Lock It Or Lose It

LOCK IT OR LOSE IT

FEW THINGS IN LIFE ARE worse than having your motorcycle stolen. Discovering an empty space where your bike was once parked, that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, the raging emotional battle between grief and fury. Unpleasant stuff.

Unfortunately, this scenario is becoming more common than ever. According to a survey of insurance companies by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), motorcycle-theft claims in the U.S. rose 46 percent during the period 1992-95. Furthermore, based on the most recent Motorcycle Industry Council data, the NICB says Suzuki was the most

commonly stolen brand, followed by Kawasaki, HarleyDavidson, Honda and Yamaha.

NICB Communications Associate Jon Hoch suggests that this growth in thievery is due mostly to increasing motorcycle sales. Indeed, industry analyst Don Brown reports that motorcycle sales increased by 31 percent during the same time period.

Explains Hoch, “When the demand of any product increases, so do the thefts. Basically, people will do anything, legally or illegally, to get their hands on a motorcycle. The days of leaving your bike unprotected on the street are over.”

As a result, the NICB suggests

taking extra precautions with your motorcycle, such as parking it indoors, and utilizing alarms and locks. Simple steps that could save you a long, unpleasant walk home. Wendy F. Black

SOURCE: NATIONAL INSURANCE CRIME BUREAU