**Stolen 2013 CB1100**

[Nortoon_imp]

I guess I am just lucky. I have owned more than a dozen motorcycles during the 27 years I have ridden. I have never had a bike or any gear stolen.

When I returned to motorcycling 5 years ago I did put my helmet and gloves in my tank or tail bag when I stopped for breakfast or lunch. Out of sight, out of mind. Stealing them however would have been as easy as undoing the zipper.

When I am not riding my motorcycle is parked in the garage and locked. The tail bag has now been replaced with an inexpensive plastic helmet box bolted to my Honda rear rack.

[Houtman_imp]

The first time I took a motorcycle friend of mine from Israel to Barbers to the Vintage Days he could NOT believe how many helmets, boots , jackets etc. were just left on the parked bikes with nothing to lock them. He took pictures and send them right then to his friends back home to show how honest bikers are in America. I told them not everyone is honest but most bikers are. It made me feel proud ! He told me that back in Israel everything would be stolen very quickly.

[pdedse]

The first time I took a motorcycle friend of mine from Israel to Barbers to the Vintage Days he could NOT believe how many helmets, boots , jackets etc. were just left on the parked bikes with nothing to lock them. He took pictures and send them right then to his friends back home to show how honest bikers are in America. I told them not everyone is honest but most bikers are. It made me feel proud ! He told me that back in Israel everything would be stolen very quickly.

In '09 I rode my KLR650 to Mexico. Stopped at a gas station to fill up about a mile before a town where my friend and I wanted to stay. Filled bike, continued on to downtown area of the town. Found hotel, needed to pay up front so I reached for my backpack which had billfold, passport, camera, mc documentation...and it was not there! A sense of disbelief crashed upon me as I remember setting my backpack down and then got distracted by something my riding budding asked me. Well, this is Mexico...what are the chances it could still...never mind. But, why not go through the motions...got back on bike and headed back to gas station. Looked at where my bike was, yep, no backpack.

"I-am-totally-screwed". I get ready to head back to hotel to confirm the bad news to my friend but I decide to head inside of gas station to ask by chance...yeah, right. I open door and ask the lady, and she says "oh yes, I saw you leave your backpack and so I went out and set it on the bench outside so that you could find easily find it" ....you mean, it's outside on the bench (why didn't you just hold onto it?, I want to scream). Fat chance it's still there...I walk outside, and.....there it is. Yeah, but is there anything inside? ....... Open backpack and there's my billfold, my passport, my camera, my mc docs...everything is still there, some 30 minutes after leaving it on the ground in the middle of a gas station and then sitting unattended on a bench.

You would think I would have learned: at a later point in my trip while still in Mexico, I would leave the same backpack--this time with less valuable items at least--on the back of chair of an outdoor restaurant, return three hours later, and the backpack was still there! Never felt so lucky!

A week after I got home (Oregon) from my MX trip, left my KLR in the college parking lot where I work and where dozens and dozens of people are constantly walking about. After work, I walk out to my bike and someone has stolen a custom made aluminum muffler guard off my bike, which they had to loosen three bolts to take. My first thought: "this never would have happened in Mexico!"

[the Ferret]

great story pdedse

Houtman..I often leave my helmet and jacket and tank bag just sitting on the bike when I go into a restaurant, and rarely lock the forks. My brother would never do that, he locks up everything, plus he carries a gun (CCPholder). He doesn't trust ANYONE.

[Rocky_imp]

pdedse, I can only imagine the absolute panic you must have felt at losing all your documents in a foreign country.
Your luck certainly was with you to get everything back intact - almost a miracle I would say.
I've travelled to many foreign countries over the years and guarding my documents is bordering on an obsession with me - but not to the point where I didn't have fun and enjoy myself.
When we were in South America, for example, we were constantly told to not turn your back on anything or it will disappear almost instantly.

[Houtman_imp]

great story pdedse

Houtman..I often leave my helmet and jacket and tank bag just sitting on the bike when I go into a restaurant, and rarely lock the forks. My brother would never do that, he locks up everything, plus he carries a gun (CCPholder). He doesn't trust ANYONE.

I have often found that the people whom carry a gun are still the most scared !

[GoldOxide_imp]

Varies greatly with region.

One can't compare the urban hustle of Rome to the back roads of North America. In Rome the backpack would be gone, or blown up by police.

For years I left the motorcycles, including the CB under a canvas cover winter through summer. No theft nor vandalism. But again, depends on the region ... and possibly some luck. The house I live in was once a victim to break and entry, right where the CB would be. So it can happen, it just hasn't for me. It also helps that there are bigger houses with bigger cars and faster motorcycles for would-be thieves to relish.

My experience is Mexicans are gentle, kind and passionate people. But like all societies, there are sub-groups who are desperate, and some down right evil. I'd say use commonsense and be done with it - sleep at night.

[peterbaron]

Peterbaron, oddly enough, I was seriously considering Xena. I use Revzilla A LOT for my gear because of their great shipping and return policies, and had watched the Xena product video there. Then I found Utube videos about false alarms, and difficulties disarming within the allotted time problems. Ultimately I went with Bully Premium mechanical disc locks. I also decided that it would be best for me to have the alarm on the bike, and separate from the disc locks due to situations like the one in your link where the disc lock was broken off. In my research I found that just about all all disc locks are cast. I also found that, like any other deterrent, they can all be defeated ( broken) if the person knows what he is doing. If you have been happy with your locks to this point, I would not worry about it because with the right how to knowledge, yours are no more or less secure than mine.

2017EX, thanks for you feedback and I agree 100% with your statement.
I can only protect my bike from stealing to the certain point, and always travel and park my bike in "good" places = this is the best I can do for my bike and myself.
If I caught a thief tempering with my bike, the justice would be served right on the spot, regardless of the further consequences = hope this will never happen..

[Houtman_imp]

Peterbaron, oddly enough, I was seriously considering Xena. I use Revzilla A LOT for my gear because of their great shipping and return policies, and had watched the Xena product video there. Then I found Utube videos about false alarms, and difficulties disarming within the allotted time problems. Ultimately I went with Bully Premium mechanical disc locks. I also decided that it would be best for me to have the alarm on the bike, and separate from the disc locks due to situations like the one in your link where the disc lock was broken off. In my research I found that just about all all disc locks are cast. I also found that, like any other deterrent, they can all be defeated ( broken) if the person knows what he is doing. If you have been happy with your locks to this point, I would not worry about it because with the right how to knowledge, yours are no more or less secure than mine.

2017EX, thanks for you feedback and I agree 100% with your statement.
I can only protect my bike from stealing to the certain point, and always travel and park my bike in "good" places = this is the best I can do for my bike and myself.
If I caught a thief tempering with my bike, the justice would be served right on the spot, regardless of the further consequences = hope this will never happen..

2017EX, thanks for you feedback and I agree 100% with your statement.
I can only protect my bike from stealing to the certain point, and always travel and park my bike in "good" places = this is the best I can do for my bike and myself.
If I caught a thief tempering with my bike, the justice would be served right on the spot, regardless of the further consequences = hope this will never happen..
You are right , a dead person will no longer trying to steal your bike !

[Stichill_imp]

Theft requires opportunity and motivation. If either is missing, theft doesn't occur.