Anti-Theft: what's your secret?

[Ladymx]

... my rottweiller sleeps. Light sleeper he is.
Now it I can just figure out how to get him to ride pillion ....

Well if you had started when he was a pup, you could have had a chance to teach him to ride, but now he most likely thinks its a big chew toy.

Usually when I travel, I dont have a bike worth stealing or I park it in the hotel room with me.
Otherwise locking to another bike usually works, now if I could only find another bike to lock mine too.

[rwp]

An old, undesirable bike is the best defence against theft. Luck has been with me despite some really careless behavior in the past. In Minnesota, the key was left in the ignition overnight in a motel parking lot but the thieves still wouldn't take it!

[chickenhawk]

I'd have to agree that a boring or dorky bike is a theft deterrent. Also, having a big scary husband doesn't hurt!

Seriously, I use the disc lock, but if someone really wants the bike, they'll just pick it up and drive away. Park in a well lit, busy place I guess.

[daveoner]

Disc lock is a good deterrent. A thief wont steal a bike they cant roll. Other good tips are to make it harder for a thief to get your bike started, loosen a spark plug, or set up some kinda ignition cut off. A thief wont steal a bike that they think has mechanical problems.

[vega44]

they look for bikes that cost a lot........ like r6 or gsx......... 6.000$ or 10.000$ bikes

[Skier]

Old bike (20 years old!): check.
1/2" of road grime covering all chrome: check.
Leaky valve cover gasket: check.
Scars from previous owners dropping it: check.

I think the theives will pass on this one.

[poppygene]

A cable lock is what I use. I lock the bike to whatever sturdy thing is handy. Well-lit areas help, too. Cable locks are very difficult and time consuming to cut through, unless the theif carries an acetylene torch around with him. Even if he's able to cut the cable, he'll still have to carry the bke to steal it, if you remember to lock the forks too. Most theives won't devote that much time and energy. They'd rather find something easier and quicker to nab.

All that said, if a crook really wants something he'll find a quick way to take it. At best, locks only keep honest men honest.

[mswarrior]

I use and alarm in conjunction with a disk lock. The alarm is very sensitive to movement and if a key or screwdiver even touches the ignition it goes off. At 113 decibel's it has woken me up in the past when some punk thought it would be a good idea to get on it in the hotel parking lot. It ended up on it's side after he droped it from the alarm scaring the heck out of him but hey, I still have the bike.

[oldnslo]

Multiple devices, or the appearance of multiple devices can be off-putting to the potential thief. He doesn't want to cut half a dozen chains, cables, or locks to steal your bike, so make it look like a project. Of course, in some areas, they travel in fours or sixes, in vans, and just pick up the bike and put it into the van. It is best to lock it to a stationary object if possible.
I have always considered the hand grenade to be the best deterrent to thieves continued life of crime, but it is too hard on the bike to be cost effective.

[Itzamna]

I use a Scorpio Alarm System when I'm out away from my house. I tend not to get to far from it either. You can't go wrong with an alarm that pages you telling it's going off. Plus, with it engaged, you can't even start it with the key, it disables it.

When I start taking it to some big cities, I'm going to use a couple chains as well. I really don't see the point of disc locks since they're going to be throwing in something and not riding it away anyways.

Another thing I do in bigger cities, is park it in a garage and ask them to let you park it right by the cashier or security booth. Usually, they'll let you do it, knowing that it runs a high risk of being stolen there.