[jthspace]

As this bike is small, there is not a lot of room to fit "extras" as people will find out - so PLAN AHEAD and check what you are looking to buy will actually fit.

I have a "p1ss off" alarm fitted to my bikes which is really just a warn away alarm which goes off for 30 seconds if any kids or curious people touch or wobble the bike. Nothing will stop a serious thief, so dont spend too much on an alarm, spend it on a padlock and chain. Anyway, the HOW TO.

The alarm cost me £5 / $8 on eBay all the way from China. It has a remote control which bips when you set the alarm and bip bips when you turn it off. That's about as technical as you need to know!

The Alarm

It runs off a PP3 9v battery, so the first modification was to replace the battery with a voltage controller so as to run it off the 12v battery of the bike. DO NOT wire it direct to the battery as it will smoke and smell funny for about 5 seconds.

Where to fit it? There is very little room under the seat, there is LOTS of room under the fender, but this box is not waterproof.

I lfound a place it could be jammed in, but vibration would be an issue. Instead, under the seat is an area for you to store the user manual (who reads those?). I mounted the alarm there using sticky pads.

I CHECKED THE POSITION AND ALSO CONFIRMED THE SEAT WOULD CLOSE WITH THIS IN PLACE!

Sticky pads

In place and wire clipped to seat so as to act as a wire lock. The lead is about a metre (39 inches) long so that the seat can be removed and placed on the floor.

The alarm was wired to the battery terminals, I added vaseline to the terminals as they were "dry" (petroleum jelly). The wire was placed under the battery clamp (there is rubber under the clamp) so that the wires cannot be pulled off the terminals if the wires are jerked.

The alarm has an on-off switch as well, so as not to flatten the bike battery if left unused for more than a week. Although current draw is tiny,
take no chances, especially as there is no kick-start.

Seat showing wire length (wire is thin, but can just be seen).

That's All Folks!

Jeff

 

[Bama Dave]

Awesome write up jeff. I might have to look in to this for the grom. You should make a demonstration vid on how the alarm is.

*Thumbs up

 

[WildRider81]

and a beautiful side shot of your new toy.. very nice

joe

 

[jthspace]

and a beautiful side shot of your new toy.. very nice joe

Yep, almost got it all in. Will do a couple more when the weather improves. Once the rear rack arrives, I will do another "How To" for fitting that and will do some proper side shots without/with the rack fitted.

Note how we get the front reflectors (yellow) but not the rear (red) ones in the UK. I would like them as well, although I know a lot of people get rid of the front and rear ones (according to other posts on here).

The round disc below the reflector is our vehicle tax sticker - it cost $25 per year for a bike of this size. It is based on CO2 output from the engine.

I am thinking about additional rear lighting / other road user awareness. I considered a 5w (not a 5mw) laser pointer for vehicles that drive too close, but then again, that's a bit harsh. My brakelights are adjusted so that they come on far earlier than the brakes, so it is possible to "flash" the vehicle behind

Under the rear numberplate, there is still room for another rear light, so I will investigate an extra light fitting. I have a circuit diagram for a brakelight flasher, where the brakelights flash twice a second for 7 seconds then stay on as normal - this gives drivers behind a better visual warning you are braking. My next mod . . . . where is the soldering iron?

Jeff

 

[chye]

Sounds like a good pest/punk sitting on your bike deterrent. Not so much a theft deterrent. I am thinking about getting some sort of lojack on it. Worth it?

 

[jthspace]

Probably not on a bike. A decent lock and chain is probably as good, chaining it to a lamp post will stop 99% of thefts. No one can deter a tea-leaf (rhyming slang, thief) who really wants your kit.

I have "Comprehensive" insurance which is accidental damage, third party liability, fire and theft. I pay the first £250 / $375 of any bike claim (accidental damage, fire, theft) and it costs me £100 / $150 per year.

Jeff

 

[chye]

Yea. Unfortunately if someone wants to steal your GROM there isn't much you can do about it. Unless you chain it to a pole. Doesn't help that it's lightweight and easy to pick up.

 

[WildRider81]

Could install a kill switch at least. Anyone ever used a boomerang or similar product on a bike? Track the theft?

Joe

Sent from Motorcycle.com App

 

[WildRider81]

this is the one i was thinking of.

Recovery System for Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, Equipment, Cargo & Laptops - LoJack - LoJack

must be a custom deal

joe

 

[AKohler883]

Nice write up ... $8 is a deal if it really works ! may put one on my Jeep too if it would work for a vehicle. Jeep is never locked (it has no doors)
Now I just need to Find it on Ebay .... is it really called "P!ss Off" (spelled the right way) ?

 

[AKohler883]

found it already. From a place that has decent feedback.

 

[AKohler883]

on / off switch is the coolest part. Nice picture of the battery by the way. YTZ5S

 

[chye]

I'm looking at lojacks as well. The thing is. Anyone experienced would be able to disconnect the battery before moving it to disable the system. Are there backup batteries built into the systems?

 

[AKohler883]

i still think, big cable lock is the best defense. Grom's may be more attractive because they are light.

 

[jthspace]

on / off switch is the coolest part. Nice picture of the battery by the way. YTZ5S

It's not the battery, it is a voltage regulator that converts 12v to 9v so I don't have to buy batteries and it is always ready to use.

It is a good warn-away alarm, nothing sophisticated for $8! It is sensitive though.

Jeff

 

[AKohler883]

I assume you don't mean the bike's Stock voltage regualtor. Because that doesn't produce anything if the bike is not running. And when it does, it produces 14 volts.
If the bike is sitting still, and you are powering the alarm without the 9 volt battery included, it has to be coming from the bike battery somehow. Doesn't it ?

 

[jthspace]

I assume you don't mean the bike's Stock voltage regualtor. Because that doesn't produce anything if the bike is not running. And when it does, it produces 14 volts.
If the bike is sitting still, and you are powering the alarm without the 9 volt battery included, it has to be coming from the bike battery somehow. Doesn't it ?

Yes, as "standard" it runs off a PP3 9V internal battery. I replaced the battery with a voltage regulator and wired it permanently (spade terminals) to the bike battery. When switched on, the current draw is minimal. If I am not using the bike for a week or so (it happens, I travel a lot), it is chained to a ground anchor in my covered car porch and I switch the alarm off.

Jeff

 

[overnightfromthailand]

Wow, thanks for taking the time to post that useful mod!

 

[Sgtduckyboy]

Good idea to adapt for other vehicles!

 

[vgullotta]

Nice write-up! Can you tell me the make/model of that alarm for easy ebay searching? An $8 alarm sounds awesome lol