Just read about a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R owner who got his bike stolen last night, stolen out of the hotel parking lot. He rode from Michigan to Austin, Texas to attend MotoGP, Grand Prix of the Americas.
One of my greatest fears is exactly what happened to the owner of the ZX-14R. I am afraid of getting my motorcycle stolen from the hotel parking lot when I travel. I doubt I would ever overcome this fear.
Sure, I’ve got insurance, but I would never be able to recover the time and energy, blood, sweat and tears that I have invested in my ride. Not to mention the hassle, and the feeling of violation that accompanies a theft. I just don’t need it.
Fear of theft causes me a lot of angst, I am sure I am not alone. This is the reason why I refuse to watch YouTube videos on motorcycle theft. It only takes a few seconds to lift your entire bike and throw it in the back of a van.
Several years ago I bought a disc lock; the lock gives me some peace of mind. But even with the best security, there’s still a chance that my bike might get stolen.
My first real trip after purchasing my Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14, I attended the Summer Nationals motorcycle dragrace at Maryland International Raceway. Even though I parked my bike in clear view of the hotel front entry, and I asked the front desk clerk to keep an eye on my bike, I could not sleep. It was a long sleepless weekend.
I feel terrible for the owner of the ZX-14R, I don't know him but I can empathize with his plight. It is something I wouldn't wish to happen on my worst enemy.
The picture above was taken several years ago, while refueling at a gas station on my way home after the races were over at Maryland International Raceway.
Not sure whether it's where I live or a general disconnect I have from my possessions but I've never really worried about my Vespa being stolen. There's enough angst in my life without me worrying about things. Not sure how I arrived at this state of mind but it has eliminated fears of theft.
ReplyDeleteOn the downside -- I don't take very good care of stuff. I use it. Care little for cosmetics and sort of beat things to death. While my scooter is in good mechanical shape it is kind of ratty in appearance since I can't be bother to clean it very often. Once a year of so to wash off the salt and grime of winter. Same goes for most everything else I have. Obviously some sort of character defect....
Hope you make peace with your own fears concerning the bike.
Even with full coverage insurance, I don't think I'll ever be able to overcome the fear of having my bike stolen. It is the reason I never drive my bike to the movies. It has nothing to do with money, it's a sentimental value to me.
DeleteYeah, sentimental value complicates things enormously. I have a big drill press in my garage that belonged to my father. It's expensive and he got it as a retirement gift from his company. It has sat in the same place for 15 years now and I've never plugged it in. I should sell it or give it to someone who would appreciate it. But sentiment has paralyzed me. My father was sentimental about nothing and freely gave things away regardless of how he came to own them or how much they cost. I need to be more like him.
DeleteHave fun riding in spite for the theft concerns. If you're like me there are plenty of rides where you're never far from the machine.
Maybe I should try to be like you when it comes to material possessions, whatever happens, happens. I need to stop thinking about this, it is adding to my stress.
DeleteIt's always a concern, for sure, but at the end of the day it's simply 'stuff'. All you can do is take reasonable precautions and, if the worst happens, rant, rage, and then look forward to getting a new bike.
ReplyDeleteYou are probably right. Last Friday one of my co-workers got his car stolen parked in front of the clinic where we work. I had lunch with him today, he was telling me that today after work he is buying another car.
DeleteI had my Yamaha FZ-1 stolen out of my backyard. The thief ripped open the canvas clamshell shed and hot-wired it. Because the bike was a dozen years old, I didn't have insurance for the theft. Six months later the bike was recovered when the thief was caught (he ran out of gas) but the bike was trashed by then; I sold it for $500.
ReplyDeleteI try not to think about this issue too often but I did feel violated by the loss of my bike. And my wife was upset that it was taken out of our own backyard.
That is just terrible. I thought about getting a GPS Tracking device, while ineffective at preventing the theft, may perhaps be more effective at locating the bike after the fact.
DeleteGentlemen,its time for a "Junk Yard Dog " Say what you will,a bite in the ass should teach the baxtards.
ReplyDeleteThat's an excellent idea. The only problem is that I am not allowed to have one in the garage where I keep my bike in storage, and if I am traveling I can't bring the dog, lol
DeleteHi Kofla,
DeleteIt's an old post I know, but bike theft is a problem worldwide and all the time, so I guess this is still relevant?
Here in Belfast joy riders seem to target small bikes and scooters. Because they are built to a budget, their security is frequently compromised at the design stage. Did you know for example that on some small bikes, the ignition switch works with a sort of reversed logic? Simply cutting the wires to the keyed switch on some small bikes will enable them to run.
A friend was walking down a main street here in Belfast a year or so ago. At the start of the pedestrian shopping area on High Street, there is a bike park, and he found two toe rags there trying to steal a scooter. This was in the middle of the day and with many people around! One was supposedly keeping watch; the other was trying to jimmy the scooter's ignition switch with a large screwdriver.
Of course, he shouted at them, and, as is his character, went over to chase them off. Instead of running off the guy with the screwdriver threatened my friend with it, using it like a stabbing knife. Fortunately at this moment another pedestrian, of extremely large proportions intervened, landing a good unannounced haymaker punch on the screwdriver wielding thief. Now that the tables had turned against the two thief’s, I will leave the next part of the tale to your imagination!!
One nearby shopkeeper came out to congratulate the two heroes of this tale, telling them that he had previously reported the same two thugs to the local police while they were stealing a bike at the same spot on a previous occasion. The police didn’t even bother coming out!
Nice site BTW.
If someone is trying to steal some of my property I personally would not bother contacting the authorities. In my opinion, people who steal need to be beaten senseless. Thank you for your well thought-out comment.
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