Alarms - don't bother

[dern]

I have an alarm on my blade and in the past I've recommended them. Yesterday I stopped at the services for petrol and a slash and then couldn't disarm the alarm because the keyfob was full of water. It's not for this reason I'm suggesting not bothering with an alarm it's simply that when I was eventually got going again some 15 hours later (see other thread about the bastard useless rac) it took the excellent local bike shop guy less time to by pass the alarm than it's taken you to read this far.

Don't bother unless it saves you a ton on your insurance as it's a waste of money.

Regards,

Mark

[m3psm]

Of everyone I know that has had their bike nicked over the last couple of years, all had an alarm fitted.

Mine is always chained to something with a hefty chain so it can't be simply lifted into a van and at home is chained to a ground anchor and watched over by two dogs

Because bikes are so exposed it's relatively easy (as your mechanic showed) to bypass or silence an alarm renedering them pretty useless and also subject to water ingress causing failure.

Like you say, use one if it makes a big difference to your insurance, but otherwise a good chain is a better investment in my opinion (and some dogs with big teeth )

[catso]

I only have a basic Alarm system that I fitted (so I know how to disable) which will let me know, when I'm nearby if someone is tampering with my bike, I see no point in an immobiliser as in the main they are just a problem waiting to happen & how many stolen bikes are actually ridden away, rather than put in a van?

Besides I rarely leave my bike out of sight if I'm out on it and when at home it's in a locked, alarmed garage with big f**koff chain and disc lock on it.

Never had a problem getting insurance, although it does exclude me from getting quotes from some insurance companies.

[RemaL]

my Fzaer came with a Datatool 3 alarm. works fine, but don't really need it as its either parked in my garage or works which both have alarms fitted to them. just pisses me off when it reb arms every 30 seconds

[sjtscott]

Totally agree 3rd party alarm/immobilisers are more trouble than they're worth. Only ever fitted for insurance reasons.
I absolutely hated the oversensitive movement sensor (which couldn't be adjusted suitably despite the literature saying it could) on the Datatool System3 on my gixxer600. Also it made f*** all difference to stop it being nicked

Had a datatool immobiliser on my aprilia falco that used to regularly strand me generally having used the bike and trying to restart it after filling it with fuel. At first I blamed the bike cos stuff used to fail all over the place on it, but dealer diagnosed the immobiliser. Circuit board had to be returned to datatool to be fixed leaving me without a bike to get to work on for over two weeks. Best one was the AA bloke who connected his massive jump starter battery to my bike and then shorted the live on the starter motor directly to the live terminal.. started the bike.. given enough amphours on a slave battery anyone could have overidden the useless immobiliser!!!! I'd add that the standard battery wouldn't start the bike using a similar direct connection.

R6 had an older Datatool Evo+ which was so much more liveable with day to day unlike the system3 movement sensor wise but the keyfobs started pissing me around so I ended up having to carry both just in case one wouldn't work. Batterys were fine they just both seems to randomly stop working.

My cbr600f has HISS and nothing else.. its perfect. Factory built system does the job perfectly with no poxy keyfobs to worry about failing or loosing. I'd struggle to replace the bike with one that didn't have a factory fit immobiliser now.

Edited by sjtscott on Saturday 16th June 15:23

[rumpelstiltskin]

I've had several bikes,this one i have just now is the first one to have an alarm/immobiliser(was on when i bought it),i personally hate the damn things.All stems back to when i was younger,i had a Renault 5 turbo,went into the petrol station,got petrol,back in car,immobiliser says no!Feck,put me off for life!If someone wants your bike bad enough,they'll get your bike,end of!