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Stop your bike getting nicked when travelling? Stop your bike getting nicked when travelling?
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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
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Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 6 Aug 2012
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Has there ever been a poll of the site's members to see how many (if any) have had bikes stolen while travelling? I've read loads of ride reports and haven't yet come across a mention of a nicked bike. Would be pretty interesting I reckon to see just how common or uncommon such incidents are
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  #2  
Old 6 Aug 2012
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Originally Posted by Sennen View Post
Has there ever been a poll of the site's members to see how many (if any) have had bikes stolen while travelling? I've read loads of ride reports and haven't yet come across a mention of a nicked bike. Would be pretty interesting I reckon to see just how common or uncommon such incidents are
It would be pretty interesting to know. I read a lot of posts on two motorcycle forums, The HUBB and Aussie Street Bikes (ASB). On ASB there are endless issues with stolen bikes, but I suppose that makes sense because most members are based in the big cities of Australia.
I know you said 'whilst travelling' Sennen, so yeah I guess on HUBB there are more travellers, people on the move, perhaps that's the reason why there are very few reports of a stolen bike.

Which, all in all, is very good news! Thanks for the tips so far everybody, they have confirmed my thoughts and offered new ones (hadn't thought of using an old tarp).
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  #3  
Old 6 Aug 2012
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This is just anecdotal, but most of the time I've heard about travellers having their bikes nicked it seems to be after they get home to the city they live in. Big western cities are the issue I think. I read that in the UK something like 24,000 bikes get nicked every year (mostly sports bikes) and 13,000 of those are in London. I'm guessing the rest go in other big cities.

Using a tarp as a cover is good as it has multiple uses - you can lie on it when working on the bike or rig it up as a basha (hootchie I think you guys call it!).

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Old 6 Aug 2012
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Unless you're parking your bike in the Netherlands (like Colebatch or Jeffrey somebody or other, sorry forgot his name did), you're many many times more likely to have your bike stolen at home.

The only time in more than 100k miles of bike travel I've had a bike stolen was by Shane Cooper of Bradford from my (what I thought was secure) garage at home.

Apart from the 2 above cases in NL, I haven't read of any other cases of theft on the HUBB or ADVrider.
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Old 7 Aug 2012
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Originally Posted by chris View Post
Unless you're parking your bike in the Netherlands (like Colebatch or Jeffrey somebody or other, sorry forgot his name did), you're many many times more likely to have your bike stolen at home.

The only time in more than 100k miles of bike travel I've had a bike stolen was by Shane Cooper of Bradford from my (what I thought was secure) garage at home.

Apart from the 2 above cases in NL, I haven't read of any other cases of theft on the HUBB or ADVrider.
So the Netherlands are a particularly risky place? Never knew that and never knew Cole lost a bike there. Is it everywhere or just in the cities? I was thinking about passing through there next year
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Old 7 Aug 2012
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Travelling through Russia and central asia I have left my bike in places that I would never dream of in an Australian city (or any western city for that matter).

The thing is a big late model bike is relatively rare in these places and thief is bound to be found out (IMHO).

Once I get to the US it will be a different story.
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Old 8 Aug 2012
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Originally Posted by craig.iedema View Post
Travelling through Russia and central asia I have left my bike in places that I would never dream of in an Australian city (or any western city for that matter).

The thing is a big late model bike is relatively rare in these places and thief is bound to be found out (IMHO).

Once I get to the US it will be a different story.
So would you say a big, late model bike is actually safer to leave around than a smaller, older model?
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Old 6 Aug 2012
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When I lived in London in the mid-90's I knew of a few visiting bikes getting stolen. Usually people who were just unaware of the levels of thieving in the city and would do things like the leave the keys in the ignition while they went to pay for petrol or use think wire ropes through the straps to leave helmets on the bike seat.

I learned not to use the ignition lock the hard way, although the Cockney **** who had failed to see the chain through the back wheel did at least leave me his screwdriver to get home!

Andy
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Old 6 Aug 2012
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Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
I learned not to use the ignition lock the hard way
Pardon my ignorance... is using the ignition lock a false sense of security? I always use mine.
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  #10  
Old 6 Aug 2012
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Stick a screwdriver in and turn, you'll hear a cheap nasty crunching noise and all the lights will come on (unless it's a BMW style chipped key). These locks are truly a waste of time security wise. Take the screwdriver out and the lock internals will mesh together. The bike is now disabled until the lock is replaced, regardless of the fact that the thief then saw the huge chain and went off to steal something else.

The ignition lock is useful if you will stay within sight but other than that it achieves little and can leave you with a disabled bike. Some insurers however insist it is used as a way of getting out of paying, so it can be worth jumping through that hoop.

Andy
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Old 6 Aug 2012
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If you don't have a screwdriver handy, sit on the seat and push against the handlebars with your feet: the steering lock will break and the bike can be wheeled off.

My bikes are not insured against theft, although I suppose if I lived in London I'd re-think.
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