Bike stolen and recovered with BikeTrac

[TheFlymo]

Though I'd bring the RR to work this morning as it's nice weather and pretty much dry. Good ride in, was sitting in a meeting at work, got a call from a number I didn't recognise. Rejected it as I've been getting a lot of spam calls.

20 minutes later, read my texts while leaving the meeting, saw the message from Bike Trac and my stomach dropped. Ran outside to see a perfect BMW-shaped empty space. Nicked in broad daylight, 50 yards from the Police station.

Waited five minutes in the Police reception, nobody about, so I thought sod it and dialled 999. They got me a reference very quickly, which I passed onto Road Angel and they then sorted it out between themselves. I could see the bike pinging continuously from North London. Plod attended and I got the call an hour later. Cab ride up, there she was in the back of a building site. Officers had kindly waited for me. Rear seat was prised off and BMW alarm ripped out, so it wouldn't start. BMW sorted me out a recovery and it'll be at their workshop tomorrow for repairs.

Can't really fault Police or Road Angel- the system worked. I guess the cops have to do something because the bike owner is absolutely going to go and attend the theft site if they don't, except I'd be sorely tempted to visit the local baseball shop first....

Obviously I'd rather the little pikey tossers hadn't touched my pride and joy in the first place, but at least I've got it back.

Not sure if I'll get charged or not for the recovery as I'd not actually broken down, but we'll see. I'm sure BMW will accept a kidney to repair it. Not going via insurance unless it's more than a grand, I'd pay more than that in premium hikes....

 

[alex]

Great to hear BikeTrac doing its thing - more and more I'm starting to feel this is a must have for London. There's no other form of defence.

Shame London is full of toerags to start with - can't have anything nice...

 

[pof]

Did they find the tossers who nicked it ? Finger prints ? Cctv?

 

[Bantam Steve]

Had my one stolen from outside the O2 last year
All I got was a crime number and a hefty hike on my insurance (van and bike) ?
I think that a tracker is the way to go

 

[user 687]

Hey man, sorry to hear about the theft, mine has a tracker from Road Angel and I commute into London (albeit parked under my office) but this is the only real way to get your bike back if it goes and fairly quickly too.

On the flip side I am also a Magistrate and as you can imagine dont take it easy on the scrotes who do this shit

 

[RPM140]

Hey Flymo, I'm glad to hear you got your pride and joy back. I would want to know that feeling when you look out to see where your bike once stood.
I have the factory alarm fitted and often wonder how good it is? Was your alarm set when it was nicked and you were at work? What year is your bike? I was thinking the 2015 wouldn't start without the transponder coded key in or near the ignition. Did you ignition get broken? Was the steering lock on ? did that also get smashed? I wonder how they started your bike? or was it put into a van?

 

[TheFlymo]

Cheers all. The bike's a 2015 RR Sport. It was definitely a van job, from a hundred yards or so down the road from my office. Alarm must have sounded, they prised the seat off and tore it out!

I guess the alarm did it's job, i.e. it made noise and the security system prevented them from starting it. I suspect some lads in the area watched it happen because they were laughing when I ran down the road to find the empty bay.

No idea who nicked it. They stashed it in a building site in a council estate a few miles away so they can watch it for a few days and see if it attracted any heat. Wouldn't be surprised if the builders were involved- their vans were parked all round it and they reckoned it "just appeared". Cops considered the matter closed, and I can honestly understand, it's only a bike and they'd have to expend a lot of effort to catch a couple of tossers out of the thousands of thieves in London. I'd rather they spend the time helping people in real trouble.

Not sure about the lockstops- must admit I didn't check them while waiting for recovery. I'm sure BMW will let me know shortly! I'm just glad the thieves couldn't start it, so the damage is all visible and cosmetic.

 

[bananaman]

Good you recovered it ! I get a call within 5mins (usually 2-3) if I forget to inform them I'm transporting it

 

[soofsayer]

Mate had his XR taken from outside his office in London last week. Had a tracker on it until the thieving scum ripped it off.

Glad yours was sorted flymo .

 

[GDCobra]

Hey man, sorry to hear about the theft, mine has a tracker from Road Angel and I commute into London (albeit parked under my office) but this is the only real way to get your bike back if it goes and fairly quickly too.

On the flip side I am also a Magistrate and as you can imagine dont take it easy on the scrotes who do this shit

Hanging would stop successive offenses!

 

[JimmyMac]

Great advert for Road Angel, I have a Biketrac fitted after some bawbag relieved me of the pressure of looking after my GS Adventure back in 2012, funnily enough my 2 month old S1000RR was parked next to it in my garage with key in the ignition and they never touched it?

I usually get phoned by BikeTrac when I'm washing my bike purely for rolling it fwd a few feet to get all the spokes done, brilliant system.

JimmyMac

 

[Benny130]

Not sure how I feel about trackers......My thoughts are if someone is going to nick it do I really want it back? Better to spend the money on a GAP policy and buy a new replacement!

 

[alex]

Tracking is about catching the scum as much as getting the bike back.

 

[JimmyMac]

Not sure how I feel about trackers......My thoughts are if someone is going to nick it do I really want it back? Better to spend the money on a GAP policy and buy a new replacement!

Benny, I've timed Road Angel to see how quick they phone to tell you the bike is moving without the ignition key and the best they have done is less than a minute the worst is about 3 but give them their due the guy told me he knew I was probably washing it at the time as he saw it was still on my driveway and that I had been riding it in the morning.

It also sends the emergency services to you if you crash, which is fantastic if you are alone lying in a ditch, for ?85 a year. I spend more in the Pie shop.

JimmyMac

 

[TheFlymo]

Not sure how I feel about trackers......My thoughts are if someone is going to nick it do I really want it back? Better to spend the money on a GAP policy and buy a new replacement!

Hear what you're saying, but for me it depends on the bike. If the inbuilt security means the pikeys can't start it, then it limits the damage to pretty much cosmetic.

My old '91 CBR600FM was nicked a couple of years back, I'd only brought it to work because a colleague wanted to see it, but it was a twist of a screwdriver and they were away. It was found half a mile away, but Ill never be completely sure what they put it through.

 

[alex]

@ Jimmy and TheFlymo - what's the fitting cost usually - I know the subs are 200something for 3 years.
Just about to get the garage it's with to do it so I'd like a ballpark.

 

[TheFlymo]

Mine was ?380 fitted, but supplied with the bike as new.

Just got the call from BMW, they are quoting for frame replacement as the thieves did knock the lockstops off apparently. Waiting for the quote to be sent through.

He said it's probably fixable just with a new steering lock, but I'm not sure what to do. Frame means insurance claim obviously, but then I'm going to be shafted for the next five years in premiums.

I sometimes wonder what's the point of non-replaceable lockstops when they're defeated so easily in seconds....

 

[alex]

Ok I've been quoted 408 where it is - so that's close enough - as the fitter probably has to travel...

 

[bananaman]

Mine was ?380 fitted, but supplied with the bike as new.

Just got the call from BMW, they are quoting for frame replacement as the thieves did knock the lockstops off apparently. Waiting for the quote to be sent through.

He said it's probably fixable just with a new steering lock, but I'm not sure what to do. Frame means insurance claim obviously, but then I'm going to be shafted for the next five years in premiums.

I sometimes wonder what's the point of non-replaceable lockstops when they're defeated so easily in seconds....

If it's any help we use adjustable lock stops for racing, about 40squid I think, they fit around the leg

 

[fraser2]

Im not as concerned about joyride thefts as I am about the bike being lifted and put in a van, never to be seen again, either dismantled for parts or exported in a container. Either way, Im really interested in trackers, but have a huge question about their ability to get a position from inside the back of van? Does anyone have experience of this?

And is a simple unit worth it? Such as this, which Oxford rebrand and sell. On the surface it seems worth considering?