So what gets stolen in London!
Discussion
I can tell you what doesn't get stolen
Moto Guzzi Griso (or similar) I bought one that had been parked outside in central London for 3 years
He just had a chain around the front wheel, not locked to anything
He reckoned most thieves wouldn't know what it was and he didn't clean it so it wasn't nice and shiney
No I shouldn't have bought it but I was surprised that it had stood up to such mistreatment so well
Moto Guzzi Griso (or similar) I bought one that had been parked outside in central London for 3 years
He just had a chain around the front wheel, not locked to anything
He reckoned most thieves wouldn't know what it was and he didn't clean it so it wasn't nice and shiney
No I shouldn't have bought it but I was surprised that it had stood up to such mistreatment so well
Scooters, the bigger they are the more attractive. Round my way people won't cover a TMax 500 or the Honda big scooters. The PCX is perennially popular with the light of finger too.
Dirt bikes - small ones - as they can be bounced up and down kerbs and across grass to outrun The Bill.
Also sports bikes as they're always attractive for parts. That said there's a house locally that's got two Fireblades in the front garden, although whether one of then run must be debatable...
It almost boils down to what street you live on. I've got a Brixton postcode yet so far never had any issues, and I used to park a Ducati on the road. But if you lived in the Isle of Dogs, Bermondsey, or New Addington, good luck keeping anything...
Dirt bikes - small ones - as they can be bounced up and down kerbs and across grass to outrun The Bill.
Also sports bikes as they're always attractive for parts. That said there's a house locally that's got two Fireblades in the front garden, although whether one of then run must be debatable...
It almost boils down to what street you live on. I've got a Brixton postcode yet so far never had any issues, and I used to park a Ducati on the road. But if you lived in the Isle of Dogs, Bermondsey, or New Addington, good luck keeping anything...
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I had a hard time selling my T Max as it seemed to be getting uninsurable. I eventually shifted it by dropping the price massively. The young fella that bought tried to insure it via phone after buying it off me but was getting quotes of £3000 up so he rode off without insuring it.
I reckon most scooters in London ridden by young people are not insured.
How on earth do the food delivery guys get hire and reward insurance, mmmm.
croyde said:
How on earth do the food delivery guys get hire and reward insurance, mmmm.
I don't think the scooter theft risk is big as it is made out, as mopeds with basic locks/no locks are everywhere. As the food delivery drivers can't work without one and would lose pay, they wouldn't be so casual if the risk was higher.Imagine there are hotshots.
Edited by hyphen on Tuesday 23 March 09:55
Stuart Fordyce said:
New Addington, good luck keeping anything...
I took a wrong turn near Biggin Hill a few years back on my KTM 690 Enduro & ended up in New Addington. One of the few places I've felt properly intimidated. There seemed to be eyes on every street corner sizing me up. I got out as fast as possible, involving jumping several red lights. What a relief to reach the safety of Croydon!!!Iminquarantine said:
What model of Ducati did you have and any problems? I’m contemplating a 3-5 year old Multistrada. It would need to street park in Westminster and City of London occasionally.
2005 Multistrada 1000S (the air cooled one). I used to live next to a council estate in Stockwell and park it in St. James' Square in Mayfair for work. Never had an issue...probably because it used to be so unreliable! Edited by Iminquarantine on Tuesday 23 March 08:34
Biker 1 said:
I took a wrong turn near Biggin Hill a few years back on my KTM 690 Enduro & ended up in New Addington. One of the few places I've felt properly intimidated. There seemed to be eyes on every street corner sizing me up. I got out as fast as possible, involving jumping several red lights. What a relief to reach the safety of Croydon!!!
I assume you are taking the piss? I commuted to Croydon for 18 months for my sins. There are far more intimidating parts. I always felt twitchy on the Purley Way. New Addington was sun lit uplands 
Was back in Central London pre lock down. Some of the rat runs down parts of the old Kent road and New Cross.. now that is iffy after dark on two wheels.
I would hazard a guess that anything twist and go or dct will be a big target.
No offence, but it must be thoroughly s
t living down there. Fancy not being able to just buy and ride what you like.
I guess if you grew up there and all your family and friends are there, then it must be hard to leave, but I wouldn’t live there for all the money in the world.
Different strokes for different folks I guess.
t living down there. Fancy not being able to just buy and ride what you like. I guess if you grew up there and all your family and friends are there, then it must be hard to leave, but I wouldn’t live there for all the money in the world.
Different strokes for different folks I guess.
marky911 said:
No offence, but it must be thoroughly st living down there. Fancy not being able to just buy and ride what you like.
I guess if you grew up there and all your family and friends are there, then it must be hard to leave, but I wouldn’t live there for all the money in the world.
Different strokes for different folks I guess.
I've lived in London all my life, nearly 60 years, it wasn't always like that. t living down there. Fancy not being able to just buy and ride what you like. I guess if you grew up there and all your family and friends are there, then it must be hard to leave, but I wouldn’t live there for all the money in the world.
Different strokes for different folks I guess.
I used to live in a much rougher area in the 80/90s and had all sorts of nice motorbikes parked outside my converted flat in a rundown set of old terraced houses.
Even a VFR400, and they were never touched.
Only bike I had stolen back then was my brand new 1988 CBR600 but that was nicked in the South of France.
Insurance was never a shocker despite spending some time as a dispatch rider and all you really needed was the steering lock, not the tons of chains you need now.
I first started having trouble around 2009 when I returned to biking after a bad crash in 2003.
I had a new Triumph Street Triple which was forever getting damaged by attempted thefts whether outside my place in a much nicer part of London or parked in the centre when working.
I had enough by 2015 when I had spent a lot on more repairs and parked it up in my street when it got hit by a car during the night.
I got rid and a friend sold me her Vespa 300. It was peanuts to insure then but year after year the premiums went up alarmingly.
Mates were having their bikes nicked left right and centre.
It's become an epidemic.
Last year 3rd party only for my Vespa was over £400 but I've now moved to the outskirts and have a garage and it's dropped to only £80, what I was paying parked outside back in London when I first got it in 2015.
HairyMaclary said:
I assume you are taking the piss? I commuted to Croydon for 18 months for my sins. There are far more intimidating parts. I always felt twitchy on the Purley Way. New Addington was sun lit uplands
Was back in Central London pre lock down. Some of the rat runs down parts of the old Kent road and New Cross.. now that is iffy after dark on two wheels.
I would hazard a guess that anything twist and go or dct will be a big target.
What possible bits of Purley Way are worse than New Addington? Only bits of Borough of Croydon that could potentially rival it for grim are the area to the direct north of West Croydon station, and Thornton Heath on Whitehorse Road. Still not Addo though...Was back in Central London pre lock down. Some of the rat runs down parts of the old Kent road and New Cross.. now that is iffy after dark on two wheels.
I would hazard a guess that anything twist and go or dct will be a big target.
I had the same concerns about my new to me bike , it was alarmed with an alarmed disc lock on each disc and an Oxford Beast huge chain and lock , I too live in London , a supposedly nicer part but the scrotes know where to find the nice stuff and keyless entry cars get stolen nightly around here . In a fit of paranoia I contemplated buying a petrol chainsaw to frighten away any thieves , ( the plan was to get outside with it as soon as I heard an angle grinder noise).But I found a storage site with 24hr cctv and guard and rent a shipping container to keep it in. I sleep much better now
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