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COPYRIGHT 2003 Ehlert Publishing Group
Many riders dream of touching their wheels down in new places in exotic lands. Of course, that dream includes being there with your bike when it happens. Unfortunately for some, though, every year an increasing number of motorcycles makes that trip not with their owners, but in the company of thieves.
If you ride a Harley, and it's stolen, odds are it'll be on a freighter bound for Europe or Asia before the ink on the police report is dry. Harleys are no less prized overseas than they are here, but they're a lot more expensive--if you buy one from a dealer, that is. There's a substantial discount if you don't mind the missing title. If you ride any other brand, your bike's journey to the dark side will most likely begin in a nearby garage or warehouse where it's stripped down to its component parts, which will eventually wind up in a stateside salvage yard or on someone else's motorcycle.
If you're surprised at how fast a stolen bike vanishes, maybe it's because there's more at stake today. "It's a business these days," says Greg Legeza, marketing director of Aritronix, "and these guys don't want to be caught with the bike. Very rarely is it some kid taking a joy ride. It's pick the bike up, put it in a van, take it somewhere and start stripping it for parts. People are stealing bikes for money, not for fun."
You might be surprised to learn exactly what bike thieves are after, too. "I have a lot of people ask me, 'Why do I need an alarm? I just have stock parts on my bike.' That's what the thieves want, not aftermarket stuff. The stock parts are more valuable." And in case you think you're safe because you don't ride a Harley, think again. In one survey of bike thefts through 2001, Harley-Davidson didn't show up...
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