Modern Vespa

How do you secure your scooter if you are leaving it outside? I've read about a couple people here that have been victims of theft. I hate to think about the unthinkable.

Outside as in how?
No garage?
No secure place at work?
Worried about Carry Away while in a store?
Live in a high theft area?

If it's overnight I would go with a disc lock (pictured). This is just my preference, there will be plenty of options/opinions shared here

I know that scooters get stolen, but I have left them outside at hotels, restaurants and places of interest all over the US, Canada and Western Europe with no problems.

At home they are tucked away in a secure garage.

Bill

In the big city: a handle bar lock (C.L.M. blindado), a Piaggio alarm and a cover.

I should have clarified. I have a garage. I was more concerned with outside of a hotel, or shopping center. Thanks for the responses!

I use a wheel lock and grip lock.


Wheel lock

In strange parking lots overnight, my "full paranoia mode" is
- grip lock
- heavy "fuggetaboutit" type chain through rear wheel to the lock loop on left side
- cover with a wire cable locking it on
- parking spot with minimal cover for thieves to hide behind.

I also don't let it sit looking undisturbed in the same parking spot for more than 24 hours. Even if I just reposition it, move it a foot forward/backwards, or turn it around...keep it looking like it gets frequent attention.

The problem comes up when you are parking it outside overnight at the same place night after night. Once a band of thieves target your bike, they study how it is secured, what time is low traffic, etc... You need to secure it to something that can't be lifted off the ground with a cable or chain that can't easily be cut through.

This is what I use. Don't know if the cable will go thru a Vespa wheel.


Under the lock is my repair/tool kit and a cable.

This is where the black beater lives. The red devil lives in the van.

I use the same Xena Disc lock/motion alarm when I'm traveling out of town overnight.

Hopefully it is enough of a deterrent to dissuade casual thieves.

The measures you need to take depend where you live and your appetite for risk. I am a disc lock fan but I also rarely leave my scooter out of site in certain places I frequent.

It is highly location dependent.

Motorcycle theft isn't a big thing in San Francisco, and the ones that do get stolen tend to be more motorcycley than a Vespa. You'll sometimes see handprints on your handlebars or some of your switches flipped, but I've not known anyone to have an attempted theft, and I don't often see anti-theft devices on other motos parked on the street.

Disc brake alarm with a cord for visual, combined with defensive parking, you should be good