Installing an anti-theft GPS locator on the motorcycle, in addition to being technically simple, is the most useful and dissuasive anti-robbery prevention system available today. Like the rest of anti-theft devices, it cannot guarantee 100% keeping our motorcycle out of the reach of the greedy eyes of criminals, but it will make their job so difficult that, in most cases, they will end up choosing a model that is not equipped with of this gadget.
With a locator, not only does one receive an immediate alert on the mobile phone that our motorcycle has moved without our consent, but it also provides the exact location of the vehicle in real time with which to go to the police. Too big a risk for some guys who need the surprise factor as the key to their performances.
Therefore, to understand why the GPS locator is the most effective method to deal with the friends of other people’s motorcycles, it is necessary to first understand how they work. The most common modus operandi of these “professionals” is to load the stolen motorcycle into a van and take it to some clandestine workshop where it will be scrapped to be sold for parts.
But beware! Criminals know very well that a motorcycle with a locator could discover her hiding place to the police in a few minutes, so normally before taking her to her hideout, they usually leave her parked for a few days near where she was abducted. If the owner or the police officers show up there within 24/48 hours, the robbery will have been frustrated. If they do not, then they know that either the motorcycle does not have a locator or if it does, they have more time to find and remove the “electronic warning light”.
That’s why those first 48 hours are so momentous, and why it’s worth taking a walk a couple or three blocks from the last place the machine was parked. The questions that must be asked before installing an anti-theft GPS are those that we formulate below.
There are permanent systems that are connected to the motorcycle’s battery and other autonomous systems that have their own battery. The former require a more complicated installation but do not need as much maintenance. Autonomous GPS are much easier to place and remove, for example in case of selling the motorcycle, but you have to be aware that your battery does not run out and you must also understand that they are more vulnerable.
Well, logically it depends a lot on the size and technology that mounts the system. The simplest ones have a life of around 10 days, the normal one is 25/30 days and there are professional systems that can last up to 6 months and up to 12 if the system is one of those that only works when the motorcycle is moving. and it doesn’t detect the key. Obviously, more battery life implies a larger battery and therefore more difficulty when it comes to hiding it inside the motorcycle.
In the most inaccessible place possible and if it can be least expected. You have to avoid the most obvious corners: glove compartments, fairing interiors… and preferably focus on the inside of the machine, although checking that it does not get affected by the heat of the engine or lose cover because it is too hidden. A good place is usually the base and bottom of the seat.
In addition to the obvious one of signaling the presence of the motorcycle, some anti-theft GPS locators also have additional functions such as the possibility of establishing an automatic emergency number that the system will call in the event of an accident or provide exhaustive control of consumption. and mileages. There are even those that warn of mechanical manipulations, record routes and can be programmed so that they only act in certain areas of the city when it comes to motorcycles that, for example, are shared by several people.
The transmitter of the GPS signal is only half of the team. The other half is the corresponding “software” installed on the smartphone, so before getting an anti-theft locator, you have to make sure that it is compatible with your phone. Once installed and running, you have to take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the program’s interface, since the locator will be of no use if you are not able to interpret it.
The locators communicate through the mobile telephone network and as such, rather than being hacked, in some cases they can be inhibited. In fact, the most professional thieves who “work” on request on more exclusive models tend to use signal jammers. But it is not a common method in the most common theft of motorcycles and scooters because signal jammers can also be tracked by the police. Furthermore, most modern GPS systems are already designed to be resistant to interference and can continue to function even in the presence of disturbing signals.
Well, although the temptation to do so may be understandable, in no way should you show up there to claim the motorcycle without further ado. Obviously, this implies a very serious risk of confrontation with dangerous individuals. What you have to do is go to the police/civil guard with the corresponding prior complaint, explain the situation and let them deal with the matter. They tend to act very quickly as they are aware that time is of the essence in these robberies.
Indeed, most insurance companies offer better prices if the insured motorcycle has a GPS tracking system installed and, in the case of some specific models, may even require it as a prerequisite for taking out the insurance. Some insurers invite their customers to install an integrated call system under more favorable conditions. However, not just any GPS locator is worth it, but you have to resort to models that collaborate directly with the insurers themselves.
