Overnight Street Parking

Rem

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Illinois
Visit site
Hey guys,

Tonight is the first night that I will be parking my 2004 FZ6 in the Chicago area. I have the bike on the street right now, but the looming fear of someone coming by and nicking my bike is haunting me! :eek:

With that being said, does anyone have advice for me in terms of ensuring the maximum amount of security for my bike?

I currently have a gorilla alarm installed on the bike, a disc lock on the front wheel and two bicycle chains on the rear wheel and swingarm (I have a Kryptonite U-Lock on a bicycle I keep at my university, and I was planning on swapping the chains for the U-Lock.) On top of that, I have a ratty motorcycle cover.

In terms of where I can park; there is a car-busy street right around the corner, a pedestrian busy street two blocks away, the front of my apartment building (Where I am keeping it right now.) and the apartment garage in the back alley.

I'm on the third floor of the apartment and there is definitely room in the garage for my bike: However, the neighbors are dead set on always leaving the damn garage door open overnight. Thus, I felt a little uncomfortable leaving the motorcycle in a quiet, secluded and dark alley with the garage door wide open.

I'm sorry if this is too much information at once, but the willies are killing me! :(
 

Motogiro

Vrrroooooom!
Staff member
Moderator
Elite Member
Site Supporter
Joined
May 8, 2008
Messages
14,968
Reaction score
1,138
Points
113
Location
San Diego, Ca.
Visit site
Sorry you're buggin on this but it is totally understandable.

Insurance companies say that a covered bike is less enticing. They do have good numbers on this bike they have to pay out on losses. A ratty cover is even better.

Got Duct Tape? :p
 

Red Wazp

Super Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2008
Messages
2,518
Reaction score
49
Points
48
Location
Peardale, Ca
Visit site
Sorry you're buggin on this but it is totally understandable.

Insurance companies say that a covered bike is less enticing. They do have good numbers on this bike they have to pay out on losses. A ratty cover is even better.

Got Duct Tape? :p

Good idea Cliff, the worse the cover looks the better!
 

Kazza

Administrator aka Mrs Prebstar
Moderator
Elite Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2009
Messages
8,796
Reaction score
121
Points
0
Location
Chittering Valley, West Aust.
Visit site
Sit at the window all night watching it.

I would.

I'm paranoid :(

Hope all goes well - maybe tape thumb tacks on the seat - that would hurt ;)
 

VEGASRIDER

100K Mile Member
Elite Member
Site Supporter
Joined
May 5, 2007
Messages
6,495
Reaction score
127
Points
63
Location
RENO, NEVADA USA
Visit site
Why would your neighbors insist on having the garage door open?

In my opinion, out of sight would be better, even with the garage door open. If it's open, I would still leave it in there with the extra locks on the bike. Plus you don't have to worry about the bike getting knocked over, which is a very common thing. Maybe you can buy a security camera, that is wireless that you can view from inside your apartment via computer. They are relatively cheap these days.
 

odachi13

Junior Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
123
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Nottingham, England.
Visit site
Just make sure you have a hard point to chain it to, like a lamp post or something. My old bike was secured on the road outside my mums for one night but not to anything. It was picked up and put in a van.
 

Rem

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Illinois
Visit site
Hey guys, after a few nights I feel a lot better about parking my bike overnight. My alarm has gone off overnight, with no car around mind you, but I attribute that to a pack of street rats that wanted to swing a leg around my motorcycle :D.

I covered the holes in my bike cover with some nice grey duck tape, a real great decor to make the cover even more ratty looking.

I talked to my neighbors about closing the garage door, and they seemed to be compliant. Yet lo and behold, the garage door is always open whenever I come home and leave in the morning. :spank:

I can't really install a security camera, or afford even the el-cheapo cameras at the moment, but I do park the bike right dab in front my apartment building, within sight from the window.

However, because of my choice of location, there are no big sturdy tree trunks or any other permanent fixtures to wrap a chain around. There are, however, handicap residential parking posts that I can occasionally work myself around: Those posts are easily removed from the ground, but, hey, only a soulless monster would do that, right?

Thanks for the words of encouragement folks, it really helps.
 

TownsendsFJR1300

2007 FZ6
Site Supporter
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Messages
12,516
Reaction score
1,157
Points
113
Location
Cape Coral, Florida, USA
Visit site
Does your alarm page you?

The last alarm I had, (a Scorpio) you could set it to chip of smeone was too close, adjust for vibration, etc. If activated, it set off the horn and all the lights blnking(not the headlight) and paged you up to about a half mile away. It did have plug and play for both my FJR and my Goldwing.

If you wanted the ignition disabled, you did have some cutting (I didn't do that)


Scorpio | Motorcycle Alarms
 

FIZZER6

The Angry Blue Mantis
Joined
Mar 22, 2011
Messages
2,378
Reaction score
33
Points
0
Location
Virginia
Visit site
Just build a redneck alarm. Motion sensor light installed in the garage without the light bulb in
PIR725-Motion-Sensing-Light-Socket-1.jpg

instead you install one of these sockets
7903411174_1e3f53db8b_m.jpg


where the bulb was and run an extension cord into your bedroom that you plug into some type of noise maker, perhaps an old door bell. If the motion sensor is activated your door bell in your room rings! :thumbup:

Edwards Adaptabel 120V Cat No 340 072 Amps Alarm Bell Works | eBay

I may just have something like this installed at my house. It's mostly to let me know a solicitor or guest just pulled into the driveway but it even trips when a skunk walks by!
 
Last edited:

FIZZER6

The Angry Blue Mantis
Joined
Mar 22, 2011
Messages
2,378
Reaction score
33
Points
0
Location
Virginia
Visit site
Be paranoid, very paranoid because when you think it won't happen to you. It will.

Paranoid or not if someone really wants your bike they are gonna get it. That said the market for parts for FZ6's in the US are low so it's not as big a target as Cruisers and supersports.
 

VEGASRIDER

100K Mile Member
Elite Member
Site Supporter
Joined
May 5, 2007
Messages
6,495
Reaction score
127
Points
63
Location
RENO, NEVADA USA
Visit site
Keep up posted how it goes. But the odds are against you that you will either find your bike knocked over or stolen if parked out on the side of the street.
 

FZ09Bandit

�� Paramedic ��
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Messages
960
Reaction score
8
Points
0
Location
Arkansas
Visit site
We always take the chop shop master bike thiefs into consideration, but we never think about the joy riders, lowlifes and people that want to try and sell your **** on craigslist. Given the opportunity, any of these scumbags will steal from you. Regardless of what kind of bike it is, a simple google search on the bike (model on the side of the bike) will tell them is a r6 derived engine. Ching Ching Ching $$$$
 

Rem

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2014
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Illinois
Visit site
Hey guys, here's an update so far: I continued to park in front of my apartment building with absolutely no complications whatsoever. I've always left ample room for adjacent cars to get out of parking relatively easy and have always kept my cover on. By doing this, no one has ever tried tinkering with the bike (I always rush out to check the bike when the alarm, which is extremely sensitive, goes off) and no one has bumped into my motorcycle while going in and out of parking.

The prospect of having two locks to bypass, a disc lock with an alarm on the front wheel and a U-lock around the swing arm and wheel, and the relatively short demand for FZ6 parts have, in my opinion, deterred thieves from bothering with my bike. When coupled with the gross ratty cover that I have (oil stains, more holes with black duct tape, mud and fallen leaves have joined the already groady cover), very few people even try to come close the bike.

With that being said, I still feel as if there will be a day in which I wake to find an empty spot where my motorcycle should be: In that event, I'll be comforted by the reimbursement from my insurance company.

As far as anything else I can do to protect my bike, I cannot think of any given my circumstances. I will most probably continue doing what I have been doing so far.

TL;DR - My disgusting cover, two locks and insurance policy have made the fear of parking on the street less scary than what it once was, and has secured my motorcycle well enough.
 

FZ09Bandit

�� Paramedic ��
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Messages
960
Reaction score
8
Points
0
Location
Arkansas
Visit site
Yah I used to say that until it happened. Good to hear about the alarm. Hope it works out for you.
 

marke14

running on empty
Elite Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2007
Messages
592
Reaction score
31
Points
28
Location
Los Angeles
Visit site
Yah I used to say that until it happened.
says the guy named, "FZ09Bandit"

Just pointing out the irony. :thumbup:

As you said, if it gets stolen that is what the insurance is there for. You never know it could be stolen at any moment, or you could just as likely park it wherever you feel like with no concern at all and be totally fine.

I think it comes down to your comfort level and peace of mind. I personally use the crappy cover defense, backed up with a disc lock, a cable lock and a big chain around the rear wheel. Mine is not locked to anything.
 
Top