For its many fans, the Vespa is much more than just a means of transport. It is the expression of an attitude towards life and the possibility to bring a piece of Italy into the German everyday life. A motor scooter like the Vespa is generally a very sought-after vehicle. Therefore, all Vespa enthusiasts live with the worry that the beloved vehicle could be stolen. What options exist to ensure effective security against theft is described below.
Why do scooters get stolen?
Statistics show that every year about 45,000 scooters are stolen from their owners. Unfortunately, the tendency is increasing. Each theft means a serious loss, because this number hides the individual fates of a large number of lovingly and also with much financial effort maintained vehicles. The question that many ask themselves is what can be done with a stolen Vespa that can be clearly identified by its chassis number. This problem is often circumvented by disassembling the Vespa and selling the individual parts. In not entirely rare cases, it also happens that Vespas with a removed chassis number are offered on second-hand markets.
What are the options to protect against theft?#
A classic means of protection against theft is an alarm system. This can not prevent theft, but the noise generated by such a system has a deterrent effect on the thieves. If you want to achieve at least a deterrent in this way, you can choose an electronic alarm system from the original Piaggio accessories. Here are different models to choose from, which were developed in collaboration with the company Gemini. Here, the protective effect results from the connection of the basic model of the alarm system with the adapter cables, some of which are specific. The connections are already laid as standard on most scooters.
The original handlebar lock offers relatively little protection against theft. This can usually be overcome by using brute force when turning the handlebars. This then usually results in a defective ignition lock and irreparable damage to the lock mount. One way to improve theft protection here is to use an additional steering wheel lock. An equally small and efficient option here is the use of a safety lock from Grip Lock, with which the brake lever is blocked. An aid that is very popular due to its small pack size and because of the position in which it is placed, it can not be forgotten even when starting the scooter.
The classic means to protect the scooter from theft is still the use of a rim lock. A very popular product here is the rim lock from Masterlock, here the scooter is protected against theft with an 8mm thick steel cable. At the same time, the PVC coating ensures that the Vespa enthusiasts are spared unwanted paint damage. This product is also highly recommended by the fact that here an integrated adapter creates the possibility to convert from a large loop cable to a two-loop cable. Thus, the Vespa drivers can fasten their vehicle in a variety of positions. Incidentally, this lock can be used with the SIP tubeless rim with anti-theft Phyton 8417.
What options remain if the scooter was stolen?
If all this could not prevent the theft of the scooter, the question arises whether there is a possibility to find it again after the theft. One option that can help here is to permanently monitor the position of the scooter using a GPS tracker. There are a number of products that can be helpful here. One tracker that is used very often is the GPS Tracker Vehicle Finder 4G 2.0 Komplettset from PAJ. This is a device that can be stowed very inconspicuously in the vehicle due to its small size. This tracker also has a motion alarm. So if unauthorized use of the scooter is detected, a notification is sent directly to the cell phone of the owner. Prerequisite for the use of this tracker is the presence of a 8-32V battery. For the complete set, however, there is a monthly service fee of 6.99€ for the data connection and the use of the finder portal.
If the beloved scooter is not returned in this way, the only option is to take out insurance. This does not alleviate the pain of losing the scooter, but at least it helps to get over the monetary damage. In order to be insured against theft, the mandatory liability insurance must be supplemented by a partial cover insurance. In the event of theft, the current value of the scooter is reimbursed. This becomes a bit trickier if the scooter has already been around for a few decades, but its value is higher than its age due to extensive and expensive restorations. Here it could be useful to submit an appraisal when taking out the insurance. This usually leads to somewhat higher premiums. If the claim occurs, however, you will also receive the actual value of the scooter replaced.
Conclusion
There are a number of ways to protect your scooter from theft. Ideally, scooter owners should not limit themselves to just one in order to maximize their theft protection. Despite everything, the residual risk should be realistically assessed, against the backdrop of the rising theft rate, and insurance should be taken out to secure the real financial value of the vehicle.
