People always ask, "What is the best way to lock my bike up so that it won't get stolen?"

There are many precautions you should take when locking up, and many specific ways of locking your motorcycle or motorscooter that largely depend on the model of your bike and where you are.

The Basics

1. Always lock it to an immovable object.
2. Never lock it to a tree.
3. Do not block the entrance to a building of any kind, or obstruct the flow of traffic on a sidewalk.
4. Make sure that your lock is tight around the scooter or motorcycle (more on this later).
5. Use a good hardened steel lock/chain.

What are some good things to lock to?

• Lamp posts are great (can't be cut through, and chains can't be slid over the top)
• Sign posts are good (uses less chain to get around, but sign can be removed from top and bike and chain removed, it's been done)
• Wrought iron tree guards
• Sidewalk-mounted bike racks (don't block their use by byciclists!)

What are some bad things to lock to?

• Trees: Never! It is illegal, and can cause damage to the tree. Street trees have it bad enough.
• Scaffolding is a risky proposition. It can go up and come down very quickly. If you have locked your bike to scaffolding when you go into your office, and that scaffolding is coming down, your bike might be gone when you come back.
• Parking on the sidewalk is illegal in NYC. The only caveat is if the sidewalk is private property and you have the permission of the property owner.

How should you lock your bike?

Lambretta

On a lambretta, a kryptonite evo lock (mini u) will fit around the front fork with just enough room for one link of a new york chain or the sleeve of a krypto barb-wire slipknot lock.

I use one of each of these, wrapped around a pole and then locked to both sides of the front fork. Sure someone could remove the headset and drop the fork and take my scooter sans fork and front hub, but i don't forsee that happening any time soon.

For shorter periods of time i have also locked the evo lock around the handlebar and to a pole with the slipkot chain, this is good for suspending a helmet (locked up) too if you are going into a show.

Vespa

Vespa small frames and some large frames have a fork that is the right size (and enough space between the shock and fork) to also lock up with an evo lock.

Any Scooter

another way i have locked up is using the New York noose chain around the body of the scooter, cinching it real tight and then using another New York noose or a barb wire slipknot wrapped around a pole.

I have heard some people talk about welding a big U or ring to the frame underneath the scoot so a chain can pass through or just have a lock lock to it (like the security loop on new vespas).

Motorcycles

If your motorcycle has spoked wheels (or mag wheels) you can probably fit a chain through the wheel. If you are parking in an area with heavy foot traffic, a chain through the rear wheel and a disk lock on your front wheel will probably keep your bike safe if you can't park close enough to lock to a pole.

Some Things to Be Aware of

• The old style Kryptonite Evo lock (mini u lock) with the barrel key can be picked with a Bic pen. The new model of EVO lock does not work with the Slip Knot Barb Wire Lock unless you remove the lock's rubber sheath and make the U detatchable.
• An angle grinder can easily cut through a Kryptonite U lock.
• A cutting torch can easily (and fairly quietly) cut through even a Kryptonite Fuggeddaboutit Chain.