Wasn't there another youtuber got his stolen in the same town whilst unloading his luggage into his room. His insurance wasn't interested in getting him home which I thought wasn't very good. He'd to sort out his travel home himself.
@@BikeLikeMike92 same locality...there is obviously a van going around the Reims area nicking bikes...i've ridden around europe a lot and tbh there are some very very dodgy people around always looking to nick bikes.
I initially thought I was watching an update on the UA-camr who's bike was stolen whilst unloading his luggage and realised it wasn't yourself but a fellow GS owner having their bike stolen in France 😥. Bloody awful to think this is happening so often and I can't think of much worse (other than a bad accident) for this to happen abroad.
I added a comment to your initial video regarding the theft. After watching Two wheel dreamer have his bike stolen when I was myself in France touring on my BMW 2024RT I began thinking about my own circumstances. I ordered the monimoto tracker (£150) which is absolutely brilliant. On returning to the UK I hid it deep in my bike frame and every day it txt me to say it's armed. I also spent £300 on a Hiplock DX1000 (It took the guy from Bennett 4 cutting discs to get through it with a powered cutter). I have no affiliation with these products but I now feel reassured for my next trip to France.
Nice! Thanks for the comments. I have a Monimoto on my MT10, it is good. There are devices which can check for trackers I believe but if it’s buried in the bike it will give you valuable time.
Greetings from N.I. thanks for the info and sorry to see your tour ruined. I NEVER in 25 years of touring anywhere stay in a B&B , Hotel without secure parking. I hear guys complaining about paying up to 30 euro to park it's not even the price of a meal for you and you wife , but your bike will be there in the morning. seen a guy parking his in Strasbourg on the street came out to see in knocked over pegs broke etc. It might be the cheapest best rated hotel if no secure parking I move on simple. Regards Robert & Carolyn.
Seems Reims is a place to avoid - at all costs - if you are on a UK motorcycle that appears to have any value. Two Wheeled Dreamer's GSA was stolen from a Reims suburb called Tinqueux - 2 miles SW from Bike Like Mike's location. Unless you have a bloody good chain & padlock with your bike immediately locked to something secure, plus a couple of disc locks at the very least, avoid French cities and large towns would be my advice.
@@BikeLikeMike92 Indeed, but not always an option. One thing I will say is don't always trust accommodate claim of safe and private parking. I stayed in a hotel in Annecy who made this claim but it was an open to the public parking Iver the main road, and whilst there was a barrier, it was absolutely no protection for a bike. We ended up parking in a no parking zone on the street right in front of reception ... locking 2 bikes together with multiple locks.
Reims, Calais and Paris is a cesspool. I did well travelling all over France, Switzerland and Belgium with no bike related problems. Then again I parked with a chain and lock wrapped round the rear wheel, an alarmed disc lock on the front, a shabby old cover and the bike alarm on. Chained the rear wheel to a post or fence if possible and tried to park it between cars or in gaps between cars and pavements to make it an absolute pain to lift and shift into a van. Never left luggage on the bike. I avoided nice open motorcycle or bike parking (guess where a bike thief might look for.bikes to nick?).
France is on a parr with the UK and Italy for bike theft. I always use 2 locks minimum and try to book small family run type of hotels as they are usually very helpful with security and no what the local risks are. I have found eastern Europe to be far safer than our near neighbours in that respect and with the bonus that everything is so much more affordable as well.
Sorry to hear about your Moto getting nicked. I hope all is sorted now. *_All_* French cities are notorious for Moto theft. It's too easy to ship them out of the country. In Paris, I use a disk lock alarm *and* a chain. When touring in France and elsewhere, a cover as well. Four blokes probably picked it up and stuck it in the back of a "Transit". Takes about 15-20 seconds. They'll probably have taken it to an underground garage so the tracker can't be activated, then disabled it. Your Moto is probably either in pieces or Eastern Europe now. 😪 For future reference, in France or touring in general, even in a parking garage, cover the Moto when it is parked (Yeah, it's a pain to pack a heat proof cover but, it's a bigger pain getting it nicked). You also need a Sold Secure Gold or Diamond (SRA is the certification in France) lock and chain. As soon as you park, put the chain through part of the frame and lock it to an immovable object (lamp post is good - fencing isn't as good as it can be cut with an angle grinder but, in a pinch, use it), and make sure the chain doesn't touch the ground (much more difficult to cut). Reims is pronounced _"Ranse"_ in French (rather like Bicester is pronounced "Bister" in English).
Yea I do know it’s pronounced in a very different way, I just usually say it like that so many English people understand what I’m saying 😅 also have taken all security up a notch on my bike!
I'm so sorry for you man, I would say with bikes with any value they need to be out of sight and I would get an Airtag, Monimoto 9, and 2 Hiplock d1000s, chains are useless as even face hardened steel, but locks are not to be trusted they should be treated like alarms so that if someone is cutting it they can be heard/seen so you or someone else can phone the police. Ultimately locks can be cut trackers can be jammed out of sight is the only way. I've owned a super duke in London for three years only stolen once no damage and recovered in 30 min
See my earlier comment as I have added the monimoto to my RT. But I have left an AirTag under the seat so any thieves will easily find it and think they won't get tracked!!!
As a GS owner, I'm Sorry to hear what happened to you. One word of advice: Monimoto. There are other options too but with this one you can even move it to other bikes and it doesn't even need to connect to the battery.
I'm on the fence regarding trackers. I have one on my bike but I haven't activated it as I'm not sure I want the bike back after some scrote has revved the absolute nuts off it and crashed it.
@@Uniquecapture My main interest is that you get notified to your phone as soon as movement is detected in your motorcycle so you might still have some time to react. The tracking complements it. Also, the thief might not even be aware the tracker is there. It's a small cost for some peace of mind
@@jobta I believe that some thieves are now taking bikes and chaining them to something elsewhere then wait for a couple of days in case the bike has a tracker. I should probably activate mine I know. I just don't want to become paranoid every time my phone pings.
Planning my first trip abroad for next year. Looking at the Picos mountains (Yes, yet another GS in the Picos). Your experience has reinforced my thinking of only booking places to stay that have off street secure or at least out of sight parking. Spent the money on F-Off chains and alarmed locks plus a cover. I think I will add a tracker too. Totally hear you when you said the 'ball ache' alone in dealing with the authorities is probably a deterrent in itself to not securing the bike properly. Thank you for sharing, very useful. Have a great trip 😎👍 PS: If anyone can recommend such secure bike parking places to stay in and around the Picos mountains, that would be much appreciated 👌
Hotel Infantado in Potes is brilliant. It doesn't have secure parking (it does have a huge carpark) but there's always dozens of bikers there and I have never heard of any thefts from there...... We stayed in 2022 and will be back in 2025
My dad and I were staying the night at the Travelodge in Portsmouth right opposite the ferry port. Our bikes were in ‘secure parking’ and locked together with a cable lock. Thieves must’ve cut both cables and then lifted both bikes up and over a kerb into a different section of the car park not covered by cctv. We weren’t allowed to see the cctv however they told us that 4 figures could be seen around the bikes then lifting them. The hotel also failed to mention that they had a problem with bike thefts when we asked them the night before but remembered to let us know once the bikes had been taken. Insurance said it doesn’t matter what you do to protect your bike, if the thieves see them and are determined enough, they will take them. They also said that higher end bikes like my dad’s multistrada V4s GT are mostly stolen-to-order similarly to high end cars. A lot has been learnt and we will definitely stay clear of large towns and cities for overnight stays. It seems that there are endless vulnerabilities when staying in populated areas even down to hotel staff and I assume staff at the ports taking back handers. Having also been into our respective bike dealers to see if they can offer any advice, being told that motocross tracks are being offered big money by gangs for the list of riders names and addresses used for insurance purposes. So if you’re looking into motocross track weekends be aware when signing up and putting personal information. Obviously this doesn’t apply to all tracks and if you know the owners or the people that run the track then there shouldn’t be an issue.
Hi fella, I know exactly how you feel, I had my GXR 750 RR stolen in France last year at a place called Tours in central France, it was stolen from my hotel car park along with a handa fire blade and a thunder ace , had to go through all the police stuff mentioned which was a ordeal in its self, unfortunately we had only just started I tour and we had booked several hotels for home 10 day tour , like you I only had a small lock and chain, it was a absolute nightmare for all of us really ,totally ruined the holiday, luckily me insurance were very supportive and helpful and we got back home 2 days later as we cut the holiday short ,obviously never heard anything about the bike again, I suppose you live and hopefully learn.
Yeah sorry to hear that. The best thing I’ve learnt is to just not park them outside, keep them in a Secure parking! Hopefully you’ll get back out there and not let it put you off.
I've just arrived in the UK after riding my Australian registered GS around Europe since April. I'm more concerned here than I was in Europe. Seems one of the bikes from our container (GSA1250) just got nicked since arriving in the UK this week.
When I go traveling outside my own country, I always try to get parking in a locked garage, especially in the big cities. I also put a disk lock on that has a built-in motion sensor. Hopefully, having an alarm wailing will be a good deterrent, but sometimes you just run into thieves that doesn't give a damn how obvious they are.
I use a Hiplock D1000. End of the day no lock will stop it. A new BMW is well worth the effort on their side. Maybe get a good GPS tracker that has alert function.
@@BikeLikeMike92 Sorry for you man. Keep this in mind Monimoto is good in Europe and a few other countries around the globe but not all countries are covered.
This is the 4th GS on British plates I've learned about *this week* that has been stolen from Reims. Definitely making a note to avoid staying there on my way home - makes sense, as it's the perfect half way point to Calais from most places!
Park where a van can’t reverse up to it, as well. Chain to a solid object or another bike,rail or a post. That said, I think 99.9% of bikes would have gone in your case. They probably followed you both, in prep.
I feel for your situation. I did watch a vid by another UA-cam guy who had his GS nicked on the first day of his tour with his son. I did a Pyrenees tour on my MT10 in June. Luckily it didn't get nicked. My 10 is an old 2016 and to be honest I'm wondering if it's worth owning anything new/expensive/desirable??
I think it is, but it’s worth going the extra mile in terms of security. Stuff can happen, but shouldn’t put you off going or buying nice bikes for yourself.
If you havnt already check out “Two wheeled dreamer” his GS was stolen in 5 mins taking his bags into an airbnb in Reims! Someone is bang at it in that city. 👍
In the UK if you ring HMRC all you have to say is your country to be put through to an interpreter. Example, 'Polska'. The UK Police probably have a similar system.
I used to believe that real joy was available only in owning bikes up to a value of £3,000. I’ve recently revised that to £5,000 in recognition of inflation over time. Less fuss and worry. Less cost & depreciation. More involvement & individuality.
The moral is avoid Reims if you're riding a BMW GS, or similar. If 2 UA-camrs have had theirs nicked in the space of a few weeks, how many more are there that have gone?
I think that’s incredibly arrogant to say that “everyone should speak English” and sort of understand the police attitude. I work in France a lot and speak the language but in the last few years since Brexit, I’m picking up on a lot of hostility towards Britain. There are a lot of French people that ask me why I’m there, as, “you don’t want to be in Europe, so why are you here?” They feel let down by us leaving. I’m sorry this has happened not only to you but also the other guy this has happened too, no one deserves to have their bike stolen. I have a theory about the other guy as watching his channel a lot, he does pre-book a lot of his rooms and possibly mentioned he needed parking for two bikes. The other thing for everyone to remember is to make sure your insurance covers repatriation in the case of motor theft, emergencies etc. I have since checked my Breakdown Insurance and I'm covered on repatriation there if the bike is stolen Don’t let this put you off of France, it’s still a great country to visit and try and convince them we do want to be there in their country.
Good comment, I agree it is arrogant to say everyone should speak English but that’s not what I meant, it was more the international emergency line should speak English, but not just English… Spanish, German etc. I think there’s always been hostility towards the British for historical reasons and I don’t think it will disappear overnight. I was back in France last week on my MT10 - so haven’t been put off yet! Thanks for watching and commenting
@@BikeLikeMike92 It's good to know it's not put you off. I also agree that the French police should have translators available, our police have translators available that will translate over a phone call etc. I know it's incredibly frustrating trying to get things sorted out when the local language isn't your first language and you're frustrated and stressed out at the same time - you just want to be ''heard" and understood. Maybe, now this has happened to two (that I know of) UA-cam people, the authorities might start to take notice? Which town or city wants bad press that may keep visitors away and impact their income? You and others have an audience of thousands of viewers and if more people become aware, that's a lot of people spreading the work about how risky "Riems" is and it might be better to ride on and find somewhere else to stay overnight. All the best to you.
Two of us which have been noticed, the amount of comments I’ve seen about people’s bikes being stolen there is crazy. They have to act soon or like you say it will have a detrimental effect.
This is the second gs stolen in france video.i have seen in recent weeks.. i must say i have done thousands of miles and only stay in hotels with secure parking... i did research before re thefts and gs's are the main bike stolen generally stripped for parts ... im sorry you had the hassle it must have ruined the trip ... i live the fact you make up excuses for speeding and on the video you are constantly driving over the speed limit lol ... hope it all gets resolved
I would say pull a relay or main fuse to disable it and take that with you, disable/remove battery. In some situations they maybe less interested if they can't start it!
Erm English the language of Europe?😂 I get your frustration but you must know what the French are like, they may well know how to speak English a little but they will be the last to admit it. Anyway a pain in the backside and bike thefts in France are on the up and loaded GS’s are sought after. You are not the first I’ve seen on line.
Yeah maybe it could come across as a bit arrogant for me to say it but… an international emergency line in Europe should speak English imo… yea I’ve seen a lot being stolen too. All around Reims as well.
@@fuglbird Working in aviation around the World I’ve never had to learn another language, everything is done in English. I can always remember working on the Euro Fighter project the French got properly miffed 😂 when English was decided as the language.
I just had my 1200 GS stolen outside an Aibbnb in South London. It was parked in an upmarket flat complex, not visible from the street. They partially cut through the disc lock just below my 3rd floor window then prized it open and rolled the bike away. I might have neglected to activate the steering lock which might have deterred them
Get a Hiplock 1000. No affiliation and I know it's £290. But using a powered cutter it took the guy from Bennett 5 discs to cut through it. No thief is going to stay there cutting for that long and even if they did they don't have mains power - battery would be dead😂
Yeah for sure I saw him in the airport, looks deflated. Thinks that’s where it hit him. Stressful being stuck in another country and your pride and joy is gone etc. I’m sure he will bounce back from it.
This seems to be the second British registered GS/A stolen recently in same town, this maybe organised crime. Other owner also a UA-cam content producer.
Two Wheeled Dreamer has his 1200 GSA recently stolen in Tinquex, a suburb in Reims. He produced some very good videos documenting his experience. Another commented that he had his GSA stolen in Reims in 6/9/24 😮. A hot bed of thieving scums. Tip - don’t book hotel accommodation unless it has secure parking, underground if possible, and think carefully when booking an Airbnb less it has secure parking. Avoid overnight, even day parking if possible in an open air public parking location. 😊
I stopped watching this when he said “everyone should speak English”. It’s an extremely arrogant and condescending comment. You are in a foreign country, do not expect them to speak your language. Stay in the UK if that’s your attitude.
No problem! I don’t think it’s arrogant to expect an international emergency service helpline to speak the business language of Europe but that’s your opinion. Thanks for watching 👋
On a recent trip through Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway I was able to be understood without having to use Google Translate. All credit to those nations.
Yes even if you travel to Singapore all the staff in hotels etc speak fluent English, better than a native speaker of the language to be honest. English is the International language in many foreign countries and has been for decades. 👍
@@701Adventures Sure a lot of people speak English but does that give one the right to interact in English with authorities in non English speaking countries. I speak English and German but if neither of those languages is spoken where I am traveling I don’t feel entitled to deal in English or German but appreciative if one of those languages can be used.
@@gerhardk98so how do you expect someone to initially interact then? Call the Police and grunt down the line? I'm sure that most people in this day and age, are used to speaking in English and someone at the other end replying back; in broken English or otherwise - or at least understand its English and making a suggestion as in this video. I don't think anyone expects this as a right, France certainly values you at least trying the language.
It was nicked because it’s a poser bike, normally 45+ with the full pannier load out and only used to go to the local Starbucks. Never ridden off-road but full adv load out. No one needs anything over 950 on a tourer it’s only the dealers who convince you that if you need bigger old man balls you need a 1200+. Goodbye 12k+!
I do like France, the countryside, the food, the wine, the roads…….but……they, and this a sweeping statement, but the French seem to be very good at not understanding any English, they seem to be blind to inflatables…..and they seem to have very light fingers….not good advert is it….such a shame for folks to lose so much…..who worked damn hard to buy one…..mmmm…..don’t think I’ll be riding over there….
Probably because they have their own language and generally hate the English language, that most insist on French to be spoken. Arrogance may play a part 😂
This just happened on another bike channel. I think its called TwoWheeled Dreamer.
Same bike, same town!
Oh yes, someone already mentioned it below.
Wasn't there another youtuber got his stolen in the same town whilst unloading his luggage into his room. His insurance wasn't interested in getting him home which I thought wasn't very good. He'd to sort out his travel home himself.
Yea, two wheeled dreamer, his was stolen 3 weeks after mine
@@BikeLikeMike92 same locality...there is obviously a van going around the Reims area nicking bikes...i've ridden around europe a lot and tbh there are some very very dodgy people around always looking to nick bikes.
Yeah for sure, organised crime in Reims seems pretty bad.
Yeah, you sort out yourself and claim off your travel insurance. Did you expect full concierge service?
@@BikeLikeMike92I thought so….wo, avoid Reims is clearly necessary.
I initially thought I was watching an update on the UA-camr who's bike was stolen whilst unloading his luggage and realised it wasn't yourself but a fellow GS owner having their bike stolen in France 😥. Bloody awful to think this is happening so often and I can't think of much worse (other than a bad accident) for this to happen abroad.
@@JIMMER15 happening a lot, all over the place. But particularly Reims… so be careful out there!
I added a comment to your initial video regarding the theft. After watching Two wheel dreamer have his bike stolen when I was myself in France touring on my BMW 2024RT I began thinking about my own circumstances. I ordered the monimoto tracker (£150) which is absolutely brilliant. On returning to the UK I hid it deep in my bike frame and every day it txt me to say it's armed. I also spent £300 on a Hiplock DX1000 (It took the guy from Bennett 4 cutting discs to get through it with a powered cutter). I have no affiliation with these products but I now feel reassured for my next trip to France.
Nice! Thanks for the comments. I have a Monimoto on my MT10, it is good. There are devices which can check for trackers I believe but if it’s buried in the bike it will give you valuable time.
same as me my bike was stolen in Amiens, I got a biketrac tracker installed and got a DX1000
I’ve just got the minimoto ordered due to this comment for my 2024 tiger. Fingers crossed hey 🤞 thanks for the advice haven’t heard of it before.
Greetings from N.I. thanks for the info and sorry to see your tour ruined. I NEVER in 25 years of touring anywhere stay in a B&B , Hotel without secure parking. I hear guys complaining about paying up to 30 euro to park it's not even the price of a meal for you and you wife , but your bike will be there in the morning. seen a guy parking his in Strasbourg on the street came out to see in knocked over pegs broke etc. It might be the cheapest best rated hotel if no secure parking I move on simple. Regards Robert & Carolyn.
@@49googie for sure! Lesson learned from me.
Another guy had his 1250 stolen in Reims recently. Day one of his first tour abroad with his son. Same thing, likely heaved into a van 😢
I always book small towns or villages and try to get secure hotel parking....or dedicated biker accommodation. Stay away from larger towns and cities.
Seems Reims is a place to avoid - at all costs - if you are on a UK motorcycle that appears to have any value. Two Wheeled Dreamer's GSA was stolen from a Reims suburb called Tinqueux - 2 miles SW from Bike Like Mike's location. Unless you have a bloody good chain & padlock with your bike immediately locked to something secure, plus a couple of disc locks at the very least, avoid French cities and large towns would be my advice.
@@jay26cee and if you are in the city park In a locked garage!
@@BikeLikeMike92 Indeed, but not always an option. One thing I will say is don't always trust accommodate claim of safe and private parking. I stayed in a hotel in Annecy who made this claim but it was an open to the public parking Iver the main road, and whilst there was a barrier, it was absolutely no protection for a bike. We ended up parking in a no parking zone on the street right in front of reception ... locking 2 bikes together with multiple locks.
Reims, Calais and Paris is a cesspool. I did well travelling all over France, Switzerland and Belgium with no bike related problems. Then again I parked with a chain and lock wrapped round the rear wheel, an alarmed disc lock on the front, a shabby old cover and the bike alarm on.
Chained the rear wheel to a post or fence if possible and tried to park it between cars or in gaps between cars and pavements to make it an absolute pain to lift and shift into a van. Never left luggage on the bike.
I avoided nice open motorcycle or bike parking (guess where a bike thief might look for.bikes to nick?).
Reims is definitely not a cesspool. Unless you went to a shitty area.
France is on a parr with the UK and Italy for bike theft. I always use 2 locks minimum and try to book small family run type of hotels as they are usually very helpful with security and no what the local risks are. I have found eastern Europe to be far safer than our near neighbours in that respect and with the bonus that everything is so much more affordable as well.
Sorry to hear about your Moto getting nicked. I hope all is sorted now.
*_All_* French cities are notorious for Moto theft. It's too easy to ship them out of the country. In Paris, I use a disk lock alarm *and* a chain. When touring in France and elsewhere, a cover as well.
Four blokes probably picked it up and stuck it in the back of a "Transit". Takes about 15-20 seconds. They'll probably have taken it to an underground garage so the tracker can't be activated, then disabled it. Your Moto is probably either in pieces or Eastern Europe now. 😪
For future reference, in France or touring in general, even in a parking garage, cover the Moto when it is parked (Yeah, it's a pain to pack a heat proof cover but, it's a bigger pain getting it nicked). You also need a Sold Secure Gold or Diamond (SRA is the certification in France) lock and chain. As soon as you park, put the chain through part of the frame and lock it to an immovable object (lamp post is good - fencing isn't as good as it can be cut with an angle grinder but, in a pinch, use it), and make sure the chain doesn't touch the ground (much more difficult to cut).
Reims is pronounced _"Ranse"_ in French (rather like Bicester is pronounced "Bister" in English).
Yea I do know it’s pronounced in a very different way, I just usually say it like that so many English people understand what I’m saying 😅 also have taken all security up a notch on my bike!
I'm so sorry for you man, I would say with bikes with any value they need to be out of sight and I would get an Airtag, Monimoto 9, and 2 Hiplock d1000s, chains are useless as even face hardened steel, but locks are not to be trusted they should be treated like alarms so that if someone is cutting it they can be heard/seen so you or someone else can phone the police. Ultimately locks can be cut trackers can be jammed out of sight is the only way. I've owned a super duke in London for three years only stolen once no damage and recovered in 30 min
See my earlier comment as I have added the monimoto to my RT. But I have left an AirTag under the seat so any thieves will easily find it and think they won't get tracked!!!
@@ihadmyfill that’s crazy! I’ve got a tracker now on my mt10 which gives me a bit of peace 😅
You, speed, never!!!!
As a GS owner, I'm Sorry to hear what happened to you. One word of advice: Monimoto. There are other options too but with this one you can even move it to other bikes and it doesn't even need to connect to the battery.
Yeah I have one on my MT10! all of my bikes will be tracked like a space shuttle from now on 😂
I'm on the fence regarding trackers. I have one on my bike but I haven't activated it as I'm not sure I want the bike back after some scrote has revved the absolute nuts off it and crashed it.
@@Uniquecapture My main interest is that you get notified to your phone as soon as movement is detected in your motorcycle so you might still have some time to react. The tracking complements it. Also, the thief might not even be aware the tracker is there. It's a small cost for some peace of mind
@@Uniquecapture sometimes it’s just been lifted into a van… so it’s worth trying at least.
@@jobta I believe that some thieves are now taking bikes and chaining them to something elsewhere then wait for a couple of days in case the bike has a tracker. I should probably activate mine I know. I just don't want to become paranoid every time my phone pings.
Planning my first trip abroad for next year. Looking at the Picos mountains (Yes, yet another GS in the Picos). Your experience has reinforced my thinking of only booking places to stay that have off street secure or at least out of sight parking. Spent the money on F-Off chains and alarmed locks plus a cover. I think I will add a tracker too. Totally hear you when you said the 'ball ache' alone in dealing with the authorities is probably a deterrent in itself to not securing the bike properly. Thank you for sharing, very useful. Have a great trip 😎👍 PS: If anyone can recommend such secure bike parking places to stay in and around the Picos mountains, that would be much appreciated 👌
Hotel Infantado in Potes is brilliant. It doesn't have secure parking (it does have a huge carpark) but there's always dozens of bikers there and I have never heard of any thefts from there......
We stayed in 2022 and will be back in 2025
Hotel Valdecoro, also in Potes...
@fuglbird because some of us like our creature comforts, I couldn't be bothered setting up a tent every night, give me a decent hotel any day.
@@JIMMER15 Cool, yes, I've noted that one 👍
@@fuglbird I'm 59 with a heart condition, not doing no camping 😎
My dad and I were staying the night at the Travelodge in Portsmouth right opposite the ferry port. Our bikes were in ‘secure parking’ and locked together with a cable lock. Thieves must’ve cut both cables and then lifted both bikes up and over a kerb into a different section of the car park not covered by cctv. We weren’t allowed to see the cctv however they told us that 4 figures could be seen around the bikes then lifting them. The hotel also failed to mention that they had a problem with bike thefts when we asked them the night before but remembered to let us know once the bikes had been taken.
Insurance said it doesn’t matter what you do to protect your bike, if the thieves see them and are determined enough, they will take them. They also said that higher end bikes like my dad’s multistrada V4s GT are mostly stolen-to-order similarly to high end cars.
A lot has been learnt and we will definitely stay clear of large towns and cities for overnight stays. It seems that there are endless vulnerabilities when staying in populated areas even down to hotel staff and I assume staff at the ports taking back handers. Having also been into our respective bike dealers to see if they can offer any advice, being told that motocross tracks are being offered big money by gangs for the list of riders names and addresses used for insurance purposes. So if you’re looking into motocross track weekends be aware when signing up and putting personal information. Obviously this doesn’t apply to all tracks and if you know the owners or the people that run the track then there shouldn’t be an issue.
Nightmare :(
Look at the Litelok X3, If you and a mate have one each and put it through the bike then each other, Good luck next time 🤞
@@JaySalvoUK thanks!
Unfortunately the gs is the most stolen bike in France I used leave there
I’m Really sorry for you mate 😢
@@Iliwest police told me the same!
Hi fella, I know exactly how you feel, I had my GXR 750 RR stolen in France last year at a place called Tours in central France, it was stolen from my hotel car park along with a handa fire blade and a thunder ace , had to go through all the police stuff mentioned which was a ordeal in its self, unfortunately we had only just started I tour and we had booked several hotels for home 10 day tour , like you I only had a small lock and chain, it was a absolute nightmare for all of us really ,totally ruined the holiday, luckily me insurance were very supportive and helpful and we got back home 2 days later as we cut the holiday short ,obviously never heard anything about the bike again, I suppose you live and hopefully learn.
Yeah sorry to hear that. The best thing I’ve learnt is to just not park them outside, keep them in a Secure parking! Hopefully you’ll get back out there and not let it put you off.
Scroats are everywhere 😕 Even with secure parking I still put on 2x locks and set the alarm (yea, there's a Monimoto in there as well).
@@cpuuk good idea! Should be fine when you do this
I've just arrived in the UK after riding my Australian registered GS around Europe since April. I'm more concerned here than I was in Europe. Seems one of the bikes from our container (GSA1250) just got nicked since arriving in the UK this week.
@@andycoley3731 that’s insane, surely you can hold the shipping company liable for this?
@@BikeLikeMike92 It was a bike from our shipment it was parked in London
When I go traveling outside my own country, I always try to get parking in a locked garage, especially in the big cities. I also put a disk lock on that has a built-in motion sensor. Hopefully, having an alarm wailing will be a good deterrent, but sometimes you just run into thieves that doesn't give a damn how obvious they are.
@@Sunesen I will be doing this from now on. Agree with you there
I use a Hiplock D1000. End of the day no lock will stop it. A new BMW is well worth the effort on their side. Maybe get a good GPS tracker that has alert function.
I’ve got a Monimoto now, but I hope to never use it!
@@BikeLikeMike92 Sorry for you man. Keep this in mind Monimoto is good in Europe and a few other countries around the globe but not all countries are covered.
It's strange how the authorities can't do anything regarding the bike theft although they have cameras everywhere.
@@dorstefan pretty hot on speeding aren’t they 🤔
This is the 4th GS on British plates I've learned about *this week* that has been stolen from Reims. Definitely making a note to avoid staying there on my way home - makes sense, as it's the perfect half way point to Calais from most places!
@@fuglbird Don't jinx yourself!
Park where a van can’t reverse up to it, as well. Chain to a solid object or another bike,rail or a post. That said, I think 99.9% of bikes would have gone in your case. They probably followed you both, in prep.
I feel for your situation. I did watch a vid by another UA-cam guy who had his GS nicked on the first day of his tour with his son.
I did a Pyrenees tour on my MT10 in June. Luckily it didn't get nicked. My 10 is an old 2016 and to be honest I'm wondering if it's worth owning anything new/expensive/desirable??
I think it is, but it’s worth going the extra mile in terms of security. Stuff can happen, but shouldn’t put you off going or buying nice bikes for yourself.
Maybe adding a couple of air tags or similar, with the sounder disabled, to the bike might have helped.
@@julianpalmer4674 possibly - AirTags aren’t ideal but can help in some situations.
@@BikeLikeMike92 Agreed, but something is better than nothing
Yes it is!
If you havnt already check out “Two wheeled dreamer” his GS was stolen in 5 mins taking his bags into an airbnb in Reims! Someone is bang at it in that city. 👍
Yeah I have seen it! And spoke to him! Defo organised crime there
In the UK if you ring HMRC all you have to say is your country to be put through to an interpreter. Example, 'Polska'.
The UK Police probably have a similar system.
I used to believe that real joy was available only in owning bikes up to a value of £3,000. I’ve recently revised that to £5,000 in recognition of inflation over time. Less fuss and worry. Less cost & depreciation. More involvement & individuality.
I think you can have fun on any bike, it just so happens the GS is a pricey bike.
So sorry about this very sad news. I’ve a GSA 21 mysrlf. Did your GSA have a tracker?
No tracker I’m afraid. My current bike has one! Defo worth it
@@BikeLikeMike92best of luck and safe rides 🙋🏻♂️
You too 😊
The moral is avoid Reims if you're riding a BMW GS, or similar. If 2 UA-camrs have had theirs nicked in the space of a few weeks, how many more are there that have gone?
Police said to me it’s the most stolen bike in the country..: but I have no idea if that’s factually correct.
I think that’s incredibly arrogant to say that “everyone should speak English” and sort of understand the police attitude. I work in France a lot and speak the language but in the last few years since Brexit, I’m picking up on a lot of hostility towards Britain. There are a lot of French people that ask me why I’m there, as, “you don’t want to be in Europe, so why are you here?” They feel let down by us leaving.
I’m sorry this has happened not only to you but also the other guy this has happened too, no one deserves to have their bike stolen. I have a theory about the other guy as watching his channel a lot, he does pre-book a lot of his rooms and possibly mentioned he needed parking for two bikes.
The other thing for everyone to remember is to make sure your insurance covers repatriation in the case of motor theft, emergencies etc. I have since checked my Breakdown Insurance and I'm covered on repatriation there if the bike is stolen
Don’t let this put you off of France, it’s still a great country to visit and try and convince them we do want to be there in their country.
Good comment, I agree it is arrogant to say everyone should speak English but that’s not what I meant, it was more the international emergency line should speak English, but not just English… Spanish, German etc.
I think there’s always been hostility towards the British for historical reasons and I don’t think it will disappear overnight.
I was back in France last week on my MT10 - so haven’t been put off yet! Thanks for watching and commenting
@@BikeLikeMike92 It's good to know it's not put you off. I also agree that the French police should have translators available, our police have translators available that will translate over a phone call etc. I know it's incredibly frustrating trying to get things sorted out when the local language isn't your first language and you're frustrated and stressed out at the same time - you just want to be ''heard" and understood. Maybe, now this has happened to two (that I know of) UA-cam people, the authorities might start to take notice? Which town or city wants bad press that may keep visitors away and impact their income? You and others have an audience of thousands of viewers and if more people become aware, that's a lot of people spreading the work about how risky "Riems" is and it might be better to ride on and find somewhere else to stay overnight. All the best to you.
Two of us which have been noticed, the amount of comments I’ve seen about people’s bikes being stolen there is crazy. They have to act soon or like you say it will have a detrimental effect.
Need to get a bait bike and some concrete boots!
@@scottdowns2279 I’d love to do that…
I was told to call number 17 and person that answered spoke good English
This is the second gs stolen in france video.i have seen in recent weeks.. i must say i have done thousands of miles and only stay in hotels with secure parking... i did research before re thefts and gs's are the main bike stolen generally stripped for parts ... im sorry you had the hassle it must have ruined the trip ... i live the fact you make up excuses for speeding and on the video you are constantly driving over the speed limit lol ... hope it all gets resolved
Two wheel dreamer had his stolen in Reims also. Is this a coincidence?
@@robertogrilli4574 nope
I would say pull a relay or main fuse to disable it and take that with you, disable/remove battery. In some situations they maybe less interested if they can't start it!
Erm English the language of Europe?😂 I get your frustration but you must know what the French are like, they may well know how to speak English a little but they will be the last to admit it. Anyway a pain in the backside and bike thefts in France are on the up and loaded GS’s are sought after. You are not the first I’ve seen on line.
Yeah maybe it could come across as a bit arrogant for me to say it but… an international emergency line in Europe should speak English imo… yea I’ve seen a lot being stolen too. All around Reims as well.
@fuglbird I sense bitterness!? 😂😂😇
@@fuglbird awww ¿estás ofendida jovencita? 😅

@@fuglbird
Working in aviation around the World I’ve never had to learn another language, everything is done in English.
I can always remember working on the Euro Fighter project the French got properly miffed 😂 when English was decided as the language.
Unfortunately I banned him from the channel as he was moaning about speeding on another video. Hopefully he will learn to let go 😂
Mate what can we expect from insurance regarding stolen bikes
Not much!
I just had my 1200 GS stolen outside an Aibbnb in South London. It was parked in an upmarket flat complex, not visible from the street. They partially cut through the disc lock just below my 3rd floor window then prized it open and rolled the bike away. I might have neglected to activate the steering lock which might have deterred them
Ah sorry to hear that. That’s annoying, especially when you’re right there and it’s locked up. Hope it gets sorted for you:
Get a Hiplock 1000. No affiliation and I know it's £290. But using a powered cutter it took the guy from Bennett 5 discs to cut through it. No thief is going to stay there cutting for that long and even if they did they don't have mains power - battery would be dead😂
Two wheel dreamer got his stolen a couple of months ago
Yeah I saw this, very similar. He was more unlucky than I was, didn’t get to really start his trip. The French police need to get their bum into gear
@@BikeLikeMike92 yeah he looked devastated as it was the start of his trip with his son and it was over before they started
Yeah for sure I saw him in the airport, looks deflated. Thinks that’s where it hit him. Stressful being stuck in another country and your pride and joy is gone etc. I’m sure he will bounce back from it.
So- no travel insurance in place? Seriously???
This seems to be the second British registered GS/A stolen recently in same town, this maybe organised crime. Other owner also a UA-cam content producer.
Yeah I’ve seen, we aren’t alone however.
@@BikeLikeMike92 Sorry to hear of your experience, expect the theft to have an impact on your car insurance.
You do understand that if you dial 112 you don’t get the local policestation on the phone?
Of course, we rang them first.
Note to self, dont go through france.
UK.plates are a magnet for thieves,as some of you are too relaxed when touring.
Big bike dreams another streamer got his bike nicked the other month, his was a BMW GS it's bloody France , he was in France too
Two Wheeled Dreamer has his 1200 GSA recently stolen in Tinquex, a suburb in Reims. He produced some very good videos documenting his experience. Another commented that he had his GSA stolen in Reims in 6/9/24 😮. A hot bed of thieving scums. Tip - don’t book hotel accommodation unless it has secure parking, underground if possible, and think carefully when booking an Airbnb less it has secure parking. Avoid overnight, even day parking if possible in an open air public parking location. 😊
I stopped watching this when he said “everyone should speak English”. It’s an extremely arrogant and condescending comment. You are in a foreign country, do not expect them to speak your language. Stay in the UK if that’s your attitude.
No problem! I don’t think it’s arrogant to expect an international emergency service helpline to speak the business language of Europe but that’s your opinion. Thanks for watching 👋
Travelling to a country where the working language is not English but feeling it is their responsibility to know English?
The international emergency line, yes absolutely.
On a recent trip through Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway I was able to be understood without having to use Google Translate. All credit to those nations.
Yes even if you travel to Singapore all the staff in hotels etc speak fluent English, better than a native speaker of the language to be honest. English is the International language in many foreign countries and has been for decades. 👍
@@701Adventures
Sure a lot of people speak English but does that give one the right to interact in English with authorities in non English speaking countries. I speak English and German but if neither of those languages is spoken where I am traveling I don’t feel entitled to deal in English or German but appreciative if one of those languages can be used.
@@gerhardk98so how do you expect someone to initially interact then? Call the Police and grunt down the line? I'm sure that most people in this day and age, are used to speaking in English and someone at the other end replying back; in broken English or otherwise - or at least understand its English and making a suggestion as in this video. I don't think anyone expects this as a right, France certainly values you at least trying the language.
Out of interest did u have an alarm?
No alarm. Only a disc lock.
Emergency number in 2024, in France of all places, and no one speaks English….wtf.
I wonder how many coppers in Britain speak French.
@@terryrance2662 not many, it was the international emergency line I was referring to speaking English. Not the police.
It was nicked because it’s a poser bike, normally 45+ with the full pannier load out and only used to go to the local Starbucks. Never ridden off-road but full adv load out. No one needs anything over 950 on a tourer it’s only the dealers who convince you that if you need bigger old man balls you need a 1200+. Goodbye 12k+!
I do like France, the countryside, the food, the wine, the roads…….but……they, and this a sweeping statement, but the French seem to be very good at not understanding any English, they seem to be blind to inflatables…..and they seem to have very light fingers….not good advert is it….such a shame for folks to lose so much…..who worked damn hard to buy one…..mmmm…..don’t think I’ll be riding over there….
Does seem a shame!
Probably because they have their own language and generally hate the English language, that most insist on French to be spoken. Arrogance may play a part 😂
Second BMW1250 I've heard of being stolen in Reims in a couple of weeks, his was taken whilst he moved his bag to his room.
My GSA was stolen few days ago in Reims hotel car park