Insurance or not, you go out of town, come out of a store or restaurant and your bike is gone, you're in for some major hassle and your trip is screwed.

Yes you can lock it with the key (another hassle) but the convenience of just walking away and having it arm itself with the starter kill is worth it to me.

 

I've never needed mine either. Still glad it's there if and when I do need it. It's not theft proof, but it's a decent deterrent.

 

I think it is money well spent. Have on all of my bikes and went ahead and installed the sirens also. So i would do both or none. I have never felt the lights blinking with out the siren is much of a security system. The only part that sucks about that is....if you wish to move bike around...you better have the fob handy.

 

Let's see ... a new battery @ $150.00 ... A new scooter @$20,000.00 ... Hmmm, makes perfect sense to me ... NOT! As far as battery life is concerned my 2009 FLHTCU has the original ( hope I'm not jinxing myself ) battery and it's never given me a bit of trouble. I'm not buying the "shortens battery life" story. I will comment that it can be a pain in the a$$ at times when you're dinking around in the garage and you need to move the scooter and don't have the FOB handy. As far as not using the security ... you really can't "NOT USE IT" it's always armed and ready. And many insurance company's give a discount if you have a security system installed ... Just my .02 cents worth :>)

 

OK...then add rental coverage to your plan...sux to lose scoot, but you'll have a ride to the rental agency and wheels from there to travel.

 

Here is a link to a procedure to install a Radio Shack siren that will cost you less than $10. I installed it on my '09 Ultra Classic and it was an easy install, less than an hour, start to finish.

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...-2011-rgc.html

 

I'd get the security system. That being said, you should familiarize yourself with the procedure to manually override the security system should you have an issue with it. YOU NEED to KNOW your security code!

I had an issue with mine during a cross-country trip and didn't know the procedure, but fortunately the guy I was with did so I was able to get my bike started. I also guessed the security code (fortunately correct) or I would have been SOL. Turned out the security module had slipped down from the tray where it was mounted and the wires were chafing on my rear tire causing an intermittent fault. Luckily got to a dealer and got it replaced before it chafed all the way through!

 

It shortens the life of the battery???
If I subscribed to that notion, then my headlight, turn signals, stop light, cruise control, tail light, radio, dash lights and starter, which all use battery power would therefore shorten battery life. Maybe your friend does not have an alternator on his bike.

 

I would get it if it were free but not paying extra for it. But I have never had it or even wanted it on any of my rides.

 

The security system is nothing but a pain in the *******. In fact, I had it on a new bike & asked the dealer to swap out the ECM for one that DIDN'T have security. The best security is theft insurance. Stupid fob bullshit.