Car/Motorcycle/Bike Tracking Device "Find My" - Stolen Vehicle Safety Measure

Ldzekas on 11/08/2025 - 09:43
Last edited 11/08/2025 - 10:02 by 1 other user

I would like to know what safety measures they have for their vehicles. I was wondering what people use for their vehicles for tracking.

Motorcycle thefts seem to be on the rise, along with car thefts. Not sure if police will do anything these days even if you show them where your vehicle is currently located after being stolen and they don't find the tracker.

I have a motorcycle in a secure car space, but it is a shared basement and motorcycles don't take long to move into vans if you know what you're doing. It is CCTV monitored. Tracking devices seem to be cheap these days and last a number of years.

I just saw this deal this morning, and I have been meaning to do my research, but I thought I would reach out to the OzB hive mind first.

Cheers

Poll Options

  • 3
    Tracking device
  • 18
    Tracking device + Brake lock
  • 2
    Brake lock
  • 4
    No security
Automotive

Comments

  • rambutann on 11/08/2025 - 09:56
    +7

    I personally have a motorbike and a clapped out 80 series landcruiser.
    I had my landcruiser stolen with an airtag in it - police were very helpful and recovered it within the hour of the vehicle stopping in a local shopping centre carpark.

    I regret having the tag in there because the insurance would have paid out more than what the car was worth.. it cost me about $2000 to recover the vehicle and repair it..
    But if you have a vehicle that you actually want to keep, im sure it would be a great thing to have.

    If someone is going to steal a motorbike they are going to do so.. not much is going to stop it, but you can slow down the process.

    • pwnd on 11/08/2025 - 10:04
      -3

      I wouldn't have accepted a vehicle that had been stolen and joy ridden. You don't know what was done to it.
      Plus the vehicle was mint before it was stolen, and clapped out during the period it was away.

      • rambutann on 11/08/2025 - 10:06
        +1

        My vehicle was clapped out to begin with haha
        I was given the opportunity to assess it prior to deciding whether or not to involve insurance.. decided it wasn't worth it which was the correct decision.

      • Bignudge on 11/08/2025 - 11:39
        +1

        Usually it's not really up to you to make a decision to accept the vehicle or not.

        If going through insurance then they'll get their assessor to take a look. If it's cleanable or repairable and under 50% of the agree/market/payout value then they'll probably fix/clean it.

        If over costs are over 50% of vehcile payout then they'll probably pay you out. You may be able to buy back the car with a salvage title.

        Even if it did a 5 minute burnout and blew up your rear tyre… insurance would only replace your rear tyre. They don't give a shit about it being redlined, or braked hard. At the end of the day, it might still be cheaper to just replace the tyre yourself instead of paying excess.

        • rambutann on 11/08/2025 - 18:22

          Yeah nah. I called the insurance company, they basically told me to visit the vehicle and decide at that point whether or not to send an assessor out prior to taking the vehicle. I decided not to get insurance involved because i was advised that i would need to pay if the assessor was involved at any capacity.

  • pwnd on 11/08/2025 - 10:06
    +3

    For our newish vehicle, our safety measure is insurance.
    For our old vehicle, our safety measure is airtag plus insurance. Reason being, if it is stolen (and it's far easier to steal it than the new car) I would like the option of being able to purchase it off insurance if it is deemed a write off, and the airtag would help with location.
    If the new vehicle is stolen, I don't want it back.

  • pegaxs on 11/08/2025 - 10:10
    +4

    I use AirTags in all my bikes, but I bury them in the bike and rip out the "sounder" so they dont make a noise if the perp gets a warning that they are being tracked with an AirTag.

    The other alternative I have used is a "Spot: Trace" that is a GPS tracker that does not use 4G/5G, but rather uses satellite to communicate its position, so it will work anywhere in the world, including in areas of ZERO phone coverage.

    And If you can, chain your bike to something. If they are using a van/ute or trailer, that brake lock is worth nothing. At least if the bike is chained down, they will have to take more time to get tools out and cut through a chain and make a lot of noise and sparks before they can just load it into said van. I use an Abus "ROCK" 83/80 lock (it's about the size of your fist) and some 12mm+ hardened chain so they will NEED to cut through it with a hot saw, and not just bolt cutters.

    Oh, and have your insurance paid up.

  • brotherfranciz on 11/08/2025 - 10:16

    It depends how much you're willing to spend on security measures, but I voted 'Tracking device + Brake lock', as you sound keen to protect your motorbike (?).

    Of course, if thieves really want your bike, then they will figure out a way to get it. However, you can make their life more difficult than it is worth, so they end up looking elsewhere for easier targets.

    I own two relatively expensive bicycles and have also been meaning to address this issue. The problem for me is that I use Android (non-Samsung) devices so the tracking is unfortunately not an option for me.

    However, my research has led me to these motor/push bike locks (I have linked to the motorbike locks for your convenience):

    Hiplok

    Litelok

    These locks are designed to quickly wear out angle grinder discs.

    You can check out reviews on YouTube etc.

    The locks are quite expensive though, so like I said at the beginning of my comment, it really depends how much you want to spend on security measures.

  • Ocker on 11/08/2025 - 10:24

    A friend had an airtag hidden in his Commodore SSV. The car was stolen from his driveway and the airtag thrown onto the ground next to where the car was.
    The stripped down shell of the car was found on a remote outer Melbourne road a week later.

  • bargaino on 11/08/2025 - 10:39

    For a car or motorcycle, you can get a proper GPS tracker for not much more than the price of an airtag. e.g. Sino Track. Need a SIM card, say $10/year, and a tracking server. You can run your own or use a service. Has a 30-day battery plus connects to the 12V from your vehicle to charge.

    That way you an have a full tracking history, and not as easily found by people looking for airtags.

  • pharkurnell on 11/08/2025 - 10:39

    Good lock, and a tracker are good value

    https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2025/may/biketrac-recove…
    https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-kit/security/best-motorc…

    Disc brake locks are only a temp problem for thieves
    If they have a van, they just pick it up and chuck it in the back, brake lock and all

  • CaptainJack on 11/08/2025 - 11:56

    I have my bike in a basement carpark. It's been broken into but my bike has been ok (so far). Relying on a mixture of good luck and insurance.

    I have it between two SUVs (if my neighbour is home), and behind a pillar, with a cover over it. It's actually fairly hard to see unless you look carefully, and probably couldn't be stolen if both cars are parked there - which overnight is usually the case. I would like to lock it to the pillar if I could find a long enough and thick enough chain that doesn't cost 10% of the bike's value.

    It does make it a bitch to get out for a ride, but that's ok.

    I feel like a tracking device is too easy to find, plus I have no faith in the police doing anything here in Vic.

  • studentl0an on 11/08/2025 - 12:04

    I purchased a couple of Remax branded Apple Airtag clones from Aliexpress after reading in a thread that they do not warn the thieves that an airtag is travelling with them, as Apple Airtag and most clones do.

    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007551548811.html
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/902805

  • Downvoter on 11/08/2025 - 13:05

    Nice try respondent

  • apple2016 on 11/08/2025 - 16:09
    -1

    Interesting that you dont have an option for adequate insurance!…
    If stolen, you get your money back. Seems like a fool proof solution.

    • studentl0an on 11/08/2025 - 17:22
      +1

      Are you omitting paying the excess to make a claim and the increase insurance premium cost for a purpose? Or do you have no idea how insurance works?

  • viTRifY13 on 11/08/2025 - 20:07

    https://www.monimoto.com.au/

    You keep an RFID tag in your pocket. If your bike is moved without that tag near the bike, you'll automatically get alerts and phone calls constantly until you acknowledge. You WILL wake up with how persistent the calls / notifications are. It is about $70/year if I remember correctly, but well worth the piece of mind (plus! I saved about $150/year on insurance with it through RAC)

  • OBEY YOUR MASTERS on 12/08/2025 - 10:26

    Has anyone got experience with car security systems that can do remote engine start/kill and GPS tracking? Are they worth the coin?

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