Alarms and Immobilisers

[technobear]

Hi Biker Chums! I need some help here is deciding what security items to provide for my new bike. I shall definitely get a meaty chain and I will be installing anchor points in my garage and in my driveway. My question is really whether there is any point in having an alarm and/or immobiliser fitted to the bike. Seems to me that this will be less impediment to the 'pick it up and sling it in the van' mob than a heavy chain would. It would stop the more casual bike thief who wants to ride the machine away but then so too will a decent heavy chain. Given that a decent alarm/immobiliser is the best part of £300 fitted, is it worth it? How much discount will it earn off the insurance. If it will pay for itself in 3 years anyway then I'd say it was worth it. Over to you guys. What do you think?

Cheers, Chris

[DynaMight]

My current bike has a basic alarm on it (Acumen 902, Costs £65), It just beeps like a motherf"ucker if moved. Unless the bike is parked somewhere very quiet it's gonna stop 90% of theives.

It needs to be a reconised alarm and immobiliser to get any ins discount (mine isnt), So check that out before you buy.

[LozVFR]

ive got the accumen 911, with the imobiliser as an extra. cost about £100 in total. real easy to fit and not bad for the price. I picked mine up at Hein Gericke.

[RobG]

If you had a car, immobilisers work well, as you say on bikes the thievin gits can just lift it away. If your after a Cat 1 insurance approved alarm that WONT false trigger but will go off when the bike is lifted off its sidestand, moved or has ignition tamper then I would opt for the meta Cat 1. In my opinion its one of the most reliable systems out there, which is the most important thing.
As for value for money, you will never get your money back but you will have more peace of mind...its a gamble. Add an alarm/immobiliser and a couple of hefty chains + your usual steering lock etc and you stand a very good chance of keeping your pride and joy. BTW, you can get these alarms from £229

[D4NPH]

IMHO alarm and immobilser is a good thing, unless your bike is a latest model or high value like a rare one or something, it is unlikely to be a theives choice, wether it is chained up or alarmed, they will have it if they want it, liquid nitrogen works wonders on even the strongest chains and locks. Alarm and immobiliser is just another product that will make them move on as it becomes more difficult to nick. If it is an insurance approved cat one alarm, even better, some insurance companies quoted me up to £1200 with out a cat one alarm, for the sake of £300, my insurance came down to £290 (fully comp). It's swings and round abouts really, i would rather pay for an alrm and get a cheaper premium, than not have an alarm and pay a higher premium, it's your choice at the end of the day. I have a Meta cat one alarm on my Gixer, it's ok, not great as the build quality is poor and manufacturers back up is arse. On the Buell i have a Laserline cat one alarm as this is the smallest cat one alarm on the market, and i have had no problems with it as yet. Another popular make is datatool, but again i have heard many a horror story about these.

Best of luck with what ever you chose anyway.

Dan.

[LozVFR]

my 911 alarm has a tilt switch so it will go off if the bike is lifted enough for the sidestand to clear. ok so its not a cat1 alarm but its only a £1700 bike so its ok aswell a chucking a hefty chain round the wheel.

[Lost Geordie]

I had a solalarm on mine - cast about £250 fitted. It was alarm and immob... also had tamper and tilt sensor. It was approved as well so got me some discount.

Wayne

[Dave]

I got the Datatool System 3 fitted on mine. I think they're about the £300 mark. But it is a Cat 1 Alarm & immobiliser.

I had to get a CAT1 or else no one would even think about insuring me

[technobear]

Well in the end I went for...

META 357T Alarm/Immobiliser

Oxford Monster Chain

Red Alarm Double Bridge Ground Anchor (in my garage)

... and got insured fully comp for £160 with zero no claims.

[jason]

Good choice on the Meta.

My 1K has a datatool system 3 -its a pain in the ass in the way it keeps rearming itself and its too sensitive.

I fast preffered the Metat 357t that was on my last 750.

[technobear]

Red Alarm Double Bridge Ground Anchor (in my garage)

That should of course read "Red Alert"

The 357 re-immobilises after 50 seconds if you don't start 'er up. This is a minor annoyance as it's not quite enough time to get it out of the garage first. The alarm doesn't re-arm unless you tell it to.

[A_T]

Red Alarm Double Bridge Ground Anchor (in my garage)

That should of course read "Red Alert"

The 357 re-immobilises after 50 seconds if you don't start 'er up. This is a minor annoyance as it's not quite enough time to get it out of the garage first. The alarm doesn't re-arm unless you tell it to.

I've got the same alarm as you, if you put the key in the ignition and turn the ignition on you won't have to keep disarming it and it also has a service mode when you want to do maintenance on the bike..... hth

[technobear]

I know it has a service mode and Mike at Bransons did explain it to me, BUT it is not mentioned in any of the documentation and I've forgotten how to do it

Not sure if switching the ignition on switches the lights on. I'll have to check. Don't want to flatten the battery.

[A_T]

I know it has a service mode and Mike at Bransons did explain it to me, BUT it is not mentioned in any of the documentation and I've forgotten how to do it

I found the website for the Meta Alarm System there are some operating instructions for the Meta as I didn't have them also.....

[technobear]

The instructions on the Meta site are the same as the ones that came with the alarm. No mention of service mode. Guess I'll ask Bransons about it again when it goes in for its 600 mile service - and this time I'll write it down!