To Track or Not to Track - that is the question

[Ninjachica]

So, on Sunday there was a bloke selling a tracker system.

£125 or £165 fitted.
About the size of a match box - maybe a bit bigger, but flatter.
It needs a SIM card, so £20 per year (to the phone company) to keep the SIM active.

It sends you a message if it's moved (Like Bee's does) and it doesn't matter how far away you are (even in another country).

So - the pro's are pretty obvious - what are the cons?

[Sarah]

As long as the tracker selling bloke and the people at tracker reading end, are all legit presumably no cons, price is good
For us the bikes never get left in public un-attended, at home they are chained together, chained to a sunken ground each, garage is alarmed with our spare car right up against the door, with very nosy neighbours so should be OK, otherwise both would fitted with a tracker, might look into it for my alfa though

[CantCorner]

On my car I have a tracker system that should it be stolen , one phone call to BMW and they will remotely shut-down the vehicle and tell the Fuzz exactly where it is . If I break down then they know before I do and despatch a mechanic without me having to do a thing .Obviously this comes at a higher price than a standard tracker but should a similar bike system become available then I would be all over it .
I'm of the opinion that if some scumbags really want to steal my bike then they're going to anyway no matter how much security is on it .

[bobsnicholson]

I believe i have Datatag on my RT but don't have the foggiest what it does or mean I think my M5 has a system similar to CCs. A day or so after buying it i was messing about pressing buttons here and there and some bloke came over the speakers asking me what the problem appears to be, shit mesen.

I am pretty lax in security, if the bastards want it they will have it, the more physical deter ants you have the more damage they do getting it.

[Beelady]

The only drawback I have found so far is remembering that I must turn the ignition on before I move the bike, even a few inches, otherwise it rings me and tells me about it. Then Biketrac ring me and I explain that I forgot to turn it on I had to learn to turn it off while it was away, being fixed, because the chaps in the shop also forgot to turn it on. Quite clever though, and I loved being able to see where it was all the time. I have to stay near my 'phone though because if I don't answer when they ring they then inform people all over Kent that it's been moved. This is good if I fall off though, as it means they know where to find me if I've had a mishap with it.

[Beelady]

And another thing, which I expected, but still found annoying, was telling my insurance company that I had it fitted. I waited until today as I also needed to tell them I've changed my registration number. At least I only had to pay one admin. fee for two changes, which I still think is a cheek, but better then paying twice. But despite having one of the best trackers on the market, fitted by a Thatcham approved installer, it will only bring next year's premium down by a few quid. And they confirmed that my bike isn't insured at all while it's outside the shed being washed, or when I put it outside while I set the shed alarm and get my bike gear on. It's still in the garden, behind a locked gate with a monster round padlock which has nowhere to get bolt croppers or any sort of lever onto, but unless I shove it 500 yards up the lane it's not insured. I know it pays to read the small print so it wasn't a surprise when they confirmed it. Just amazed at what they'll do to avoid paying out when you want to make a claim.

[Ninjachica]

And they confirmed that my bike isn't insured at all while it's outside the shed being washed, or when I put it outside while I set the shed alarm and get my bike gear on.

I genuinely think that if it came to it, and you took them to court, you would win on those points. The problem is, it might cost too much to sue and prove a point. It wasn’t in the garage/shed, because it was in use.
Feckin insurance companies

[Piglet]

UK insurance companies must collude to all provide bad service - here in The Colonies no one would use an insurance company as bad as the typical on in the UK (and ours still make plenty of profit).

[Beelady]

I see Bennett's still have voluntary excess as well as excess to pay on a claim even if it's non-fault. I think that's real cheek. I refused to pay mine and told them to claim it off the drunk driver. I didn't see why I should lose out.

I wonder if I should take the big surveyors tape and measure how far away I can park. What a stupid rule!

[Ninjachica]

I see Bennett's still have voluntary excess as well as excess to pay on a claim even if it's non-fault. I think that's real cheek.

I’ve never agreed to a voluntary excess. And it’s never made a difference to the premium.

Sharks