Silver Wing Theft Risk?

First topic message reminder :

Since my used silver wing is new to me I am paranoid it might get stolen.

Are my fears un founded. Any simple ways to discourage theft?

I am taking to to work this week end on the grave yard shift in the Hospital ER. We have a roving security guard and it's in a 55,000 mid size town in North Central Idaho.

I alway lock the forks. In shady areas I also run a cable lock over the seat and through the rear wheel. If you can you can try to lick your scooter to a post of some kind too. All you can do is make it harder for the thief to take.

I don't mind licking ice cream cones but I draw the line at a Silverwing.

I'm amazed. I've never heard of many scooters being stolen. It's different with motorcycles, I've seen a few reports of them being stolen over the years but scooters I'm not worried about mine being stolen. I do put on the parking brake, and lock the handlebars when I park it in public areas but I really don't think there's much risk of it being taken by anyone. It might be a problem in big cities but I avoid those like the plague anyway.

Another way of looking at this is, there's occasional posts from Silver Wing owners who have difficulty getting it on and off the main stand, and others have to ask about how to the start the engine once the ignition is switched on, seemingly clueless about squeezing the front brake.

So what chance do you think an opportunist thief with no maxi scooter experience would have if he came across an unlocked Silver Wing with the keys in and the parking brake on?

Meldrew wrote:

Another way of looking at this is, there's occasional posts from Silver Wing owners who have difficulty getting it on and off the main stand, and others have to ask about how to the start the engine once the ignition is switched on, seemingly clueless about squeezing the front brake.

So what chance do you think an opportunist thief with no maxi scooter experience would have if he came across an unlocked Silver Wing with the keys in and the parking brake on?

When I first got my Swing, I kept driving off with the parking brakes on. Eventually wearing the pads thin. The parking brakes are only good for holding your bike from rolling due to gravity. I still use the parking brakes. Only now it is an auto response to release the brakes.

As veteran of 2 new SilverWings and over 90,000 miles with them.....in US/N America there is little fear of somebody stealing a SilVerWing…..as they have little used value and are now old.

I take that personally... I'm old. But then it's unlikely anyone would steal me.

I may have mentioned this before but modern motorcycle thieves generally 'lift' them into a van so disc locks and wheelchains are pretty useless. Even if you chain the bike to something immovable they will simply 'dremmel' the chains free in seconds.

Having said that, I agree with the comments above that large scooters are not really on the 'hot list'. I am of the mind that if they're going to take it, I won't make it easy for them.

Sepp wrote:

5 words
Center Stand Anti Theft Device


http://malaguti-spidermax.blogspot.com/2010/08/center-stand-anti-theft-device.html

Hello Sepp,

Like you, I wouldn't knock it. My first ride was a 50cc tao tao clone, and I had it and financed it for a year ( still an employee ), sad thing was, soon as it was paid up, the bike was stolen. Now I didn't lock it all the time with the cable like I should have, but i did cover it all the time. was taken anyway.

So I'm curious about this center stand lock, and did a quick google search, and can't seem to find one. Mind you, I don't have a SW yet, but I'm learning what I need to put together for once I get it, how to keep it safe. I currently live in Central Florida, but intend to move back to Daytona, and I'm thinking of doing long drives in it.

If you can, would you mind sending a link for this product, so that I can look into it further?

Thanks,

Ron V.

"I currently live in Central Florida, but intend to move back to Daytona"

I live in South Florida. I've owned three Silver Wings here (and a Burgman and two BMW scooters) and parked them all over the state, day and night, and never locked one a single time. I am more concerned that someone will pilfer my RAM mounts (nope). The Wing may be a popular theft target in Jolly Ol', but I wouldn't worry here.

That said, I am insured, not careless. I pay less than $100 a year and coverage includes theft.