Auxiliary Light Theft Deterrence

[learnin4life]

I'm acquiring a set of Clearwater Krista auxiliary lights through the group buy in effect through 3/30/13. Truthfully, I look forward to installing them on the bike, but have a nagging concern that these farkles are only attached by a bolt and a wire. How long would it take a passerby with a hankering for some new lights to loosen a nut, cut a wire, and relive me of nearly $600? I'm guessing a lot less time than it took for me to earn the money to buy them. I realize insurance may cover the cost of some of the loss, but I'm interested in whether anyone here might know of a proactive option that could at least slow down, if not completely frustrate a would-be thief. Do special bolts, nuts, etc. exist that could address my concern? What steps have you taken to reduce the ease of theft of bolt-on farkles?

I would appreciate you sharing your experience on this topic.

 

[Ignacio]

Bike cover.

Safety wire bolts.

Park in lower risk areas.

 

[TomInPA]

So far theft has not been as big a problem as a low-side crash to the ownership of Kristas. Its not that it couldn't happen, but so far, I don't recall hearing of a single theft. I think most people don't know what they are, and these are not sought after accessories by the cruiser crowd. Just watch out for those Beemer owners.

 

[Canadian FJR]

I've had lights on mine for a while now and theft was never a concern. You could put a litle JB weld on the bolt after it is all snugged up. The bike cover really is a great security item. I'm a believer in Out of sight, Out of mind.

Canadian FJR

 

[Bounce]

Same here. Aux lights on bikes since 1997 and never an issue. Safety wire is a reasonable idea if there's a concern. A half cover packs in the size of a soda can, in relatively inexpensive, and does an excellent job of protecting the bike and disinteresting prying eyes.

https://www.fjr-tips.org/acc/tk/tk.html

 

[SacramentoMike]

You could probably find some nuts with an oddball head, like the special bolts they use to keep vandals from disassembling the stall panels in public washrooms, (tho WHY anybody would do that, I can't even guess). Maybe Torx heads or something similar. Safety wire would yield to the same pair of wire cutters your thief was using on the electrical wires.

There are those proximity alarms that start chirping when anybody even gets too close to your bike, and others that go off if it's moved or jiggled at all. Still, there's other stuff on most bikes that could be removed, often more easily, and we don't hear too much about "things" being stolen off them here on the forum, and I'm sure we would if it happened to one of us.

By the way, I've dropped my bike (not a low-side, just one of those careless drops) and the Kristas were fine. And plus one on a cover--or half cover.

 

[learnin4life]

Thanks guys. I do like the half cover idea. That deterrent would be easy to implement on road trips. The JB Weld thought might work too (just not sure how to undue that one when I may want to move the lights).

Its good to hear theft has not been a frequently reported problem on this site. Maybe I'm trying to find a cure for a problem that is only between my ears.

 

[redtail]

+1 on the cover.... fits in a stuff sack that's about 3X4X10 inches.

 

[redtail]

dbl post

 

[garyahouse]

Security nuts/bolts 101.

Here's what ya do:

Buy some button head machine screws... the ones that require an allen wrench.

They can't be removed with anything but an allen wrench. Then fill the hole after ya put em on. Or get some plain old stainless steel allen headed cap screws, chuck them up in your cordless drill (not too tight... don't wanna mess up the threads) and grind the heads on your bench grinder so that they're round. Vise grips can't grab them. Mount up your lights. Then simply fill the allen heads with a little Bondo. You can pick it out easy enough if you ever want to take them off. Otherwise you could just use clay or some well chewed gum. Either way, the thieves won't be able to get an allen wrench in the hole, and thy won't think to check to see why. Oh, and if you're using a bolt and nut, put a little grease under the head of the bolt so it'll spin if the thief tries to simply turn the nut.

Another possibility would be these barrel nuts: CLICKY

They look like this:

It's actually a nut. You can fill in the head just like I described above.

Keep in mind that if a crook wants em bad enough, there's nothing you can do. A battery powered Dremel and/or sawzall is standard equipment in the tool bag of too many modern day thieves. That kind of equipment can make short work of any security measures you might use.

 

[learnin4life]

Or you can spend some money and get these security nuts: they're pricey, but they're amazing. Do not use lock washers. CLICKY

You weren't kidding about the cost of the security bolts, but hopefully its a situation where you get what you pay for.

Thanks for the thoughtful feedback

Redtail: Great image of the cover in action. The cover would definitely do the job.

 

[oki]

Security bolt? Which one? $9 for a set of bits to defeat one.

 

[learnin4life]

Security bolt? Which one? $9 for a set of bits to defeat one.

LOL! You're prolly right. For every lock their is a pick.

 

[Fred W]

Who steals auxiliary lights?

Really?

 

[Teeblatt]

Bolts and Machine Screws

or

or

Nuts

From

https://www.brycefastener.com

 

[Geezer]

Lots of good idea, but all are easily defeated by a battery powered grinder so you won't stop a determined or professional thief.

A cheaper solution that is probably about is secure as any of the other ideas is a couple of pop rivets if there is a place to put them in. They only require that you drill a small hole and can be removed by simply drilling them out.

For me, I have a lot of 'stuff' mounted to my FJR and never had anything disturbed. When I park in a hotel lot where the bike is visible from the street I put the half-cover on to hide the stuff and, if it's a seedy neighborhood I take the more easily removed items, like radar detector and GPS, in with me.

 

[meosborn]

Do "determined or professional" thieves really mess around with aux MC lights? When there are so many iPhones, iPads and GPS units out there that are in much higher demand and easier to get?

 

[Geezer]

Do "determined or professional" thieves really mess around with aux MC lights? When there are so many iPhones, iPads and GPS units out there that are in much higher demand and easier to get?

I don't think so. As I said, I have never had anyone mess with any of the stuff on my FJR.

 

[PhilJet09]

I have to agree, not many thieves are going to just steal stuff off your bike. It's going to be all or nothing.