Motorcycle Insurance and Anti-Theft Devices
Find Cheap Motorcycle Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Motorcycle insurance covers theft of your bike if you carry comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for a stolen bike, as well as any source of accidental damage to your motorcycle that's not related to a crash — vandalism and weather damage, for example.
You can further protect your bike from theft by securing it with one or more anti-theft devices. Some insurance companies even offer small discounts for using them, but not all.
Motorcycle theft insurance
A motorcycle insurance policy with only the minimum coverage required by your state will not pay to replace your bike if it is stolen. To ensure you are covered for theft, you'll need to purchase comprehensive insurance. Comprehensive coverage will pay some or all of the cost of a new motorcycle if yours is stolen.
Motorcycle insurance discounts and anti-theft devices
Generally, motorcycle insurance companies only offer an anti-theft discount for bikes with tracking or disabling systems installed. The discount is around 10% of a premium and, depending on the cost of the policy, could translate into meaningful savings. These systems use radio frequency or GPS to track your bike after it has been stolen, and some can temporarily disable it, making it impossible to ride.
Some carriers will only offer discounts on professionally installed devices, while others only ask whether the motorcycle has a qualified system. The sophistication of tracking and disabling systems varies. Some locator products can't disable a bike, but they might be able to send an email or text when a motorcycle is being driven without a compatible sensor present. Others can alert you when your motorcycle is touched or even when someone is in close proximity to it.
One popular system, LoJack, recently discontinued selling its motorcycle tracking system, but the company continues to support the systems already installed on bikes. So if you buy a used bike with it already installed, you can still get the benefit. With the LoJack system, as soon as a motorcycle is reported stolen to the police, they can use the radio signal — sent to receivers in vehicles and aviation units — to locate it. Other tracking systems, such as one sold by Scorpio, use GPS monitoring and have similar features that allow law enforcement agencies to locate a stolen bike.
One disadvantage of GPS tracking systems is that they're more easily disrupted. For example, if a bike is in a shipping container, a GPS system might have trouble detecting it. Tracking devices using radio frequencies have few inhibitors. Also be aware that some tracking systems only sync with a bike owner's Google Maps or other mobile apps, meaning law enforcement agencies won't have access to that data, so it would be your job to update authorities on the stolen motorcycle's location.
Types of motorcycle anti-theft devices
Along with tracking and bike-disabling systems, there are a number of motorcycle (or moped or scooter) theft prevention devices to consider. The cost and level of security each provides can vary. You might even choose to use a combination of devices to better secure your motorcycle.
Disabling devices: Often called a "kill switch," disabling devices will keep a motorcycle engine from starting or turn one off under certain conditions. Active disabling devices are a security feature that must be activated remotely. Passive devices activate themselves after a motorcycle is running for a certain amount of time but cannot sync with the keys to it. Passive systems limit how far a thief can travel on a hot-wired motorcycle.
Vehicle recovery or tracking systems: Motorcycles with vehicle recovery or tracking systems use radio or GPS systems to locate the bike if it's ever stolen. This anti-theft device is the most commonly recognized by insurance companies. They usually offer a discount on policies for bikes with a professionally installed system, but that could be expensive.
Bike covers: A motorcycle cover does not replace any security device, but it can keep a nice motorcycle from advertising itself to potential thieves. Stolen motorcycles are frequently disassembled for parts, which are sold, and some are more desirable than others. Thieves look for desirable bikes in parking lots and garages from afar or while driving, but a motorcycle cover makes this difficult. Approaching a motorcycle to remove the cover and identify it is a major risk to a thief.
Disc locks and U-locks: This lock with an extended U-shaped bar can be attached to a motorcycle wheel or used to secure the bike to something else. Depending on where it is attached, a U-lock has an advantage over other locks, because a thief would have to cut through two parts of it. Disc locks are basically small U-locks designed to fit the holes of a motorcycle disc brake. When used, they make a bike unrideable. Most U-locks and disc locks cost $75 to $100.
Chains: There are a number of companies that sell high-quality chains you can use to secure your motorcycle to other objects. One brand frequently recommended is Kryptonite, which sells 14 millimeter-thick motorcycle chains for as much as $178. Companies also sell less expensive cables, but they are thinner than chains and not as secure.
One way to save money on a motorcycle chain is to instead buy a short boat chain and durable lock separately. Chains and key locks designed with boats in mind can be just as secure (18 millimeters thick or more), but finding the appropriate size and quality might take research and time, so it may not be worth the savings in the end. If you're unfamiliar with chains and locks, investing in a combo designed for motorcycles is probably your best bet.
Audible alarms: Unlike many cars, motorcycles typically do not come with an audible alarm system. However, there are a number of aftermarket alarm systems you can install on your bike. A popular brand is Scorpio, which sells audible alarms that activate when a bike is tilted upright (to ride) or struck by anything, or when anyone without a key sensor is in close proximity to it. Basic audible alarms usually start around $100. Alarms that trigger when anyone is closer to the bike can cost more than $350.
Motorcycle theft prevention tips
Insurance companies, riders and former motorcycle thieves have offered valuable advice online regarding bike protection. Much of it is common sense: Use anti-theft devices, be smart about where you park and don't leave your key with your bike. In addition, consider the following advice.
Advice from insurance companies
Any insurance company that offers motorcycle insurance typically provides security advice to bike owners on their website. Geico, for example, suggests buying a plain motorcycle cover with no brand on it, to avoid tipping off thieves as to what's underneath. The company also suggests securing your motorcycle with a chain through the frame instead of a wheel, which can be removed.
Progressive suggests keeping an eye out for cameras, no matter where you park your motorcycle. (You might also want to install security cameras at home.). You don't have to own the camera to use any footage that might help locate your bike if it's stolen. The company also suggests leaving the title for your motorcycle at home and carrying the registration and insurance on you, rather than keeping those important documents with the bike.
Advice from bike owners, bike companies and former motorcycle thieves
There were close to 55,000 reported motorcycle thefts in the United States in 2022, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). A lot of people who have had their motorcycle stolen have shared their mistakes and experiences online as a warning for others.
- If you plan to use a chain and lock to secure your motorcycle, get a thick one. Chains thinner than 14 millimeters are inadequate.
- Some riders suggest parking next to the nicest motorcycle in a lot or garage. That way, if thieves intend to steal a bike, they're less likely to choose the less desirable motorcycle.
- Use multiple anti-theft devices. The more obstacles a thief must overcome, the longer it will take to steal — dramatically increasing the risk of getting caught.
- Thieves will steal a motorcycle no matter the neighborhood, lot or street where it's parked. Owners often wrongfully assume a bike is safer in a gated lot or parking garage. If anything, the opposite might be true. Thieves seek out motorcycles in those places, because they're more likely to be valuable and owners may not think they need anti-theft devices. A proper chain, such as the ones described above, goes a long way when used correctly. Many thieves won't carry cutters powerful enough to clip through some motorcycle chains, since they can cost hundreds of dollars new or used.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.