Everything (?) you want to know about alarms
For best results, you better be an electronics specialist in order to select the best alarm device. Here are some essential features:
- A really loud siren
- you want to knowSpare input for connecting additional sensors in parallel.
- Adjustable sensitivity of the internal vibration sensor.
- Alarming when a voltage drop is sensed (if someone cuts the battery cable).
- Engine immobilisation and alarming when someone tries to start the engine.
- Internal rechargeable battery.
- Anti-scanner and random code for the remote control feature.
- Pager activation output (difficult to find). If not, a pager can still be installed but safety against theft is reduced and pager transmitter may interfere with the alarm while riding (see electromagnetic combatibility page).
Installation must be accomplished by a specialised professional; otherwise you risk damaging the CDI. Of course it's easy to install it if you are skilled in electronics and you have available the alarm installation manual and the motorcycle's electrical wiring diagram.
Some people avoid alarms just because they're afraid of a malfunction while driving. I could say that it is strongly depended on the alarm design and quality but, of course, you could not verify it easily.
Check for the electromagnetic compatibility of both the alarm and the pager transmitter (e.g. CE approval stamp on both devices), if available. A year ago (1997), I wasn't able to find an alarm conforming to the CE standard. However, this standard is recently introduced, so I hope there are CE stamped alarm devices available at this moment. In absence of those approvals, you should prefer the same brand for the pager and the alarm, hoping they are made for co-operation.