E-Bike Anti-Theft System: GPS Tracker and Alarm Setup India

Electric bike theft is surging across Indian cities as e-bike values rise — a quality conversion or factory e-bike worth ₹30,000–₹1,50,000 is an extremely attractive target. An effective e-bike anti-theft GPS tracker and alarm system built for India can be assembled for under ₹2,000, providing real-time SMS location alerts and an audible siren that deters most opportunistic theft attempts. This tutorial walks you through every component, circuit, and line of Arduino code.

Component List and Costs India 2025
Circuit Wiring Guide
Complete Arduino Code
Hiding the Tracker on Your E-Bike
Best SIM Cards for GPS Trackers India
Commercial Alternatives Worth Buying
Frequently Asked Questions

Component List and Costs India 2025

Arduino Nano V3: ₹150–₹250
SIM800L GSM/GPRS Module with antenna: ₹350–₹600
NEO-6M GPS Module with ceramic antenna: ₹350–₹700
SW-420 Vibration Sensor: ₹50–₹100
Buzzer/Piezo siren (loud, 12V): ₹50–₹150
Step-down buck converter (12V to 5V/3A): ₹80–₹150
18650 battery + TP4056 charger: ₹200–₹400
IP65 waterproof enclosure: ₹150–₹350

Total: ₹1,380–₹2,650 — far less than one month’s EMI on most e-bikes.

Recommended: 2 x 18650 Lithium Battery Shield V8 Expansion Board — Use this 18650 shield as a compact backup power source to keep your GPS tracker alive even when the main e-bike battery is disconnected by a thief.

Circuit Wiring Guide

Power: Take 12V from main battery via DC-DC buck converter → 5V for Arduino and GPS. Power SIM800L directly from 18650 backup LiPo (3.7–4.2V) with 1000µF capacitor across its power pins to handle the 2A GSM burst current. The TP4056 module trickle-charges the backup cell from the 5V rail.

GPS (NEO-6M): TX → Arduino D4 (SoftwareSerial RX); RX → Arduino D3 (SoftwareSerial TX). VCC → 3.3V or 5V (NEO-6M accepts both). Place the module where the ceramic patch antenna has unobstructed sky view — plastic seat works, metal frame does not.

SIM800L: RX → Arduino D8; TX → Arduino D7. Ground shared with Arduino. Do NOT share 5V power with Arduino — power directly from backup LiPo. Keep power traces short and thick on the PCB.

Vibration sensor: OUT → Arduino D2 (interrupt-capable pin). Set sensitivity with the onboard potentiometer — just enough to detect pushing or lifting, not traffic vibration.

Buzzer: Via NPN transistor (2N2222 or BC547) driven from Arduino D9. Use a 12V horn siren via transistor for maximum deterrence — the SIM800L alone won’t deter a determined thief.

Recommended: IRF520 MOSFET Driver Module for Arduino/Raspberry Pi — The IRF520 MOSFET module is ideal for driving a high-current 12V siren from Arduino’s 5V logic signal — perfect for this anti-theft circuit.

Complete Arduino Code


#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
#include <TinyGPS++.h>

SoftwareSerial gpsSerial(4, 3);
SoftwareSerial simSerial(7, 8);
TinyGPSPlus gps;

const int vibPin = 2;
const int buzzerPin = 9;
const String PHONE = "+919876543210"; // Replace with your number
bool alarmed = false;
unsigned long lastSMS = 0;
const long SMS_INTERVAL = 120000; // 2 min between repeated SMS

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  gpsSerial.begin(9600);
  simSerial.begin(9600);
  pinMode(vibPin, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(buzzerPin, OUTPUT);
  delay(3000);
  sendSMS(PHONE, "Zbotic E-Bike Tracker online. Bike secured.");
}

void loop() {
  while (gpsSerial.available() > 0)
    gps.encode(gpsSerial.read());

  if (digitalRead(vibPin) == LOW && !alarmed) {
    alarmed = true;
    digitalWrite(buzzerPin, HIGH);
    delay(500);
  }

  if (alarmed && (millis() - lastSMS > SMS_INTERVAL)) {
    String msg = "ALERT! E-bike disturbed! ";
    if (gps.location.isValid()) {
      msg += "Location: https://maps.google.com/?q=";
      msg += String(gps.location.lat(), 6) + "," + String(gps.location.lng(), 6);
    } else {
      msg += "GPS acquiring... Retry in 2 minutes.";
    }
    sendSMS(PHONE, msg);
    lastSMS = millis();
  }
}

void sendSMS(String number, String text) {
  simSerial.println("AT+CMGF=1");
  delay(1000);
  simSerial.println("AT+CMGS="" + number + """);
  delay(1000);
  simSerial.print(text);
  simSerial.write(26);
  delay(3000);
}

Hiding the Tracker on Your E-Bike

Concealment is as important as the electronics. Best locations on Indian e-bikes: (1) Inside the head tube/fork: Tape the sealed unit inside the fork crown — completely invisible from outside. (2) Inside the battery housing: If the battery case has extra space, hide it inside. The thief who steals the battery carries your tracker with them. (3) Behind the controller box: Piggyback inside the controller enclosure with a shared 12V power tap. (4) Under the seat in a waterproof pouch.

Use industrial double-sided tape or zipties for mounting. Check that no wires are visible and the GPS antenna faces upward with a clear path to the sky. Apply conformal coating to the PCB for monsoon protection.

Recommended: Mini Motor Drive Shield L293D for Arduino UNO/MEGA — Use an Arduino Nano with this shield format to prototype and test your anti-theft circuit on the bench before waterproofing and installing on the bike.

Best SIM Cards for GPS Trackers India

Jio (₹155/84 days): Best coverage in cities and newer highways. Includes data and SMS. SIM800L is 2G — Jio’s 2G network exists only for IoT devices; confirm your module is provisioned correctly. Airtel (₹179/28 days): Excellent 2G coverage in rural and semi-urban India — better for bikes ridden in outskirts. BSNL (₹107/90 days): Longest validity, penetrates government buildings and railways where private networks struggle. Best for SMS-only operation.

Commercial Alternatives Worth Buying

Qubo Smart Tracker (₹2,500–₹3,500): Hero Group product with Indian customer support and good app. Concox GT06N (₹1,800–₹2,500): Popular with Indian fleet operators, requires data SIM. LandAirSea 54 (₹4,000–₹6,000): Magnetic mount, IP67, excellent app, 4G (requires BSNL or Airtel 4G SIM).

Recommended: DC5-80V ESP8266 WiFi Relay Module — Add a WiFi relay to your tracker circuit to remotely cut motor power via smartphone when theft is detected — a remote immobiliser feature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will GPS work under a plastic seat?

Yes — plastic and fibreglass are transparent to GPS signals. Metal seats and frames block GPS signals. Ensure the antenna side of the GPS module faces up toward the sky with no metal between the antenna and the sky.

Can I add a remote engine cut feature?

Yes. Connect a relay (controlled by the SIM800L via Arduino) in series with the motor enable line or throttle signal. Send an SMS command to cut the motor remotely. The relay_wifi module makes this particularly easy with ESP8266-based trackers.

How do I prevent false alarms from traffic vibrations?

Adjust the SW-420 potentiometer to minimum sensitivity, then gradually increase until it detects gentle pushing but not nearby truck vibrations. Add a 3-second debounce in software — if the vibration is momentary, don’t trigger the alarm.

Will the SIM800L work on Jio’s network?

The SIM800L is a 2G (GPRS/EDGE) module. Jio shut down its 2G consumer network but maintains 2G IoT bands. SIM registration may be inconsistent. Airtel and BSNL offer more reliable 2G connectivity for SIM800L devices.

How much does it cost to run the GPS tracker monthly?

With BSNL’s ₹107/90-day plan (renewed quarterly ≈ ₹430/year), SMS alerts cost essentially nothing additional. GPRS-based continuous tracking adds ₹20–₹50/month in data charges. Total annual operating cost: under ₹600.

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