Looking into the national statistics, one motorcycle is stolen somewhere in America every ten minutes. Now 52,500 or so thefts a year may not sound that big a problem to motorcycle owners but it's a big problem to auto insurance companies who pay out on claims. Keeping this real, many motorcycle owners spend time and money customizing the vehicle. There can be elaborate paint schemes, chromed parts and other features adding thousands of dollars in value over the base price. Not surprisingly, you take this trouble because the results look good. Unfortunately, that also makes the motorcycle attractive to thieves. More importantly, motorcycles are easier to steal than cars, trucks and SUVs. Manufacturers have yet to invest significantly in the technology to make it more difficult to steal a motorcycle.
Once stolen, the cycles can either be sold on whole, or stripped down for spares, or the parts from several cycles can be rebuilt into a cloned cycle. Because some cycles are prized by collectors, there's also a significant export market. Put all these together and the chances of recovering a stolen cycle are very small, i.e. around 30% whereas the four-wheeled vehicle recovery rate is around 56%. These statistics emphasize the need for you to take precautions when parking your cycle, particularly during the summer months when the rate of thefts rises sharply.
To give yourself the best chance, assume no parking space is safe. So always leave your motorcycle in a well-lit place where there are plenty of people passing. Now add security. Chaining or clamping your cycle to an immovable object slows down a thief and increases the chances someone will notice him. An alarm or immobilizer is good protection. The greater the care you take to avoid a claim, the lower your auto insurance quotes stay. If fewer motorcycles are stolen, this is a lower payout to be shared among all owners. As an individual policyholder, you earn additional discounts by staying loyal and remaining claim-free. No one wants their auto insurance quotes to keep rising faster than inflation so protect yourself.
