Installing Alarms/Imobilisers
 

Anyone know if installing an alarm on your bike is an easy enough job to do yourself? Or is it a total pain in the *rse of a job that should be left to experts only?

it depends on the make/model. used to be hours of fun ... but then some of the manufacturers stopped including wiring diagrams and even went so far as to make all the wires black! in short, check the product carefully before buying it.
its worth noting that to get Thatcham approval and hence insurance reductions, you generally need a trained fitter. if you avoid the Thatcham approval, you have a better chance of finding a self-install one.
the other consideration is where you'll be taking the bike. I wouldn't recommend fitting an intricate alarm to an overland bike: it might shake to bits and fail in the outback leaving you in deep trouble. just a thought ... you might be better off with a noise-box and a second kill switch
good luck

Hi, I agree with Rich. The last thing you want on an overland bike is complicated alarm/immobiliser. I had a 'Datatool stealth ' alarm immobiliser on a'transalp' and it was a complete nightmare. It had already been fitted to the bike when I bought it and I ended up paying a qualified specialist to have it removed. I've fitted an 'Acumen' alarm to my current bike. They are designed to be fitted by the DIY mechanic and took about half and hour to fit. There's no complicated wiring and it doesn't interfere with the iginition system. Have a look in the M&P catalogue as there are a few makes and models of a similar type. These alarms are a good deterent and although they don't give you any discount on you insurance at home, it won't effect you on an overland trip.