Motorcycle theft rose more than any other category of vehicle last year with the biggest leap in South Australia and Tasmania and South East Queensland being a hotspot for thieves.
Figures released today by the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council show motorcycle theft across the nation up 10.5% to 9672.
That’s a 19.7% leap from the 8078 stolen five years ago.
Theft leap
The leap in motorcycle theft rates has prompted the Council to invite rider groups to partner with them to raise security awareness.
For more details of how your bike group can be involved click here.
Council Projects and Communications Coordinator Caitlin Hrambanis says there could be several reasons for the explosion on motorcycle theft rates:
- The ease with which they are stolen;
- A high demand for parts; and
- The lack of security measures by riders.
Where they were stolen
The biggest increase over the past 12 months was in South Australia where thefts almost doubled from 555 to 822.
It was followed by Tasmania with a 40.4% increase to 198.
| State/Terr | 2018 | 2019 | % change | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thefts |
% of thefts
|
Thefts |
% of thefts
|
||
| ACT | 107 | 126 | 17.8% | ||
| NSW | 1,969 | 2,132 | 8.3% | ||
| NT | 82 | 97 | 18.3% | ||
| QLD | 1,690 | 2,017 | 19.3% | ||
| SA | 555 | 822 | 48.1% | ||
| TAS | 141 | 198 | 40.4% | ||
| VIC | 2,097 | 2,115 | 0.9% | ||
| WA | 2,108 | 2,165 | 2.7% | ||
| AUS | 8,749 | 100.0 | 9,672 | 100.0 | 10.5% |
This table of motorcycle thefts according to local government areas shows that four of the top 10 are in the South East Queensland area.
Cockburn and Stirling are in Perth, and Darebin and Melbourne are, of course in Melbourne.
| State or Territory | LGA | 2018 | 2019 | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QLD | Brisbane (City) | 432 | 526 | 21.8% |
| QLD | Gold Coast (City) | 244 | 285 | 16.8% |
| VIC | Melbourne (City) | 246 | 250 | 1.6% |
| QLD | Logan (City) | 157 | 202 | 28.7% |
| QLD | Moreton Bay (Regional Council) | 129 | 184 | 42.6% |
| WA | Cockburn (City) | 76 | 171 | 125.0% |
| NSW | Sydney (City) | 151 | 151 | 0.0% |
| VIC | Darebin (City) | 106 | 141 | 33.0% |
| WA | Stirling (City) | 147 | 140 | -4.8% |
| NSW | Newcastle (City) | 130 | 130 | 0.0% |
What is being stolen
There is little change in what is being stolen.
It’s mostly light bikes, dirt bikes and scooters which are the easiest to steal.
Also popular were the most prolific brands, such as the four Japanese brands.
| Make | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Honda | 1,678 | 2,104 |
| Yamaha | 1,424 | 1,665 |
| Kawasaki | 804 | 925 |
| Suzuki | 821 | 868 |
| KTM | 523 | 634 |
| SYM | 171 | 350 |
| Kymco | 112 | 245 |
| Harley-Davidson | 213 | 215 |
| Piaggio | 159 | 202 |
| Triumph | 143 | 197 |
| Hyosung | 168 | 162 |
| Husqvarna | 99 | 158 |
| Longjia | 139 | 150 |
| Ducati | 85 | 107 |
| Aprilia | 69 | 99 |
| BMW | 56 | 90 |
| TGB | 108 | 87 |
| Vespa | 75 | 78 |
| Bolwell | 56 | 72 |
| Adly | 101 | 60 |
| Cubic capacity | 2015 | % of thefts | 2019 | % of thefts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50cc or less | 966 | 851 | ||
| 51 – 100cc | 186 | 91 | ||
| 101 – 150cc | 871 | 1,101 | ||
| 151 – 200cc | 147 | 154 | ||
| 201 – 250cc | 1,106 | 949 | ||
| 251 – 500cc | 1,028 | 1,332 | ||
| 501 – 750cc | 901 | 930 | ||
| 751 – 1000cc | 446 | 431 | ||
| 1001cc or more | 332 | 295 | ||
| Electric | 1 | 4 | ||
| Unknown | 2,270 | 3,534 |
How to secure your bike
- When riding home, make sure you are not being followed.
- Stay alert for suspicious vans or trucks driving around late at night. These are used to transport stolen motorcycles.
- Lock the steering if it has a steering lock.
- Put a cover over your bike. It might slow down thieves and prevent theft of accessories. But make sure it isn’t a flashy lone with the brand name of the bike on it. That only entices thieves.
- When riding in a group, park your bikes together.
- Consider marking your bike in a unique way that could aid in recovery and therefore dissuade thieves.
- At hotels or public parking spaces, try to park in view of parking lot security cameras and lights.
- Install a motorcycle alarm and/or a hidden kill switch.
- Buy a GPS tracking system that can track and relay your bike’s speed, location and direction.