If you haven’t taken extra steps to secure your bike, you should…
For the past three years, we’ve been covering the increase in motorcycle thefts nationwide. Yet as pointed out recently by Forbes, the National Insurance Crime Bureau claims motorcycle thefts are now on a three-year run with steadily increasing rates.
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The prediction is that well over 4,000 motorcycles are being stolen in the United States every month this year. Last year, the average was 4,561 per month, with the peak coming from May to October. There might be a few reasons for the trend, which is headed in a similar direction as car theft rates, including the fact that motorcycle sales have seen a nice bump since the covid era.
Yet again, California is the number one state for volume of motorcycle thefts at 9,838 swiped in 2022. For reference, when we reported on this issue in 2020, the 2019 total in California was 6,913. There is good news: nationwide, 41% of bikes reported stolen had also been reported as recovered later.
What might shock some people is to learn that according to NICB Honda is the lead motorcycle brand for thefts at 10,631 for 2022. Yamaha, Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, and Suzuki rounded out the top five in that order.
Sadly, motorcycles are easier to steal than cars since they can be loaded into a truck, van, or other vehicle and carted off. They’re also easier to chop for the selling of parts illegally. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to secure your ride.
Just like with cars, your best defense is parking in a secure, private building, especially overnight. Don’t just rely on a garage door opener to keep thieves out but take steps to physically secure the track. If you have to park outside, choose a well-lit spot with foot traffic and surveillance cameras if possible. Wherever you park, don’t leave your key anywhere near or on the motorcycle, even if it is in a locked building.
Consider installing a GPS tracker or two on your bike. You can also look into alarms and locks/chains, although many don’t provide the type of ironclad protection you might want.
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