Dirt Bike Security Guide with MXstore

Dirt bike thefts are a major issue across the world, and that's why it's important to take extra steps and precautions to keep your motocross or enduro bike safe and secure. Very rarely do you hear of someone actually getting their bike back, and when they do the bike is usually a little worse for wear as thieves don’t usually look after your bike the way you would.

As much as this topic makes us see red, the best way to fix something is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are some simple tips to protect your dirt bike so you can deter thieves or at least reduce the chances of them knowing where you keep your pride and joy.

Record your bike's information

Take the time to record your bikes VIN number and engine number. These are the two easiest ways to identify a bike even if the plastics and cosmetics have been changed to disguise a stolen machine. This comes in handy if your bike goes missing and you need to give information to the police.

Take photos

Take plenty of photo’s of your bike regularly, especially when you personalise it with aftermarket parts. Each part you add makes your bike more and more unique which also makes recognising your bike easier even if the plastics have been changed.

Try to keep your bike a secret

As much as you love your bike and want to share photo’s of it with the world on social media, be wary of this as thieves are getting smarter with technology being able to gather personal information. Thieves can easily research someone to find out where you live and where your bike is stored. So keep this information to yourself!

Also, try to work on and wash your bike out of sight. Nothing advertises that you have valuables to steal better than leaving your garage door open for hours on end. Be mindful when loading up for a ride in the mornings and try to minimise the amount of time your bike is in plain view. The fewer people see what you have to potentially steal the better.

Adding onto this, try not to start your bike at home and only start your bike when you really have to. A revving dirt bike in the suburbs is only going to annoy your neighbours and advertise to any would-be thieves that there's a bike in the area.

Set up your garage

Wherever you store your machine, you need to secure it! There is a massive range of specific Dirt Bike Security Locks and Alarms available today which are purpose-built to keep your dirt bike secure and protected. Some items we recommend are:

• Heavy Duty Security Chain
• Dirt Bike Security Floor Anchor
• Dirt Bike Disc Lock
• Dirt Bike Alarm Lock

If you are planning on chaining your dirt bike up, we would highly recommend that you secure it to something which cannot be moved. Using a Dirt Bike Security Floor Anchor is a great idea as your bike will be stuck there and stop thieves from wheeling your bike out of the garage.

Wherever you chain your bike you should try to loop the chain/cable through a part of the bike which cannot be removed. Something like the main part of your frame is ideal rather than through a wheel as they can be removed.

If you don’t have an anchor point to secure your bike to it is a good idea to use your chain to loop through the frame and then back through a wheel to make the bike difficult to move. Basically the more difficult you make stealing a bike for a thief the more likely they will be to abort the mission as time and noise attracts attention and their chances of being caught.

Make your bike unrideable

Other things you can do to reduce the chances of dirt bike theft is to do things to your bike which will slow a thief down. Remove the wheels, take off the spark plug cap, take out the ignition or remove the seat and subframe. All of these things will make the bike less than appealing to take as they cannot ride it away and there is the expense in buying the parts to get it running.

Don't leave your bike in your van

A common place which people have their bike and gear stolen from is the back of their van or ute. Avoid leaving your belongings in your vehicle unattended or overnight. If you must then try to block out the windows so people can’t look in and see what you have in there. Chain your bike up as well as using a dirt bike tie-down system and if you have a ute, lock your gear back and anything else you can fit inside your cabin. Alternatively, you should always try to just unpack your bike wherever you go even if you are getting in late or waking up early. You can never be too careful.

Regularly check for break-in attempts

Keep an eye on fences, doors, locks, windows and any other possible entry point. Some thieves will make several attempts before they successfully steal your bike. Also be very careful who you tell about your bike. The fewer people who know the better, this includes plastering your car with dirt bike stickers too!

Be aware

This tip is especially important for people who transport their bike in an open trailer or ute, and it's being aware of who's around you when you're driving to and from the track. Thieves are opportunists, and if they see a dirt bike on the back of a ute, don't put it past them to follow you home and see where you live, only to break in later that night.

Keep an eye on the cars that are following you, and if you think someone has taken too much of a similar route as you, take a different route and don't return home until they've given up. It's also a good idea to note down their number plate and vehicle, just in case the worse does happen. This scenario is on the rare side, but it never hurts to be extra cautious when it comes to keeping your dirt bike safe from thieves.

Check out the entire range of dirt bike security systems at MXstore

• Security and Storage
• Locks and Alarms