Motorbikes are at a disproportionate risk of theft, with two wheeled vehicles eleven times more likely to be stolen than cars. Because of this, it’s absolutely crucial to take appropriate measures to keep your bike as safe as possible – whether you’re at home, at work or out and about. 

Our full buyer’s guide to motorcycle security is here to help you figure out the steps you can take to protect your motorcycle or scooter from opportunist, determined and professional thieves.

More bikes are stolen in the UK than are bought new, and you only have to leave your bike alone for a few seconds for a thief to nab it.  

However, it becomes significantly harder for your bike to be stolen when you take appropriate security measures. 

The physical presence of security measures – such as chain locks and ground anchors – will act as a physical deterrent to an opportunistic thief, who may move on to an easier target. 

With £3 million worth of two wheelers stolen from UK streets every month, any motorbike could be at risk of being stolen. 

If you live in an urban area your bike is also much more likely to be stolen – particularly in Central London commuting hotspots. Lower powered motorcycles are also more likely to be stolen than heavier bikes, according to Insight Security. 

Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki are the most likely bikes to be stolen, with thefts of those four makes accounting for over 85% of thefts.

With so many options on the market, it can be hard to know what the right motorbike security measures for you are. In this guide, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of the most popular strategies for securing your bike, so you can feel reassured that you’re doing everything you can to protect it. 

If you want to keep your motorcycle as secure as possible, it’s important to choose high quality equipment.

For your peace of mind, we recommend buying products that are Sold Secure verified – products that have been assessed through manual attack testing. 

The products that meet the standards required will receive a Sold Secure Approved quality mark and a rating of Bronze, Silver, Gold or Diamond:

• Bronze: Offers theft resistance against a basic tool list, and is aimed at preventing opportunist crime. 
• Silver: Offers theft resistance against an enhanced tool list, and is aimed at preventing a more determined attack.
• Gold: Offers theft resistance against a dedicated tool list to prevent more dedicated attacks.
• Diamond: The highest level of theft resistance, including the use of specialist tools to prevent the most destructive attacks. 

You can easily find products approved by Sold Secure on their website. 

 

A ground anchor is a great way to stop thieves stealing your bike when it’s at home or potentially at your workplace.

There are two types of ground anchors available: Bolt-In Ground anchors (which are fixed onto a concrete surface) and sink into concrete anchors (which are embedded within a concrete base).

Ground anchors provide the motorcycle with a secure mount to a building or floor base, and allow you to attach a chain and lock. 

However, it’s important to note that they are not designed to be moved once installed, so make sure you’re happy with the placement!

By providing a secure and immovable point for your motorcycle, a ground anchor means that someone can’t just lift it into a van or trailer. This increases the time and effort it would take to steal your motorbike, acting as a visual deterrent to an opportunistic thief. 

Best overall bolt-in ground anchor: The Mammoth Security Bolt-In Ground Anchor is manufactured from hardened steel and boasts a twin layer design to increase protection. It’s suitable for indoor and outdoor use, and is Sold Secure Gold Grade. 

Price: £36.94 (RRP £59.99)

Best budget bolt-in ground anchor: The Oxford Task Force Ground and Wall Anchor Kit is a compact ground anchor suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Also Sold Secure Gold verified, it can resist attack from angle grinders, hammers and saws and is ideal for high traffic settings, as it can be driven over when the shackle is laid flat. 

Price: 28.50 (RRP £39.99)

Best overall concrete anchor: Mammoth’s Ground Anchor Concrete In is a heavy-duty ground anchor designed to be sunk into new concrete. Sold Secure Gold rated, it’s made from hardened steel and has a rotating head that allows easy access for a chain. 

Price: £69.99

Best budget concrete anchor: The Oxford TerraForce Ground Anchor allows up to 14mm chain links, and has been Sold Secure Gold Verified. This ground anchor is easy to secure and should keep your bike solidly in place.

Price: £42.64 (RRP £69.99)

 

A bike chain will help you keep your bike secure both at home and on the go.

To use, simply thread the chain tightly through the rear wheel of the bike, and secure it to something solid like a lamppost. 

Remember to make sure that your chain isn’t too long or loose on the floor, as thieves could potentially smash the lock and chain – as any slack will make it easier to smash or cut it. 

Motorcycle chain locks will make it significantly more time consuming for a potential thief to steal a motorbike – especially when they are securing your bike to an immovable object like a ground anchor or lamppost. 

Thieves are often looking for a quick and easy theft, but a chain locked to an immovable object will slow them down and make your bike less desirable.  

Best overall heavy-duty bike chain: The Squire Leviathan SS80CS Padlock and 22mm chain is Sold Secure Diamond and is extremely resistant to all forms of attack. Made of solid hardened steel, its total weight is 18.04kg.

Price: £549.99

Best budget heavy-duty bike chain: Oxford’s Hardcore XC 13 Chain and Padlock has a double locking mechanism and a sleeve to protect your paintwork. It’s Sold Secure Gold verified, and is drill, saw, bolt cropper and sledgehammer resistant.

Price: Between £66.61 and £85.25 depending on length.  

Best overall portable motorbike chain: The Oxford HD MAX Chain Lock has a Sold Secure Gold rating and is strong and lightweight, with a tough double locking padlock and 12mm chain length  thickness. 

Price: £74.99

Best budget portable motorbike chain: The ABUS Steel-O-chain Iven 8210/110 Moto is made of special hardened steel, and offers a high-quality locking cylinder that cannot easily be tampered with. It’s also got a Sold Secure Silver rating

Price: £63.75

 

A motorcycle D-Lock (also known as a U-Lock) can be a great, high-security option for keeping your bike safe.

Typically, a D-Lock will come in two parts: the shackle, which is made up of hardened steel and a retaining bar - locking the mechanism into place. 

When using a D-Lock, make sure to secure it to a fixed object like a lamppost or sturdy fence to keep your bike as safe as possible. 

The design of a D-Lock makes it largely resistant to common theft methods like saws and bolt cutters, and their shape makes it challenging for a thief to get a decent grip. Many D-Locks also often feature double deadlocks and anti-rotation locking systems, which can make your bike even harder to steal. 

Best overall heavy duty D-Lock: The Hiplok D1000 D-Lock is Sold Secure Diamond verified and has been proven to withstand sustain angle-grinder attacks at least 20x longer than a standard D-lock. With a square profile, it would need two cuts to remove the lock, making it one of the strongest bike locks on the market. 

Price: £249.99

Best budget heavy duty D-Lock: Sold Secure Diamond verified, the Litelok X1 is made of Barronium composite armour, and boasts an anti-rotation feature for protection against twisting attacks. For our insights into this D-lock, read our review. 

Price: £149.99

Best overall portable U-Lock: Hiplock’s DX D-Lock is one of the lightest Sold Secure Gold bike locks available. With a shackle made of premium hardened steel, it can withstand the toughest of attacks while still being able to clip onto your bag. 

Price: £79.99 

Best budget portable U-Lock: The Oxford Alarm-D Lock is a Sold Secure Gold motorbike lock not only has a high-tech pick-resistant locking system, but also boasts a loud 120dB alarm siren. That’s as loud as a  jet plane taking off at close range! 

Price: £44.11 (RRP £59.99)

 

If you’re looking for an additional level of security to your bike, an alarm could be the perfect option – but make sure to select one that is either Thatcham or Sold Secure approved. 

These motorbike alarm systems work by ringing out when the motorcycle is started without a key, which can give you a level of reassurance when parking your motorcycle on the street. 

However, you should always have an alarm professionally installed, as a doing it yourself may affect your motorcycle warranty.

Some more advanced alarms may include:

• A GPS tracker
• Motion sensors
• Remote engine disconnect

A loud alarm will act as a deterrent to a thief, and are designed to trigger at the slightest disturbance. Combining an alarm with a tracker can enhance your security, but it’s best to keep them hidden. 

A visible alarm may scare off an opportunistic thief, but a more determined one may remove or disable it. Luckily, many alarms are designed to be well-hidden. 

Best overall alarm: Datatool’s Evo compact alarm offers customisable sensitivity and will automatically rearm itself if someone tries to disarm the alarm and the engine isn’t started within 30 seconds. This alarm has also been certified by Thatcham, giving you additional peace of mind. 

Price: £114.99

Best budget alarm: The BikeTek 12V Remote Motorcycle Alarm is easy to self-install, with a 125db dual-tone siren, compact sensor module and a vehicle finder function. 

Price:£49.99

A tracker, once attached to your bike, will allow you to track your motorbikes whereabouts on your phone or computer. While this won’t stop your bike from being stolen, it can help you get it back much faster. 

Trackers are designed to be well-hidden, so while they won’t deter a thief, they will make it significantly more likely that you will find your bike after it has been stolen.

Make sure you place it somewhere well-hidden though, as thieves have a tendency to rip the seat off first when looking for a tracker!

Best overall tracker: Biketrac allows you to view your bike’s journey history 24/7, and will notify you of any unauthorised movements. With a recovery rate of over 90%, Biketrac has recovered over £10m worth of stolen machines during its operating history.

Price: £299 for the unit, with a yearly subscription of £99

Best budget tracker: The Monimoto 9 is a smart GPS tracker designed for motorcycles. Rather than sending you notifications, it will call your phone immediately if any unauthorised movement is detected, and its battery lasts up to 12 months per charge.

Price: £149 for the unit, yearly subscription £36

 

Used around the disc brake and the wheel, disc locks are designed to prevent thieves from making a speedy getaway with your motorcycle be wheeling them away. Due to their lightweight and compact nature, they stop the wheel from turning and can slow a potential thief down.

One thing to remember about disc locks is that they’re best used alongside other security measures. They don’t secure your bike to an object and can be relatively easy to bypass with the right tools. 

So, while a disc lock is an incredibly useful piece of kit, you will need to consider multiple levels of security to keep your bike safe. 

By immobilising the wheel, disc locks can be very effective against a thief looking for a bike they can quickly roll away. The prominence of a disc lock is also a helpful visual deterrent, as it can quickly signal that your bike is secured. 

For an additional level of security, some disc locks have alarms that are triggered when the disc lock is tampered with. 

Best overall Disc Lock: Sold Secure Diamond rated, Oxford’s 16mm Beast Disc Lock is strong and durable, with a hardened steel rotating locking pin that’s able to resist angle grinder attacks and also features an anti-pick design.

Price: £99

Best budget Disc Lock: Another offering from Oxford, the Oxford Boss Alarmed Disc Lock is an ultra-strong, Sold Secure Gold rated disc lock with a 100db alarm that has a unique double locking mechanism that makes it even more secure.

Price: £51.43

 

Another incredibly useful security tool when storing your motorbike at home, garage door defenders prevent the door from tilting, allowing it to be pried open. 

Garage door defenders can make a real difference if a thief has been scoping out your bike for some time, as it will make your garage more resistant to a forced entry. Additionally, they can act as a visual deterrent, stopping a thief from even attempting to break in. 

Best overall garage door defender: The Master Lock Heavy Duty Garage Door Lock offers a high level of resistance to the effects of cutting, and its 6-pin cylinder provides a stronger level of protection against picking. Sold Secure Bronze, this garage door lock is weatherproof, and fits most types of garage door. 

Price: £100

Best budget garage door defender: Burton’s Garage Guard is designed to protect up and over garage doors. Sold Secure Bronze verified, this is a great physical and visual deterrent for thieves. 

Price: £50.40

Ideally, you want to be securing your bike inside a garage or another secure, climate controlled space. If you don’t have any secure bike storage, a waterproof cover can also help protect it. 

Alongside that, you want to be using a combination of security measures like a heavy duty chain, a disc lock and a ground anchor when storing your motorbike overnight. 

Storing your bike for longer? Read our guide to storing your motorcycle in the winter.

The Metropolitan Police recommends a multi-layered approach to securing your bike. This includes using a chain through the back wheel and securing your bike to an immovable item such as a lamppost. 

Using a disc lock can secure your bike even further, and throwing a cover over the top can make your bike less appealing to potential thieves. 

For the most up to date security advice, visit the Metropolitan Police’s website. 

When at home, the best place to keep your motorbike or scooter is in a garage or shed. 

However, there are steps you can take to make this more secure, such as fitting a garage door defender, upgrading your garage door locks and installing a garage alarm. 

When securing your motorbike within your garage make sure to take additional security measures, including the use of a ground anchor, chain and disc lock. Combined, this should make stealing your motorbike significantly more challenging.
 
There are also specific motorcycle shed solutions available, which have been designed with motorbikes in mind. Many of these have been approved by the police, giving you additional peace of mind. 

While it’s best to park your motorbike in a secure indoor space, you can still protect it when it’s parked outside. Try to park in a well-lit high traffic area, as this will make it harder for a thief to attempt to steal your bike without drawing attention. If possible, secure your bike to an immovable object. 

The most straightforward advice to keeping your bike safe while parked outside is the Met Police’s, ‘Lock, Chain, Cover,’ as mentioned above. Simply use a disc lock to help secure the front break disc, a chain lock through the back wheel and a cover so your bike is less attractive to thieves. 

If you're not sure which motorbike cover is right for you, you can read our guide to motorbike covers for a more in depth look at the options out there. 

Of course, additional security measures are always welcomed, but this approach will help keep your bike safer while parked outside. 

In addition to the main security measures, there are many precautions you can take to try and prevent theft. These include: 

A motorbike’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is your bike’s unique 17-character code that serves as a serial number. 

This is used for identification during registration, insurance and checking the history of a bike. You can find the VIN stamped on your bike, typically near the steering head, or on your registration document. 

Registering your bike’s VIN with Immobilise will make its information searchable by the police, improving your chances of recovering it. 

Not only can CCTV or motion sensor lights deter potential thieves, it can also help you get your bike back if theft does occur. Being able to monitor your bike remotely can also give you peace of mind if you’re away.

Even something as simple as a Ring Doorbell could potentially be helpful, as they can be relatively straightforward to install and easy to monitor, as it can send notifications directly to your phone. 

Assessed by police and the British Parking Association, a Park Mark car park is a parking facility that meets high standards of safety and security. 

The scheme aims to reduce crime, and any car park within the scheme undergoes a rigorous assessment focused on measured like surveillance, lighting, signage and cleanliness. For more location-specific guidance, you can read our guide to motorcycle parking in UK cities.

You can find your nearest Park Mark car park by visiting the official website. 

If there’s not a Park Mark car park near you, keep an eye out for a well-lit carpark, ideally one on the busier side. By taking security measures – such as securing your bike to an immovable object, using a chain and disc lock and covering it – you can make your bike less desirable to opportunistic thieves. 

If you’re unsure of where to park your bike, read our blog post on parking your motorcycle in UK cities. 

Even when taking all the necessary precautions, we still recommend not leaving your bike alone for too long, and staying aware of your surroundings.

Thieves will target bikes even when left alone for just a few moments – like when you’re paying for fuel at a petrol station. Using equipment like chains, D-locks and alarms will help to deter thieves, but ultimately these methods are not foolproof. 

There is no way to guarantee that your motorbike won’t be stolen, but keeping a close eye on it could make a big difference to its safety.

Some security devices may reduce your insurance premium; different insurers will have different qualifying criteria. You can check with your insurance provider at the quoting stage what specific security devices could offer you a discount to your premium.

For Third Party, Fire and Theft (TPFT) and Comprehensive cover, insurers will also require a certain level of security to reduce your risk of theft. Whenever you bike is not in use you will need to meet the insurers specific security requirements or in the event of a theft your claim may be invalidated.

So there you have it – our comprehensive guide to motorcycle security.

But before you go, having the right level of insurance coverage is also crucial in protecting your motorcycle. When it comes to getting insurance, make sure to get a quote direct with Lexham!