Meta V Datatool alarms

Just been phoning around to get a good deal on an SV with alarm and
originally i had decided on the datatool system 3 after a recommendation.

But a dealers just said they don't do the datatool alarms they do 'Meta'
alarms instead which 'are better then the datatool alarms'.

Now I know he is not listed on datatools site as an official retailer so
he's just trying to shift what he's got. I've never had a bike alarm before.

Can anyone recall their experiences with a 'Meta' alarm?

Thanks in advance.

 

curium said...

I'm not a fan of bike alarms, but every RAC and AA patrolman I've spoken
to about them says the Meta 357T is the best out there, as far as
reliability goes.

 

Wot Loz said.

When my Datatool went titsup at the BMF last year, those nice men from
the RAC ripped it out for me. While my chappie was doing mine, his
colleagues were sorting others - at one point there were 5 bikes with
dodgy alarms all needing treatment. The point is - all were Datatool
alarms that had malfunctioned.

I asked the team of RAC chappies about this - and they were unanimous.
They had been sorting or chopping out Datatool gear all weekend -
apparently malfunctioning alarms are the most common cause of calls to
the breakdown sevices. Anyway, they all recommended the Meta 357T as
being far better than the Datatool Evo Veto.

So there you go.

 

I've just come off the phone with a "man with a van" who fits both.

He says there's nowt innit;
- the Meta unit is slightly bigger then the datatool
- the meta auto arms the immobiliser only while the datatool autoarms alarm
and immobiliser
- the datatool is slightly more movement sensitive which can be a pain if
you park on a busy main road.

he fits both and reckons they're as good as each other otherwise and they
both cost the same at a shade under 3 tons incl. fitting.

 

alarms not in the AA Top Ten faults
http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/avoid_breakdown.html#Causes

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

They are having a giraffe with the price of these alarms y'know. Mugs game.

www.sola-larm.com/motorcyclealarms.html
Unfortunately these guys have started to jump on the price bandwagon but
they can still be had significantly cheaper.

 

The clue could be in the word "cars" in the link...

Perhaps what Pip meant was calls to breakdown services from *bikes*?

 

I have a Meta 357T fitted which had been totally reliable until last
October when it refused to disarm with the remote. It was about 18 months
old at that point and therefore out of warranty, but the bike shop where it
was fitted swapped the whole unit out FOC. Anyway, the point is, whatever
alarm you get, it can still go tits-up.

 

I don't think these are insurance approved though. Still I don't need
one so GAF.

 

It may say car but reading the posts here and other fora I reckon that
that list probably applies to bikes too. The RAC says that "lack of
maintenance" is the primary cause of callouts.

Here's the RAC list:

Battery (flat or faulty) - 16.83%
Tyre(s) - 8.46%
Engine - 3.69%
Alternator - 3.04%
Lockouts - 2.81%
Fuel - 2.80%
Starter motor - 2.43%
Cylinder head gasket- 1.74%
Cambelt - 1.65%
Plugs - 1.55%

 

wrote in

They are - they make a Thatcham cat1 (ins. MC1) & a cat 2 (ins MC2 & MC4)
now. Like all insurance approved devices they have to be installed by a
specialist.

 

I've got the Meta 357T v2 fitted to my R6. Its only been on there
since september, it was fitted when the bike was new and I haven't had
any problems with it at all. I have heard about the Datatool alarms
being a bit over-sensitive in relation to the movement sensor which
can lead to false alarms. The movement sensor on the Meta on the
other hand works just fine. I would definately recommend you to have
the Meta system fitted.

Matt

 

It's cheaper for me to pay the extra on my insurance on the Thou, than
it is to have an alarm fitted, for four years.

 

Oh, and they'll change the spec every two years anyway so you'll need to
get it 'upgraded'. Fucking things.

 

Only thing I'm dreading is the problem you had with the ins-co
refusing to cover unless it had an alarm. I was really quite amazed
that I could insure the Thou without one and that it wasn't much more
than with one.

 

Ferger wrote:

AOL
My Honda and M'boys Suzuki are kept in a purpose made bike storage facility
(okay then, a modified shed), and are kept chained to a FOAD ground anchor
which is concreted into the floor (about 6"). From an insurance POV they
are not considered as "garaged" as the building is not a "garage", and the
ground anchor means sweet FA.

--
Oldbloke

My Bike - 2000 Honda CB500
M'boy's Bike - 1990 Suzuki TS50X
i Bike - MotoRumi Junior Gentleman

BOTAFOT #140, DIAABTCOD#26
"He's like Robbo's chubby kid brother"

 

I got the biggest discount for having it Datatagged. That knocked
£900 quid off the fully comp premium.

 

My Honda came with a "Smart Water" sticker on it. Last week I finally got
around to finding out more about it, seems I can re-register my details with
the company and they will send me a certificate which will save me pounds on
insurance.

Why am I skeptical about this, I'll post up the outcome.

--
Oldbloke

My Bike - 2000 Honda CB500
M'boy's Bike - 1990 Suzuki TS50X
i Bike - MotoRumi Junior Gentleman

BOTAFOT #140, DIAABTCOD#26
"He's like Robbo's chubby kid brother"

 

The missus keeps washing my keys in my pocket and the alarm fob on my meta
351 keeps on going. it's done 3 washes now and it's still going strong
Bobby

 

I have a Datatool System 3 on my GSXR750, whilst a friend has a Meta on her
SV650. I have had no problems at all with my Datatool (cue intervention of
Sods Law),
whilst the Meta has been giving quite a bit of trouble over the past few
months. It was playing some very strange tunes whilst arming and disarming
the other day. Then it decided that it did not want to be disarmed at all,
and proceeded to sound for several minutes. It has been back to the garage
four times now, and each time nothing can be found to be wrong with it.

I have suggested to them that the ECU is knackered, but they won't have it.
They seem to be reluctant to contact the manufacturer and get a replacement.
Our next course of action will be to contact the manufacturer ourselves.

HTH

Anthony
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