A motorcycle ground anchor needs to do two things: accommodate the largest chains, and be tougher to defeat than they are. The Apex Pro, which is designed and made in the UK by Image4Security, is tested to the toughest Sold Secure Ground Anchor Diamond standard (under its previous name of W’Anchor), which sees a five-minute attack with an angle grinder, tungsten-carbide-tipped drill bits and a 1.5m builder’s bar; it’s the toughest test carried out on motorbike security, and at the time of writing there are only two ground anchors that achieve it – this and some concrete in one from some other company (don't bother we say, why go through all the hassle).
Features and capacity
The WAnchor ground anchor is made of 6mm-thick steel with a tough powder-coated finish (I measured it at 6.12-6.28mm). It stands 11cm tall, and covers a footprint of approximately 24x17cm.
The anchor is supplied fitted to a wooden template with two small set-screws. These set screws are then used to secure a bottom plate which covers all the fixings so prevent attack.
The WAnchor can accept up to a 22mm diameter chain link, such as the Big Girther high security motorbike chain.
Fitting
To fit the WAnchor ground anchor to a concrete floor or strong brick wall, you’ll need a decent impact drill, 6mm and 16mm masonry bits, a hammer, 2.5mm and 6mm Allen keys, a set of mole-grips if you have access to them and something to blow out the holes that you drill. It’s a shame the larger drill bit isn’t supplied – while I did have one, not everybody will have a 16mm to hand, so budget a fiver for one if needs be.
All fixings are included in the box.
Depending on the floor, you might need a hefty drill; my mains Bosch was only any good for marking the initial holes; after that I had to use my old SDS drill (from Woolworths!). Large drills can be easily hired for a day if you need to, and many stores will sell drill bits too. Alternatively, the guys from WAnchor do also off a UK wide install service if you want to leave it to the experts.
The supplied template makes marking the holes very easy (and it being on some thick hardboard helps even more); drill through with a 6mm (or smaller) bit and you’re set.
Next, open the holes up to 16mm, each with a depth of 80mm. Be careful that you don’t go too deep as a resin capsule is used for the centre fixing, which mustn’t go too far in.
With the holes drilled out, blow them completely empty… be careful doing this as there’s a lot of dust inside; I used a workshop vacuum.
The Apex pro is secured using two expanding bolts and a resin capsule in the centre. My drilling wasn’t perfect, leaving the centre hole slightly out of line, but because the threaded fastener that goes here is smaller than the hole and bonds in with resin, there was enough play to easily line the two outer bolts up with the sleeves that are tapped in.
That central fastener works perfectly fine if just spun in by hand, but if you want to nip it up tighter, you’ll need a set of mole grips. Popping the anchor down breaks the glass capsule in the centre hole, then you rotate the Apex clockwise until it sits flush with the ground – this helps mix and spread the resin, which gives an incredibly tough fixing.
Then just pop the two outer bolts in and secure them with a 6mm Allen key, tap the ball bearings into the heads, and finally slide the cover plate in and secure that with the two small set screws.
It's actually fairly simple; most anchors use four bolts (one at each corner), and if these go into expanding sleeves your drilling has to be pretty accurate.
Ease of use
Most chains pass through fairly easily, but 22mm ones take a little more jiggling. Chances are if you have a chain that big, you’ll have this anchor somewhere you can leave the chain installed, so it’s not a problem.
Resistance to attack
Given its Sold Secure Ground Anchor Diamond rating, it should come as no surprise that this is one tough bit of kit. A sledge hammer just bounces noisily off it, and whichever way I tried to attack it with the angle-grinder, I couldn’t get through.
On the top, there’s a second plate set well below the upper, and the sides are recessed, making it harder to get purchase with a grinder.
Given enough time (and several cutting discs), a powerful grinder will eventually get through this as anything can be destroyed eventually, but it really is much, much harder than simply cutting the chain itself. It’s fair to say that the WAnchor is the toughest-to-attack surface-mounted anchor I’ve come across.
WAnchor ground anchor review: Verdict
The WAnchor is currently the only surface-mounted device to meet the most extreme Sold Secure Ground Anchor Diamond standard, making it the toughest out there that doesn’t need to be buried underground.
All an anchor really needs to do is be stronger than the chain inside it, but as the provably toughest device you can fit without digging a hole, the WAnchor is an excellent design that’s fairly easy to fit and so comes thoroughly recommended.
Author: John Milbank - Bennetts Consumer Editor
Full article here.