Bike Security - No Garage

[martialstax]

My '79 XS11 standard is nearing completion of it's rebuild/restoration/mild customization, and I'll be able to ride it home soon. Except that I don't have a garage to keep it in. This isn't the nicest neighborhood in Seattle. My home has been broken into, and there have been 4 murders on my block in the last three years. So I'm a little apprehensive about bringing it home.

I live in a small house on a dead-end street. I can park it on one side of the house which has a wooden fence keeping it out of sight, but it's a little hard to get in and out of. But I'm thinking a security system or good locks or both are what I need. What do you suggest?

[dpotter58]

12 gauge, maybe a 45 cal.

[fredintoon]

Security

Gawd man,
move to a better neighborhood!
Are you married or can you run the bike up a ramp & in through the front door?
Snide comments aside:-
Out of sight, out of mind is good.
By all means keep the bike behind your fence. Can you make a wider gate, perhaps?. Next, build a ground anchor.
Dig a hole, pour mebbe 200 lbs of concrete in it and cast a 1" minimum thick rebar Omega-shaped loop into it. Now you've got a strongpoint for the best security chain you can afford.
Never mind the theives & vandals, what about keeping Seattle's salty damp weather off your customised rebuild?
A shed perhaps? A good bike cover for sure.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[knewsom]

get a bigass dog.

[red bandit]

MOVE

[Pat Kelly]

Like I posted on another thread:

I attached a VERY heavy-duty chain (bolt cutters don't work, need a torch to cut) to an old car rim and buried it about 4 feet in the ground. I then threaded the chain through a hole (just bigger than the chain) the middle of a full 4 foot x 8 foot sheet of 1 inch thick plywood. The bike is parked on the plywood and locked to the chain. Anyone trying to dig the chain out has to go around the plywood.

My bro-in-law made a portable shed out of PVC pipe (the framework) covered by tarps.

[HobbyMan]

Thats why bedrooms were invented. Turn a bedroom into a bike room. Knock out a door frame and roomside parking I suggest a big gun. S&W.44 Magnum oughta do it. "Go ahead, Make my day"

[posthuman]

I live in the seattle area and did have my bike stolen, I got it back by a fluke, people will steal anything, never mind that its just an old bike.

use a highly visible lock so the theve tards dont wreck yer bike by not noticeing the lock

attach the bike something secure like the others have said and make a simple mercury switch alarm attached to the horn

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_switch

and remember that most jurisdictions do not prosecute motorcycle theft

And install some motion detecting outdoor lighting

[81xsproject]

check out the alarm systems on ebay. Very affordable $40+ with audible alarms for movement and engine kill mechanisms. I too would be as if not more worried about the weather. These bikes are old and don't need any rust help.

[HobbyMan]

Another simple way to do it is to install a hidden switch somewhere on the bike that if left off will prevent the bike from starting. Leave it on when there is no threat of theft. Then when you park somewhere dangerous, just turn off the switch and then the engine wont start..

[fredintoon]

Protection

To sum up then:-
At home; a pitbull, a shotgun, a ground anchor, a massive chain with highly visible padlock, a motion sensor and oh yes, a rain cover.
While away; no point in the motion sensor here, nobody pays any attention to them.
The Pitbull would work if you could train it to ride pillion but the SPCA would be on your case.
Best stay with the lock'n'chain and a lamp post. The hidden switch won't stop four (oops, make that six) burly men picking the bike up and flinging it into the back of a truck.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[fredintoon]

No Mantraps

OTOH,
don't build a distance triggered nail bomb into the seat.
Seeing as how most US gunshot injuries are perpetrated by a member of the victim's family using the home defense firearm, you'd only have to forget to disarm the thing once to spoil your whole day.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[trbig]

Seeing as how most US gunshot injuries are perpetrated by a member of the victim's family using the home defense firearm

Where did you come up with that info??


Tod

[martialstax]

Re: Protection

Originally posted by fredintoon
To sum up then:-
At home; a pitbull, a shotgun, a ground anchor, a massive chain with highly visible padlock, a motion sensor and oh yes, a rain cover.

I think that about covers it. Thanks, everyone, for your input.

posthuman, I read about your bike. It was the fact that you live in Issaquah that got me thinking about my own bike's safety. If a bike can get stolen in upscale Issaquah, then I'm in deep **** down here in South Seattle.

[red bandit]

I agree with trbig.....Where did you come up with that info?? Sounds anti to me!!