Keeping your Quad Bike or ATV safe and secure not only counts towards your insurance premium being lower but can also save on major heart ache too. I can completely back up this statement having had a Quad Bike stolen from outside the front of our house one early evening. And, as distinctive as your machine may be, many people would not even think twice if they visualized your machine go past with someone else riding it.

Always A Good Reason
The purpose of this article is to give you an insight into what it is you can do and how you can do it. Quad Bikes, ATV’s, Buggies and Mini Motos are just as sought after to the thief as motorcycles, scooters and dirt bikes. Because of the risk it is always advisable to make sure that the system you use to lock your machine is a recommended and approved mechanism.

The one main thing to remember is that if you have something that is visual to the average thief it should deter them from attempting to steal your bike.

Where To Go. – Most hardware or DIY stores will supply you with a quality lock and chain and in some cases they will have certain kite marked locks giving authenticity to the quality and grade. The main area’s to observe when purchasing a lock or chain is that they conform to the Insurance Classification of CEN4 or better.

For an insurance company to pay out if your quad bike is stolen, in most cases you will have to provide not just proof of purchase but in some cases they impose a photographic clause to prove that your Quad or ATV is or was secured. Anyone can prove that they have purchased a lock, but now they say you may have to prove that you were using it.

Standard Practise – If a lock is to Grade 4 Standard it has a hardened alloy shackle and body as well as the possibility of a removable cylinder so that the barrel can be re-set to match existing locks. For example if you purchased a top of the range lock for your Quad Bike or Buggy then the chances are that you can get the barrel removed and matched even to a door key. This for example would be a very good lock for something like a child’s quad bike from probably a 50cc Quad up to a 250cc depending on the value.

Upgrades Are Good – The main way that insurance companies rate a lock is by the variables of the key match and the grade of the materials used in manufacture of both the main body and the clasp. To maintain and keep a CEN 4 Grade the manufacturer should keep this variable key match to no less than 250,000 possibilities.

Some of the top manufacturers of locks for example, Abus, also manufacture locks that meet the classification of CEN Grade 5. To achieve this standard, again the quality of materials are tested and the variable key match is raised from 250,000 to 300,000. Using a CEN Grade 5 padlock would always be the best option for a performance road legal quad bike or off road quad bike where the value is higher than normal.

I hope that this is of help to you when deciding on what strength of lock is good for your machine.

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