Security Alarms / Immobilizers / Locks

Sudsie

Does anyone have any suggestions on a good alarm system for a Buddy? I am trying to find one that is motion activated using the center stand and not just the side stand. A pager seems like it would be a good idea, but is the range worth the extra money? Does anyone have any comments on a "Gorilla 2 way paging system"? Also, if it was even possible to get an immobilizer installed. Vespa's have the immobilizers inside their engines but I couldn't pay double what I paid for my Buddy. I was also thinking of getting a Onguard cable lock - Rotwiler. What are your thoughts? Smile

Thanks

jaded · Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 5:07 am Post subject:

Grip-lock is the best kind of lock. See here.

brat · Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:49 pm Post subject:

We use a disc brake lock. It is small and easy to use and carry. Unless you are leaving it in a bad neighborhood or out all night, not sure you need a cable lock. With a disc brake lock they have to pick it up and carry it, becuase the front wheel will nto roll very far.

bullitt.buddy · Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 3:21 pm Post subject:

I used a cable lock for about two days, then my neighbors mountain bike was stolen. He was using something similar to what I had. You can cut a cable lock with almost no effort. I use a real heavy duty chain. To cut or break, you would need to freeze. I run it through the center stand, where there are no bolt connections only welds. Wraps around a large car port pipe. I also remove my lisence plate, beleive it or not, but those get stolen often. Hooking up and removing takes maybe 60 seconds. Piece of mind rules when you need your sleep. They have an item called the Screamer, when cut or broken, it SCREEAAMMS!!!!!! Well, hope this helps.

Late

Corsair · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 7:40 pm Post subject:

While looking into security options for my Buddy I came across a lock review you might find interesting: http://www.slate.com/id/2140083

I want both physical security and something to alert me that my scooter is being messed with so I'm also looking for a good alarm with a pager (alarm does me no good if I don't know it's going off). Any suggestions?

So overall for security I'm thinking: Grip Lock, Chain Lock, Alarm, and when all else fails Comprehensive insurance coverage. Put the grip lock and alarm on EVERY TIME. Physically lock the scooter up with a good chain lock if it's going to be out of my view longer than it takes for someone to load it into a truck (so I guess that's going to be d@mn near every time too)

It sucks to have to worry about so much security but I live in Detroit... nuff said

lobsterman · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:23 pm Post subject:

JuliaGrace · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:25 pm Post subject:

I don't use an alarm of any sort, but I DO use a multifaceted security system - my point being that any would-be thieves REALLY have to want my scoot:

1) Standard disc lock (which I carry under the seat and use every time I park, whether it be for 10 minutes or 3 hours)

When parked for the night in front of my apartment on the sidewalk I take additional security measures

2) Cable lock (can't think of the brand) wrapped around the scoot frame and a power pole.

3) Nelson-Rigg cover - so at least no one can see what type of scoot or motorcycle it is.

4) ANOTHER, smaller cable lock (on top of the cover) wrapped around the front just below the signal lights. This just makes it difficult for someone to steal the cover, really. My neighbor across the street had the cover stolen off his Scarabeo 150 a few weeks ago.

I know this stuff is kind of anal, but there has been at least one attempted theft of "Spike" so I'm not taking any chances. Wink

- Julie

Corsair · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:41 pm Post subject:

BlueMark · Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 12:11 am Post subject:

I have a Blur - not a Buddy, but security is security.

1) Gorilla alarm wired in by my dealer.

2) Disc Lock for the front wheel - always carry it with me, use it everytime the scoot leaves my sight.

3) Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit massive chain to lock it at home to an anchor ring lag bolted through an outside wall of the house and through a steel plate on the inside. (Here's a good alternative to chaining your bike to the house).

4) Full insurance coverage.

I don't have a garage, but I've turned my covered patio into a scooter port, including putting up decorative lattice that keeps the scoot from being visible from the road.

I only know of one other scooter owner in my area - and his Metro has been stolen twice.

Paranoia is good.

I've had my alarm go off in the middle of the night a good half dozen times over 6 months. Some of those may have just been very windy weather (the alarm can be reset to less sensitive shock settings).

An active alarm system will put a drain your battery. Buy and use a battery tender.

So far I haven't felt the need to use more than the disc lock and alarm system when parking on my travels, but I do have a smaller (but still massive) chain and lock that is available for travel use.

-Mark

Corsair · Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 3:27 am Post subject:

BlueMark · Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 3:11 pm Post subject:

Corsair · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 2:24 pm Post subject:

How much of a drain to the battery does the alarm have?

jallen013 · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 2:58 pm Post subject:

Corsair · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 3:05 pm Post subject:

BlueMark · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 3:59 pm Post subject:

Corsair · Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 4:15 pm Post subject:

thanks for the reply!

soundofsingles · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:14 am Post subject:

I use a disc lock and an old bicycle cable lock when I'm out at night, or in the city. I've thought about an alarm and am actually glad that I didn't have one in the following story:

I was at a show at the Cat's Cradle, an awesome music venue in Chapel Hill. I wrapped the cable lock around an awning support right in front of the venue. The opening band that night was late because their van had broken down and ended up having to be towed to the venue. When I left the show that night my bike had been picked up and moved out of the way of the bands van while still chained to the pole. It was awful nice of them to gently move my buddy. It would have made every one's evening much more unpleasent if buddy had started screaming at them. Of course, on the down side a friend of a friend had his scooter stolen from his driveway a couple of blocks away a while back.

You take your chances I guess.

Corsair · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:36 am Post subject:

Rob520 · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:04 am Post subject:

i have a Gorilla Alarm on my scoot, and it works great. It'l loud, multi funvtional, and you can have a transmitter wich notify's you if someone has touched or is trying to steal it.

Corsair · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:41 am Post subject:

ebcspace · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:00 am Post subject: lock options

I use a combination of the kryptonite new york noose and the faghettaboudit chain and lock, which uses the new york lock. the noose goes around the frame of the buddy on the lower left rear under the floorboard, then ends up just behind the front wheel, where it meets the faghettaboudit chain, which is looped around a large parking structure column in front of the front wheel of the buddy, and both chains are joined together with the new york lock.

previous to this, I used a cable lock, of considerable thickness, until I read the post mentioning how cable locks are no real fortress.

may your buddy be safe ! Wink

Keys · Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:37 am Post subject:

I am SOOOO glad I don't (and won't) live in a city. Theft of my scooter is pretty much a non-issue here...

--Keys Cool

Corsair · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 1:46 am Post subject:

what have you found to be the best way to chain your scooter up? (The Kryptonite chain is pretty big)

BlueMark · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:44 am Post subject:

polianarchy · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 6:22 am Post subject:

Corsair · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:29 pm Post subject:

BlueMark · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:37 pm Post subject:

markontour · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:15 pm Post subject:

For security when out, sometimes I remember to take the key out of the ignition.

mlee10018 · Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 1:17 am Post subject:

OnGuard mastiff comes with a disc lock that goes around either of the front forks and a noose to go around even a large street lamp base. I got the long version which works great and fits in the open carrier.

polianarchy · Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 5:35 pm Post subject:

lojical1 · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 5:20 am Post subject:

Could someone give me some input on why one prefers a noose chain and lock over a regular chain ? What are the benefits and drawbacks and how did u decide on the one u currently own.

BlueMark · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 1:24 pm Post subject: Noose Chain

lojical1 · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 3:45 pm Post subject:

ebcspace · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:59 am Post subject: chains locks parking

here's an example.. how i lock up the buddy.

i live in a condo, and have a car port. we have a car and two scooters.
the security of the scooters is obviously important to us.

there are two large column/posts that exist on my side of the car port structure, which i use to lock up the scooters. i picked up an extra noose chain to allow the buddy to be parked alongside the car, nose to the post, with room to walk by, and to be able to take vespa out without moving the buddy.

weaseltamer · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:21 pm Post subject:

this is located on the right side of the buddy, in front of the muffler. my chain (NY kryptonite brand) fits easily thru this part of the frame and leaves a good length left for me to chain it to the carport support. I don't have the noose type chain. [/img]

weaseltamer · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:22 pm Post subject:

sorry, didnt know how to put two pics in the same post. (forum noob!)

ebcspace · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:02 am Post subject: locking up with a chain

the same kind of lower frame feature also exists on the other side
of the scooter (away from the exhaust side).

of course it depends on what
you're locking to, and what side you have to park on because of available space.

for me, locking the buddy up on the exhaust side meant getting into a tight space between the buddy and a bush, and trying not to touch the exhaust while I couldn't see exactly what I was doing.

don't get me wrong... did I say I didn't enjoy getting burnt by the exhaust pipe ? brings you right into the moment !

weaseltamer · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:49 am Post subject:

yeah i should have mentioned, using the right side is a hair tricky, i've been burnt a few times, but i keep my leather gloves on and that helps a tremendous deal.

if you use the left side, you can use the same shape of the frame, but i find it a little more like threading a needle, for be it doesnt get done as quickly, i usually opt for the little risk of a burn. i've gotten used to doing it, and haven't burned myself recently.

lojical1 · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:58 pm Post subject:

Thank you so much ebcspace and weaseltamer! My "special" brain needed visuals to figure out how it all worked. I think I will go with the noose chain by Kryptonite. I really appreciate your input Very Happy

polianarchy · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 8:24 pm Post subject:

weaseltamer · Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:47 pm Post subject:

planowayne · Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 2:01 pm Post subject:

I park in a good area when I ride to work, I primarily lock just to keep some practical joker from pushing my bike around behind the garage to try and give me a heart attack.

I use a kryptonite cable lock, wrapped through the frame opening and then around a drain pipe in the garage.

Today, someone came up and was talking to me as I was chaining, I got a little careless, and let my left index finger make contact with the exhaust. Ouch Crying or Very sad

! Think I'm going to be in the market for a disk lock . . .

polianarchy · Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 2:33 pm Post subject:

As promised, photos:

I included this photo to demonstrate that I clip my cover to the area the other fellows use for securing their locks.

See how my chain is super-snug around the scooter frame? Both Kryptonite and On-Guard include sleeves to protect the chain from scratching your finish.

Always lock your scooter up to a secure object, such as a fence post. Admittedly, if a thief really wanted to steal my scooter, they could probably use tools to break the fence post.

I chose the NY Noose from Kryptonite because it allows me to cinch the chain as tight as possible around my scooter.

I took a photo to show y'all my latest "mod", my cheap-o velcroed-on digital clock from Target. Of course, it got stolen while I was grocery shopping about four hours after this photo was taken. Buncha savages in this town!

mlee10018 · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 2:01 am Post subject:

This is how my onguard chain and lock work. put the noose around a pole, and chain the other end to either front fork. The forks get thicker than the lock at the tips, so even if the wheel is removed, you still can not remove the lock from the fork.

Keys · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 2:07 am Post subject:

So Philly is the "City of Brotherly Savages", eh?

--Keys Cool

Corsair · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 3:01 am Post subject:

weebl · Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 77 **1974 Vespa 90**

I have a big heavy chain too (one of the 5' onguard locks) and it has an added bonus... if anyone tries to bother my while I'm locking up my scooter, I can just hit them with the chain. Because it weighs a ton.

I vaguely remember hearing on of our testosterone-crazed scooter club boys bragging about how he used his chain to smash in the window of a driver who cut out in front of him and almost killed him. Personally, I'm not a fan of retaliatory violence, but those chains are BEEFY.

weaseltamer · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:31 am Post subject:

i've got a friend that keeps saying i should get a crowbar to pull out in a bind. i support violence, but only the very nessicary type. but i was pretty irritated i almost got swiped twice today. gar!

mlee10018 · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:01 am Post subject:

Corsair · Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 4:13 am Post subject:

For those of you that have either Kryptonite or OnGuard, have you used the lock as a disc lock? I read that it can be used as one. How does that work?