Motorcycle theft in the UK remains a serious and widespread problem. The latest data from the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) shows theft rates fell 7.9% year-on-year through 2024 – a meaningful drop, but the volume of stolen bikes remains staggering. As MCIA CEO Tony Campbell has warned, the number of motorcycles being recovered after theft has dropped significantly, suggesting more are being shipped abroad. Modern thieves are fast, well-equipped, and can bypass traditional security measures.
The good news? Riders are not powerless. The key is layering – stacking multiple security measures so that stealing your bike becomes too slow, too difficult, and too risky for thieves to bother. And if they do manage to take it, having the right GPS tracker means you – and the police – can get it back fast.
We spoke to Andrius Bruno Rimkūnas, co-founder of Monimoto, about the ways to protect your ride. Monimoto is a Lithuanian-born, globally trusted manufacturer of anti-theft GPS trackers with over 100,000 users worldwide – and a product born out of a very real problem.
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Our Expert: Andrius Bruno Rimkūnas, Co-founder of Monimoto
Monimoto was founded in Lithuania in 2016 with a single mission: to help riders find their stolen motorcycles before it’s too late. Today, Monimoto trackers are used in over 40 countries, with tens of thousands of bikes protected across the UK. For more information: monimoto.com/uk
Hide It Before They Find It
Thieves scout before they strike. A bike cover is one of the cheapest and most underrated tools – if they can’t see what’s underneath, they can’t decide if it’s worth their time. Pulling a cover off in public also draws exactly the kind of attention a thief wants to avoid. Look for one with an integrated lock loop so it stays put.
Better still: put the bike behind a door. A garage or locked shed adds a physical barrier that costs the thief time, noise, and risk before they’re anywhere near the bike. Pair the door with a closed-shackle padlock – the type where the loop is mostly enclosed, making bolt cutters far less effective – and consider a ground anchor inside too.
Lock It Up
Traditional measures like physical locks remain one of the most effective deterrents. It won’t stop a pro, but it adds friction.
For when you’re out, a disc lock is essential. It clamps to the brake disc and makes the bike physically unrideable. Some include a built-in alarm for added disruption; a reminder cable between the lock and handlebar stops you from riding off with it attached. At home, invest in the heavy stuff: a quality chain and a bolted-in ground anchor.
Thieves are not deterred by one lock – but three separate measures? That takes time, makes noise, and attracts attention. Layering physical security is always worth the investment.
Make Some Noise
A loud alarm does two things: it alerts people nearby that something is happening, and it rattles the thief. Even in urban areas, a sustained 110dB siren is uncomfortable to work next to – and it draws eyes to exactly the scene a thief wants to avoid.
Modern motorcycle alarms go beyond simple motion detection. The better units include tilt sensors (which trigger if someone tries to lift or load the bike), perimeter sensors, and two-stage alerts that give a warning chirp for minor vibrations before escalating to a full siren.
Track It – Because Locks Can Be Cut
Every measure above is designed to stop a theft from happening. But sometimes, despite everything, a bike still gets taken. This is where a GPS tracker stops being optional. If your motorcycle is taken away, the tracker increases the chances of getting it back.
But not all trackers are equal. Wired units can be killed by cutting the bike’s electrical system. Push notifications are easy to sleep through at 3 am. Some depend on proximity to other users’ phones to report a location at all.
The Monimoto 9 was built to avoid all of those pitfalls.
Introducing the Monimoto 9: Small, Smart, and Seriously Effective
At £149 with a £39/year subscription (first two months free), the Monimoto 9 is one of the most cost-effective trackers on the market – and one of the most capable. Here is what makes it stand out:
No wiring required. The Monimoto 9 is completely independent of your motorcycle’s electrical system. It installs in minutes using the supplied zip ties – you pair the tracker with the app, then hide it somewhere on your bike, and it is ready to go. This also means thieves cannot disable it by cutting the bike’s wires.
Up to 12 months of battery life. The built-in rechargeable 3.7V Li-Polymer battery lasts up to a year on a single charge. You will not find yourself scrambling to recharge it every few weeks, and it will not drain your bike’s battery while it sits in the garage.
It calls your phone. If movement is detected and your key fob is not nearby, Monimoto calls you within one minute. A phone call is far harder to sleep through or swipe away than a push notification. You will know.
Automatic arming with the key fob. The key fob you carry automatically disarms the tracker when you are riding, and re-arms it when you walk away.
Works globally. Monimoto provides reliable tracking using LTE-M (LTE Cat-M1) networks and Wi-Fi location.
Real Riders. Real Recoveries.
Noah’s story: recovered in under 30 minutes
Noah, an Edinburgh resident, left his Zontes Javelin 125 in what seemed like a secure car park while visiting a relative. Within minutes, his phone rang – Monimoto had detected movement. By the time he reached the car park, his bike was gone.
“I got a call from Monimoto saying my bike was being moved. The police had a car with me within eight minutes. I was able to give them updated location information in real time, and the police were really great.” – Noah
The police located the stolen Javelin in a nearby storage unit in under 30 minutes. The fire brigade broke open the lockup and the bike was recovered – safe except for a broken ignition and cut wires. Those cut wires told the full story: the thieves had tried to disable any wired tracker. The Monimoto, running on its own battery and completely independent, kept working throughout.
The Honest Truth About Motorcycle Security
No single product makes a motorcycle unstealable. The goal is to make theft slow enough, difficult enough, and risky enough that your bike simply isn’t worth it compared to the next one along. Cover it. Store it. Chain it to something immovable. Add an alarm. And hide a Monimoto 9 somewhere a thief will never think to look.
Monimoto 9: £149 | Annual subscription: £39/year (first 2 months free)
Available at: https://monimoto.com/uk/product/tracker-monimoto-9/
