Someone tried to steal my bike!

[tigerstyle102]

Damn...I'm so pissed! I went out to go to work today, and when I got out to the bike, the ignition was all jacked up like someone jammed something in it. I can't even get my key in to start it. Also the seat had been pryed off, but it was still connected by that cable that locks it on.

About 3 weeks ago, I left the bike out on the street overnight, and the next morning I found the seat tampered with. It was hanging off the bike by the cable. But the ignition was not jacked up. Ever since then I've been bringing it inside the apartment complex parking lots. It's not a garage, but it is a gated complex, so I thought it would be safer inside. But now that this has happened, I dont know what to do. I'm definitely getting a disc lock ASAP, other than that I don't what I can do. I'm just so pissed right now! I feel like going to work on someone with a baseball bat! Any suggestions on better security precautions?

[TheGoodGuy]

OUCH Daniel,

Being a college town things like this happens. Dont get a regular disc lock, get teh disc alarm. Tricktape.com has it I think.

I dont know what can be done to fix it back. It sorta sucks though that this happened. I have to be careful too now, because i park on the street  sometimes.

[The Antibody]

I was considering taking my bike to college. Perhaps not. I do want to get comprehensive to cover anything like that, but with the new paint and cosmetic mods that could get screwed up, I don't know if I want to go through the hassle. I just wish I could catch one of those punks! Like that news article a ehile back. Those guys rule.

 -Anti

[Kerry]

Is your ignition still messed up?

If you end up getting a new one, you'll need to decide what to do about having 3 locks (ignition, tank, seat) that need 2 different keys:

1) Carry 2 keys.
2) Get the locks rekeyed to match
3) Have a 50/50 key made (Srinath's term).  This is what I finally did.  See the thread Finally had a key made!

[TheGoodGuy]

that bike already has a 50/50 key..

dont ask me how..

but since i drove that bike home for daniel i know it has a 50/50 key on it.

[Laura]

That's too bad.

Do you put a cover on the bike at night? That might dissuade people from messing with it. That's what I do.

Laura

[scratch]

I sympathize. Get fingerprints.

Happened to me twice on my first GS500 when I was stationed in Hawaii. I parked it in front of our barrack with all kinds of other m/c's and removed the battery, because we were getting underway the next day for a week. When we got back somebody had used a large flat screwdriver to punch out the steering lock, but they couldn't ride the bike away because, luckily I removed the battery! What's worse is that this happened on base! A military instalation! You'd think it would be secure!
The second time was at my brother's house in Kailua. Guess they really wanted the bike, but I had to buy a second ignition that I installed myself.

[chevysolid]

Ok........ I know exactly how you feel!!!!! :x  :x  :x  :x  :x  :x

I was just getting ready to post about the exact same thing.  My ignition is all fubared.  i just moved from Tucson to Ohio.  to get the bike in  the truck we had to basically drag it.

The real question is..... is what is the easy and cheapest way to replace the ignition switch.  is something that can be mechanically done fairly easily (haven't had time to check the manual, still packed somewhere)  and what is the cost for the ignition?
Please help!!!!!!!!  It was such a nice day today and i wanted to ride so bad.  

well, thanks all for any input,  don't mean to jack the thread but really the same topic.

[JasonB]

The ignitions are on ebay all the time just search for "gs 500" or gs500" and you will see 1 or 2 there I think it was like $35 buy it now.

Where in OH are you now?

[Blueknyt]

My kickstand switch became faulty, so what i did, wascut the wires close to the switch, routed them back out to frame area to a toggle switch thats hidden, only i know where it is, its a 3 pole switch, but only one positon will work, it will fire up till you put it in gear, then it will die. my loud exhaust helps draw attention. something else is a cover that you can pull tight and lock. anything to slow them down.  a nice alarm also draws attention.

[yamahonkawazuki]

if you have to ride it, even with the fubared ign., you can, use a paper clip, connect power from the wire w/ batt. voltage, to the one that powers up the bike. and you should be able to start. but get ign. fixed asap. cause every thief knows this trick. they just dont use it a lot because it can be time consuming. but it bypasses the key. that is unless yours is in the lock pos. we had to do this at mmi in electrical. clinic 4. lost key to nighthawk.   good luck to you though. if you catch this/these people, give em a good thrashin. from all of us!

[Pkaaso]

FYI
I purchased a new ignition from Ebay.  Guy told me is was OEM.  When I got it, I found out the key blank was different so it would not fit the seat/gas.  I have two keys.  Pissed me off too!   I've gotten used to it.  I have one of those little key pull apart  thingys.  Kinda cool now, I can check my gas or remove my seat without shutting off the bike.

I had to remove my top tripple and drill out the little security rivets on the under side of the lock where is fastens to the tripple.  I then used some allen bolts/washers to screw it back on.  OK for me because I am fortunate enough to have a house and never leave bike anywhere.

You might be able to replace the bolts with some kind of security bolt or secruity tork.

My .02 cents.

Paul

[dmp221]

Man, I hear stuff like this, it makes me want to chain a rottweiler to the bike overnight :x I'm grateful I'm able to garage my stuff and live in a low-crime area.  Good luck w/ fixing the ignition.

[DavidGS]

Stealing seems to have become the new national pasttime in the weak economy.

Last Sat. a friend of mine bought a new Yamaha 4-wheeler. Friday, he washed his 4-wheeler and his 954. He pulled both of them into his garage and went into the house to get on the computer. 2 hours later, when he cam out, the 4 wheeler was gone. He had left the key in the ignition on both the 954 and the 4 wheeler and the garage door was up. $5600 gone in an instant. They left the 954 so it must have been local kids.

[ohad]

I lock my GS using a disc lock , a regular hardened lock via some sort of steel element trought the parking lot sement ,and cover it every time I leave it parked more than a hour.

but thats just me.

if the bike was tampered with twice it's a pretty good guess there shall be a third time - buy more protective elements and try changing the place you park it \ the way it is wached.

wish the best for you  & your bike
Ohad

[JeffD]

Capacitive Discharge system!!!  I have been pondering antitheft and thought of a few ideas.  

1) run 2 unshielded wires along the throttle grip that is hooked up to a 1Farad capacitor (big) at about 500V and have a circuit that will recharge it if it becomes discharged. So if someone were to get on your bike they would have to use their right hand on the throttle (and what kind of thiefs use gloves)  ZAP!

2) get a xenon bulb running on a separate circuit (so if the battery was fubard it'd still work)  but have it behind plexi glass (so they cant break it) on the gauges and have it flash at 1second intervals. basically like a flash off of a disposable camera but brighter. or even 2 or three of them on independent circuits so if they break one the others will still work.  

3) also have a tilt sensor hooked up to an airhorn hardwired to the battery with a toggle switch under the seat.  

I think I will make these once I get up to the university (but not the capacitor one, hehe)


But seriously I would feel sorry if someone were to tamper with my bike and me be around.  I think a golf club without a head would work nicely to beat the shaZam! out of them.  Along with a 6'2" 250lb frame beating them down.  Anyone up to doing what those British guys were doing? (hiding in a van and beating the living hell out of thieves)

[JamesG]

Its a sad statement on the economy when thieves are reduced to stealing GS500s. LOL!

Its probably some neighborhood punks with nothing better to do than mess with your bike.  I like Jeffs "offensive deterance" ideas. but at least get a Zena alarmed disk lock. If its just brats or a clueless crackhead that will be enough to scare them off.

[Traveler]

I still believe even a cheap U-Lock on the back wheel will help deter a casual thief but I do like the sound of shocking the shite out of miscreants!
Haven't had a theft attempt .....yet, but we seem to have a resident arsonist in our District. He (aren't they all he?)  torched 4 garages in one effort 100 yards from my carport, and last week 2 more in the other direction.
He uses found paper from the recycling boxes and bits of wood laying around. Don't mean to hihjack the thread, but it's one more thing to worry about  

[tigerstyle102]

Will this work for a new ignition?

http://denniskirk.com/powervendor/details/detail.asp?serverid=nlStreet&PartNo=200731


I couldn't find any listed on ebay. Anybody else know where I can get one or have one that I could buy off you?

[chevysolid]

Good questions tiger i am curious to know also
I AM MISSING MY BIKE!!!!! :x
i want to ride