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Apr. 1 2022 Safety By Sky Powersports Lakeland
If you want to continue enjoying the thrills of exploring the great outdoors, you’ll want to take all possible measures to keep your ATV safe. While it’s vital that you regularly maintain your ATV to keep it in good working order, preventing it from getting stolen is the more crucial aspect to consider. Don’t worry if you are unsure where to begin—we have you covered.
Keep reading this guide to learn more about keeping your quad safe, and visit Sky Powersports Lakeland for more advice. You’ll find us in Lakeland, FL, where we happily welcome our friends from Tampa and Orlando.
If you must leave your ATV unattended, remember to pull out the keys before moving away. Leaving the keys in or around your machine will make it more vulnerable to theft as crafty thieves can easily start it and speed away.
If you are not going to use your ATV for a few days or weeks, consider storing it appropriately rather than leaving it unattended in the open.
Ideally, you should use an indoor space like a garage or a locked shed for storing your quad. If that’s not feasible and you have to leave it outdoors, ensure that you choose a spot connected to your house. This way, you can watch out for any suspicious activity around your quad.
A good-quality lock and chain can be another theft-deterrent measure for your ATV. However, make sure you buy the sturdiest model available and chain up your quad securely.
Although it might sound unusual, many ATVs get stolen from busy campgrounds.
Adventure enthusiasts who go on day trips to nearby locations leave their quads back at the campsite without considering any security measures. Leaving your model unattended for long hours can encourage crooks to get hold of it and ride away.
A step to deter this can be to remove the valve stems from two tires and let them go flat. This will make it hard for anyone to roll your ATV over any distance. If you are leaving your quad for a short duration, you might want to skip the hassle of deflating and inflating the tires. However, this practical measure is an ideal option for long-term storage.
Security cameras can’t prevent someone from stealing your ATV. However, crooks will be less enthusiastic about stealing something when they know they are being watched. This accessory will also provide you with evidence of the instance that the police can use in their investigation process.
Thankfully, security cameras are more affordable than you might think.
You can easily install a few of them throughout your property or at least at strategic points for extra security coverage.
We hope these tips come in handy when keeping your ATV safe. If you need more ideas or are still in the market for a new quad, visit Sky Powersports Lakeland. Our dealership is in Lakeland, FL, and we also serve Tampa and Orlando.
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Written by Brent Huntley in ATVs
ATV security can be achieved with little just a little effort, and in some cases, only a little money.
You don’t need an armored vault in your garage just to keep your ATV safe.
Unfortunately, too many ATV owners either don’t worry about ATV security, thinking they don’t need it, or they avoid taking security measures because they think they will be too costly or time-consuming.
In reality, an ATV is more likely to get stolen than a car because it is a crime that is a lot easier to get away with since a stolen ATV can be hidden and/or disguised much easier than a stolen car. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to protect your ATVs. How much money you are willing to spend on it is really up to you and the effort you want to make.
Securing Your ATV
Even if your ATV is locked in an outdoor shed, if someone can break the lock and get it without waking you up, the deterrence level is too low. So, if you have to keep it in an outdoor shed or in a trailer or something similar, you wan’t that location as close to your house as possible so that it is within your sight and hearing. 
If that is not an option, make sure the trailer is locked down very well so that someone cannot come by and break the locks or cut the chains and make off with the trailer. Also, don’t leave the towing gear on the trailer ready to attach. While this may be convenient for your next trip, it is also convenient for a would-be thief.
Of course, don’t forget to put the fuse back in before you try to start it yourself.
This way, people will not be able to back the ATV out of the truck bed or out of the trailer without moving the truck, which is a lot harder task.
You can pick up a decent wi-fi camera for $50. It may not stop someone from stealing your ATV, and the police may not be able to identify the people, but police are a lot more motivated to help if they have some evidence they can use as a starting point. Video goes a long way with getting the investigation to actually happen.
Because of this, you are going to need to to a cost-benefit analysis to determine if the cost is worth it to you. One important consideration is to look at the cost in just adding theft protection to what you would normally get because that may be less of a cost than you think.
The easiest thing to do is make sure they leave their car behind. If they do leave their car behind, make sure you keep it under guard so they can’t sneak back and grab the car when you go inside to wait for their return. Agree on a time they need to be back and call the police if they aren’t back within a reasonable amount of time after the agreed-upon time.Most of these tips are all about using common sense. If people don’t know you have an ATV, they aren’t going to try and steal it. Likewise, if people can’t get easy access to your ATV, they are going to be less likely to try and steal it. Finally, if someone does steal your ATV, you need to have a way to identify it and also want to have insurance money to soften the blow.
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ATVs are stolen even from garages in the yards of private houses and from guarded parking lots. The risk of theft increases if you post photos on social networks in front of where the ATV is stored, especially with geographic coordinates - this happens if you do not turn off the geolocation function.
To protect against theft, owners use cables, chains, locks, immobilizers and alarms. GSM beacons help find equipment. Which of these is effective and what to do in case of theft - we will tell in the article.
Steering lock . When the ATV is moving, it rests on the frame or suspension. It can only be removed with a key, which is unique for each lock.
Chain . Allows you to tie the ATV to a tree, fence or other stable object. The optimal chain thickness is from 12 mm.
Rope . An analogue of a chain, but it is easier to cut or bite. The strongest cables are with steel cylinders under a plastic coating.
The listed remedies are only part of the protection: they will delay the hijacker, but they will not prevent theft. In addition, you can put marks on the main components, so that in case of theft it would be easier to identify the ATV.
Immobilizer. Blocks the engine when trying to steal. After installing the immobilizer, to start the engine, you need to enter the secret code from the standard buttons or have a key fob with you - depending on the model.
Alarm. The siren is triggered if the electronic sensors detect an impact, tilt, push, movement, opening the case or turning the ignition key. The alarm system must be with feedback - in order to receive notifications on the key fob or SMS messages on the phone. Since thieves use devices to jam the GSM signal, it is better to buy a model that periodically sends coordinates notifications to the server - if the information is not received, the server will inform the owner about it.
Lighthouse. Device with GPS/GLONASS receiver, GSM module and batteries inside. Sends the coordinates of the location of the ATV to the owner. In the standard mode, it turns on 2-3 times a day, so it is difficult to find it with a field indicator. It is advisable to put 2 beacons - both are unlikely to be detected.
Immobilizer, alarm and beacon are combined with each other and can be part of a single security and search system. One of the most effective is Cesar Moto X from Cesar Satellite.
It monitors the coordinates of the ATV in real time, and in case of a hijacking attempt, it sends a signal to the monitoring center. A few minutes after the discovery of suspicious activity, a rapid response team arrives at the scene. The system is not afraid of water and does not discharge the battery, and you can control it from your smartphone.
If the ATV is insured only against theft, the money will not be paid until the criminal case is closed. Therefore, the risk of theft must be specified in the contract - so that compensation can be obtained even before the opening of a criminal case.
Documents for issuing a CASCO policy:
Unlike OSAGO, the CASCO contract is not public and is concluded by mutual agreement of the parties. This means that the insurance company may refuse to issue a policy for any reason.
The risk of failure is less if the ATV is new, with an anti-theft system and does not have significant damage.
Garage burglary protection:
This will not provide complete security. That's why you need to install an alarm.
Autonomous GSM alarm system . It has a built-in power supply, turns on the siren when you try to hack and sends SMS messages to the specified numbers. The downside is that the police will have to be called on their own, and how quickly they will arrive is unknown.
Private security alarm . This is a security system that sends a signal to the central monitoring station. The operator sees that an alarm has gone off at one of the facilities and sends a crew there. The arrival time of the rapid response team is from 4 minutes.
Brief action plan if the beacon was not installed on the ATV:
Most likely, after the announcement of the theft is published, scammers will call and demand a reward for the exact address of the vehicle's location.
It is easy to figure out the deceivers - they will not be able to name the exact signs of the ATV and send a photo. The chance of running into scammers is higher if the frame and engine numbers are fully indicated in the ad - they will be used as evidence.
After calling the police, a district police officer will come and take a statement. Then you need to go to the precinct to complete the application. You will need a passport, PTS, STS and keys.
You need to get from the police:
If the ATV is insured under CASCO, you need to go to the office of the insurance company and fill out an application for theft.
At what time is specified in the contract. You will need:
Usually CASCO money is paid out in 2-3 months.
To protect the ATV from theft, you need to tie it with a thick chain, put a lock on the steering shaft, install an alarm with an immobilizer and a beacon and issue a CASCO policy. It is desirable to equip the garage with a security system. You should not photograph equipment near the house or garage and use the geolocation function when shooting.
The last few years ATVs are in high demand. As a result, the risk of vehicle theft increases.
ATVs can be stolen not only from open parking lots, but also from the garage of a private house and from a guarded parking lot.
A car thief can track down the location of your vehicle from photos you post on social media. One of the main mistakes is geo-tagging the ATV parking lot. In some social networks, the location is geotagged automatically. We recommend that you check your phone settings and do not share your location on social networks.
Owners use different ways to protect their ATV:
Consider each method of protection and identify the most effective.
This ATV security option includes:
All of the above means are only an obstacle for the hijacker.
To easily identify the ATV after theft, make your marks on the vehicle itself.
Modern electronic security complement each other. Ideally, create a system for protection and search.
Immobilizer - blocks the engine. To start the engine, the owner enters the code from the buttons or key fob.
The alarm is triggered by a slight impact, tilt.
It is possible to install a beacon with a built-in GPS/GLONASS receiver, a GSM module and batteries inside. The device sends the geographic coordinates of the ATV to the owner.
Conventional vehicle insurance will not pay out the money until the criminal case is closed. The contract must include a clause on the risk of theft in order to receive money before the start of investigative actions.
To apply for an insurance policy, prepare your CTC, owner's passport and driver's license.
Not all insurance companies offer services for concluding a CASCO contract.
But if the ATV is new, it has an anti-theft system installed, then the chance to get insurance becomes greater.
An external lock on the garage cannot always prevent theft. Additional measures recommended:
Stand-alone GSM alarm with built-in power supply. When an opening occurs, an audible signal is emitted, an SMS message is automatically sent to the owner.
If your ATV is stolen, follow this plan:
A representative of the internal affairs authorities will contact you in order to take a statement, filling out a statement at the station. You need to get a ticket from the police that an application is being accepted, an act of acceptance and transfer of keys and documents.
