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The warmer spring and summer months mean many motorcyclists are taking to the roads. In our latest post we look at some recent cases of motorbike theft and what bike riders can do to maintain security both at home and when out and about.
It is well known that, in the UK, motorcycles are far more prone to theft than cars. The current theft rate is around 22 in every 1000 motorbikes making them 11 times more likely to be stolen than cars. Lower powered motorbikes, particularly those under 5 years old, are the most vulnerable and sadly, only a very small percentage of stolen motorbikes are ever recovered and even fewer get returned to their rightful owners.
Motorbike thieves will often target specific motorbike models, especially those that are easily stolen. And specialised crime gangs will sometimes track and follow riders to discover where and how they store their valuable motorbikes.
Motorbikes Stolen from Homes
If you read local press reports anywhere in the UK you are likely to have seen stories of motorbikes stolen directly from owners’ homes. The Bikers United website allows targeted owners to publish details of their stolen motorbikes in the hope they might be identified and recovered.
Here are some recent examples of motorbikes stolen from homes and storage locations.
Kawasaki ER-6 Stolen from a Garden in Durham
In April 2025 a Kawasaki 300 motorbike was stolen from the back garden of a property in Pelton. Police chased the criminal, at high speed, resulting in a nasty crash in which the thief somersaulted through the air and narrowly missed injuring pedestrians. A drug test discovered that the young motorbike thief was under the influence of cocaine and cannabis.
Motorbike Stolen from Driveway in Keynsham
In April 2023 a motorbike was stolen from the driveway of a property in Keynsham. Avon and Somerset police reported that two people wearing high viz jackets and driving a large white van had been seen in the area at the time.
The motorbike owner subsequently recovered their bike from the Stockwood area of Bristol.
Multiple Motorbikes Stolen from Property in East Sussex Village
In March 2023 three valuable motorbikes were stolen from a property in the East Sussex village of Bodiam. The stolen motorbikes were a silver and red Gas Gas txt2001 trial motorbike, a white and blue Husqvarna 430 trial motorbike, and a white and blue Husqvarna TQ trial motorbike.
The theft took place at night between midnight and 1am, mid week. A group of five criminals were recorded on CCTV, breaking into the secure lock up where the valuable trial bikes were stored.
Kawasaki Ninja 650 Stolen from Birmingham Home
In 2021 a valuable Kawasaki Ninja 650 was stolen from a home in Edgbaston, Birmingham. The bike was locked away in a shed at the residential property. Thieves broke in overnight and CCTV footage shows the stolen bike being loaded into a van.
Multiple Honda PCX 125 Scooters Stolen in Bristol
In 2023 over 10 scooters, primarily popular Honda PCX 125 models, were stolen from homes in the Easton area of Bristol. It is reported that thieves took advantage of weak locks and poor ground anchors.
Sinnis 125 Stolen from Garage in Harrogate
In May 2024 a Sinnis 125 motorbike was stolen from a garage at a residential property in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. To gain access to the garage the criminals forced open the roller shutter door. The stolen bike was later discovered, abandoned.
Burglars Steal Watches and Motorcycle from Oxfordshire Home
In April 2024 two burglars wearing dark clothing broke into a residential property in Oxfordshire and stole designer watches, a safe and a motorbike along with its keys.
Securing Your Valuable Motorbike at Home
In many of these recent cases of motorbike theft it is clear that the criminals knew what they were after and where it was stored. In some cases, valuable bikes were out in the open, in driveways or gardens, but in others the bikes were locked away in sheds, garages and storage lockups.
It is estimated that up to around 80% of motorcycle thefts occur from the owners’ homes. While motorbike theft is clearly very common there are practical precautions riders can take to protect their bikes while at home.
Location and Storage
Where and how a motorbike is stored is an important security consideration. Some riders don’t have access to secure garages or lock-ups at their homes but they can still take steps to conceal their valuable bikes. If the only option is to park outdoors then shielding the motorbike from view, behind bushes, behind a wall or under a motorbike cover, makes sense. Keeping valuable bikes out of sight discourages any opportunist criminals who might be tempted if they see a valuable bike parked in a driveway, garden or on the street. Motorbike covers can be an effective way to keep a valuable, desirable bike out-of-sight.
If a bike rider is lucky enough to have a garage, shed or lock-up its important to make certain these structures are as secure as possible. All doors and windows should be secured with robust locks and all hinges should be high quality and in good repair. Installing an alarm on the garage our outbuilding, possibly linked to a home alarm system, is also a good idea. The garage or shed should be well-lit with motion activated lighting and possibly monitored by CCTV as a further deterrent.
When the motorbike is inside the garage or shed it should still be immobilised and securely attached to an immovable anchor point. Even if the outbuilding is accessed by a thief, if the motorbike is securely chained up inside, they won`t be able to steal it.
Security Labelling and Documentation
All motorbike owners need to keep a detailed record of their bike’s frame number, engine number and any identifying marks, scratches, dents or features. Taking a number of photographs from various angles is sensible.
In addition, bike owners should security mark their motorbikes. The Datatag motorcycle forensic security marking system, for example, is currently protecting over half a million motorcycles.
Alarms and Trackers
Some excellent motorbike tracking devices can alert bike owners if their motorbikes are ever moved without their knowledge. These devices can also help recover bikes if they are ever stolen. Many of today’s modern motorbikes come with built in alarms and there are some excellent motorbike security alarms that can be easily retro-installed. Even when storing a motorbike inside a locked garages, securely locked to an immovable anchor, the motorbike alarm should always be turned on.
Take Care of Your Keys
In one of the previously noted crime cases, burglars broke into a home and stole valuables along with a motorbike and its keys. This case highlights the need to take care of motorbike keys when inside the home. If a burglar breaks in and easily finds keys to the garage, shed, locks and motorbike then stealing the bike is very easy.
Motorbikes Stolen When Out and About
While it is far more common for motorbikes to be stolen from the homes of their owners valuable bikes are also vulnerable when parked away from home. Startlingly, many of the following motorbike thefts were carried out incredibly quickly and often in broad daylight.
Yamaha MT-07 Stolen in London
The rider of a Yamaha MT-07 parked their bike outside a supermarket in Stratford, East London. Two thieves, riding a scooter, used an angle grinder to cut the disc lock and steal the motorbike in under 30 seconds. The stolen bike was later discovered burned out, several days later.
Vespa Scooter Stolen in Manchester
The owner of a Vespa GTS300 parked their bike outside a cafe while they stopped for refreshment. Thieves lifted the bike into a van in under 20 seconds. The chain lock used provided no theft protection as it wasn`t attached to an immovable anchor point. The valuable scooter was never recovered.
Triumph Street Triple RS Snatched in Birmingham
A parked up Triumph Street Triple RS motorbike, valued at over £10K, was stolen in broad daylight while the owner was shopping. Thieves broke the steering lock to wheel the bike away and get it started somewhere nearby. Although the valuable bike was tracked with an Apple AirTag police were too slow to recover it.
KTM Duke 390 Stolen from Outside Leeds Gym
The owner of a KTM 390 Duke had parked and secured their motorbike while they were at a gym in Leeds city centre. Thieves used a portable angle grinder to cut through the budget disc lock used to secure the motorbike. The motorcycle was subsequently recovered but had to be written off due to damage.
Securing Your Valuable Motorbike When Out and About
Most motorcycle thefts like these are carried out in under 2 minutes, many in under a minute. Common techniques used by criminals include using portable angle grinders to breach weak locks, lifting motorbikes into vans and using two-up distraction techniques wherein one criminal causes a distraction while another targets the parked motorbike.
When out and about, motorcyclists are constrained in the security precautions and devices they can practically carry with them. While at home they may have invested in high quality ground anchors and super-strong high security locks and chains, but these security devices can’t be easily carried. So what practical precautions can motorcyclists follow to help keep their bikes safe when they are out and about, going to work or visiting the shops.
Always Lock it up
When leaving a motorbike outdoors, even for a short time, its essential that the bike is securely locked up. Many motorbikes have been stolen simply because the owner was just popping into a shop, or somewhere else, for a minute or two, and they overlooked the need to securely lock their bike up.
When locking up a motorbike think of the key methods used by criminals to take stolen motorbikes away. They will sometimes overcome locks and then wheel the bikes to where they can get them started, or they will use the "lift and go" technique to lift the bike into the back of a van.
Protecting valuable motorbikes against these forms of attack requires a high quality chain lock, threaded through both the bike frame and wheels. Importantly, this must then be attached to an immovable anchor point like a ground anchor or railing. In addition, disc locks and brake locks make it very difficult for motorbikes to be easily wheeled away. Some locks even include noisy alarms that can attract attention and scare thieves away. Using both a high quality chain lock, attached to an immovable anchor point, along with disc locks or brake locks effectively layers up security which can be enough to delay and deter most motorbike thieves.
Carefully Choose Where You Park
Taking care to select a secure parking area is another vital precaution. Thieves like to do what they do unseen, in hidden locations. So it makes sense to park a motorbike where there is good visibility and people around. Designated motorcycle parking spaces are often a good option as they may have built-in ground anchors along with CCTV surveillance. And parking near shop windows, where the parked motorbike can be watched from inside, and within range of shop CCTV cameras is another valuable parking precaution.
Install Motorbike Alarms and Trackers
It makes sense to install a motorbike alarm system that can emit incredibly loud alarms when disturbed. This noise is often enough to scare thieves away and alert people to a theft in progress. Another valuable precaution is to install a motorcycle GPS tracking device that will send alerts if the bike is moved without permission. Importantly, the alarm must always be enabled when the bike is left unattended, even for just a few minutes.
Establish Sensible Security Habits
Sadly, some riders have lost their valued motorbikes simply because they became a little sloppy about security when out and about. It makes sense to establish a security routine for whenever a bike is being parked up. Precautions should include: always securely locking the motorbike to an immovable anchor point or object, turning the front wheel toward to kerb or wall to make it harder to roll the bike away and leaving the motorbike in gear to make it impossible to wheel away and enabling the motorcycle security alarm.
Essential Motorbike Security Devices
We offer a wide range of high quality motorbike security solutions from our store. Here are some that are helping motorcyclists keep their valuable motorbikes safe, both at home and when out and about.
Garage Door Defender: Use this Sold Secure approved garage door defender to securely lock down up and over garage doors.
Shed Bar: Bolster shed door security with one of these incredibly strong shed door security bars.
High Security Padlocks: Wherever padlocks are used, on sheds, garages and outbuildings, make certain they are high security and approved.
Super Strong Ground Anchors: Installing super strong, high security ground anchors, both at home and in the workplace, provides exactly what’s needed to prevent a motorbike from being lifted into a van.
High Security Chains: When parking at home it makes sense to use the toughest available high security chain. Even when locking a motorbike inside a secure garage or outbuilding it makes sense to attach the bike to an immovable anchor point using a high security chain and padlock. And there are some high security chains that can be carried for portable motorbike security.
Motorbike Security Disc Locks: Police forces throughout the UK recommend the use of high quality motorcycle disc locks. The Squire Defiant Disc Lock, for example, has gained the highest possible Sold Secure Motorcycle Diamond standard. This exceptional lock easily withstands the variety of attack techniques used by todays motorbike thieves.
For more information on Essential Motorbike Security at Home and On the Move talk to Insight Security