Why Every Motorcycle Owner Should Use A GPS Tracker

Published November 11, 2016 | By Henri

In this modern age, traditional locks and security measures are simply not enough to protect

your motorcycle. And that is why it is good to have a GPS tracker. Because when all else fails,

you still want to be able to get your motorcycle back. To understand why traditional security is

not enough, we need to understand why it fails, how criminals attack your motorcycle’s security,

and what to look for in a GPS tracker. Once we understand those elements, you will know why

every motorcycle owner should use a GPS tracker.

Lift Off

In times of desperation, or when you find yourself unprepared, your motorcycle has to go

without a lock. This may be a result of the lock not being in the gear bag, an unforeseen issue

with the lock, nothing sturdy to chain the bike too, etc. Needless to say, there will be times

where your motorcycle is receiving less than perfect protection. Without a solid anchor point,

motorcycle criminals won’t have touch any part of your security. Even with disk brake locks,

criminals can still get away with your ride.

This is because, the motorcycle can be lifted into the bed of a truck, or the back of a van. This

attack is usually done with a team, where the bike is lifted so that it rolls on the wheel without a

lock on the disk brake onto a ramp. However, in some cases, the team will lift the motorcycle

unto a dolly of some kind, or even just lift it straight into their vehicle. Only a GPS tracker is

effective in these cases. The tracker will always be there. Once it is installed, it is protecting your

motorcycle no matter the situation. With no way to forget this means of protection, your bike

always has a way of being found.

Locks Aren’t Enough

A lock is not enough to protect your bike. As we learned above, a lock on your disk brake is not

going to do much in the way of protecting your motorcycle, but every lock has weaknesses. Of

course, all motorcycles should use high-quality locks and even chains, but this alone is not

enough. Even the best locks and the strongest chains can be cut with an angle grinder. Most

can be cut in under a minute. Though this type of attack may be noisy and attract attention, an

experienced thief knows how fast they can get away.

Once the locks, chains, etc. come off, your motorcycle has no security. That is unless you use a

GPS tracker. No matter how much someone wants your motorcycle, once they steal it, you will

have a way of getting it back. Where most security focuses on keeping you from losing what you

have, a GPS does the work of getting it back. The security offers peace of mind, and the

resources to ensure that a criminal never truly steals your ride.

Simple Ignition Cylinders
On most vintage motorcycles, and even many of the contemporary models, there is an issue

with the simplicity of the vehicle’s ignition cylinder. Without a transponder chip in the key, and a

transceiver in the cylinder, a motorcycle is very easy to start. There are products like tryout keys

which will turn in many ignitions as if they were the actual key. These “skeleton keys” are very

easy to purchase, and allow a criminal to ride away on your motorcycle.

Even if you were to get an auto locksmith to replace your ignition cylinder, there are still ways to

circumvent the cylinder and hot wire the bike. The steering lock is simple enough to break on

most motorcycles, and then the thief is free to take off. It would be a better to install a GPS

tracker on the bike, so that no matter where the criminal ends up, the police can find the

motorcycle.

What You Need in a Motorcycle GPS Tracker

Firstly, you need a product that is built with motorcycle GPS tracking in mind. This means the

product should be waterproof so that weathering during use and unforeseen storage issues do

not leave you with a malfunctioning or broken tracker. You are also looking for a GPS tracker

with superior receiver sensitivity, as fast Time To First Fix (TTFF) is crucial for security.

The TTFF is the measurement of how long it takes before the GPS receiver can locate a signal

and navigation data from a satellite. The faster the TTFF, the quicker you will know the

calculated “position solution” (aka Fix). Once your motorcycle GPS tracker finds the “Fix” it will

need a way of being monitored. Monitoring is left up to the individual’s needs, based on their

perceived security risks, but it is good to have the option between real-time and periodic

monitoring.

Conclusion

Using GPS technology to protect your motorcycle is really the only way to get proper peace of

mind. With third party devices, a criminal will not think to check for this security. That means all

of their preparation still won’t allow them to get away. As it is so hard to properly safeguard a

motorcycle reliably and in every situation, take the necessary precautions to assure that you can

always know where your vehicle is

Bill Headley:

November 14, 2016 at 2:27 am

Well articulated! In fact, if you need to manage a larger number of bikes, GPS becomes even more critical. For instance, if you’re a restaurant owner, and offer home delivery services, you may have a few bikes on the move during busy periods. A GPS tracker would ensure that the delivery personnel is not deviating from the route or making stops that are not required. A GPS tracker can ensure that the food is delivered on time, and save costs.

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