Stolen Forza 750 in London and what bike should I now buy

[kegelban]

So after a long time riding an old Burgman (work spell abroad/lockdowns etc), which has never tempted anyone, I got a 2 year old Honda Forza 750, only to be stolen 10 days after.

The person I got it from had advised me it was a sought after item, so I was aware of criminal interest. I still did not anticipate what would happen. It was stolen from an MC parking bay in a super central London location , steps away from a busy restaurant. It had Almax Series III chain around the back wheel, which took the thieves over 10 minutes to cut through according to the multiple witnesses, plus extra time to hammer out the immobilizer and push the bike away from the spot. The police arrived late, around the same time as myself and told me the bike had little chance of being recovered.

I understand I could have delayed the thieves by adding more locks. I was also going to add datatag markings, just did not manage to do it within the first 10 days of ownership. Still, if it was stolen from a supercentral spot full of people, it would have been stolen later anyway despite any number of locks. I use bikes as my main transport, so may park in more desolate places at less busy times.

So my question is, with this kind of usage what make/model/age bike can I buy without developing a full-blown paranoia? Despite my preferred bike still being the Forza, I am too scared to have another go. Is the DCT Honda NC750X significantly safer? How about Tmax 530? Insurance premia are more or less the same for these, with the more expensive Tmax slightly cheaper to insure.

I was advised by my trusty mechanic against BMWs, but would any one suggest considering BMW C650?

Or is going geared the only way to reduce the theft hazard (I can ride geared but would prefer not to as often have to weave through heavy traffic)

And also what kind of security devices would you consider a must in addition to chain and disc locks -- a GPS tracker, Datatag?

Thanks for any suggestions and advise.

[Stephen]

They must of been some series thieves to spend that amount of time hacking away at the chain,they clearly have an outlet for the Forza 750,they normally like 125’s as they are light,they then use them for snatching mobile phones from unsuspecting people and robbing shops,they can then use alleys and footpaths for their getaways.The tmax is also a big attraction for the scumbag society,don’t expect the police to fall over themselves to help,when my Tmax was stolen,i had a tracker which was activated as soon as it was wheeled away,the thieves were caught less than an hour later in a block of garages,with my tmax,another 2 stolen bike's a transit they used to transport their booty and cordless angle grinders they used to cut through my lock,after 6 months piss balling around the police sent me a text saying the CPS had decided not to charge the offenders as there wasn’t enough evidence,i upgraded my security to a 22mm Almax,once the tmax was returned,the thieves have definitely been back for a second try,but the Almax may of deterred them,i then got a Forza 750 got the Almax and a 16 mm Oxford chain with the big Abloy lock on it,as to what bike/scooter to get next,go back to the Burgman perhaps,the tracker is definitely worth having,although it’ll be a ballache,carry a cover with you and use it when you leave the bike parked,my insurance is a lot as i park in a communal car park and i am miles from London,your insurance must be obscene…..good luck in your search

I use one of these at home,it may not fit under the seat of the Forza 750,should fit under the seat of a Burgman 400 or in the top box if you use one

[Argyll]

Spend £800 on a trusty, but tatty, Deauville 650 and you won't even need to carry a lock.

[Pukmeister]

Spend £800 on a trusty, but tatty, Deauville 650 and you won't even need to carry a lock.

......And then every ride will be a painful reminder full of regret and shame.

Joking aside thats a good shout though, just buy a cheap shitter to ride around London.

[MrGrumpy]

Slightly surprised that the Forza is so popular with scumbags in London - there aren't very many around! The TMax is extremely popular with thieves so don't go for one of those! Its tricky.....small scoots are popular with younger scrotes. Maybe some crungy old big bike won't be attractive, but that's no fun to ride.

[capitano]

Generally there are 2 types of theft in London:

1. Small auto sub-125s, specifically the Honda PCX 125 and the Yamaha N Max 125, plus the Vision 110

This is quite simply because there are more around, used by food delivery couriers. Split 50/50 between opportunist thefts (bike left running, unlocked etc whilst delivering) and planned lifts.

2. Larger autos, the Vespa GTS 300 and T Max (any variant) especially. Most are targeted, planned lifts. The popularity of these bikes is their usefulness in lifting other bikes, particularly using the shove method.

Though it's a sad state of affairs, if you have a bike that is targeted in London, it's often just a matter of time. Locks, alarms, even secure parking are just deterrents, not prevention.

[MrGrumpy]

2. Larger autos, the Vespa GTS 300 and T Max (any variant) especially. Most are targeted, planned lifts. The popularity of these bikes is their usefulness in lifting other bikes, particularly using the shove method.

For the benefit of us provincial yokels, please explain what the 'shove method' is!

[knight2]

And for yokel no2 what's riding geared mean

[Waldorf]

I guess that the 'shove method' is when two thieves ride up beside a lone rider, the pillion pushes the target off, jumps on the now vacant scooter and rides away.
I guess 'riding geared' is when a thief carries suitable tools for stealing.

Do I get a prize if I'm right?

[kegelban]

And for yokel no2 what's riding geared mean

riding a bike with a clutch lever and gear shift pedal (manual transmission)