Does camping gear get nicked off bikes?

jojitsu

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Planning my first motorbike camping trip to Scotland in May. Are you guys ever worried about gear that's strapped to your bike getting nicked whilst you park up and go for a walk around, or is everything in secure hard luggage the way?
 
I’ve never had anything knicked off my bike in 30+ years of travelling. But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen and I do often worry about my kit being stolen whilst I’m away from my bike.

I try and park in an area where lots of people are about. I use a steel cable to secure helmets and jackets, I also have a pacsafe net that anything not in a pannier goes inside. I also normally put a 1/2 cover over the bike, keeps things dry and away from prying eyes.

Having said all that, away from the big towns and cities I often just dump stuff on the seat and wander off.

Only you know what risks you’re willing to accept.
 
Left gear on our bike in France , Italy and Germany last year with no issues.
We had panniers locked and gear in dry bags strapped to the lids. As long as the stuff doesn’t attract attention people leave it alone.
Keep all valuable items on you.
 
You need to ignore anyone who says they've never had anything nicked because that doesn't answer your question.

The answer is yes it might get nicked, I know if several instances where that's happened and with hindsight.......

Saying that I've only done one trip where I've made sure my camping gear is secure and for the majority of them I don't bother with any security.
 
I put all my camping gear in a Lomo dry bag then use a PacSafe to secure it to the bike.
If someone is really keen they could cut the PacSafe but it deters the casual thief.
 
Like most I've never bothered but always lock my helmet and jacket to the bike, ALWAYS make sure your helmet is locked thro the visor and not just the strap especially in city's, unscrupulous scooter riders will thick nothing of cutting the straps, they never fastener them anyway :nenau ....Never had anything nicked BUT as Timolgra says "it might get nicked"....Common sense should prevail ;)
 
Cheers folks, I kinda know the answer but good to hear peoples personal thoughts and experiences... Can't lock the helmet through the visor on a flip front helmet.. 😕
 
When my cases are full I lock jackets etc to my bike with a retractable cable lock

A quick snatch would break it easily but it's a minimal deterrent

To be honest though, you will see loads of folks who leave lids & jackets just hung on their bikes in daylight around europe, especially if there are lots of bikes parked together, I think there's kind of a code that stuff gets left alone

Never had a problem personally
 
Simple rules for me: Always park your bike where you can see it. If there's nowhere to park, don't park up there. I don't leave my helmet or any gear on the bike and take the GPS with me. Everything else is well strapped on to the bike.
 
Can't lock the helmet through the visor on a flip front helmet.. ��
Don't see why it would be different....Just open the visor and thread the cable thro....Lock it to the bike, simples....Unless you own an oped face lid :blast
As for a code that stuff gets left alone....Hmmmm, had a couple of mates that left their expensive lids hooked onto the thing under the seat in France, let you guess what happened. If you want to leave your expensive helmet just dangling from your bike then they will be plenty of people who don't know the "code"
 
Use common sense.
If you leave it on your bike in a dimly lit multi-storey car park, in the middle of a city.....then possibly.
Out in the countryside.......no. It'll be fine.

I've never had any kind of pilfering issue in the last 25 years of touring Scotland. Nor have I ever heard of such an issue by anyone else.
There are still huge parts of this fine country where folk don't lock their doors.
 
When my cases are full I lock jackets etc to my bike with a retractable cable lock

A quick snatch would break it easily but it's a minimal deterrent

To be honest though, you will see loads of folks who leave lids & jackets just hung on their bikes in daylight around europe, especially if there are lots of bikes parked together, I think there's kind of a code that stuff gets left alone

Never had a problem personally

I'm one of these "loads of folk" and never had a problem. Park in a visible, preferably busy, area and it'll usually be fine. I strap my jacket to a pannier, when it's hot, and hook my open-faced helmet on the foot peg and leave it all. I do use the steering lock but that's it.
 
Leaving your lid on the Bike ...

I often wonder when i see helmets locked to the Bike by the 'visor hole', using the Bikes own lock and chain, and locked low down on the Bike ...

... how often passing dogs takes a piss in the lid? :barf
 
Over 40yrs of leaving my bike and kit all over europe; and never lost anything; even left the keys in for an hour ; and the fuckin thing was still there when we got back; that might say a lot about my bike and kit tho. It's the big race meetings at home where the thieving bastard's seem to operate; BSB seems to attract the fuckin low life.
 
Over 40yrs of leaving my bike and kit all over europe; and never lost anything; even left the keys in for an hour ; and the fuckin thing was still there when we got back; that might say a lot about my bike and kit tho. It's the big race meetings at home where the thieving bastard's seem to operate; BSB seems to attract the fuckin low life.


Thats because they know there's going to be some desirable bikes there , easy pickings as such, and go in prepared -van + plank , cutters etc. I would imagine its pretty easy to spot the 'target' be dressed in the gear helmet on their arm ,, " yeah its my bike mate -lost the bloody key to the lock, matey boys brother lives nearby so he's coming in the van to pick it up for me..." So many bikes all together , makes it easy for the professionals to 'disappear'
 
Thats because they know there's going to be some desirable bikes there , easy pickings as such, and go in prepared -van + plank , cutters etc. I would imagine its pretty easy to spot the 'target' be dressed in the gear helmet on their arm ,, " yeah its my bike mate -lost the bloody key to the lock, matey boys brother lives nearby so he's coming in the van to pick it up for me..." So many bikes all together , makes it easy for the professionals to 'disappear'

It's not just the bikes that go missing; jackets and helmets; plus anything they can get their hands on inside the tents. One year at Oulton, someone had their generater nicked from outside the wobbly box.
 


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