Products

With spring having sprung, we get a chance to look at some new products to enhance

(or not) your riding pleasure.

The basic principle of motorcycle security is to make your motorcycle too much trouble to steal. The latest device in the fight against the thieves adds an unseen level of security. The Zovii Smart Lock is, at first glance, a good quality chain and lock combination. It comes with a drawstring bag and it’s got a 10mm carbide-reinforced stainless steel chain with a nylon sheath and a shielded pin. The lock and key are, according to the manufacturer, “anti-pick and anti-saw”.

So far, so conventional. But then there are extras. Built into the lock body is a surprise for anyone fiddling with your bike; a 120db alarm. This is set with the turn of a key.

Once set, the first time someone moves the lock, there will be a loud beep. Do it again and there’s two beeps, and a few seconds later the alarm goes off. It’s a real eardrumshatterer if you are next to it, which should see off the casual thief.

But what if it doesn’t? Built into the lock of the Zovii is “smart” technology. You can link your lock to your mobile phone and if anyone fiddles with it, the Zovii will send an alert telling you something’s up and that you need to take action.

The device uses your domestic wi-fi connection and a dongle plugged into the mains. The device has a range of 50m, so it’s particularly useful if you live somewhere with on-street parking or have a shed a short distance from your home. The alert arrives no matter where you are in the world, if you are connected to wi-fi or have a mobile internet connection.

Setting up the alarm and wi-fi sender is a bit of a faff; it took me about 20 minutes. As a protection against the opportunist thief, the alarm/lock combo is just the thing and a cut above a disc, shackle or chain lock. At home, particularly for those who keep their bikes on the street, it’s an excellent option. And even if the thief disables the alarm, the signal has already been sent to your phone.

Personally, I’d like to have seen a nylon cover around the lock mechanism so anyone interfering would set it off before they got a chance to attack it, but that shouldn’t be too hard to arrange. The Smart Lock would be handy in a shed or garage too, especially if used with a ground anchor and an oldschool lock as back up, while saving the cost of hard-wired alarms.

Zovii has also produced a couple of padlocks and a shackle lock using the same alarm/alert technology which would add another level to shed security. It costs £149, about the same as a top-of-the-range conventional lock and chain set.

Tested by Oli ■ image4security.com ■ £149