Monimoto anti-theft tracker - worth it?

[greenmonster]

https://ridermagazine.com/2021/11/23/monimoto-7-anti-theft-gps-tracker-gear-review/

Just came across this device by Minimoto. It's a GPS anti-theft device that indicates the location of your bike if it's stolen. It's battery operated so you don't have to wire it to the bike and it can be placed pretty much anywhere as long as it isn't in a metal box like a pannier.
The alert comes to your smart phone (of course).
Cost is $199 and the monthly fee is $3.5.
It doesn't stop the theft of the bike but once it's gone you can find it.
Worth it??

 

[berth]

How is that any better/worse than an Apple AirTag?

To me the big question is "Ok, you know where it is. Now what?"

Steal it back? Are the police going to come help claim it? Does it get stuck in a city yard as evidence in a crime while the case goes to trial?

 

[greenmonster]

I'm not familiar with the Apple Air Tag but per Google the range is 800 feet and works on Bluetooth. The Minimoto works using GPS.
But your point is well taken, once you've located your bike what's the next move? I guess call the police and have them pick it up.
I think if I lived in SF and/or parked my bike in an open area for long periods this might be helpful. At least you aren't left wondering where the bike went.

 

[Blankpage]

I do everything I can to prevent my bike from being stolen but if someone does steal it I don’t want it back. I’d much prefer the insurance payout instead of dealing with whatever damage the thieves might have done.

 

[NoobCorpse]

I'm not familiar with the Apple Air Tag but per Google the range is 800 feet and works on Bluetooth. The Minimoto works using GPS.
But your point is well taken, once you've located your bike what's the next move? I guess call the police and have them pick it up.
I think if I lived in SF and/or parked my bike in an open area for long periods this might be helpful. At least you aren't left wondering where the bike went.

I do everything I can to prevent my bike from being stolen but if someone does steal it I don’t want it back. I’d much prefer the insurance payout instead of dealing with whatever damage the thieves might have done.

Both of these are great points. The police will likely take the call, add it to the report, but based on what I've heard about SF these days - no police dispatched / show up for hit & run, legit accidents, etc - they'll probably file it and be done.
I'm not Batman so I probably wouldn't go investigate on myself, or even with a carload of friends.

A tracker like this would be neat to crowdsource some sort of thievery data to pass to whatever LE department would do a large stolen parts / etc crime ring, but as far as Joe BARFer having actionable data from it to get a police response / recover the bike, my cynical ass has no hopeful optimism for it. Money for this would be better spent on beefing up your insurance so if you get it stolen, you get a new bike after 30 days.

 

[newbiker]

I prefer an Alarm system that works with GPS, has proximaty sensors, and will page you as soon as someone is even close to it or messing with your bike. Prevention is better than cure!

 

[Whammy]

For those who don't have a place to put their bike inside something is better than nothing? Then again if you have a high dollar bike something on it while its out in the wild is better than nothing.

 

[greenmonster]

This is more of a PSA to the group. I came across this today and found it interesting

 

[berth]

I'm not familiar with the Apple Air Tag but per Google the range is 800 feet and works on Bluetooth.

That's not quite true.

The magic of the Air Tag is that it propagates through ALL iPhones. Not just yours.

So, basically as long as your bike is within range of A iPhone, you'll know where it is.

The way this works is pretty extraordinary. It doesn't take any more power (or anything else), it piggy backs on current bluetooth protocols by fitting in to gaps in the protocol.

Also, as a feature (perhaps bug) is that if an iPhone detects the device, and it's not "theirs", it will alert the user that "Hey you're carrying something with an air tag". They do this so someone doesn't stick one on your car to try to follow you home.

So in this case, if the thief has an iPhone, it will tell them that "something" is being tracked. Maybe it will deter them from taking it, maybe it will encourage them to tear the bike apart looking for it. Could be good, could be bad.

 

[greenmonster]

Ah, ok, good to know how Air Tags work - pretty impressive technology for sure. The Monimoto device mimics what an Air Tag does apparently.
Which gets us back to the original question - are either of these devices worth it?
I'd say yes because at least you're alerted that the bike is gone pretty much in real time, and you know where it ended up.
I'm sure we've all had stuff stolen over the years and for me at least I'd know when it was taken, and where it is now. Let the police handle it from there and hope that it isn't stripped or wrecked.

 

[8Lives]

I use Monimoto trackers on both of my bikes. They work great. If the bike is moved at all (like just off the side stand), it detects movement and calls my phone. I know this from the times I've gone in my garage without the fob. Works every time. Battery last forever too. Basically set and forget.

Do not use air tags (this is all over bicycle forums too)! An air tag won't detect proximity movement (someone sitting on your bike, etc.) and thieves look for the new air tag "found near you" alert on their iPhones. Pretty much useless as a theft deterrent.

 

[dravnx]

There is no "perfect" theft deterrent system but an Airtag definitely has value. If a low life detects that your bike has an Airtag, I would assume they would move on to the next target. Bikes are frequently stolen for joy rides and then abandoned. An Airtag will help you find it. For $29, it's a lot of value.

 

[cheez]

There is no "perfect" theft deterrent system but an Airtag definitely has value. If a low life detects that your bike has an Airtag, I would assume they would move on to the next target. Bikes are frequently stolen for joy rides and then abandoned. An Airtag will help you find it. For $29, it's a lot of value.

I have 'em on all my bikes. Also in all of my luggage, in my truck, camper, and on my truck and camper keychains.

 

[easy wind]

AirTags rock! Have them on vehicles, bike, luggage, purse, keys, instruments. Batteries last a couple years and they are cheap enough for those with iPhones. Now I tell the airlines where my bags are.

 

[Joezilla916]

I use Trackmategps. I install them on all my bikes that are parked in public.

Trackmategps got my R6 back in under 2 hours when it was stolen from my “secure” parking garage at work. It connects to the cellular network and can be wired into the harness where it can shutoff the motor. I wire mine to cut power to the fuel pump. It costs about $27/quarter per installed unit and the hardware is ~$65 on Amazon. I can provide installation advice or direct help for the low price of pizza and beer. There is a phone app and a decent website where you track the bike, operate the cutoff and set up geo-fences. Configurable alerts are sent by text and/or email.

The thief on my R6 got shutdown in the middle of 280 and then I could see my bike getting pushed along the sidewalk where it was then ditched in a mobile-home community. The police watched the whole thing online with me and sympathized. Once they located it, they towed my bike and impounded it so they could raise money for the community (~$400).

Next time (hopefully never), I will go get the bike myself.

 

[elbacalao]

Monimoto is definitely worth it. What it does that an airtag does not do, is warn you when it senses movement from you motorcycle. It has already saved my bike once. I was in a theatre and received a phone call, monimoto will call you when it detects motion, and I was able to run out of the theatre and find that my bike had been messed with. Whether the sound of my running led the person(s) to run or more likely the disc lock that they didnt see at first (my guess) made them move on, I dont know. But I was at the bike in less than 90 seconds of receiving the call.

 

[elbacalao]

I use Trackmategps. I install them on all my bikes that are parked in public.

Trackmategps got my R6 back in under 2 hours when it was stolen from my “secure” parking garage at work. It connects to the cellular network and can be wired into the harness where it can shutoff the motor. I wire mine to cut power to the fuel pump. It costs about $27/quarter per installed unit and the hardware is ~$65 on Amazon. I can provide installation advice or direct help for the low price of pizza and beer. There is a phone app and a decent website where you track the bike, operate the cutoff and set up geo-fences. Configurable alerts are sent by text and/or email.

The thief on my R6 got shutdown in the middle of 280 and then I could see my bike getting pushed along the sidewalk where it was then ditched in a mobile-home community. The police watched the whole thing online with me and sympathized. Once they located it, they towed my bike and impounded it so they could raise money for the community (~$400).

Next time (hopefully never), I will go get the bike myself.

I love the idea of the cut off switch. This sounds like a step better than the monimoto device, which allows you to track the bike, but does not offer a cut off switch.

 

[greenmonster]

In downtown San Fran I always see a lot of bikes parked on the street in those designated moto spots.
If I commuted to work every day and parked outside like that I definitely would want SOMETHING on the bike as a theft tracker.

Since I work from home and the bike stays in my garage I don't think it's for me.

 

[homeboi]

Thank You Everyone for Your Posts

Thank You Everyone,

I was thinking about installing a tracker instead of using a tags (AirTag, SmartTag, etc), becuase of the features of the tracking services that tags don't provide. The shutoff switch makes a lot of sense.

I had my 2023 Ninja 650 stolen from the from of the house, and I basically lost $3K after the insurance settlement ($1K deductable).

Does anyone know if MoniMoto can shutdown the motorcycle remotely?

 

[homeboi]

Does anyone know if MoniMoto can shutdown the motorcycle remotely?

OK, I just did some research on the MoniMoto and the device isn't wired to the bike, so out of the box, no remote kill.