Modern Vespa

Just about to pick up a new 2018 GTS Super 300 having had my 2015 GTS 300 Touring stolen last month. Would like to hear views on security preferences. It's parked on busy London street during working day with a cover. The stolen ride had an ABUS Granit Extreme lock plus a cheap and cheerful Oxford disc lock, if only as a further deterrent.

I'll get another decent lock and chain FWIW. I also plan to get a better disc lock but am aware not all fit the 300 wheels.

Would consider a tracker but haven't looked at costs and frankly my instinct tells me that the people taking the scooters are determined and resourceful. So I'm uncertain the cost could be justified....

Would love to hear views.

Thanks

See Wiki
Security

Also absolutely get a tracker that alerts you if the scoot is moved. I also cut the protective cloth covering to my chains off so they make a loud clinking noise when disturbed.

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/405180

https://www.urbanrider.co.uk/monimoto-smart-motorcycle-alarm.html

https://securityforbikes.com/dib-d-locks.php

My advice would be to leave the GTS at home and buy a shitbox of a scooter that no one is going to want to steal and use that to commute.

Sadly you're really asking for it if you're going to leave a GTS in plain sight in London and even if it is properly locked up it may get damaged if theft id attempted.

Sorry.

Bill x

You know its not just GTSs that get stolen right? Any bike is a potential target if not properly secured.

I hear you. It's a sad, sad world.

I did spend a couple of weeks considering different options. I tried a couple of generic commuter scooters. Unfortunately these low lives will nick anything. For that reason I'm going to protect my excess, get some security (FWIW...), keep a cover on it. assume someone else will want to take what doesn't belong to them and above all avoid living in fear and enjoy riding my Vespa.

Agree. Have spoken to a number of people who have had all manner of things stolen and for scooters in particular the thieves really aren't too choosy. They seem to be taking all models.

I agree but I think the chances of a GTS being stolen over something more generic are far greater.

Maybe the thieves are looking at stealing other models because they've stolen all the GTS's ?

All 3 of my GTS's had attempted thefts. No one tried to steal either Kymco.

Just sayin.

Bill x

Even those rotters have some standards.

What I'm getting at is the chances of your scooter being stolen is less likely if you choose to ride something less desirable to thieves.

I'm not suggesting that it won't be stolen, just less likely.

A 1993 Nissan Micra is less likely to be stolen than a Audi A3.

Pretty much all of the footage of scooter thieves are of them riding GTS's or BV's so why not play then at their own game and not buy one ?

Bill x

The GTS is a nice powerful scooter that's easy to ride but the main reason they're targeted is because they have no effective inbuilt security. Once they've cut away any additional locks then they can ride the bike as if it's their own. The inbuilt immobiliser can be removed easily and the steering lock takes just a quick tug to break. These issues have been known about for years but Vespa has done nothing to bring their security up to the same level as other other manufacturers. That's why thieves will always go for a GTS before any other bike in the motorcycle bay.

Time to change the record mate, its getting boring and dont we both have a mutual friend that relies on Vespa sales and maintenance for his livelyhood???

Good point Grant.

Thieves will go for easy targets. it's well known that one has to protect their ride so it is the least attractive bike in the bay. Maybe GTSs need a bit more protection than some other bikes but we all know that so we act accordingly.

If you want to get a GTS then get one, if you prefer another marque get that too, enjoy what you ride and support other riders in their own choices.

BTW Bill no one has stolen Grant's 2 GTSs or my one and we ride daily in London year round.

Yes but it's happened to me enough times to know I'm not going to happen again.

All because it doesn't happen to you it doesn't mean it's not going to happen to me.

You think that I'm dissing the product or suggesting that you don't buy one. I'm not.

I'm saying why set yourself up by playing into their hands ?

It's like this - every time I drink heavily I get drunk and I get a hangover.

Well then, why not drink so heavily ?

If you buy a scooter that you know is desirable to thieves and it gets stolen then you can't blame the thief.

I don't really care if you do find it boring as it just makes sense to me to avoid the issue at source.

Your GTS gets stolen. OK I'll buy another one. Oh that got stolen..........

How stupid do I feel now ?

Do you remember when Bernie Ecclestone got mugged for his very expensive watch ?

Bill x

Bill, all you do is slate the brand, earler thread this week, new Vespa owner joins forum and proudly anounces he has ordered a new HPE, your opening line. "hope you kept the receipt"

Hardly a brand ambasador either, everybody is painfully aware you have had issues with your Vespa's. Maybe a forum dedicated to Vespa lovers is not the place to post your negative comments on them.

Well that was a joke but if you don't have a sense of humour I can't help that.

On the point of me pointing out the brands failings if it was as good as many of you would want to believe this place wouldn't exist.

There's nothing worse than a whole bunch of people agreeing with each other so if I talk about my experiences it's based on MY experience and if you don't like to read them them I'm not responsible for your reaction, so if you don't like them, don't read them.

Once again, I'm not dissing the product, I'm suggesting that the chances of a GTS being stolen over another model are far higher so to prevent it from ever happening don't opt for a GTS.

It's not a fuck you, it just makes sense to do it that way.

Don't chain it. change it.

Bill x

The point is ALL types of bikes and scooters are being stolen everyday, I do not feel extra vulnerable with my bike just because it is a GTS. I realise that while it may seem like the most stolen make of bike it actually isn't.
We on this forum are very sensitive to Vespa related thefts.

I for one will blame the thief for stealing and I think it is puerile to think one should blame anyone else.

I also will not allow myself to stop riding what I choose to ride because of some scummy tosspot.

I respect that others may be made differently and that's OK too......

What brand is the most stolen in London ?

Bill x

Deliveroo and other delivery driver bikes.

Current trend is to order food then rob the delivery person of their bike and money. I think its a London thing but other cities are getting the same treatment.

But what brand was the question.

I'm looking for a brand or model.

Bill x

Okay, I'll bite. As well as Vespa and Piaggio, I have owned Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Ural, and PGO (Genuine in US) bikes. What is the crackerjack security system these other brands use. I must have missed it.

Whatever brands are being used by delivery drivers.

My point once again was that the thievery is widespread and mainly indiscriminate.

They don't target brands, they target what they see as an easy opportunity.
Scooters are easier to ride but most theft uses the ped push method and thus all bikes are fair game.

The point is ALL types of bikes and scooters are being stolen everyday, I do not feel extra vulnerable with my bike just because it is a GTS. I realise that while it may seem like the most stolen make of bike it actually isn't.

If you're going to say this you need to know what the most popular being stolen is to prove that it isn't.

I think that GTS's and BV's are the most stolen scooters in London but I'd like to be proven wrong.

Bill x

I'll ask my colleagues on the Police force for the exact figures (if they have them).

It wouldn't make a difference in any case. To protect your ride you must not lull yourself into a false sense of security because you are riding a particular marque.

All London riders need to be vigilant. All the time.

It seems that Hondas and Yamahas are the most stolen bikes around here. This info was gleaned from internet searches on data from insurance companies and so shall be taken with a pinch of salt.
http://www.asgardsss.co.uk/motorcycle-theft-statistics

I'll see what the Met say tomorrow.

I agree.

Forgive me if I've already said this but a week back I dropped into my local Tesco's for about 10 minutes and left the Benelli close to the main door.

On the way out I saw two, shall I say likely types in a transit flat bed eyeing it up.

Now it's easy to make assumptions but I doubt that they were admiring it's beauty and this is in Maidstone.

Bill x

Very difficult to get London wide figures, boroughs tend to compile their own data separately.
I found this from 2013
UK's Top 10 most stolen motorcycles in the UK according to Swinton Bikes:

Yamaha YSF 600 R Thunder Cat
Yamaha YZF-R125
Triumph Daytona 675
Kawasaki ZX-6R
Honda CBF 125
Yamaha YZF-R1
Suzuki SV 650 S
Suzuki GSX-R 600
Honda CBR 600 F (M-W)
Suzuki GSF 600 Bandit

Original source here https://www.visordown.com/news/industry/yamaha-tops-uks-stolen-motorcycles-list?fbclid=IwAR1yQWZJlIXAU6AvX02wxyZ2ADijzJkcP-RdNtUrxuT7iLPxJM2DaHuG8lg

So we can't actually prove if more GTS's get stolen than T- Max's.

I'd love to know.

I'm actually stunned that someone actually made a bike called a Thunder Cat.

Sorry, what did you buy again Mate ?

Bill x

Not impossible to prove.
Just needs more time and effort. My research is ongoing. I'll post when I get definitive answers. If anyone has got this information please feel free to post on this thread.
I follow a number of PTW FB pages and forums and it seems as if lots of other bikes are being stolen at a higher frequency than GTS's.
Angle grinders have a tendency to level the bike security playing field......

Common sense says that the highest number stolen are bikes with the highest sales. If you sell 100 Hondas for every Triumph, then don't be surprised if more Hondas are stolen, and wonder why Honda doesn't beef up their security.
Secondly, what is stolen depends on what can be resold, often for parts in chop shops.
I'm told the the most often stolen cars in the US are Honda Civics. Near the top are Cadillac Escalades.
There's not much of a market for stolen Bentleys.

A Bentley will probably break down soon after it's stolen anyway so I wouldn't worry about that.

Call me cynical but I think that the reason manufacturers don't make their bikes less steal-a-ble is they hope that you'll replace it with another one.

Bill x

Back on track.

Make sure the disc lock is also an alarm disc lock. And fit it high up in the shock/calliper region.

Your already sorting a chain lock by the sounds of it.

Then the Monimoto tracker is brilliant. Costs about £120, and once the monthly sim charge starts its £3pm. You have a fob you keep on your person and an App on the phone. If the fob and phone are 15 metres away or more and your bike is disturbed in any way it will ring you and send you GPS notifications. It needs no wiring in, just tuck it away somewhere on the scoot out of site (size of a smarties tube).
So yeh definitely get the Monimoto!!!!!!!!!!!

And good luck

Is there a list for mopeds?

Otherwise that just proves what a bunch of whingers Vespa riders are?

There was definitely a period where the snatch n' grab gangs favoured the GTS but I am guessing less people are riding these now because of this so if you watch Youtube you will see they are taking all sorts of bikes. Unfortunately no lock is going to stop them surrounding you while you ride.

In London they are stealing high-end cars not Hondas. We have a problem in my street right now where masked guys with knifes are knocking your front door just to get your car keys. The guy opposite me has an Audi and it has happened to him twice in a few weeks. They don't bother with me as I have a Toyota.

Which is my very point.

Bill x

You know most car factory security systems can be by passed pretty easy too.As early as 2006 you can break the steering column cut and connect a few wires and drive away.

Yes but will you make it to the end of the street ?

A tactic often used is to steal the vehicle then park it up somewhere tucked away to see if it's tracker gets activated and if nothing happens they go back for it.

Bastards.

Billx

What do any of these comments have to do with security devices you can buy for a scooter.......nothing!!