the case of the indestructible disc lock

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bobtail
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Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:00 am
Location: North Wales (only just)

the case of the indestructible disc lock

Postby bobtail » Mon Sep 30, 2013 2:20 pm

This was my Suzuki GSXR 1100 here I am posing just before setting off for the Nurburgring race circuit. I loved this bike although it was much maligned by the bike press at the time. They said it was top heavy, wallowed in corners, thirsty, couldn't set up the suspension properly and generally a not very good machine. They compared it very unfavourably to the GSXR 750 which was much lighter was very successful in proddie racing and a big seller but the 1100 wasn't designed to do what the 750 was designed to do and I found that it suited my needs perfectly. Did many European trips on it including the Nurburgring where it behaved faultlessly coping with the infamous Carusel banked curve with ease.

I just loved this bike to bits.

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When I went away one holiday to Morocco (with wifey. no. 2!) this is what I found on my return. An empty garage and no Suzook!

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Over the bank holiday weekend the tea leaves (or for want of a better name the thieving, conniving, pile of excrement bastards) had got into the garage and proceeded to have a go at the GSXR 1100. There was a Harley Davidson also in the garage at the time but they didn't want that (I'd have gladly given it to them) no they had an order in for the Suzook. At that time the engines of the 1100 were the main unit to be found in the open class of the sidecar series so obviously someone had placed an order. They had come prepared but hey what do you keep in your garage, all your tools, so it was relatively easy pickings for them until they came to the front wheel.

But I had a friend who worked in the machine shop at Cammell Lairds and he had made this disc lock specially for the bike and the tolerances were extremely fine. Well they tried all sorts to get it off. They drilled it, hit it with a hammer, chisel, tried to hack saw it off, smacked it with a sledge hammer, tried crowbars absolutely everything but it wouldn't budge.

It was the Arnie Schwarzennegger of disc locks it said to them 'I am not being moved I am a hard bastard you can do what you want but I shall prevail'

And it did.

But it didn't stop them nicking the bike, nope. Obviously the slightly more intelligent scum realised that they weren't going to get it off so they decided that the only way to move the bike was by springing the front disc off complete with the lock on it! If you look closely at the last picture you can see the retaining washers scattered on the floor.Then they refitted the wheel and trundled it out to a waiting van they really wanted that bike.

Personally if it had been me and I only wanted the engine I would have just taken the wheel off but hey I'm not a criminal and I'm more intelligent than them in the first place.

And even though the garage was then left unsecure for another night they never came back for the Harley, the mean conniving bastards.

I've still got the disc and lock (which works perfectly) in a prominent position in my new garage just to remind me every so often that there are some not very nice people out there who will do anything to take away from you what is rightfully yours so don't become complacent about things and get a good lock.

PS. I don't think Cammell Lairds make disc locks anymore
PPS. The Harley D..well my neighbour phoned my mates who came round and manhandled the HD into my kitchen! Quel surprise when I opened the door. Thanked them but said they shouldn't have bothered.
PPPS. The local plod were not interested now there's a surprise.

Oh and sorry about the quality of the pics had to scan them from you know those things we used to call photographs!



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Last edited by bobtail on Tue Oct 01, 2013 7:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Mister C (Marsh)
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Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 7:07 pm
Location: Crewe

Postby Mister C (Marsh) » Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:24 pm

Bloody gutted for you, bunch of bastards. Track day kit cars would be another market for them. Sorry once again.

Regards Marsh
er, mmmmm I'll think of something funny soon.

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GerryB
Posts: 620
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:40 pm
Location: Jacarilla , Spain

Postby GerryB » Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:49 pm

Yes , the Suzuki 1100 engine is the favoured lump for the Westfield type kit car guys & also some of the specials that are used in grass track etc ....

Sadly a very big market for the bastards ....

My cuzz bought one from a breaker some where for £600 for his kit car .
Old man ... now .
Ex Off Road & Enduro Rider...


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