How to Not get your bike stolen on a road trip

Charper732
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711
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6/24/2015
Location
Scottdale, GA, USA
Edited Date/Time 1/9/2016 2:40pm
So my girlfriend and I are taking a week vacation in March and heading to Florida Tracks and trails from Atlanta and hitting every track we can on the way down. The only trailer I own is an open trailer. We were throwing around the idea of hitting Daytona for the AM supercross but there is no way in hell I would I would let the bikes out of my sight on an open trailer in daytona.

I was thinking maybe renting a Uhaul enclosed trailer and securing it in every way possible.

Any of you guys have any suggestions?
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DPR250R
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USA
1/8/2016 9:47am
Full coverage insurance.
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731chopper
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DFW, TX, USA
1/8/2016 9:49am Edited Date/Time 1/8/2016 9:50am
Stay at a down-and-out motel and bring the bikes in the room. A decent one is getting tough to find these days though. Renting a trailer and putting some locks and alarms on it would be another option. You can get some cheap door alarms and while they're not going to really add too much security they're better than nothing if somebody cuts the lock and opens the door (mount them on the inside of the door/s)
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1/8/2016 9:52am
Uhaul sounds good.

Back the trailer up against a wall when possible and maybe use a "club" type device on the vehicle too. Belt and suspenders, brother.

I drove my bike across the country in the bed of my pickup and brought it into every hotel room until the last night when they caught me on CCTV in the hallway. Laughing

I didn't have a good night's sleep that last night, but I had multiple Kryptonite locks to the truck itself.
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1/8/2016 9:57am
DPR250R wrote:
Full coverage insurance.
This, anything else you can think of - pull the front wheel off, put it in your hotel, disc locks. I wouldn't let it out of my site for long, Bro. They'll steal anything and everything, and its not just Daytona. Practically every year I read about bikes stolen from people on their way to bike week, even cutting holes in the side of trailers in hotels. Last year they stole a NASCAR car, trailer and truck.

Good Luck, my moto friend
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The Shop

Mini Elsinore
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Huntington Beach, CA, USA
1/8/2016 9:58am
Rent a funmover and take your sidearm. Safe and secure.....
What's your next problem, caller?
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Old-Man
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Colorado springs, CO, USA
1/8/2016 10:06am
We used to bring our bikes in the room too, these days it's getting harder to do. Do all the suggestions above plus velcro this little baby inside the airbox.(Take out when riding of course)
it last two weeks without recharging. that way if it does get stolen you'll know right where to go to get it back.







http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/product/spark+nano+gps+tracking+devic…
http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/category/gps+tracking/teen+tracking.do

Many different kinds out there so do your research
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Sidecar
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GB
1/8/2016 11:17am
You guys have Mercedes Sprinters (or VW Crafter, same van with a VW engine, which mine is.) Build yourself a moto/road trip van, I started with a bare van and now have a garage in the back to take my sidecar or 3X 450s, double bed above then sink, gas burner, fridge, toilet/shower room, 4 meter roll out awning with sides, I put an air vent in the roof and a window in the sliding side door, I can sleep right above my bike!!!
This past summer me, my wife and son did a 16 day road trip with the sidecar, 3x BMX bikes, surfboard, tools, spares, riding kit, 3X wet suits, clothes etc and our dog!!!!
Van is built by me to our needs, we have a leisure battery and charger mounted in the garage to power lights, fridge, water pumps, DVD player etc. Great feeling touring in a self build.




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Sidecar
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1/8/2016 11:19am






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40Plus_922mx
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High Desert, CA, USA
1/8/2016 11:32am

Most thieves are opportunists. They will usually steel what is easy to steal. Most are not pros.

The U Haul idea sounds like a good one. But anyone can break into the back of the box with little effort. I would also make it a nightmare to get the bikes out ie.locked together with very thick heavy chain, and also locked to the inside of the cargo area somehow. Then go buy a couple trackable dog collars and mount the tracking device portion inside the seat foam of both bikes underneath just in case.
Cheaper than insurance.
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sybro
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Montreal, CA
1/8/2016 12:01pm
If you are to attend the RCSX I assume you'll be there the whole weekend. Get in the amateur pit, bring a chain and padlock and find someone who will give you a hand and lock your bikes to their RV. We'll be there with the camper and will accommodate you guys if needs be.
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kaptkaos
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Miami, FL, USA
1/8/2016 12:33pm
Down here in Florida, there's no chains or locks strong enough to keep those bikes safely unattended overnight.
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mb
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Columbia, SC, USA
1/8/2016 9:50pm
Take everything inside, sleep with one eye open.

1/8/2016 9:54pm Edited Date/Time 1/8/2016 10:02pm
Charper732 wrote:
So my girlfriend and I are taking a week vacation in March and heading to Florida Tracks and trails from Atlanta and hitting every track we...
So my girlfriend and I are taking a week vacation in March and heading to Florida Tracks and trails from Atlanta and hitting every track we can on the way down. The only trailer I own is an open trailer. We were throwing around the idea of hitting Daytona for the AM supercross but there is no way in hell I would I would let the bikes out of my sight on an open trailer in daytona.

I was thinking maybe renting a Uhaul enclosed trailer and securing it in every way possible.

Any of you guys have any suggestions?
U haul. After All that you could find a trailer on Craigslist. They wanted 568 one way for me to rent. And I had to bring it back. So another 568 back. Real dumb.

Rent a utility van no windows. Take the seats out.


Curious on how accurate the brick house Device is...
Insure your bikes now through progressive before you travel.
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Ryan_Roberts
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Portland, OR, USA
1/9/2016 11:12am
another good option is camping at campsites in rural areas instead of motels in the cities, its cheaper, less people that will see your bike, most people camping are just families and elderly couples, and that way you can lock up your bike right next to where you're sleeping so you'll hear if anyone is messing with it.

camping also adds a lot of fun and experience to your adventure if you can handle roughing it for a few days at a time
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hillbilly
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Afton, TN, USA
1/9/2016 11:18am
I always put a stand under it and took the rear wheel off,this way it is still tied down, use a tiedown to hook the stand to the footpeggs and transport sans the rearwheel.
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TerryK
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CA
1/9/2016 12:52pm
A baby monitor is also a great item. You'll hear even the slightest noise in or around your vehicle/trailer. Even just a yell will scare off most lowlife thieves.
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Leave Us To
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Rocky River, OH, USA
2/23/2023 5:53am

This popped up when I logged on today.   Great thread and worthy of a review.

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Tim507
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Oregon City, OR, USA
2/23/2023 6:26am

I used a open trailer for a few trips and wired a horn with a relay that tripped the horn when 1) the trailer wiring was unhooked 2) the same loop was tied to the bike and if the bike moved it tripped the same relay. Took a dedicated line along the frame as the horn was under the hood. There was also a toggle to un-arm the relay. Plus I backed it up to a wall.

2
DerickYZ
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Salamanca, NY, USA
2/23/2023 6:44am

Bring the strap and an extra clip.

 

Next?

1
2
2/23/2023 7:07am

Talk to the tracks you are visiting and see if they have somewhere you can store the bikes.  I used to go down to Monster Mountain every winter and stay in a hotel.  The owner used to let me store my bikes in his barn/gym he had at the track.

1
mx317
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USA
2/23/2023 7:14am

I removed the rear wheel when I drove cross-country with my bike in the back of my pickup. It takes 2-3 minutes to remove a rear wheel and not much more to install. They could still steal it, but they would have to carry it. I use a van now, but they have still been breaking into those. 

zippytech
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Bethesda, OH, USA
2/23/2023 8:09am

I never put stickers on my truck or trailers, I always wanted human waste stickers.

 

8tensolutions
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11/15/2009
Location
Salt Lake City, UT, USA
2/23/2023 9:02am
kaptkaos wrote:
Down here in Florida, there's no chains or locks strong enough to keep those bikes safely unattended overnight.

Not anywhere.  Cordless power tools can cut through any chain in about 10 seconds.  

Make sure you have insurance and stay in decent parts of town.  Don't leave anything in sight and remove any moto stickers from anything visible.  You can get first floor rooms and put the bike in the room, but the uhaul trailer should be fine and allows you to keep all your stuff out of rain too.

1
J2s
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Location
GB
2/23/2023 9:45am Edited Date/Time 2/23/2023 9:48am

If it's got big locks on it and a hire sticker 

Might aswell use your open trailer ,nothing says more than ive got stuff worth taking 

I had a old classic car in a block of 12 ish garages I used the padlock I was given me when I rented it ,3 months later get a call best check your unit as they have been broken into,got there mine was ok and 3 others with shit locks was untouched all the rest doors Rip off

 

Magoofan
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Shadow Glen (for those who remember), CA, USA
2/23/2023 9:59am

Nice 7 year old thread.

 

....but one solution is to bring the bike into your motel room.    (back in the day, night before San Diego amateur supercross)

Wink

image-20230223095925-1

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MX558
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USA
2/23/2023 5:09pm
Charper732 wrote:
So my girlfriend and I are taking a week vacation in March and heading to Florida Tracks and trails from Atlanta and hitting every track we...
So my girlfriend and I are taking a week vacation in March and heading to Florida Tracks and trails from Atlanta and hitting every track we can on the way down. The only trailer I own is an open trailer. We were throwing around the idea of hitting Daytona for the AM supercross but there is no way in hell I would I would let the bikes out of my sight on an open trailer in daytona.

I was thinking maybe renting a Uhaul enclosed trailer and securing it in every way possible.

Any of you guys have any suggestions?

You can rent a enclosed trailer cheap and get insurance. It's crazy not to have insurance anyway 

1
Steve125
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1414
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11/24/2010
Location
USA
2/23/2023 5:57pm

I bought an extended Transit Van and want to put some "Steve's Septic Pumping" Magnetic billboards on the side for when I'm traveling.

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Travis_821
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125
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9/27/2021
Location
Alta, CA, USA
2/23/2023 6:02pm Edited Date/Time 2/23/2023 6:02pm

Insure that bike its very cheap

mxracer666
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Location
NE Iowa, IA, USA
2/23/2023 6:16pm
DPR250R wrote:
Full coverage insurance.

He's asking how to NOT get his bike stolen. Once it gets stolen, it kind of ruins the vacation, insurance or not,  don't ya think?

3

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