bike alarms a must or jus anoying???

808 · 07-22-2004, 05:37 AM

bike alarms a must or jus anoying???went to the mall the other day and parked next to a pos w/ an alarm and it kept on going off i wanted to kick it over...the funny thing is that the whole time it was going off no one even looked in its direction...i know that if someone wants your bike they'll take it no matter what...i knew dudes who would jus drive around in their truck and throw a bike in the back and drive away alarm, disk locks and all...i mean its not like they're gonna try to sell the bike whole...

Squid Killer · 07-22-2004, 09:24 AM

Thats because it didnt have a pager like the Scorpio alarm.

Hagios · 07-22-2004, 11:59 AM

Depends. My roommates ST1100 isn't very pick-up-and-toss-in-truck-able. Rolling it away would be a much more viable option. And for him, if he has a disk-lock on, without an alarm, he figures it'll keep him from starting the bike without taking it off. (Sit on the bike, alarm goes off, go turn off alarm, take off the disk lock...)

I think they're meant for that moreso than prevention of theft anymore. Car alarms are so common now that nobody pays attention to ANY of them. Car alarm go off in the parking lot? Somebody bumped a car again.

beaulauber · 07-22-2004, 12:16 PM

Personally i think they are for show. The Bleep Bleep Sound when you disarm it is the only reason i would get one..... hehehe.. :lame

TheWraith · 07-22-2004, 12:28 PM

The range on the pager alarms aren't even remotely useful. Until an alarm company can partner with some cellular carriers to extend the range of the remotes more than 2-3 miles, I wouldn't waste my money. When I can install an alarm that can page my cell phone if I'm 5 feet or 5,000 miles away from the bike, I'll consider it. Until then, it isn't worth it.

TheWraith · 07-22-2004, 12:29 PM

Quote:

By utilizing High Frequency FM technology, the SR-i500 transceiver is capable of sending and receiving commands from up to 1/2 Mile away from the motorcycle.

Wow...a whole 1/2 mile away for a mere $269-329ish. What a ripoff. I doubt you could park your bike at a mall and stay within 1/2 mile range.

1quick1 · 07-22-2004, 12:31 PM

I would never ride my bike to the mall because my luck it would get stolen. I had a real eye opener when I dropped my bike a couple months. I broke the brake levers so I couldn't drive it home so I called my buddy with a chevy S10. It only took three of us (all medium size guys) and about 30 seconds to put it in the back of the truck. I knew that's what they did but I never realized it was so easy. No I park my bike in places they couldn't pull a truck up to.

TheWraith · 07-22-2004, 12:37 PM

Rather than spending money on overpriced 1/2 mile walkietalkie-comparable technology...which is a stretch, because you can buy 7-mile walkietalkies at BestBuy for under $60, I would invest in a reputable lowjack/GPS recovery technology. A small, trackable device is installed and you pay a monthly fee for monitoring. If your bike is ever stolen the chances of recovery would be greater, as its movement and position can be tracked. Of course, this opens up all sorts of debates concerning personal liberties and big brother scares.

dennisred69 · 07-22-2004, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWraith

The range on the pager alarms aren't even remotely useful. Until an alarm company can partner with some cellular carriers to extend the range of the remotes more than 2-3 miles, I wouldn't waste my money. When I can install an alarm that can page my cell phone if I'm 5 feet or 5,000 miles away from the bike, I'll consider it. Until then, it isn't worth it.

if you were that far away what good would it do it would be gone by the time you got there

Squid Killer · 07-22-2004, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWraith

The range on the pager alarms aren't even remotely useful. Until an alarm company can partner with some cellular carriers to extend the range of the remotes more than 2-3 miles, I wouldn't waste my money.

But if your 3 miles away whats the point? The concept of the pager is that you know whats going on and can check on it.

tiepilot1138 · 07-22-2004, 12:52 PM

I have to agree... a pager would be pretty useless since it would take you too long to get back to the bike. I have an alarm on mine, but mine is so I can hear it go off at night when it's in front of my house... (did I mention I park right outside the bedroom window?)

TheWraith · 07-22-2004, 12:56 PM

Frankly, I don't think any alarm is worth the money. It won't stop thiefs.

It can be said a rather healthy male of moderate age should be able to run 1/2 mile in under 3 minutes....easily. 6-minute miles are averages used for distancing running, but we're not talking actual distances here. If you factor in adrenaline, fight or flight responses, better-than-average shape on some, the mere fact that most healthy males can sprint outright for at least 60 seconds, it's conceivable you could reach a bike 1/2 mile away (line of sight, flat terrain, optimal conditions, etc.) in less than 2 minutes. Of course, Scorpio will tell you that 1/2 mile IS line of sight, without obstructions. If you're inside a building, you can knock that range down to 1/4 of a mile, possibly less...depending on the building.

Quote:

It only took three of us (all medium size guys) and about 30 seconds to put it in the back of the truck.

In this real world example, 2 minutes is already 1 minute 30 seconds too late. And even IF you could reach your bike in 2-3 minutes, you'll be out of breath and likely unable to continue the fight should it be necessary. If you've sprinted as hard as you can for the full 1/2 mile, you should be near throwing up when you get there.

In my high school, 13-some years ago, where we had to park our motorcycles to my furthest class, was just under a mile. But, dozens and dozens of steel beams and concrete walls were between...so that 1/2 mile range would have probably of been more like 1/16 of a mile.

Quote:

if you were that far away what good would it do it would be gone by the time you got there

In all likelihood, you're easily going to be out of the 1/2 mile (less than .5 mile if you're inside buildings) range most times. Your pager isn't even going to go off if it is out of radio range and that assumes you keep your batteries charged to their maximum at all times, so you can make use of the full 1/2 range - keep in mind, line of sight. Don't really need an alarm if you can see your bike, but that's besides the point.

A 'cellular alarm' would ensure you always get the alarm, assuming you're within range of a supporting cellular tower. In most urban areas, this isn't an issue. Doesn't mean you've any greater chance of running that 1/2 mile...or 5 miles away, but you know you're probably going to be making a call to the insurance company. No alarm, no matter what technology its based off of, will ensure your vehicle will not be stolen. Because of this, if I were to spend money on "alarm technology", I'd want the assurance I will be notified of a theft when it happens. Put yourself outside that 1/2 mile range, with optimal battery condition, without obstructions, and your pager will remain silent.

CasterTroy · 07-22-2004, 01:02 PM

I hate alarms......screw em if they want it...I'm insured...HEAVILY

TheWraith · 07-22-2004, 01:08 PM

Exactly. Insurance is the only viable defense against bike theft.

doa8 · 07-22-2004, 01:19 PM

I just installed an alarm with a pager, i just like it cause if they try to hotwire it it shuts off the bike from starting cause the starter is bypassed and i like the remote option because i sometimes park it at work out of my sight by a bar, and now it can page me if someone messes with it, and it beeps if someone sits on it or trys to take out the screws underneath the seat. its not great but better than no alarm at all. plus it has keyless remote start which is cool too.