The 10 Most Used Motorcycle Anti-Theft Devices of 2023
No one wants to have something they own stolen, regardless of the economic or emotional value this object has. There are people, however, who have built a career as professional thieves by stealing other people's goods, and it is right to look for the best way to keep these individuals away from our goods. We talked about it extensively inthis article on the most stolen motorcycle models in Italy.
As regards two-wheeled means of transport - fundamental in everyday life and an expression of our passions for freedom and travel - we have various alternatives that guarantee safety on different levels and depending on spending capacity.
Before listing, however, it is necessary to distinguish between active security and passive security: in the first case these are systems that prevent theft, therefore anything that - mechanical or electronic - can make the thief think that it is too difficult to continue and does so desist from completing the theft.
As regards passive security, these are electronic systems that help us find the stolen motorcycle and therefore increase the chances of getting it home in the shortest possible time. We can start.
1. STEERING LOCK ★☆☆☆☆
Standard on almost all motorcycles, it is the basic safety system that holds the handlebars in the folded position and prevents the motorcycle from going straight, but not from being moved. Safety is low because in most cases it can be easily neutralized with a well-aimed kick which breaks the block (which is generally fixed on the steering head) and frees movement again, making the motorbike immediately transportable.
| PRO | can waste thieves' time |
| AGAINST | it is easy to neutralize |
2. KEYLESS SYSTEMS WITH ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK ★★☆☆☆
Recently, on many production motorcycles, keyless starting systems have been installed which allow the motorcycle to be started without a key but via a button, which communicates with the motorcycle via a transponder. The steering lock is electronic in these cases and is engaged by an electric actuator.
Despite not having a key and therefore impossible to break into, this system can be circumvented with specific electronic devices that intercept the key signal and simulate it by approaching the motorbike.
| PRO | Non-professional thieves don't know how to break into a motorcycle without a key |
| AGAINST | organized thieves have the tools to simulate the key and go away undisturbed with the motorbike as if it were their own |
3. IMMOBILIZER ★★☆☆☆
The immobilizer is also a standard safety system on many motorcycles and scooters, especially models produced from the 1900s onwards. It is basically a system that connects an antenna in the motorbike and the receiver inserted in the key which is identified by a code. When the antenna does not communicate, the engine will not start even if it is a cloned key that turns regularly in the ignition.
| PRO | Inexperienced thieves may not be able to unlock the system |
| AGAINST | the motorcycle can still be moved and taken away if there are no other safety systems installed |
4. CHAIN ★★★★☆
The classic deadbolt is the simplest, oldest and most logical security system, yet it is still one of the most efficient in terms of active safety. Obviously you need to know how to use it, because incorrect positioning or a very low quality chain can make the system as unsafe as the steering lock.
To get the four stars, it must be a heavy, excellent quality chain with an important and difficult-to-pick lock, which can perhaps securely anchor the motorbike to an element of urban furniture such as a railing or a pole.
The downside is that - as far as the most secure bolts are concerned - they are heavy and bulky objects which can be very inconvenient to transport and which can cost several hundred euros. Some chains also have a buzzer that sounds a siren when jerked, which is a significant plus.
| PRO | high safety for a top of the range chain |
| AGAINST | high dimensions, weight and price for the safest ones |
5. D-LOCK ★★★☆☆
Very similar to the chain, the D-lock (or "U-lock", or "ring lock") is installed on the wheel of a motorcycle or scooter, blocking rotation, or is used to secure the vehicle to a pole or other elements of urban furniture.
Here too the level of security is high due to the nature of the system: it is a rigid pole, bent into a U and locked at both ends by a sturdy padlock that is difficult to unhinge. The downside is undoubtedly the poor mobility of the system, which in the safest versions is large and cannot be folded up for transport.
| PRO | high resistance to burglary |
| AGAINST | big, heavy and can't be folded |
6. BRAKE LOCK ★★☆☆☆
The brake lock is a padlock system that blocks the throttle grip and pulls the front brake lever making the motorcycle difficult to move. The system works to waste thieves' time, but being - logically - small in size it can offer limited resistance to burglary.
It is a relatively cheap object, which weighs little and is easy to carry in a backpack or store under the saddle, which is why it can be useful if used in combination with other more efficient systems.
| PRO | comfortable and compact |
| AGAINST | not so safe although it wastes thieves' time |
7. DISC LOCK ★★☆☆☆
The same applies to the disc lock as to the brake lock, it is very useful for making the thief waste a little more time but it is not at the top of its efficiency. Neutralizing a disc lock (even larger ones and high quality ones) can be easy.
The thief can take a few minutes if he has a set of keys with him that allow him to dismantle the disc, generally screwed with 5 or 6 simple Allen screws on almost all motorbikes and scooters, unfastening it from the wheel and freeing the movement of the vehicle. Here too there are those with acoustic warning devices which give an extra bit of safety.
| PRO | easy to transport and install |
| AGAINST | easily neutralized by dismantling the disk |
8. EASYBLOCK ★★★★☆
This accessory has a similar logic to the disc lock because here too the rotation of the (rear) wheel is blocked mechanically, but it has a very different functioning which significantly increases safety.
It is a system that is permanently anchored to the scooter's crankcase or to the motorcycle's swingarm, therefore it becomes part of the vehicle's hardware and does not need to be assembled and disassembled every time, but only activated with the key.
A pin blocks the rotation of the wheel (in scooters) or of the crown (in motorbikes) and being built with particular iron and steel alloys it is difficult to neutralize quickly and silently. It exists for several scooters and motorbikes on the market (including the most stolen ones in Italy) and guarantees an excellent quality/price ratio.
| PRO | Very safe, installed on the motorbike it does not need to be transported |
| AGAINST | the motorbike can still be lifted and taken away |
9. SOUND ANTI-THEFT ★★★☆☆
Horns are also the basis of the anti-theft concept. If it concerns cars, motorbikes or houses, a sensor that identifies anomalous movements activates a siren which - due to the high volume - attracts the attention of those around and stops the thief from continuing his dirty work.
The deterrent effect of a very loud sound has always worked, but in an isolated context it is not enough to demotivate the thief and very often it is easy to neutralize the effect by smashing the speaker or disconnecting the vehicle's battery. Furthermore, in the city, with all the burglar alarms you hear, it is easy to ignore such a warning.
| PRO | noisy, scares thieves |
| AGAINST | Unfortunately, anti-theft sirens are increasingly ignored |
10. SATELLITE ANTI-THEFT / GPS TRACKER ★★★☆☆
This is a passive system, meaning it manages to keep track of the motorbike that has been stolen via satellite connection, indicating which route the motorbike is taking in real time and where it is at every single moment.
Most of the time it is also linked to your phone number and sends a message or call when activated to alert you of the attempted theft. There are cons here too and they are linked to advancing technology.
Thieves are increasingly discovering methods to cancel the signal, by intervening on the motorbike or covering it with shielded blankets that block the signal going to the satellite, quickly losing track.
| PRO | allows you to monitor the position of the vehicle |
| AGAINST | it does not prevent theft and the signal can be neutralized |
HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT SYSTEM FOR ME?
The market offers many solutions, just go to a motorcycle accessories retailer or browse the internet and it's easy to get lost among the dozens of offers, the wide price range and the different types of anti-theft devices on the market.
Identify what type of use you make of the motorbike, where you usually park it and whether you keep it every night in a private and closed place or where strangers pass by. Based on the level of safety and tranquility that "basic" surrounds the vehicle, act accordingly.
A very important detail, however, you must keep in mind: safety and comfort go in opposite directions, and to have a maximum safe motorbike you will have to sacrifice a bit of practicality every time to use multiple safety systems which take up time to be installed and uninstalled, as well as space for transport, apart from the electronic systems and Easyblock which do not need to be removed from the motorcycle.
To get a more complete idea of the phenomenon of motorcycle theft and to get useful advice on how to prevent it, also consult our complete guide to motorcycle safety .
