Lock it or lose it | A buyers guide to motorcycle locks

One of the first lessons you learn when you get a bike is to use a motorcycle security of some kind or else it might not be there when you return. However, that ‘might’ from 20 years ago has become ‘likely’ today. Motorcycle crime is rampant and we have to take security seriously if we want to keep hold of our bikes.

As a lock and chain are top of the list for cyclists, so it is for motorcyclists — just on a larger scale. The theory is simple: if your bike is locked to a solid object or ground anchor with a meaty lock and chain, hopefully, it will deter thieves or make them move on to the next bike with a smaller, or indeed no, chain.

The best measure to take though is to use more than one defence device to make your motorcycle appear to be more risk and hassle than the next persons. Other options you can use in conjunction with a lock and chain are disc locks, lever locks, motorcycle covers, GPS trackers and alarms.

We have gathered a selection of motorcycle locks and chains from the big players in the market to see what sort of protection they offer, combined with their usability and portability. Clearly, the larger the chain, the greater the protection it will offer but conversely, the less easy to use it is and as for portability — well, look at some of the weights and you’ll get an idea of how that works.

Things to consider before you buy a lock and chain

When you’re buying security products, look for the Sold Secure logo. This is a not-for-profit scheme run by the Master Locksmiths Association that tests and rates products depending on their resistance to attack.

Look for products that have Motorcycle ratings and, ideally, Gold or Diamond for the highest levels of attack resistance.

The best motorcycle locks:

Chains tested to destruction by RiDE Magazine

Test result	Overall score
Link cut 1: 28.8s	Protection: 14/20
Link cut 2: 41.4s	Ease of use: 5/10
Combined time: 1m10.2s	Portability: 6/10
Lock cut: N/A	Total: 25/40

Test result	Overall score
Link cut 1: 28.6s	Protection: 12/20
Link cut 2: 26.7s	Ease of use: 7/10
Combined time: 55.3s	Portability: 7/10
Lock cut: 54s	Total: 26/40

Test result	Overall score
Link cut 1: 14.2s	Protection: 7/20
Link cut 2: 16.3s	Ease of use: 8/10
Combined time: 30.5s	Portability: 8/10
Lock cut: 28s	Total: 23/40

Why we need security kit: how easy is it to steal a motorcycle anyway?

You might be thinking that all this motorcycle security kit seems like a lot of faff, and an extra expense that could be avoided. After all, that’s what insurance is for, and your bike has a steering lock on it already – isn’t that enough?

Well, unfortunately, motorbikes are one of the easiest vehicles to steal, beaten only by bicycles for how quickly thieves can snatch them away. A 2021 study by the Motorcycle Action Group found that motorcycles were 11 times more likely to be stolen than a car, which made them the number one target for vehicle theft by a country mile.

Although most motorcycles have steering locks, these are easily snapped off with a quick kick of the handlebars, allowing thieves with minimal experience to roll away with your ride in mere seconds. Even if steering locks were stronger, it only takes two or three burly blokes to lift a motorbike into a van and be gone just as quickly.

The fact that unsecured motorcycles are so easy to steal is only magnified by their relatively high value, which makes them the ideal gig for crooks of any calibre to quickly cash in on – at your expense. All this makes it important to keep your ride locked up safe wherever you go – especially when parking up outside your home for the night, where most bikes end up being stolen from.

Of course, no security measure is completely bullet-proof, and you can’t expect to stop the cartel from ‘donating’ your bike for their ‘charitable’ causes if they really want to. But that is what insurance is for. Motorcycle security products will help you keep your ride where it belongs, so you don’t have to worry about your bike being stolen any more than you would for your car.

How MCN tests security

At MCN, our team of expert journalists have decades of experience gained over hundreds of thousands of miles. We don’t usually test our security to destruction; we use it exactly how you do, in the real world and in all conditions, while also being on top of the key safety and security regulations. That means we can deliver impartial buying advice you can rely on.

Each of our writers has an in-depth understanding of the needs of today’s biker… because they are one.

To find out if a security is worth spending your money on, our testers use them in the way you will. That means riding in them in whichever conditions they are designed for.

If you can’t see a review against an item on this page, it’s because we haven’t tested it yet. These items will only be included if we think they’re important and relevant in the market, and rest assured, we will be working on bringing you a review as soon as we’ve done the miles.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.

What our star ratings mean

When we review a product, we award it a score out of five. In the ratings tab of a given product, you may also find more specific scores for the different aspects of a product’s performance to help you make an informed decision. Here’s a guide to what each number score means:

• 1 star – Poor performance in this category or overall. A product with a single star rating has fallen below the expected standard and should be avoided.
• 2 stars – Basic performance in this area or overall. A product with a two-star rating has managed to perform to a barely acceptable level and there is room for improvement.
• 3 stars – An average performance in this area or overall. A product with a three-star rating has achieved a basic level of performance and is deemed adequate.
• 4 stars – A product has performed over and above the accepted averaged in this category or overall. A product with a four-star rating has surpassed expectation and delivered in a particularly impressive way.
• 5 stars – A product has performed at the highest possible level in a particular category or overall. A product with a five-star rating has delivered to the highest possible level, impressing the tester with its performance. We would happily spend our own money on it.

– Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections – read why you should trust us.

– Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections – read why you should trust us.

- Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us.