Ducati Monster Forum

What a nice surprise this morning....went to my car in the garage and noticed the bike cover was off and someone tried to steal my bike overnight. Tail passenger seat fender was lifted up and the ignition switch and lock was completely gone. For whatever reason the bike is still there, don't know if they are coming back later to finish the job or what...At this point, what are my options? How much would it cost to replace the ignition switch altogether? Is it pretty easy to install? Since the bike is a sitting duck right now, I am thinking of getting a alarm disc lock in the meantime as a stop gap measure until I can get the bike tow to the dealer and have them install lojack too...feeling sick to my stomach right now...hope that scumbag will get hit by a car soon :mad:

P.S My bike is a M796

call your insurance agent...let them know what happened and take pictures....and make arrangements for your bike to get picked up and taken back to the dealership to get the necessary repairs...no sense in churning your stomach....

Good suggestion. Called my insurance this morning and also filed a police report and they came by to dust for prints. Maybe that will lead to something..Unfortunately dealers aren't open on Monday so I am sitting here at work wonder if my bike will still even be there when I get home...this sucks...I am preparing myself for the worse at this point....thinking of gettting lojack if I can get my bike to the dealer. How much did you guys paid for lojack?

Don't all modern Ducs have some kind of immobilizer? If so, the thieves won't be riding it away at least. Impossible to get one started without the key. I think you should calm yourself, you did all you could do already. If they come back with a pickup maybe someone will see something, and if they take it well then that's part of what the insurance policy is for. Whatever happens you're covered.

The scumbags.

Yeah you're right just feel a little violated but I suppose stuff like this can happen anywhere. I think the engine immoblizer might have prevented them from riding off with the bike. Cops came by and dusted for prints, hopefully justice will be served...only if I can install a flame thrower cannon as security device....

Dust for prints...really!  I am surprised b/c every cop I have had to deal with for crackheads breaking into my car and stealing change, tools, etc.  They just wrote the report, gave some advice and done.

Good for your PD if they do actually dust.  Where did it happen, your personal garage or a parking garage for the building?  Building should have cameras watching the entrance/exits, and if it is your home you can install a relatively cheap security cam to keep an eye on things from anything with an internet connection.

Good luck!

Dagger....

I dont know if this has been posted yet, but here's a pretty extensive thread on motorcycle theft on Reddit, written by an ex motorcycle thief, on how they do it and the best ways to prevent it.

http://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/t5shp/ex_thief_chopshop_operator_ama/ (http://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/t5shp/ex_thief_chopshop_operator_ama/)

Enlightening.

yea.. those were some uneducated scum bags. They probably broke the steering lock as well?  But then couldnt get it started (imobilizer) and left it.  score one for ducati and siemens :)

Happened in the condo/apt garage, my parking space is near the gate so it could've been anyone scoping it out before. It was definitely late night since I went out to the bike at around 11 last night and everything was ok and left for work at 6 and saw the mess...yeah let's hope the PD can identify the prints and catch that bastard and he will get rape in jail over and over again. The entire ignition switch is gone, not sure how they took it out, I am sure they broke the steering wheel lock too since the handlebar can move freely now but I can't ride it since there's no longer a keyhole....so at this point, I need to tow my bike to the dealer and I am sure I'll get rape on getting the parts replaced. Since my deductible is $500, I am at least out that much....I am just hoping he won't come back for a second try...anyway bought myself a tough 16mm thick chain with high grade lock, along with disc lock alarm...let's hope that will at least stop this from happening again...

I'd see about getting a parking spot away from the gate and out of view. Out of sight out of mind.

Happened to me on december, Someone tried put a flat head and try to break ignition, all the did was twisted the ignition.

It took my dealer more than a month to get the parts from ducati and fix the ignition, I paid my $500 deductible, I think the total bill was like $1550? somewhere there.

Also, When you take the bike to dealership, take your code card, without that, its going to cost them lot more money.

Now you gonna have two key for one bike :D . One for ignition and old one for tank and seat release.

Damn didn't even think about that...great...now I have to carry two sets of keys cause some dumb asshole failed at stealing my bike much like how he or she fails at life...I wonder if dealer can change the gas cap for the same key set since I have to pay insurance deductible anyway. Man a month to get the part, guess I won't be riding my bike anytime soon... :-[

I think the key set comes with all the locks as a kit

The original key is the same, but when you change just the ignition lock, it comes with the new key and key card. But your tank and the storage key lock is still the old one.

Since insurance is taking the hit for anything more than deductible, it wont hurt to ask the dealer if they can change the lock on fuel tank and storage so it all matches. It never occured to me until I went to pick the bike and had 4 keys and two code card.

Can you roll the bike into your apartment?  That would be the only way to keep it 100% at your apartment.  If the ignition is removed there is no steering lock as it comes out of the switch itself, at least it does on the older models.  If they did break it, check your frame neck as it may be damaged and if so you are probably getting a new bike.  I've had a bike stolen from me, it sucks.  Your police seemed to give a few more sh*ts then the worthless Charleston, SC cops did.

Good luck.

That just sucks.  I hope they find those idiots.

You may want to tow her to a friends place or something in the meantime.

Wow that sounds pretty bad...the entire ignition switch is gone so yeah there's no steering lock right now. Unfortunately there's no way I can move it into my place so in a way it's a sitting duck except I bought a heavy duty Chain lock and lock the rear wheel to the frame, along with alarm disc lock, hopefully that will hold until I can get it to the dealer. I already called them and they are taking their sweet time getting back to me with an estimate. I told them to include the new gas cap and rear seat lock as part of it so I hopefully won't need 2 keys...I hope they didn't break the frame neck...not quite ready for a new bike at this point...make the beast with two backsing idiot thieve guess he or she is way too stupid to realize you can't ride off in one of the newer Duc  just by hotwiring the ignition... [bang]

Great read!  Thank you for sharing  [thumbsup]

Looks like it's going to cost $800 with labor for the entire key set. Good news is that at least it will be one key for everything since the key set comes with new lock for gas cap and seat release. The only bad part is, I have to wait for the part to come up, let's hope nothing happen to my bike between now until the part comes in...not to mention I hopefully won't have to deal with this again , another make the beast with two backsing idiot crook that don't know they can't just ride away with a late model Duc by taking out the ignition... [bang]

I spend last hour going through all of it .. May be have a post of its own?

To op, cant you get your bike towed to dealer and leave it there till the part arrives.

I guess I can but will have to pay out of pocket to have it tow. Dealer has free pickup service and they also have limited storage space at the service area, bad thing is, they won't come and pick it up until the parts are ready. I am hoping it won't take a month to get the part

My insurance picked up the tab for pick up of my bike ... Call your insurance and have them take it to dealership. Since they tried to break my ignition and knew I couldn't move the bike, I felt like my bike was a sittin duck for someone to just steal. Called my insurance have them take it to dealership and left it there till it was all ready .

huge +1 to this move....if the insurance co. drops it off...the dealership will not charge storage like if you dropped it of personally...specially since you are paying just your deductable and the insurance co is picking up the rest...

Even if they charge a storage fee, it'll be the insurance co's problem, not yours. I'd have them (insurance) have the bike picked up right away...they'll be fine with this too, as there is a chance the thief will come back and finish the job.



Also, if you talk to the shop, or tow company or anyone...always have them bill the ins. co. This sounds silly, but don't pay out of pocket on anything until the ins. co. tells you to pay your deductable to whom ever .

I forgot to tell you , Contact your insurance company to get the bike towed. NOT your dealer. When I called my dealer, they told me to contact my insurance company  , so it falls under insurance company and not you. DO NOT tow your bike  yourself either.

When insurance company drops the bike at the dealership, you can go to dealership and talk to them , but since insurance company picked and dropped your bike at the dealership, they will have to pick up all the cost less ( if there is storage, let the insurance company and dealer handle it) your deductible .

I asked my insurance company specifically about storage charge  and they said they will work that out with dealer, all I had to do is pay my $500 deductible.

Not sure which insurance company you have but State Farm told me I have to arrange for towing, which I am going to do this sat, all will be file as part of the claim..otherwise I can't afford to go back and fourth with them while bike is just sitting there. Same thing with getting the repair work done, I have to pay for it now otherwise the dealer won't even order the part...I am documenting everything and I better get my money back minus my deductible...It's been a frustrating experience none the less. Actually when I total my old bike, the process was much easier..this is starting to be a real PITA

Find a new shop. Any reputable shop should have no problem working you up a quote for the insurance company and ordering the parts. You don't get the bike until they get paid but not ordering parts until after insurance approves? Lame. You are going to have to get it fixed either way, why should they delay?

I agreed with you but too late now....part is suppose to be on its way. I do find it odd, they are charging me now even before the labor has started on the bike..btw, this is Newport Ducati, don't know if anyone has any feedback about them? It's kind of hard to find a good place in SoCal without taking forever to work on your bike or it's too far away....

I have geico, but I never heard about customer paying for all the work and getting refunded later. If its insurance company policy, I say start comparing quotes with other insurance. All you should be liable for is your deductible, they should take care of rest.

That's surprising. They ARE a reputable shop.

Looks like we're moving the right direction. Insurance said they will pay for the tow or rather reimburse me for it, so I just have to wait until they can tow in tomorrow morning, assuming my bike will make it overnight tonight...As for the repair, estimator will take a look next week and figure out the total, sucks I paid out of pocket first but I really want to get stuff moving, oh well, as long as they will reimburse me, should be fine...just hate the wait since it's perfect riding season right now...

Me .....I just take out the 30A fuse beside the ignition modules... good luck getting it figured out and get the thing started ;D 

they dont need the bike to start. just need the van to be near by.

This story will make you feel better ;D I used to know a guy from Mexico that did custom stereo installs.
He told me after having two systems stolen from his mini Truck he had had enough. He mounted all his amps with razor blades glued to the edges hidden out of sight. He arrived to his truck one morning with a trail of blood everywhere but his amps were still there lol.
Sometimes thieves eventually get theirs lol  [evil]

Thanks that does make me feel better...I just wish I can set up a trap on my bike with a shotgun blast to the face when he/she attempts to steal my bike again...there's nothing more satisfying than finding a dead thieve getting some lead justice  ;D