How to Help Keep Your Motorcycle Safe from Theft or Damage

Gail’s in Grandview can help you get outfitted with all the bells and whistles you need to protect your motorcycle from theft or damage.

Your Motorcycle is an Investment; Protect It!

It’s one of every motorcycle enthusiast’s worst nightmares: your beloved Harley-Davidson® motorcycle was stolen or damaged in a theft attempt! While you can do everything humanly possible to keep your motorcycle away from a thief’s sticky fingers, it’s unfortunately still possible for someone nefarious to get ahold of yours.

However, creating several hoops for potential thieves to have to jump through to access your motorcycle will help deter them from targeting your pride and joy. The goal is to make your motorcycle such a hassle to steal, that the thief moves along to a different target instead. Time is an enemy to theft; the longer it takes, the more likely the culprit is caught in the act.

The motorcycle experts at Gail’s in Grandview can help you get outfitted with all the bells and whistles you need to protect your motorcycle from theft or damage; just stop in and talk to us about it!

Use a motorcycle cover when you can’t store your motorcycle in your garage or shed.

“Out of sight, out of mind” is the idea behind this tip. While it’s probably still obvious to a potential thief that, yes, there’s a motorcycle under there, it could still be enough of a deterrent to thieves because it’s an extra step in the theft process.

A disheveled cover in the morning will also show evidence of any tampering, giving you a heads-up that it’s time to consider further security measures to protect your motorcycle. We recommend using a cover without an obvious brand printed on it so thieves just aren’t sure of what kind of motorcycle they might find beneath it.

Lock up your motorcycle.

This one seems like a no-brainer, but it’s a security step many people don’t take! Just because your keys and key fob aren’t with your motorcycle doesn’t mean it won’t be easy to steal. Replacement keys are cheap in comparison!

In addition to taking your keys out of the ignition and storing them somewhere safe, consider a disc lock and a chain lock. Use both simultaneously for extra protection.

Secure your disc lock on a wheel in such a way that your bike can’t roll very much, like against the caliper. You can even get one with a built-in alarm that will make noise if it's tampered with. A thick chain lock looped through the frame or swingarm and secured to an anchor will also provide back-up protection. Just make sure the chain is kept up off the ground and secured to something nearly impossible to cut through -- not a wooden fencepost, for example.

Even if you store your motorcycle in your locked garage, you should also be locking your motorcycle up inside it, too. Multiple security steps deter thieves.

Ask our motorcycle service center in Kansas City to install an alarm system.

Disarming an alarm is not a super common skill among thieves. Our motorcycle service department can add an alarm system to your motorcycle to help protect it from being stolen.

Some alarm systems come with smart notifications that will alert you on your cell phone that someone is touching your motorcycle; others have GPS tracking, so you can track exactly where your motorcycle is if it ever is picked up by a thief.

Even simply adding a sticker that declares your motorcycle is protected by an alarm system can be enough to deter cowardly thieves, as long as you’re using this in conjunction with other security precautions.

Outwit thieves with your motorcycle expertise.

Want to take some backup security measures? Motorcyclists who know their way around bike parts can also take some additional protective steps to keep their precious bikes safe from thieves. You can:

• Remove your clutch lever, and take it with you. Of course, someone can still carry your bike off, but they won’t be starting it up and taking it for a cruise any time soon.
• Remove the main fuse when you park your motorcycle. This isn’t ideal, but it can make it really inconvenient for thieves who are looking for a rideable motorcycle to sell on the black market.
• Install a hidden spring-loaded kill switch that must be held down to complete the process of starting up your motorcycle. Thieves may not know how to use the switch, rendering your motorcycle immobile and unrideable.

No-brainer security tips for keeping your motorcycle safe from thieves.

These tips are much more obvious, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention them.

• Always park your motorcycle in a well-lit area if you must leave it outside. Thieves prefer darkness, and a street light could help protect your motorcycle.
• Don’t count on “living in a good neighborhood” to be adequate protection for your motorcycle. Thieves of opportunity will go anywhere to get what they want, even nice subdivisions -- especially if they know they can snag something as awesome as a motorcycle.
• Be especially wary when attending motorcycle-themed events, like gatherings or shows. Many thieves target them because they have many opportunities to steal during them.

Kansas City’s Top Choice for All Things Powersports!

Need to purchase security gear to protect your motorcycle from potential thieves? Stop by Gail’s in Grandview to talk to a motorcycle expert and learn more about the motorcycle accessories that could help protect your bike.

And if now is also a good time to find the perfect used Harley® for sale near you, our showroom has a selection of quality ones, ready to be taken out for a spin.

When you stop in, say hi to Gail, the powersports maven herself, and browse our full selection of Harley-Davidson® MotorClothes and other awesome apparel while you’re here (and take a look at our online store in the meantime!). We love it when our valued customers hang out and discover new interests in powersports!