Motorcycle Security Advice

This page provides some advice on how to secure motorcycles, both at home and away from home. Other pages have more detailed information about specific products, but this page gives an idea which product(s) may be relevant to your situation.

Motorbikes are a target for thieves! Don't make it easy for them!

Motorbikes are very commonly not secured properly so they can be easy for thieves. By taking some appropriate precautions and using good quality security products, and using them well, should help you to keep your property safe.

Lock your bike *to* something! Use a Ground Anchor or equivalent!

This most important principle for motorcycle security is that it is critical to lock your bike to something solid whenever possible. Simply putting a chain & lock around the bike and not locking the combination to anything else means that the thief can easily lift the bike and chain & lock and steal the whole lot in one go! This happens very frequently! Motorbikes are frequently stolen by e.g. four blokes that simply lift the bike into the back of a van. Many people will unwittingly put a chain around the wheel and frame and this provides almost no deterrent at all. Disc locks alone are no better as the bike can still be lifted easily. Using a chain & lock or a D-lock and looping it around or through a fixed object rapidly makes a big difference to your bike's security. Security ground anchors are designed to provide this permanent fixing point, but they are only appropriate when you are at home or an employer providing storage for your staff or a car park operator improving security for your customers. If you are taking your bike to the shops, try to chain it to a large and tough object. If you are riding with someone else, locking bikes together allows one bike to be a ground anchor for another.

Most bikes are stolen from homes so home security is the priority. Using a good ground anchor or a good anchor for a metal shed, can give a sound foundation for a good chain around the bike(s). As motorbikes are so frequently stolen, a properly fitted ground anchor on solid concrete is preferred over anything in a shed or anything that is exposed outdoors.

Use a good-quality chain and lock or D-lock!

Use the best security you can afford. Don't secure a £6,000 bike with a £50 lock!

Police guidelines are to spend 10-15% of the value of the item on its security. This is a simple statement that can become inappropriate at the extremes, but it gives you an idea of what might be appropriate if you know the value of your bike. If you have more than one bike, look at the total value when assessing your security provisions.

Try to avoid using cable locks altogether as virtually all of them are very poor as deterrents and not appropriate for motorbikes. Even the supposedly armoured cable locks invariably have weaknesses that can be exploited by thieves. We do not recommend a cable lock of any kind for securing motorbikes.

How does a D-lock compare with a Chain and Padlock?

A chain and lock generally provides a better deterrent than a D-lock, but a motorbike-standard chain & lock can be heavier than a motorbike-standard D-lock. Anything other than top-end D-locks tend to be too vulnerable to attack for them to be recommended for motorbikes. Even the best D-locks can be attacked in several ways that are not applicable to chains so although D-locks can offer a useful compromise in terms of cost and weight, against security level, it is important to follow the guidance on how to use a D-lock of you do use one.

How do you tell a good quality chain and lock/D-lock?

Security products are available at a wide range of prices and a wide range of qualities. The worst are almost useless! The easiest way to check the quality of a security product is to look for a Sold Secure certification. Sold Secure is an independent testing body that are used by the insurance industry and the police to give comparative ratings to a wide range of products for a wide range of situations. Not all Sold Secure ratings are equivalent! Beware that Sold Secure test such a wide range of products and of such a wide range that there are several categories and gradings within each category. Bicycle Gold is *not* the same as Motorcycle Gold! Motorcycle security generally needs to be a higher standard as motorcycles are generally more valuable and they are often stolen by more organised thieves; Caravan Gold is the next level above Motorcycle Gold. Beware of any product that says it is "Gold Rated" without saying which Gold! Similarly, be wary of anything that just says it is Sold Secure approved - it could be just Bicycle Bronze and very limited as a deterrent.

In general, anything below Motorcycle Gold is better avoided if possible.

Check with your insurance company to see what security standards they require for your insurance cover to be valid.

Use a chain properly! Secure the frame of the bike - Wheels are almost no good at all!

Leaving a chain lying on the floor leaves it open to numerous types of attack. Looping the chain through a higher part of the bike and onto a higher anchoring point makes it easier to keep the chain clear of the floor.

Looping the chain through the frame is critical! Just looping a chain through a wheel leaves the bike vulnerable to the wheel being removed and the rest of the bike stolen. This does happen!

See below if you can't fit the chain through the frame as there is not enough space.

Secure the building as well as the bike, if possible!

If you are keeping your bike in a metal bike store, you may find our advice on metal shed security is helpful. These metal sheds are often very poor in terms of security and easy targets for a thief. Conversely, if you are keeping bike(s) in a garage, you are often more able to use higher-grade security products as a concrete floor or brick wall are more likely to be available to fix a proper ground anchor. If you can use a motion-sensing alarm, it could encourage a thief to leave quickly, but do not rely on an alarm alone!

In summary, try to use the best security option for your situation; look for the easy option for a thief as that is surely going to be his favourite means of attack!

Which chain should I choose?

Motorbikes should be secured with a 16mm chain as a minimum as anything less than a 16mm chain either can be cut with bolt-croppers, or is borderline as a deterrent against them. There are some 14mm chains on the market but these are almost as heavy as our 16mm chains but they frequently fail security tests if a batch has not been produced quite right. How can you be confident that your chain came from a good batch, when security products are generally only given independent tests once per year?

We recommend the Protector 16mm and 19mm chains for motorcycle security because we can be confident that they can stop bolt-croppers and we do a laboratory test on every batch to ensure consistent quality throughout the year.

However, these 16mm and 19mm chains are heavy!

We have more information on the Protector range of security chains, including some videos on how to fit the lock as well as guidance on selecting the right chain.

Which length of chain is required?

We can supply chains in a wide range of lengths. It is difficult to give absolute guidance on lengths required as there are so many variables, so we always encourage people to position all items appropriately and to lace a piece of rope through the intended route, and to then measure the length of rope used. It is often surprising how much chain is required!

As a rough approximation only, we would expect a ground-mounted anchor locking a single bike to likely need a 1.5m-2.0m long chain, depending heavily upon the size of the bike and accessibility of the frame. There is a lot of variability in the length required so please measure for yourself to be sure! Beware that locking the chain usually uses up a chain link in itself, so allowing a little extra length is usually a good idea. We have more general advice on chain lengths.

I can't put a decent chain through my bike's frame. What can I do?

This is a common problem with modern bikes as the fairings are often very tight-fitting. Manufacturers often give little thought to the needs of their customers when it comes to security. We developed the Anti-Pinch Pin to help in these situations, but it does not fit all bikes with this problem. It can help to improve the security of several types of bike, however, and it can often allow a shorter length of chain to be used, and sometimes it results in a combination that is easier to use.

What about portable security?

Security that works is generally heavy, and often too heavy to carry on a bike. There are no easy answers to this problem. The best compromise is either a short length of chain such as the Protector 16mm, but even a 1.0 metre length of our 16mm chain weighs 4.5kg plus the weight of the lock. This can be awkward to carry and a pannier or top box can leave the bike unbalanced or top-heavy. Even though it is definitely not ideal and may not satisfy insurance requirements, something like a Protector 13mm chain and lock can be a useful compromise as it can be more realistic to carry on a bike.

Product Selector

This section summarises security products popular for use with Motorcycles, Quad Bikes, ATVs, Ride-On Mowers and similar items. We try to cover various situations, such as in garages, etc. If there is nothing similar, please contact us and we will see if we can add guidance to help.

These items are most frequently stolen from homes, but keeping them secure when away from home is also important. The requirements and constraints on the two situations are quite different. Hence, we break down by the location and the need for portability, whilst allowing for the likely weight-carrying ability of the vehicle itself.

Home / Garage security for motorcycles and scooters

For most of these items, security at home usually starts with a ground anchor, at least a 16mm chain passing through the frame of the bike wherever possible, and a suitable padlock or D-Lock. Higher value bikes, or where a previous theft has occured in the vicinity, going up a level or two, to e.g. a 19mm chain or even a 22mm chain, is recommended. These items should all be at least Sold Secure Motorcycle Gold approved. Beware that many ground anchors on the market do not have sufficient capacity to take a 16mm chain, let alone anything higher grade.

The ground anchor should ideally be placed underneath and/or behind the bike, such as between the bike and the wall.

Many motorcycles have such tight fairings that it is impossible to get such a heavy chain to pass through the frame, which is why we developed the Anti-Pinch Pin. That can help in many situations, where there is enough room to get the Pin through, and the chain can go on the Pin.

Ideally, the chain should be short and kept off the floor, since it is much easier for a thief to attack a chain with a variety of tools if the chain is resting on the floor. This is easier said than done, but measuring carefully, and taking advantage of the long link chain opportunity for artificially shortening the chain, can help to get it exactly the right length.

Suggested Shopping List
Select a ground anchor according to the Ground Anchor Selector's guidance.

Hint: The majority of people choose a Torc anchor if they want the highest-approved anchor (our flagship product), or the Double Doofer if they know they will need to move the anchor sometime in the future.

Then, once you know the position of the ground anchor, select a chain according to the Chain Selector's guidance. You will need to decide the position of the anchor so that you can assess (preferably measure) the length of chain you will need. Remember to add a bit, as people very frequently under-estimate the length required.

Hint: For home security for motorbikes, most people choose a Protector 16mm chain as a minimum, or the Protector 19mm chain to have something that gives a bit more protection. If there has been a previous attack involving an angle grinder, or if they are becoming more prevalent in the local area, the Protector Titan RoundLock 22mm chain provides a significant additional level of deterrent (at a higher price, and much harder to handle as well as to route through the bike).

And choose a padlock to suit the chain by following the guidance in the Padlocks Selector.

Hint: To pair with the Protector 16mm chain, most people go for the RoundLock or the Squire SS65CS. To pair with the Protector 19mm chain, most go for the RoundLock (with the Combo socket to make it compatible with the 19mm), or the Squire SS65CS-XLN. With the Protector Titan 22mm chain, the lock will depend on the type of Titan chain chosen (either the normal RoundLock or the Squire SS80CS.

Outdoor security for motorcycles and scooters

It is clearly not ideal to be keeping a motorcycle or similar item outdoors but, where this is the reality, it is very important to lock the item down to something substantial; simply having a chain looped around a bike and not actually tethering it to anything else, achieves very little! If there is nothing solid already in a convenient position then it is recommended to install a ground anchor onto a solid and suitable surface. (Note that a ground anchor can be installed on a wall, providing that wall is high enough above the mounting point (usually at least 2m metres/6 feet) and also solid enough in its own construction. Low garden walls are generally not suitable!)

Ideally, a ground anchor should be installed onto good quality concrete of sufficient thickness (preferably 120mm minimum thickness).

Important: Do not attempt to fit any kind of ground anchor to block-paving! Block paving is simply bricks/blocks lying on a bed of sand and there is virtually nothing preventing them from being lifted: The anchor can literally be picked up, with one or more bricks attached! It is therefore useless as a security anchor!

Fitting an anchor to the side of a house wall can be a good option, but you should keep away from the end or any corner of a wall (at least 600mm or 2 feet, usually). Positioning a wall-mounted anchor behind the bike can make it difficult for a thief to attack. Be wary that it also becomes a little harder for you to loop a chain through it, but a little inconvenience for you can make it a much tougher challenge for a thief so it is worth considering.

If there is no good quality concrete already in existence and if there is no suitable wall nearby, then it is usually necessary to dig a hole and pour fresh concrete to create a new anchoring point. Some anchors, such as our Torc anchor, are available with a Bury-in Fresh Concrete/Concrete-in fitting option, where the anchor can be set into wet concrete as it is laid. This saves times and can also result in a more secure result.

Suggested Shopping List
The following are alternatives: (Select according to recommendations above):

Torc Ground Anchor (Bury in Fresh Concrete option, when laying new concrete)
Torc Ground Anchor (typically with the Brick/Mediocre Concrete option)
Beefy Bridge Ground Anchor (Ditto)
Double Doofer Ground Anchor when a Removable anchor is required)
Shed Shackle (for the outside wall of a wooden shed or barn: This is not ideal, but when there is no alternative available)

Then, choose a chain and lock by following the guidance above for home security for motorcycles etc.

Shed security for motorcycles and scooters

It is not normally recommended to store valuable items like these in wooden sheds, but life is not always ideal. Sometimes, it is necessary to store a moped or scooter in a shed, or an older or vintage bike (or even a collection!). We manufacture the Shed Shackle and that can help to achieve some level of security but beware that many motorcycle insurance policies will not regard the Shed Shackle as motorcycle grade - it would qualify if they ask for the bike to be secured to an immovable object, which is quite a frequent term, but you should confirm with your poliy if insurance is important to you. Indeed, many policies will simply forbid a bike to be stored in any kind of wooden structure! The Shed Shackle does tend to keep the chain off the floor and can also make it easier for you to lock up the bike and keep the chain off the floor, all of whih make it less appealing for a thief to attack.

If you wish to achieve a higher level of security than is offered by the Shed Shackle, laying concrete under the floor of the shed and installing a Torc Ground Anchor onto that, will help. However, if you have a wooden floor to the shed then you will have to cut through the wood to gain access below. Some customers have made rather excellent adaptations to their shed floors so as to avoid the likes of mice coming in through any gap around the ground anchor. If you have a shed with a concrete floor, you are already in a better place ...providing the concrete is of sufficient quality.

Suggested Shopping List
The following are alternatives for the anchor: (Select according to recommendations above):

Torc Ground Anchor
Shed Shackle (If it's a wooden shed with no option for a solid floor)

Then, choose a chain and lock by following the guidance above for home security for motorcycles etc.

Portable security for motorcycles and scooters

Motorcycles can typically carry about 7kg in the under-seat storage area, but you should check the actual load capacity of your bike, and also see how much physical space there is. Some people will carry quite heavy chains etc in panniers (although be wary about balance of the bike, from side-to-side) and/or in a top box or tail pack or tank bag or back pack. We offer our Protector 13mm Noose Chain as a compromise since it is about two-thirds of the weight of an equivalent length 16mm chain, but it still presents a significant deterrent. Be wary of any consraints on your insurance policy. The Protector 13mm chain is Motorcycle Gold approved, but some insurers are not up-to-date on such gradings. The Noose Chain offers more flexibility in how you loop the noose around an item of sreet furniture and then run a single length of chain to the side of the bike. Typically, the chain is secured to the bike with a DIB series D-Lock, often looped around a frame member or through the cut-out in a swingarm. Failing that, around the spoke of a cast wheel.

Suggested Shopping List
Protector 13mm Chain, plus...

The following are alternatives for the lock: (Select according to recommendations above):

DIB D-Lock, or...
RoundLock, or...
Squire SS50CS