Does your worst nightmare involve your motorcycle vanishing without a trace?
Motorcycle theft happens more often than you’d think, and it’s been on the rise in recent years.
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, nearly 46,500 motorcycles were reported stolen in 2016 – a 2% increase over the previous year.
The majority of stolen motorcycles are made by Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki or Harley-Davidson. Since many are broken down and sold for parts, thieves often target sport bikes and popular models they know will be in high demand.
Most of these crimes are committed in the summer months or early in the fall. If you don’t already take measures to protect your bike, now’s your chance to start. Follow these tips to avoid becoming a victim of motorcycle theft.
3 Ways to Prevent Motorcycle Theft
1. Out of sight, out of mind. One of the best ways to prevent motorcycle theft is also one of the most obvious. Whenever possible, store your motorcycle in a locked garage or storage unit. This forces thieves to go through more trouble and break additional laws with potentially heavier penalties to get their hands on your bike.
2. Lock it down. Secure your motorcycle to a sturdy anchor that’s been bolted into the ground. Loop the chain through the rear wheel and shell out the extra cash for a quality lock that won’t be worth a thief’s time or trouble. The more difficult you make it to steal your bike the less likely thieves will be to take the risk.
3. Use a location tracker as backup. Experienced thieves will have a pretty good idea of where GPS trackers and theft recovery devices are hidden and how to disarm them. While these systems can offer a little extra peace of mind, they shouldn’t be your only line of defense.
What measures do you take to protect your bike? Share your best tips for fending off motorcycle thieves in the comments.
