Steering lock

[Lucky_Lou]

I had a long struggle getting mine off wasnt sure of the position it had been stood for many years kept soaking it with plus gas eventualy got it(about a week haveing a go every day)
I was advised by the tech guy at motor works that if it was seized in the locked position drill through the "M" embosed on the cap with a 3 mm drill drop a nail in it and it will then open as it engages the mechanism considering the cost of a fuel cap it has to be a good option
(there i go me and my drill again)
Lou

[tagordon]

The fuel caps are press fitted together. There's a good description on the web, I think at Snowbum's site.
I fixed mine and used it only a couple times for the heck of it.
If some one wants your fuel the fuel lines are right there in the open.
When fuel prices were really high here, theives drilled 1 inch holes in the tanks and pumped out the fuel.
And most times they cut off the catalytic convertor while they were at it.
I was at the car dealer's Parts Dept and an unfortunate guy was replacing his fuel tank that was stolen.
Yes, the whole thing stolen.
I started parking close to the back door of the house.
And I told Diesel (St. Bernard) and Morgan (Cocker Spaniel) that's where the dog cookies are being kept.
Any action around the vehicles and they go nuts.

[aussie]

Ah well - that's it - short of putting on an alarm (that no-one would take any notice of) how the flipping heck do you make sure that all of your bike is all there when you return???

I seem to be in a more fortunate position than a lot of folks out there - Adelaide is so bloody small and people generally honest that I fell I live in a sort of Utopia.......unless of course you want to go out to the shops within three or four days of a holiday - and then you'll find most places closed....

[drewboid]

I don't thing there is any way to REALLY be sure your bike will still be there when you return. The best we can do is discourage someone and cause them to look elsewhere. But let me ask a simple question that may get me flamed - just how many 20+ year old airheads are stolen each year? Aren't over-chromed cruisers and sport bikes much more tempting targets?  Any insurance types have hard data? Maybe the best bet is to park next to a more tempting target and hope that one will be stolen rather than yours. If you are really paranoid take out theft insurance for a declared value (otherwise they will go by blue book which will give you basically nothing).

I use the fork lock and add the disk lock overnight but that is just to keep honest people honest. When I bought my R1100R the fork lock had been forced, I replaced it with a used one I had rekeyed to match the original.

I also depend upon where you park - I see many small scooters chained to railings or posts to prevent someone from carrying them away.

Vandalism can be more of a problem when parked on the street.  A friend in Manhattan regularly has her spark plugs stolen - crack heads use them as crack pipes. Seats get slashed, gas tanks sugared (a reason to get that locking gas cap working) etc.

Right now the bikes are hidden from view and snug in the garage because the temps are in the low 20s (F).

[Darwin_R65]

I've got a disk lock, and from my Airforce days I've acquired a red "Remove Before Flight" tag on a length of cord so the flag sits around the throttle. I've heard the stories of people who have forgotten they have a disk lock.

John

[drewboid]

I finally got around to watching the video on cutting chains - very depressing!  You can pay well over 150$ for a high security chain that one man with a large cutter can cut in 17 seconds!!!
If there were two people handling the chain it would have been even faster.

After seeing that I really don't have any answer as to how to keep your bike safe.

The "remove before flight" streamers are available from several sources. The plastic bracelets like the "livestrong" wrist band also work if you put them around the lever and handlebar.

[MrRiden]

drewboid,
Saw where you hail from and I can recall that when I was in in "the city" [Bronx] locks were of no use at all. Parking near a public park and leaving a 6 pack behind every saturday night was the best insurance I ever bought. Never had a problem while a mates vehicle was regularly vandalized.
rich
are there still Callahans hot dog joints there?

[drewboid]

Rich,
Yes, Callahan's is still around - Little Ferry and fort Lee. Although I have to admit I haven't been to them. White Mana hamburgers (since 1939 World's Fair) are more to my taste.

So, did we change this into a food forum?

Worst theft experience I had was in the village (NYC) - I stopped to put air in the tires and put my helmet down next to the air pump at the gas station. when I turned back from the bike the helmet was gone.  Long time ago (pre-helmet law in NY) but I got to ride home with the wind in my hair.

As to theft of our beloved airheads look at
http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/bti2002.pdf
It seems that our Beemers are unloved by the typical British crook! (thank goodness!)

More info at http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-theft/
Progressive indicates that the R1200C is among the least likely to be stolen - how about that, crooks don't like oilheads either!

Seems that the best you can do is secure it against "casual" theft with a fork or disk lock or a chain and insure it FOR AN AGREED UPON VALUE rather than the bluebook value.

[aussie]

Well  I have an agreed value of $A5 000. It costs me $A150 a year and I'm with Shannons Insurance which is theoretically for those of us over a certain age and have classic bikes. I park it in a lock up garage overnight in a relatively crime-free neighbourhood and it's on seasonal reg. I can ride it up to 10 000 km a year which for me is plenty.