Affordable ATV Security
Whether you've owned an ATV for years or are preparing to buy your first, we're sure you think of your ATV as an investment. It's an investment that you'll want to protect during both travel and storage. Our ATVs are kept very secure when we're at home, but we are bad about not locking things up like we should when we travel. This has been bugging me for some time now, but wasn't sure how I wanted to approach the problem.
At first I considered something simple - a log chain wrapped around the frame of our ATVs and pad locked to the trailer. It's a viable option but I didn't like the idea of scratching up the frame of our ATVs and log chains are so heavy that I could see it being a little impractical for travel.
So partially because the log chain idea wasn't working out and partially because I wanted to buy a new toy, I started doing some research. I spent the last few days looking around and I've come up with a few affordable and practical solutions for ATV security.Rotor Lock
If you have disk brakes in the rear, a rotor lock could be your best friend. Rotor locks are very simply designed. They are a u-shape and have a pin that goes through the rotor. On the most basic of models, the pin locks and unlocks with a key. When the rotor lock is in place, the ATV can only roll so far before the lock is caught on the caliper. Think of it as a hand sized boot for your ATV. Rotor locks come in a variety of price ranges. Some are pretty basic but there are some out there with some pretty cool features. On the super low end of the price range, I found this rotor lock on Amazon for under $6.On the other end of the spectrum, I found the Xena XZZ6L on Amazon for $80-$90. (The first time I looked, the price was $90. When I came back the next day, it had dropped to $80.) Not only does it have a double locking pin, but it features a 110dB motion sensor alarm.
Since I have been looking at rotor locks, I have found some pretty cool features. The biggest one for me is the pin that goes through the rotor. The cheap rotor lock above does go through the rotor but is not locked on the other side. With a little work, you could eventually pry it off. The X1 is Xena's entry level disk lock, but even in the lower price range, all of the Xena locks have a locking pin.
Cables
If you're looking for something to secure your ATV to the trailer or your truck bed, cables have always been the go to method. To be honest, I don't really like cables that much. Some of them are really cheap and easy to cut. But, if you were going to look for a cable, I recommend getting one with a built in lock. The reason you'll want the lock built into the cable is because unless the lock is rated the same as the cable, it's going to be a weak point.
If you want to get a good locking cable without spending much money, I found the cable below on Amazon for around $25.
Of course, the cable above is certainly not your only option. Because I have seen so many cables cut with small items like bolt cutters or linemans pliers, I would recommend to choose a cable that is at LEAST 1/2" in diameter. Most of the small, concealable tools that could cut through a cable won't open wide enough to cut through a half inch.