The best motorcycle security devices to keep your bike safe
We understand how much a motorcycle means to its owner. It’s not just a financial hit you would take if your bike was stolen, but a sentimental one too. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best security devices you can use to keep your bike safe.
Keeping a motorcycle safe can be pretty tricky. Obviously a good lock is a must, but in a world where angle grinders exist and motorcycles can be lifted into vans, no lock can provide complete protection. Fitting a tracking system can provide more peace of mind that your bike will be where you left it, and could even be found and recovered if the worst does happen.
Knowing how to identify the good trackers can be a little tricky, but there’s a few rules of thumb that can help. Firstly, we would advise discounting the cheap options on Amazon. While they may seem superficially similar to some of the better options – i.e. they work as GPS trackers – they’re often not precise enough for useful tracking if it does get stolen.
Furthermore, those initial savings won’t take into account the ongoing cost of the SIM card required to make it work, which will often bump up the overall cost closer to a more effective option.
The current gold standard by which we measure this effectiveness is the Thatcham standard. For a tracker to get this rating it needs to be monitored 24/7 by a secure operating centre, should have GPS and/or RF/VHF tracking capabilities, a GSM/GPRS connection with a roaming enabled SIM card, a battery backup, and be able to handle two minutes of direct physical attack.
So without further ado let’s look at some of the best trackers currently available.
Tracker Vantage
Tracker offers two varieties of tracker, the Retrieve uses VHF technology while the Vantage has GPS tracking. That means the Retrieve allows stolen bikes to be tracked if they’re inside buildings or even underground, but one potential disadvantage is the transmitter unit is battery operated, and is sold as a one-time use operation.
Ideally that would be enough, and its five-year battery life means you’ll probably be fine, but the battery is non replaceable and if it does run out a new unit will need to be installed, adding to the cost.
The Vantage doesn’t have quite that precise level of tracking, but makes up for it with features like movement alert, battery disconnect alarms, and geofencing, so it’ll alert you if your bike goes out of certain areas, all of which are accessible through a handy smartphone app.
It also has a bike down alert system that can notify emergency services in case of an accident. It’s slightly more expensive than its battery powered sibling but the required subscription is cheaper, so it balances out.
Pandora Moto Evo
Designed for motorcycles with 12V battery voltages, the Moto Evo gives you a security system that includes an immobiliser that can disable the vehicle if it doesn’t detect the authorisation device, which can even be controlled over the phone if required as well as through an app.
Smartrack MotoTrak
SmarTrack’s motorcycle MotoTrak offering has all the features you’d expect from Thatcham certification, as well as worldwide coverage and a global repatriation network that will help to get your vehicle back if it turns up in another country. You also get the full telemetry and tracking package allowing you to obsessively analyse a plethora of operating data.
Rewire S5/S7
The Rewire S5/S7 trackers are pretty reasonably priced, with prices starting from £150 for the entry level S7 model. If you need features like unauthorised driver alerts, auto immobilisation and key theft protection then you’ll need to upgrade to the higher spec S5 units, but even with that it’s still extremely competitively priced.
Another big fully featured tracker, with everything you’d expect, including rider ID tags, geofencing, live tracking – including Europe wide tracking, making the Stealth S5 a great choice if you take your bike on holiday, and full updates on any unauthorised activity.
Tracker Nano Assist
A Tracker Assist Nano is a CAT 7 tracking device that is self-powered and can be sold in conjunction with a motorcycle insurance policy with Bikesure. The device itself is self fitted, so there are no cables or the need for an engineer to be involved.
The device is monitored 24/7 and is a discrete matchbox size, which is perfect for hiding it
from potential thieves. It can also be activated remotely in the event of a theft, so it will report back it’s GPS location every five minutes.
Need insurance for your motorbike?
Bikesure provides affordable, specialist motorcycle insurance for riders. Whether you’re a learner or an experienced rider, we’ve got a policy to suit you.
Call 0800 369 8580 for a quick and easy quote or book a callback at a time that suits you.
