Sold Secure Diamond: Why Not All Diamond Ratings Are Equal
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Sold Secure Diamond Motorcycle Ground Anchor
If you've been shopping for motorcycle security in the UK, you've almost certainly come across the Sold Secure Diamond rating. It appears on disc locks, chains, ground anchors, and handlebar locks alike. Most riders treat it as a mark of top-tier security — and most insurers offer their best discounts for it.
But there's a detail the packaging doesn't explain: not all Sold Secure Diamond certifications are the same. There are different test categories, and the difference between them is significant.
What Sold Secure Actually Tests
Sold Secure is a UK-based security product testing scheme. Products are submitted for independent testing and awarded ratings — Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Diamond — based on how long they resist a range of professional attack tools.
The rating you see on a product always includes a category. For motorcycle security products, the most common categories are:
- **Pedal Cycle** — tested at lower resistance levels, primarily for bicycle security
- **Powered Cycle** — the standard for most motorcycle locks, chains, and ground anchors
- **Ground Anchors and Security Posts (SS105)** — a separate, more demanding standard specifically for fixed floor and wall installations
The distinction matters because the tests are different — and the angle grinder test in particular differs significantly between categories.
Under the **Powered Cycle Diamond** standard, a product must resist **90 seconds** of continuous angle grinder attack.
Under the **SS105 Ground Anchors and Security Posts Diamond** standard, the requirement is **5 minutes** per attack session.
That is not a marginal difference. It is the difference between a product designed to slow down a thief working quickly and a product designed to outlast a sustained, professional attempt.
Why the Angle Grinder Test Is the One That Matters
Angle grinders are the tool of choice for serious motorcycle thieves in the UK. They are cheap, portable, available from any hardware store, and capable of cutting through hardened steel quickly. Any security product that cannot resist an angle grinder for a meaningful period of time is not providing meaningful protection against a determined thief.
A 90-second resistance means that with a fresh disc and a clear approach angle, a thief can be through your security before a neighbour has had time to look out of a window. In the time it takes to fetch your phone, your bike is gone.
Five minutes is a different calculation entirely. At that point, a thief is making noise for long enough to be heard. Disc blades are burning out and need replacing. The delay creates risk — and risk is what stops theft. Most opportunistic thieves will abandon an attempt within two minutes if it is not progressing quickly.
This is why the SS105 standard was created as a separate category. Ground anchors and security posts are fixed installations — they represent the last line of defence for a stationary motorcycle. The test reflects that.
What Most Ground Anchors Are Certified To
The majority of motorcycle ground anchors on sale in the UK carry Sold Secure Diamond certification under the **Powered Cycle** category. This is not a criticism of those products — many are well-engineered and perform significantly better than lower-rated alternatives.
But when the packaging says "Sold Secure Diamond" without specifying which category, and the category is Powered Cycle, the 90-second angle grinder standard applies.
If you are relying on a ground anchor as your primary home security measure — as most riders do — this distinction is worth understanding before you buy.
What Insurers Recognise
Most UK motorcycle insurers offer premium discounts for Sold Secure Diamond certified security. The discount is typically greater for Diamond than Gold, and greater again for products that exceed minimum certification requirements.
The SS105 category — precisely because it is more demanding — is recognised by insurers as representing a higher standard. If your insurer specifies Sold Secure Diamond in their security requirements, a product certified to SS105 Diamond will always satisfy that requirement. More importantly, it provides the level of physical resistance that makes a theft claim significantly less likely in the first place.
It is worth checking the specific language in your policy. Some insurers and some policies specify certification categories. If your policy mentions "ground anchor" or "fixed installation," SS105 is the directly relevant standard.
TufLuck and the SS105 Standard
TufLuck is the only universal motorcycle diamond ground anchor to hold Sold Secure Diamond certification under the SS105 Ground Anchors and Security Posts category.
During certification testing, TufLuck survived 60 minutes of continuous professional attack — across multiple attack methods including angle grinding, drilling, pry bars, reciprocating saws, and hammers. The test is conducted under professional supervision using commercial-grade tools.
Beyond the certification, the design eliminates the attack points that typically determine the actual security level of a ground anchor setup: the exposed padlock shackle, the accessible chain, the visible fixing bolts. Once TufLuck is locked, the padlock, its shackle, the locking pin, the wheel axle, and all floor fixing points are physically shielded within the unit.
This is what the SS105 standard is designed to verify: not just that the anchor body is hard, but that the complete installed system resists sustained attack.
Questions to Ask Before You Buy Any Ground Anchor
1. Which Sold Secure category does it hold Diamond under — Powered Cycle, or SS105 Ground Anchors and Security Posts?
2. How long does it resist angle grinder attack specifically?
3. Are the padlock shackle and floor fixing points shielded once locked, or are they accessible?
4. Does your insurer recognise the specific certification category?
The answers will tell you far more than the Diamond logo on the packaging.
TufLuck holds Sold Secure Diamond SS105 certification — the highest ground anchor security standard in the UK. £599 with a lifetime warranty. UK designed and manufactured.
