Recommend a good alarm?

[CharlieBucket]

I just discovered that someone tried to steal my bike. They seem to have been trying to file out the key hole in the hopes of getting the ignition to turn.

Thankfully, they didn't succeed, but now I'm thinking that it might be worth-while to alarm it. Do any of you have experience with an alarm? What features do you like?

[Tigerpaw]

I don't see an alarm helping much in a populated area. People ignore/tune them out.

Instead, buy the best insurance you can afford & some sort of highly visible lock. The lock will stop the lazy or amateur thieves. No product will completely protect the determined. The insurance is the best way to keep riding, no matter what life throws at you.

[antiant]

Do you have insurance coverage?

[kirk595x]

I have a cheapy from amazon that works really well. I have heard the "SPY" brand on Ebay and Amazon is good for $99. I use an Alarm, disc lock, rear U lock and bike cover. I'm not gonna give a thief the satisfaction of getting my bike easily!

[Kscreations08]

Originally Posted by CharlieBucket

I just discovered that someone tried to steal my bike. They seem to have been trying to file out the key hole in the hopes of getting the ignition to turn.

Thankfully, they didn't succeed, but now I'm thinking that it might be worth-while to alarm it. Do any of you have experience with an alarm? What features do you like?

Originally Posted by kirk595x

I have a cheapy from amazon that works really well. I have heard the "SPY" brand on Ebay and Amazon is good for $99. I use an Alarm, disc lock, rear U lock and bike cover. I'm not gonna give a thief the satisfaction of getting my bike easily!

A buddy of mine had an old white harley, likes 80's old. He had the same mindset of 5 locks, an alarm, 2 covers, and a german shepard to watch at all times. Alarm went off one night and whoever set it off ran away. Worked great for him. Next night comes and apparently, whoever it was, came back with a bat or crowbar or something. ...He didnt steal the bike... Insurance is your best bet

[linkinpark9812]

I heard this one works well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDrzMGdYWZc

[Kscreations08]

Hmm seems effective

[CharlieBucket]

I do have good insurance coverage, so I'm not worried about the repairs.

Obviously, there's no fool-proof solution to prevent every theft, but in a residential neighborhood like mine, it seems like a loud alarm might be a good deterrent.

Possibly not as good a deterrent as a flamethrower, though.

[DaBlue1]

You can get a disc lock

Link to original page on YouTube.


or

a more lethal alternative.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[linkinpark9812]

I plan on getting a Scorpio. Heard they are good quality, etc for a reasonable price. Their cheapest system that disams when you get near the bike and arms when you walk away is $130, very reasonable. They have a couple more robust models with a two way remote/ignition kill/etc.

They sell an optional accessory for proximity/field detection when someone is near.

Here is link: http://ridescorpio.com/

The only down fall is it is that same old alarm that everyone ignores. Though, I plan on getting it and wiring it to my external horn system, which is VERY loud and would probably make you crap your pants.

[CThunder-blue]

Originally Posted by linkinpark9812

I plan on getting a Scorpio. Heard they are good quality, etc for a reasonable price. Their cheapest system that disams when you get near the bike and arms when you walk away is $130, very reasonable. They have a couple more robust models with a two way remote/ignition kill/etc.

They sell an optional accessory for proximity/field detection when someone is near.

Here is link: http://ridescorpio.com/

The only down fall is it is that same old alarm that everyone ignores. Though, I plan on getting it and wiring it to my external horn system, which is VERY loud and would probably make you crap your pants.

I have a scorpio alarm and it's not the same old alarm everyone hears. It's a super high pitch sound that will damage your hearing if you stick around long enough. It makes my ears ring if I accidentally set it off in my garage. It's a good alarm. The proximity sensor works well. I get near it with my remote and I can bump the bike and do whatever and it won't go off. If I bump the bike without it, it goes off immediately. The nice thing is that when it's armed and you have the remote, you can walk up, put the key into the On position and it will disarm itself. You never need to take the remote out of your pocket except to charge it.

Only downside is the relay they use for the ignition kill switch goes bad and no one ever uses it.

[linkinpark9812]

Originally Posted by CThunder-blue

I have a scorpio alarm and it's not the same old alarm everyone hears. It's a super high pitch sound that will damage your hearing if you stick around long enough. It makes my ears ring if I accidentally set it off in my garage. It's a good alarm. The proximity sensor works well. I get near it with my remote and I can bump the bike and do whatever and it won't go off. If I bump the bike without it, it goes off immediately. The nice thing is that when it's armed and you have the remote, you can walk up, put the key into the On position and it will disarm itself. You never need to take the remote out of your pocket except to charge it.

Only downside is the relay they use for the ignition kill switch goes bad and no one ever uses it.

Glad the sound is better than I thought! Videos are hard to tell, I could only tell it was high pitched but not the loudness/"pierce-ness". I've heard nothing but good things so I plan in picking one up in the near future.

Not to go off topic, but quick question for you as it has to do with my integration of a computer system I am installing. When you arm/disarm, both turn signals blink in unison. However, when the alarm goes off, do they wig-wag (one flashes on, one flashes off, back and forth) for the duration of the alarm? And what model do you have?

[CThunder-blue]

I forget which model I have. I think it's the i800. I've never noticed the turn signals while it's triggered. I thought they both flashed at the same time. I'm pretty sure they flash until the alarm is disabled. I think I still have the 250R harness that makes it plug and play as well if you are interested. It's pretty beat up though.

[alex.s]

best alarm is a ****** looking bike. nobody's gonna steal a bike that looks like it will break down a mile down the road.

[linkinpark9812]

Originally Posted by alex.s

best alarm is a ****** looking bike. nobody's gonna steal a bike that looks like it will break down a mile down the road.

[Kscreations08]

^^^^ i would ride this

[ninja250r81]

timed dropout relay with a switch you have to flick before you turn the ignition key.

http://www.airotronics.com/site/info....php#delaybrak

and have gps tracking

http://blutracker.com/

[InvisiBill]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006RBKJF2/ has pretty good reviews for how cheap it is. The general consensus seems to be that you should ignore the remote start and starter kill features, but it makes a decent alarm with notification.

[Gaorilla]

I only have the Xena disc lock in mine, but if you can try to install a GPS tracker as well. There's no monthly fees for it. Whast you do is buy a Sim card with prepaid minutes on it. Anytime you send a SMS from your phone to the GPS tracker, it will reply to you with its coordinates.
A GPStracker costs you about $40 on ebay. One of the downsides is that it only works whoever there's signal. Just like a phone. I guess, this is where you take your chances.

[evidens83]

The problem with these disk-lock type of alarms is that it still wont stop a thief that will just load it on a trailer and drive off. Its happened to my brother twice. The biggest deterrent I've seen is the big ol' heavy duty chain locks(chained to something solid of course). Sure a thief can just use bolt cutters but with the time it takes to cut through a quality bike chain the thief will most likely move on to an easier target.

[Gaorilla]

Originally Posted by evidens83

The problem with these disk-lock type of alarms is that it still wont stop a thief that will just load it on a trailer and drive off. Its happened to my brother twice. The biggest deterrent I've seen is the big ol' heavy duty chain locks(chained to something solid of course). Sure a thief can just use bolt cutters but with the time it takes to cut through a quality bike chain the thief will most likely move on to an easier target.

That's true, but where do you lock the chain to? I have one of those kryptonite chains and live in NYC. I wouldn't know where to lock the bike to in the city, unless you mean to just wrap it around the wheel itself..

[InvisiBill]

I'm sure it varies, but if you've read that Reddit AMA from the ex-bike thief, loading up a bike seems much less common. He only ever took a bike if he could ride away on it, and a good disc lock on the rear (front wheel/rotor is much easier to get off) was his recommended portable protection. Obviously locking it to something with a big beefy chain is better, but like Gaorilla said, that isn't always an option. Running a chain through the wheel(s) and frame is going to keep it from riding away, but again, it won't help if someone's just tossing it on a trailer.

GPS/Lojack is only helpful for finding the bike after it's been taken and had who-knows-what done to it. I used to work for a two-way radio company, so we monitored the police frequencies that we serviced. I got to listen to OnStar tell the police exactly where a stolen SUV was as they were driving away with it, which was pretty cool, but it's a response to theft, not really prevention. If you notice right away that it's been stolen, it might help you get to it before they can strip it or trash it. But if you wake up in the morning and it's just gone, you might only get the location of the remnants.

The ex-thief would disable alarms when he was stealing them, and also mentioned having an RF-shielded trailer/garage to work on the newer/fancier bikes with tracking. If your alarm/tracking has amateur-looking wiring and sticks out from OEM like a sore thumb, it's just that much easier to remove it. Considering that most starter kills are just splitting one or two wires and putting the alarm in between, it's not that hard to undo if all the alarm wiring is easily spotted and disabled.

[capt_bugaloo]

If you have to park on the street, one thing I find helps a lot is a plain motorcycle cover. I always put one on my bikes, and no one has ever messed with them. If someone is passing by, they just see a nondescript grey or black blob that doesn't catch the eye. It won't stop a determined thief of course, but it helps to stop the bike from being noticed in the first place.

A cover has the added benefit of giving the bike some protection from the sun and rain when I'm not riding it.

[C-Bass]

I have Scorpio 2-way alarms on 3 of my motorcycles (SR-i500 / i900). The monitor will alert you that someone has triggered the perimeter alarm then you will need to go check it out. What happens next is up to you.