So my fork lock is malfunctioning and I have a trip coming up. If you use a disc lock for security, which one do you use?
ABUS Granit Detecto X-Plus 8000 with alarm. Also got the chain so lock 2 of my bikes together. Only downside is the weight so for travel a smaller one maybe would be better but it does make mesleep well. http://www.abus.com/eng/Mobile-Secu...r/Brake-disc-locks/Granit-Detecto-X-Plus-8000
I have an older Xena (14 mm locking pin) It's like the XN15 but not stainless steel. It has an alarm. It does give you peace of mind. I found the alarm feature to be more of an annoyance as it would go off too easily and often go off as I was trying to put the key in to unlock it. I gave up on the alarm feature. I'd not recommend that. Also mine was not stainless steel and it does get a little rusty. It left a rust stain in the package rack of my Suzuki which is where I would lock it for travelling. I'd spring for the extra money to get a stainless steel one. Also come up with some with some foolproof feature to keep you from forgetting it. It cost me a $225 dollar rotor on my Ural when I tried to leave with it locked in place. Now I take a bandana with me and tie it around my grip and clutch lever. When I come back I think "what darned fool tied that there" and when I remember I also remember that I have the disc lock on. It also takes a few seconds to untie the bandana which reinforces my thought time.
How badly does this fellow want to steal your bike that's he come equipped with pressurized gas and tools? Disc locks are generally to prevent someone a theft of opportunity. Some schlub walks by your hotell room and sees your bike, rolls it away. Otherwise I have a cordless grinder at work that, with a zip disc, will make quick work of most any lock/chain. I have also ridden off with a disc lock installed-- on the front wheel. It doesn't flip you over, like you'd think, first it sucks the disc lock past the fork leg and bends the tar out of your rotor. Then the disc lock rolls around until it hits the caliper so the motor stalls. If you're lucky, you can perform this display of idiocy in front about a pub and about a dozen patrons, all off their faces. Be sure and do it on your buddy's WR426 (no key, thus the disclock) with a wide open FMF exhaust. Also, make sure it isn't tuned for piss and won't start even after kicking it 55 times. I would have been less exhausted and my knee would feel better had I just pushed that lump back to his house.
1. Use a disc lock reminder cord. It cost a few dollars and prevents making a a** of yourself riding off with the disc lock in place. 2. Disc lock works - generally. Its pretty hard to defeat. Freon can and hammer _might_ break it, but it will also warp the rotor to the point of not able to ride. 3. A determined thief can quickly bypass and/or disable _any_ security system, including disc lock. I personally use the Xena alarmed disc lock with reminder cord. Every little bit of deterrence works for me. If I accidentally trip the alarm while unlocking the disc lock, so be it. If it's tripped in the dead silence in the middle of the night, I know what caused it and thats what matters. I've had enough bikes stolen with the disc lock to know what works and what don't.
This is what I'm looking at. http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/abus-quick-maxi-and-mini-brake-disc-lock
I use a Kryptonite lock through the disc, preferably attached to something else with their "noose" chain. http://www.kryptonitelock.com/Pages/ProductInformation.aspx?PNumber=999546 I like their locks because it's easier to carry it attached to something on the outside of the bike, like a passenger peg bracket, or a grab rail. No need to remove the seat, or go digging through a case or bags to find it. The easier it is to get to, the more you'll use it. On my key ring I carry a small yellow ziptie. Before I put the lock on, the ziptie gets inserted into my ignition lock. I remove the lock from my disc before I remove the ziptie. Stops those hilarious (for your friends) little episodes.
I use this one http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/abus-granit-victory-x-plus-68-chain-lock Disk Lock fits under the seat of my Triumph when not in use and the reminder cord means I haven't yet tried to ride off with it. I occasionally use the chain that attaches to it for when I want to attach the bike to something (depending on where I am and the risk of carry-off theft). It's not cheap I know and maybe just the disklock would work for you. I tend to overkill
Thats a little more than I want to spend, however I am looking at the same lock that you have with the reminder cord shown. It has great reviews as well. I really dont need a chain as it will only be used when away from home over night.
I own a 2012 Tiger 800 XC. The pin that extends from the ignition lock to the top triple clamp does not extend far enough. My dealer is working with Triumph to get it resolved but I have a trip coming up earlier than when it can be repaired so I need a disc lock for the two nights we are moteling it. The other nights we will camp. Just a little extra insurance for the road.
I keep all my bikes outside and use disc locks on each, so I've tried a few. Some quick suggestionts: Firstly, make sure to use a lock reminder cable or something else, as others have mentioned. I haven't damaged any braking equipment yet, but broke a fairing. Which on my former Ducati cost more than a new wave rotor ($375 for half a front fender...really?) Secondly, put the lock on the rear disc if possible. For many motorcycles, this makes the lock harder to defeat. Less chance of someone swapping out a tire or removing a disc vice the front. Nothing says "son of a bi-" like finding your disc rotor with lock attached sitting in a pile of bolts. YMMV on mounting location, though. Third, skip the alarmed locks. Many of these locks use LED's or lasers with a mirror to detect vibration or movement. Such mirrors are prone to condensation and fogging resulting in false alarms. Plus if you get a model that doesn't have a remote or decent RFID proximity badge in the key, it can tend to go off while disarming it (as some others have mentioned). Kryptonite brand disc locks are pretty good bang for your buck. You might have to fiddle with getting the key through the anti-picking mechanisim, but they're less expensive than the Xena counterparts. I've been using one on my CBR for 1.5 years exposed to the elements year round. Dropped, banged, and generally abused it still functions fine and without rust. I've found Xena locks to be the best, specifically the ones with dual arms (forget the model name/number off hand). They lock/unlock easy and the anti-picking mechanisim lines up easy. I've had one exposed year round for, well, a year and again, no issues. Bit more expensive than a Kryptonite and I'd go with one if you're going to use it frequently, but for a few one-off days a cheaper Kryptonite would be fine. Trimax locks are...enh. They're really inexpensive ($14 for a 5.5mm pin, short throat on Amazon right now) but don't appear as secure as a dual arm Xena. I've had two models -- the 5.5mm short neck and 10mm long neck. The short neck model I have to putz with frequently. The key goes in fine, but it sometimes just doesn't seem to want to release or set the pins right. I haven't had it that long, and it does seem to be working in with use. By contrast the long neck model was easy on, easy off. Even more so than the Xena. Maybe I got a dud on the shortie. All models have a little cap that folds over the key mechanisim to keep out contaminants. It's nice, but a little cheap and gets in the way at times. Trimaxes include a reminder cable and the master key has a built-in red LED for finding the lock at night while retaining your night vision. Anyway. For infrequent use I'd prolly go with a standard Kryptonite (which include reminder cables, IIRC) or a Trimax if you just want to save money. $15 for everything you need to use one or two days is hard to beat and is plenty to ward off a casual theft. A Xena XX or dual arm model I'd vote for the best, but they're pricey.
I bought a Kryptonite 5mm stapler style disc lock and reminder cable for less than $35 a few months back. It fits the vent holes on my rear disc just right and I run the reminder cable up and across my seat. Sure, a few guys could just lift my RC51 into a truck or van, but for thieves that prefer to ride off on their loot, this will hopefully cause enough pause to pass.
