It depends on the year you ask. Vehicle theft in the US spiked sharply in the early 2020s — NICB data showed thefts climbing to levels not seen in over a decade, driven by everything from keyless-entry exploits to viral videos showing how to start certain cars with a USB cable. More recent reporting has shown the numbers cooling off from that peak in many regions, though they remain elevated compared to the quiet years of the 2010s.
For riders and owners of smaller vehicles, the picture has its own wrinkles:
- Motorcycles, ATVs, and scooters are consistently attractive targets because they can be lifted into a truck or trailer in under a minute — no key, no hotwiring.
- Warm months and warm states see the most theft, simply because more bikes are out and visible.
- Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki routinely top most-stolen-brand lists, largely because they're the most common bikes on the road.
The practical takeaway isn't the trend line — it's that theft is common enough in any year that layered protection is just part of ownership now: lock it, park it smart, and put a hidden tracker on it so that even a successful thief doesn't get the last word.
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