You know that sinking feeling when your bike—your ticket to freedom—gets stolen? That was Yogesh Alekari’s reality. He was four months and 15,000 miles into a round-the-world ride on his KTM 390 Adventure when, on 28 August, his rig and everything he owned were stolen during a breakfast stop at Wollaton Hall, Nottingham. He had the basics: a visible parking spot and a disc lock. But clearly, that wasn’t enough.
He lost more than just metal and rubber — his passport, gear, license—it was all gone. Police eventually arrested an 18-year-old in Doncaster in connection with the theft, but the bike remained missing. The motorcycling world took notice. Offers from all directions: help, sympathy, gear. One of the biggest came from The Offroad Centre (Mansfield Woodhouse). They stepped up, gave Yogesh a 2020 KTM 790 Adventure, styled it to resemble his old one, and helped restore his faith in the ride.
With replacement docs in hand—passport, license—he finally left from Wollaton Hall, back on the road, bound for South Africa, and about 32 more countries ahead.
In a way, this story isn’t just about theft. It’s about what happens when a riding brother is down. The UK motorcycling community didn’t just watch; they acted. The gestures? They meant Yogesh didn’t stay stuck. And for many of us, that’s what keeps the fire lit when stuff goes south.
Yogesh’s takeaway: “I was so lost, but I met these lovely people and I can now continue … Now, the UK is more close to my heart. I’m really happy now.” That says it all.
Takeaways for Riders
- Don’t ever undervalue documents: passport, licence, ownership papers. Losing them hurts more than the bike sometimes.
- Security isn’t just a disc lock. Look at layers: location, visibility, lock quality, backups.
- Keep community close: connections can mean rescue when things go wrong.
- If something’s lost, don’t give up hope—there are good people out there (shops, fellow riders, sponsors).
UK Bike Theft: A Quick History & What the Numbers Tell Us
Bike theft in the UK (motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, etc.) has been a problem for decades—and while there have been improvements, it’s still rough riding.
Back in the 1970s and ’80s, the numbers were hefty. Between 1973-1987, about 675,000 motorcycles were reported stolen across England, Scotland and Wales. By around 1987-1992, only about 35% of those stolen bikes ever got recovered. The rest remained missing, stripped, or never found.
As the years rolled on, improvements in security, registration, insurance pressure, and policing drove the theft numbers down. By 2002 the annual reported thefts had dropped to roughly 30,000 bikes per year. But even then, recoveries lagged: around 35-40% or so.
In more recent years:
- In 2019, there were about 24,353 powered two-wheeler (PTW) thefts in the UK.
- In 2020, those dropped (several sources cite around 17,700-18,000) during pandemic restrictions.
- Then in 2022, thefts rose again to about 25,108 PTW thefts.
- Between June 2022 and May 2023, 18,361 motorcycles were registered as stolen with the DVLA by police, many of them smaller commuter-scooters (125cc and under).
