If you’ve ever come outside to discover your dirt bike isn’t where it should be, then you understand the meaning of heartbreak. Fortunately, sometimes all it takes to protect your bike is a decent dirt bike lock.
Of course, with so many dirt bike locks on the market, finding the right one can be a challenge. On top of that, it seems like each time new lock technology comes out, thieves find a way to get past it.
The ultimate goal is to find a dirt bike lock that makes stealing your bike so inconvenient that the thieves move on to a different target altogether.
To help you protect that bike you’ve worked so hard to get, I’ve created a guide to finding the best dirt bike lock on the market. Read until the end to see the absolute best advice I can give on protecting your dirt bike.
Best Dirt Bike Lock
If you’re simply looking for me to tell you which locks are the best, you can find them below. There is one for each of my favorite types.
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Our Top Pick
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4.8
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4.2
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4.2
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$29.95
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If you choose the heavy-duty chains, keep in mind that these are just the chains – you will need to buy a lock to hook through the chains. I recommend the shackle lock below. You should also consider buying the handlebar lock below if you want additional security.
In the rest of this article below, you can read about how to choose the right lock, the different types, and the pros and cons of each.
Dirt Bike Lock: How to Choose the Right One
Materials
Case-hardened steel is the best material to look for, as it’s the hardest to get through with bolt cutters. You can find tons of great case-hardened steel chains on the market, such as the ones below.
On the other hand, if you’re getting a padlock or disc lock, look for a hardened steel shackle, like the one below.
Cost and Budget
As with everything in life, you get what you pay for. If you can afford to spend more on a dirt bike lock, you’ll likely have better security.
You could save some cash and pick up a cheap disc lock, though any committed thief with a bit of time and patience will be able to get through it.
Instead, opt for a more expensive case-hardened steel lock that’s bolt cutter-resistant, and you’ll have a much easier time deterring thieves.
Remember, your bike likely costs thousands of dollars. Isn’t it worth spending at least another $50 to $100 to protect it?
Features
Some dirt bike locks come with additional security features.
For example, some come with motion-sensing alarms that send thieves running when they go off. Others come with adjustable sliders to adjust your lock to a suitable position. Below is an example of a lock with a motion-sensing alarm. It’s a bit more expensive than the lock above, but it comes with additional features.
Preventative Tips
Thieves won’t ever know you have a dirtbike if you don’t advertise it. Therefore, one of the best ways to prevent dirt bike theft is by hiding the fact that you own a dirt bike at all!
I know, I know… this is hard to do in today’s world of social media. You just have to show off your new baby to everyone on Facebook.
Outside of online posting, there are other things you can do to protect your bike. If you store it in your garage, keep it closed.
And this is one of my favorites… if you have a dirt bike trailer, don’t advertise what’s inside. I know this is hard, too, like social media, but just do it to save yourself the potential headache.
You see the factory rigs for Supercross, Pro Motocross, or even NASCAR, all done up and wrapped. You have to add at least some stickers or wrap to your trailer, too. No. Don’t do it.
Anything you put on the outside of your trailer that indicates you ride or race dirt bikes just makes it even easier for a thief to know what’s inside.
A lot of people have enclosed trailers or cargo trailers. It doesn’t necessarily mean there are two-wheeled machines worth thousands of dollars inside. If it’s unclear what’s inside the trailer, a thief is less likely to break in opportunistically. If they know there are thousands of dollars in dirt bikes in there, it makes it a clear target.
Quick, funny story…
Back in the day, a guy my dad used to race with took this to another level.
You don’t have to go to this extent, but it worked for him.
He actually did put stickers and wrap on the outside of his trailer. But, it wasn’t logos of his dirt bike brand or favorite companies.
Can you guess what it was?
A diaper company.
That’s right. He put on the outside of the trailer that he was a dirty diaper company.
Now, I don’t know about you, but if I was a thief and I saw a trailer that clearly advertised there were Yamaha dirt bikes inside or one that said it was a dirty diaper company, I know which one I’d go after…
You can see that I take my own advice and don’t advertise anything on the outside of my dirt bike trailer.
When it comes to storing them at home, thieves are notorious for casing homes prior to making their moves. It’s not often that people show up randomly one night and decide to steal something as large as a dirt bike. They often keep their eyes on an address where they’ve seen a dirt bike waiting for an opportune time to go in.
Out of sight, out of mind. There’s no need to show off your team colors to the whole neighborhood.
Different Types of Locks for Dirt Bikes
You’ll find several dirt bike lock types on the market, each of which has advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular.
Chain Lock
Chain locks are the most popular dirt bike lock type. If you plan on getting a hardened steel chain, look for those that have nylon coverings. The last thing you want is to sling your chain around your bike and scratch it all up. Below is our top pick for a chain lock.
The beauty of chain locks is that they offer slightly better security than cable or disc locks. However, they are also much bulkier and heavier. We’d recommend them for use in the backyard, garage, or even your trailer, as they can be a major pain to carry around in a backpack.
Disc Lock
While they don’t offer the best security relative to other lock types, disc brake locks are ultra-portable and budget-friendly, perfect for any rider that’s out and about a lot.
The main disadvantage of disc locks is their inability to latch to solid objects. Any thief who comes across your disc-locked bike can call a friend to help lift it in the back of a pickup.
U Lock
U-locks offer more security than disc locks and more portability than chain locks, making them easier to take with you on the go. With thick shackles, these locks are much harder to get through with a pair of bolt cutters.
When looking for reliable u-locks, go for those that have hardened steel with a thickness of 15mm and more, like the one below.
Lock on Dirt Bike Grips
Grip locks either fit over the handgrips, securing the handlebars to the brake. It essentially keeps the front brake engaged so the bike can’t go anywhere. It makes it hard to move and difficult to remove the front wheel with the rotor clamped down. That said, dirt bikes aren’t overly heavy, so if there is more than one thief, they could relatively easily hold the front wheel off the ground and transport the bike.
If you live in an area susceptible to thievery, we don’t recommend solely using grip locks. If you are going to use a dirt bike grip lock, use them in conjunction with another type of lock.
When using this type of lock, also keep in mind that it’s not great for the front brakes to be compressed like that for an extended period of time.
Double Up
A double-up isn’t a type of lock, but rather a deterrent. Double up on your lock types, like I just explained above with the grip lock, and make it more difficult for thieves to steal your bike!
Final Step in Protecting Your Dirt Bike
Get dirt bike insurance. Seriously.
The locks we discussed above are good and they will help protect your bike, but they won’t save you 100%.
I think dirt bike insurance is one of the most overlooked things when it comes to dirt bike ownership. Most people know you need to change your air filter and oil, but they don’t know how insurance can protect their bikes.
Depending on your policy, it can protect you in the event of your bike getting stolen. It still sucks to lose your bike, but it feels a lot better knowing that you’ll be getting a check from the insurance company in the event it’s stolen.
And, best of all, it’s pretty affordable.
I pay only $216 per year for my 2022 YZ250F:
And $232 per year for my 2023 YZ125:
