rustlers.......


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xouRawutHeg

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[bamabikeguy]

Happy, you asked in my visitor section

What kind of motorcycling protection does a chainsaw helmet have? I bet it helps with noise though.

and I forgot how a lot of MB.features work....

But if they stay on in the breeze, I'd reckon you'd have as much protection as any other, same with the batting helmet. If I see a fall coming, I just hope to land on my feet.

The b.h. has foam, which muffles the sound and helps in the cold, but my engine is behind me, noise isn't a factor.