Milenco Dunrod Alarm and U-lock motorcycle security review

WITH motorcycle theft on the rise in some parts of the UK, most UK bikers are looking at extra ways they can keep their pride and joy that little bit safer over the winter months.

One product I’ve been using to do just that is by using the Milenco Dunrod alarm and U-lock, when I’m out and about and when my long-term Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Pro is parked up at home.

Milenco Dunrod Alarm and U-lock overview

The Dunrod is a large U-lock that can be used as both a disc lock or combined with a chain as I do when using the lock at home. The U-lock is around 46mm between the two locking shackles, and it weighs in at 706 grams. It is probably a little too large to fit inside most modern bikes’ seat units, although is easily stashed in a pannier or rucksack if I’m carrying one. It wouldn’t be advisable to store any type of lock or disclock in your jacket pocket, as landing this in a crash could leave you seriously injured.

The Dunrod comes with three keys and a reminder loop to hook onto your handlebars. It retails on the Milenco website for £79.99 and is rated Sold Secure Motorcycle Gold and Diamond, ART 4 Star, and Police Recommended / Secured by Design.

Milenco Dunrod Alarm and U-lock review

I’ve been using the Dunrod for about two months now and ordered it after a spate of motorcycle thefts in my hometown of Coventry. I’ve always used locks, chains, and disc locks, but wanted something that would make a bit more of a racket should somebody attempt to get at my bike. It is a fairly heft item, and that bright yellow casing should provide a clear deterrent to would-be thieves.

The lock has two settings, armed and passive. Armed is activated by turning the key to lock the device as normal and will cause the lock to emit one short beep and then a couple of seconds later a longer tone to notify you it is armed. To use the Dunrod as a traditional, non-alarm disclock, you lock, unlock, and then lock again. Now the device can be knocked and touched without the system siren being triggered. It’s a handy setting for if you are transporting your bike on a trailer, or in a van, and means there is still protection in place, just without the alarm shrieking the whole way.

When arming the disclock, you only have around a second before the second tone is emitted, meaning you have to set the lock down and sometimes steady it to prevent setting the Dunrod’s alarm off. I measured the siren on a decibel meter, and it peaked at 96dB with a peak frequency of 10,000hz. It’s an extremely loud alarm, especially in my garage or shed, where the closed walls seem to amplify the noise to ear-splitting levels. Once triggered, the alarm will sound for 10 seconds before turning itself. The unit will then arm once more, and a continued attack will cause the siren to continue while any movement is detected.

Milenco Dunrod Alarm and U-lock sensitivity

The Dunrod is a highly sensitive item, and when fitted to the front wheel of my Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Pro it can be triggered by simply knocking the top box of the bike. I also found that when using it as a traditional, standalone disclock, the wind could trigger the system if I left it hanging from the bottom of the brake disc. To stop this from happening, fix the lock at the top of the brake disc, and lie it over the disc to prevent the wind from making it rock. I’d much rather do this than turn the alarm off altogether.

Milenco Dunrod Alarm and U-lock verdict

As a standalone disclock to use when out and about, the Milenco Dunrod is a very handy piece of motorcycle security, and should I have the space, I take it with me every time I go out on the bike. Just under 80 quid, it is a fair chunk more than a conventional non-alarm disclock, although, for the extra piece of mind that comes from that highly effective siren, I personally think it's money well spent.

The Milenco Dunrod Alarm and U-Lock can be bought directly from the Milenco motorcycle security website.

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