CPD wakes me up at 3:30 am and...

[BMiller]

My Raven '05 R6 got stolen from my apt. complex years ago, they got 7 bikes that night and all from apartments.  They scout 'em out and usually are painters/carpet cleaners/etc. or their friends.  Insurance is your friend, carry good coverage and the rest won't matter, cus if they want it bad enough, they'll get it.  Good luck with winning the battle with your mgmt, my experience with dealing with rental mgmt isn't good.

[Kopfjäger]

They scout 'em out and usually are painters/carpet cleaners/etc. or their friends. 

I just thought they were make the beast with two backsing thieves.

[BMiller]

I just thought they were make the beast with two backsing thieves.

Yes, they are, but usually they are someone in close proximity all the time and not just a passer by.

[fastwin]

Dammit MrI!!  I was flat footing an 1100S today (yes, both feet..at the same time and without shoe risers) so there will be no name change to IZ_Bilbo "T" Baggins anytime soon!!   

Hey, watch it dude! That actually is my real last name... minus the Baggins! And no, I haven't read all the stupid JRR Tolkein books!!

[Popeye the Sailor]

Hey, watch it dude! That actually is my real last name... minus the Baggins! And no, I haven't read all the stupid JRR Tolkein books!!

Another hobbit!

[Monster Dave]

Although I didn't read all 4 pages of comments, I thought that I'd put in my 2 cents here too since I have had the renters worries while living in an apartment.

When I first got my Monster I was in an apartment and very VERY concerned about it getting stolen. So the first thing that I did was buy a disk lock and a cover, and make sure that it wasn't in it's spot for more than 3 minutes without a cover on it. I tried hard to not talk to anyone about it, especially when you get those people who look at it like "wow that's an  expensive bike!!!".

In addition to the cover, disk lock, and immobilizer, I still felt insecure about it being parked in my spot. So, I started parking it in front of my truck, perpendicular to it, in the same spot (sort of wedged in in front), and fortunatly since i had a poll that came down in my spot I got an extra thick hardened steel chain and wrapped it around the poll and through the frame of the bike.

That pretty much left my Monster locked up tigher than Fort Knox and anyone who would have tried to take it, would have been there far too long for any theifs comfort zone and been noticed by someone for sure.

Ultimatly though, you've got to accept that if someone wants it bad enough, it's in danger of being stolen and that's fortunatly what insurance will support you with for your investment. So let your insurance know about any mods so that they are covered too.

Anyway, that's my 2cents. Glad yours didn't make it far from it's home before it was discovered.   

[Pink]

I heard some loud noises outside last night, I thought were power tools. I run outside, just to be safe, only to see a pickup truck speeding out of the gate. My heart sank then I looked over to the left and saw the bike still there. I get so paranoid I even check under the cover in case they set up an elaborate decoy out of boxes and bags of sand to match the silhouette of a sleeping Monster.

I have a Python lock thingy that I wrap around a telephone pole which has kept it safe for a month. Will be upgrading to one of these and a sturdier chain after I move (apt management permitting).

I would say get a gun as well but I live in California where the only people that are allowed to have guns are the government and the criminals. 

Glad to hear your bike is okay (for the most part).

[herm]

Unfortunately..he's right.   

I was dropped on my head as a kid. 

makes me short and crabby...  

Sorry to get off on the wrong foot Tek. 

fixed

[ungeheuer]

I want to keep my bike but maybe I should just sell her now and have NO bike like I did before. 

Yeah, I think maybe you ougtha sell it.

[herm]

one of these would be cool...if you had a place to bolt it down

[MsTek]

one of these would be cool...if you had a place to bolt it down

Not really practical in Chicago- even in an outdoor space.  The hoopties (my word for the little gang-kids who hang out) would crack it right open just because that screams "something in here is important enough to be locked up".  At least with the crappy cover, there are three other bikes on my street with a crappy cover on them so you never know what's under that cover.

The more I think about what happened, I am starting to have a hunch about what happened that night.  Obviously they knew what bike they wanted as that none of the other bikes were bothered that night.  The problem is that I have my suspicions about a neighbor of mine due to his behavior after this happened and he's been a bit of trouble in the building.

If I get my way tomorrow, I will have the bike somewhere safer.  It will have an alarm on it and if it ends up being who I am starting to suspect, they're going to get caught if they try it again. 

As I said- there's an HD on the next street over which is a worse street than mine.  No one ever bothers that bike and there is no cover on it.  It's heavier than my bike, but I wouldn't say its as heavy as a Harley with all the bells and whistles and it has been customed out.

I'm just happy that I have my bike still and very happy that quite a few of the local Ducati owners have offered space for my bike if my current situation does not work out.  Even better-  those spaces offered have lifts and tools that they said I can use. (go-go modding the bike!) The down side is that I wouldn't' be riding nearly as much at all. But at least I would still have her.

I do appreciate the suggestions however.  Hopefully things will work out tomorrow when the Building manager is back.

[Jarvicious]

I have a buddy in Chicago with tons of useless cash that has actually been looking to add a sportbike to his stable if you're really interested in selling.  Not that I'm trying to convince you to sell, I just figured I'd let you know.  If I even think about having to sell the Duc I cringe.  Good luck with the storage solution.  At least you had her locked up

My family used to live in Rogers park actually, are you in one of those three story, three apartment brick places?  From the hoodlum-ism you have to deal with it sounds like it could be the same place .

[MsTek]

I have a buddy in Chicago with tons of useless cash that has actually been looking to add a sportbike to his stable if you're really interested in selling.  Not that I'm trying to convince you to sell, I just figured I'd let you know.  If I even think about having to sell the Duc I cringe.  Good luck with the storage solution.  At least you had her locked up

My family used to live in Rogers park actually, are you in one of those three story, three apartment brick places?  From the hoodlum-ism you have to deal with it sounds like it could be the same place .

I.Am.Not.Selling.My.Bike.

I will garage her for a year first if I have to and not ride her.

And there are two apartments per floor.  My apartment is very, very, very nice, vintage, close to the "L" and bus (less than a block to both) and in the summer can get a little too "interesting" but the rent is really good and I don't pay for heat have a dishwasher and more important, a good sized deck.  My apartment would cost twice as much somewhere else in the city.

The bike is my one little "totally for me" thing that I have done considering I am a full time grad student and work full time in a semi-crappy job (long story- I used to LOVE my job but then the economy came crashing down and the company has restructured and bascially I don't "DO" what I am trained to do anymore.  They are making me do something I have no interest in but hey, its a check in this economy!)  Once the grad school degree is done (one more year left!), I am hoping to make more money somewhere else (though once again, those days might be over) and am willing to move at that point.  Until then, the Ducati makes me feel like a little girl again and I just grin and grin and grin and I've not done that in a while so even if she has to go into storage, she's worth every crazy penny I spent on her.

No more.
No less.

She makes me happy.

[red baron]

I.Am.Not.Selling.My.Bike.
No more.
No less.

She makes me happy.

That's the point right.



Don't they have public storage out there?

[Jarvicious]

I.Am.Not.Selling.My.Bike.

Long thread, I must have missed that but frankly I'm glad to hear it.  My bike was my first major purchase as well and I can't wipe the shit eating grin off my face ever time I whack the throttle open.  Chicago winters suck, but days like today next to the lake make up for it .