Keeping bike at flats?

Off-topic
#1

Currently able to park my bike safely tucked away round the back of the house. Thinking about moving out of London and buying a house or flat in suburbia, with Harlow or Welwyn being a strong contender - probably middle of the road price-range, in an average part of town.

Anyone on here living in the ‘shires and keeping their bike parked in a block of flats’ communal car-park? If so, has security or people messing with your bike been an issue at all? I’m swaying towards an apartment as there’s some reasonably nice ones for my budget, but I’d stretch to a house in perhaps a less desirable area if it comes with a bit of garden where I can park the bike out of the way of prying eyes.

Appreciate it’s a bit of a ‘How long’s a piece of string’ type question, but would be interested in any comments. :cool:

#2

Don’t know if it helps, I used to live in a house in Buckinghamshire and absolutely hated it. There was no garage parking and it had to be off road, so I would just pull my motorcycle up my lawn in front of my patio window.

Anywhere you have a visible bike, there is a high chance of an opportunistic tamper. You can at least install ground anchors; fixing points in a house. In a flat, it’s harder.

Personally, I just don’t like living in houses. Strangers can easily work out whether you are in or out and the security is not as good as a modern flat. I do like living high above everyone (so I can look down on them j/k ) but underground car parks are great if you have a fixing point for a motorcycle. Even if you have a garden, it’s hard to keep secure; any white van man can easily pry doors off and lift it into a van. All your neighbours will get to know you as “the biker with the loud exhausts” when you roll in at 3am, and out at 6am lol.

Problems with flats - your insurance may reject a flat’s parking pound for a motorcycle, especially if it’s a sportsbike; you may have to install a motorcycle shed on your actual allocated parking slot, however application to the landlord to check this is possible first. Good things; large tow trucks and vans cannot get easy access to private parking pounds, and it means that thieves have to find a way to severe your bike locks from the anchoring point; potentially pass CCTV and get caught … it’s much harder logistically to steal this way, especially if the height of the carpark blocks anything over 6ft. Also, you have your own space and privacy: for 4 years, my next door neighbour never realised I rode a motorcycle :slight_smile:

Anyone on here living in the ‘shires and keeping their bike parked in a block of flats’ communal car-park? If so, has security or people messing with your bike been an issue at all? I’m swaying towards an apartment as there’s some reasonably nice ones for my budget, but I’d stretch to a house in perhaps a less desirable area if it comes with a bit of garden where I can park the bike out of the way of prying eyes.

Overall, it’s a decision based on the lifestyle you want to have. Nothing would be as depressing as living in suburbian Brookside with middle class folk playing monopoly on Sundays for me. I like the inner city, for reasons people hate it :slight_smile:

Well, that’s how long the string is for me and others’ longer - their mileage may vary because they take longer to get in from suburbia to London lol. Whereas living in a flat in London, you can get out of London easier for a better weekend lifestyle, balanced with the working commuting week - especially come bad inclinement weather - nothings as hairy as having to ride through thicket hailstorm and black ice taking silly risks just to get to work on a weekday.
Appreciate it’s a bit of a ‘How long’s a piece of string’ type question, but would be interested in any comments. :cool:
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#3

If its council estate flats then get a garage fit a ground anchor door lock and should be ok.

If its fancy apartments then should have underground/gated parking which should be acceptable by insurance companies.

Or the ultimate solution if you have a council/private property with off road(not public highway) parking/parking space - buy an old transit van, fit heavy duty locks, get a ramp and hey presto - instant high security parking for your motorbike.
Its a vehicle so doesn’t need permission like a bike shed might, its secure (enclosed rear with no windows - noone can see your bike and its dry) - as long as its a private/off road road you won’t need MOT & TAX and who is going to want to break into an old transit? :smiley:

#4

I wouldn’t want to put too much faith into ‘private underground parking’ I know of at least two people that have had their bikes stolen from them.
One was walked up a flight of stairs and out. Most have automatic gates that open from the inside by putting the bike over the sensor. So once someone is in its simple to get out.
As with security anywhere, including personal garages. Ground anchors and decent chains is a must.

#5

I park mine outside our flats in Watford. It’s not the greatest area, and I was convinced my bike would disappear in a matter of weeks, but I had little other choice.
I pull it into the front gate and onto the concrete hard standing outside, and I loop a chain through the wheels and iron fence. It’s also covered.
Touch wood and all that, but I’m surprised to say that I’ve been doing that for about 4 years without it being messed with in the slightest.

#6

There’s little to choose between Harlow and Welwyn. Both are ‘New Towns’, both have their Council Estates and ex Council (Right to Buy) housing stock neither is 'out in the ‘shires’. Of the two I’d favour Harlow, probably because being in Essex its part of My Backyard.

Before you finally set your heart on a property get out and about and walk the area to get a realistic feel of what your buying into and what goes for normal behaviour during various times of the day and night.

Don’t know what your budget is but have a look at Churchgate on the outskirts of Harlow or Old Harlow.

Whatever other boxes you’re ticking you’ll be needing you’re own garage, that’s you’re garage not an en bloc garage.

#7

I live in a shire , garage connected to the house … went to work one day … left the garage door open by mistake , 3 bikes on display with no alarms and the keys in the ignitions , 4 mountain bikes , a chest full of tools …wide open all day long … No one touched a thing .

#8

Currently live in a flat near Wembley. Have the bike parked up and chained up front wheel ,back wheel and on the swing arm and coverred up ( they say the angle grinder glad should be blunt by the time they get through the first chain, I’ve got 3 incase they bring 2 blades), tracker and alarm also fitted. About 5 other bikes parked along side it and none stolen in the last 3 years of living here some don’t appear to have any security on it. Oh forgot also have a disc lock on.

#9

Lived in Welwyn for a few years, nice town actually. Had the bike parked on the road most of the time with a chain through the wheel, never had any issue.

#10

I live in a terraced house in a part of London that is usually on fire and frequently cannot get the bike into the front garden where there is a ground anchor due to cars parking in front of the entrance.
It isn’t possible to get the bike in unless I can roll it in from the street as I also need a ramp to get it up some steps.

As such my ability to secure a bike isn’t any better or worse than someone who lives in a flat- for me it is more about what you do with what you have and being consistent.

I can lock the bike to either a lamppost, telephone pole or, as a last resort, through the wheel of my car.
It is never on the street unless it is locked to something and covered, not even for 5 mins.

We’ve had 3 bikes stolen in the street in the last 3 months- none of the bikes were locked to anything, just to themselves.

#11

I live in ware have garage below my appartment. quite a few apartments/flats with garages below.

#12

Bilbo Baggins must have been locked in a dungeon somewhere that day… :smiley:

#13

All the finks just thought “NumNum lives there, let’s not bother, he looks so scary” :Whistling:

#14

:smiley: LOL ! I’ve always liked being close to the city without being in it, and of course it provides an easy excuse to use the bike for commuting :cool: Finances are coming in to this as well.

Partner is starting a new job in Edinburgh in January which she will do for around 1 year. And it’s looking like I’m about to be offered a 3 day Mon-Wed job near Edinburgh, so I’ll be spending some of my week there with her, and coming back to work Fridays & Saturdays here. It’s likely to make renting our current place in Finchley uneconomical as we’ll not be there enough to justify the expensive rent, and as we’re thinking about buying anyway, now could be the time to move out of London and put our money into something that will be ‘ours’. A safe place to keep the bike is a fairly large factor.

#15

Have lived on the Aylesbury estate most of my life, mines never been touched (touch wood) it is chained and does have a disc lock on but the railings its chained to certainly cant be seen from any of our windows but I think some of that is to do with the fact I grew up/went to school with most of the toerags on the estate, also never had it touched when I stayed at my friends/girlfriend in Peckham and just used the same precautions

#16

They probably couldn’t get past the electrified fence :smiley:

As for me, I live in a block of flats in E15 (far from the best postcode in London) and I have a community parking at the back of the building. I’m lucky there are bike racks cemented into the ground meaning I can chain my bike to them plus the area is gated with 2 CCTV cameras overlooking them. The guards aren’t in 24/7 but they’re there most of the time.

Someone tried to knick my MT-09 back in January. Didn’t get far, only dislodged my front wheel and broke my brake lever while trying to break the steering lock but didn’t even manage to do that. Security later said they could see 4 men in hoodies with big bolt cutters entering the compound but conveniently the other CCTV camera looking right at the bikes didn’t work at that time so they were never found.

4 days later someone tried to steal another bike that was chained next to mine but this time security saw them coming and scared them off. Since then I must say it’s been quiet apart from one time when I came home and a scrote on a scooter followed me into the compound, turned around and left. He saw me looking at him with my helmet camera still on so hopefully he knows I’ve got his face captured.

As I said - I’m thankful I have things like the bike racks, otherwise no CCTV or gates would have stopped the thieves and I would’ve lost my bike. I don’t think it makes a difference whether it’s a city or a remote/rural area. If they want your bike, most of the time they’ll get it no matter what so always, and I mean ALWAYS, make sure you lock it to something solid and don’t be cheap and install a tracker. Will give you peace of mind if nothing else.

#17

I live in hitchin, north herts. a garage costs me £40 a month from the council. never had a problem.

on Ollie’s rideout, we did this on the way back: https://goo.gl/maps/4dojc
Somebody commented “I now see why people live in hertfordshire”

#18

I am not scary , I am beardy cuddly looking with an air of vulnerable . But our street is dead during the weekdays , the only time it has been busy is when a bunch of bikers turned up outside and lowered the tone :stuck_out_tongue:

#19

Being close to the city without being in it = inner city :slight_smile:

I spent 10 years commuting on a motorcycle …not much fun, but > commuting in a car > commuting in viral incubators and cattle cart.

If you’re going to Edinburgh, stock up on ACF50 :Wow:

I guess you’re not keen on renting out your Finchley flat completely and renting a room for the Friday/Sat. I had a strange working arrangement like that, where someone needed to be where I was for the weekend, and I needed to be where she was during the week. We never saw each other, the only way I knew she was there was because the toilet seat was always left down on the Friday night when I got home :crazy:

A safe place to keep a bike is a luxury these days. Thank goodness for monster chain locks :slight_smile:

#20

That’s more secure than the best postcodes in London where the most crime happens!

Actually where you live, the burglars would get lost trying to navigate their way out of Stratford.

Nice motorcycle shop up that end near Forest Gate - Harpers Race Shop!