Leaving a bike outside
Discussion
Evening boys and girls
Ive just moved into a new house but unfortunately te new shed is at such an angle at the front of the house that i cant get the bike in. Anyways my backup plan is to keep it outside under a waterproof cover. How much damage/weat should this do to the bike as long as its not left minging after rides? Failing that can anyone recomment a cheap(ish) small storage solution for the bike?
Cheers
Ive just moved into a new house but unfortunately te new shed is at such an angle at the front of the house that i cant get the bike in. Anyways my backup plan is to keep it outside under a waterproof cover. How much damage/weat should this do to the bike as long as its not left minging after rides? Failing that can anyone recomment a cheap(ish) small storage solution for the bike?
Cheers
I leave my bikes out on a drive. I had a mint gsxr1000 that began to show signs after a year. That was covered religously and cleaned fairly often. I sold it as it was de valuing it leaving it outside. Even with a waterproof cover moisture did get in especially in the worse months.
i bought a cheap runaround hornet and i havent covered it since january. Its basically ruined. Well not ruined but itl take a lot of work to get mint again.
Basically cover it wash it ac50 or whatever its called over the winter months.
i bought a cheap runaround hornet and i havent covered it since january. Its basically ruined. Well not ruined but itl take a lot of work to get mint again.
Basically cover it wash it ac50 or whatever its called over the winter months.
I keep mine outside when i'm at uni. My ZXR deteriorated a little, but to be honest I think that was more thanks to getting it wet after grit went on the roads really! ACF50 treatment once or twice a year with occasional topping up helps A LOT.
I had an Oxford Stormex, their top cover. Tank and other parts had a skim of moisture over them always when I uncovered it... didn't rate it at all. Inside of cover gets dirty too, and scratches the bike over time. Heavy wind buffeting rubs the paint too.
Got one of these, highly rated! Ground totally dry under it even after rain, unlike the stormex where obviously the ground was always damp underneath the bike. Can ride the bike in hot without worrying about melting anything, and the cover doesn't touch the bike at all, so no paint rubbing.
HIGHLY RATE IT. Well worth £150, small investment for maintaining as best as possible a valuable bike stored outside. The cost of 2 Oxford Stormex covers, and far more long lasting.
Free eye candy.
I had an Oxford Stormex, their top cover. Tank and other parts had a skim of moisture over them always when I uncovered it... didn't rate it at all. Inside of cover gets dirty too, and scratches the bike over time. Heavy wind buffeting rubs the paint too.
Got one of these, highly rated! Ground totally dry under it even after rain, unlike the stormex where obviously the ground was always damp underneath the bike. Can ride the bike in hot without worrying about melting anything, and the cover doesn't touch the bike at all, so no paint rubbing.
HIGHLY RATE IT. Well worth £150, small investment for maintaining as best as possible a valuable bike stored outside. The cost of 2 Oxford Stormex covers, and far more long lasting.
Free eye candy.
I kept one of my Fireblades outside, when I lived in ground floor flat without a garage.
I bought the bike new and kept it under a cheap (Oxford Products I think?) cover in all weathers. I just used front and rear paddock stands and PLENTY of WD40! I used to give it a good clean once a week to get the worst of the muck off.
Friends always commented on the bikes excellent condition right up until I sold it after four years and over 20,000 miles.
Also kept my old SRAD GSXR outside and used the same methods, never had any issues, although bike was not in such good condition as didn't own it from new.
I bought the bike new and kept it under a cheap (Oxford Products I think?) cover in all weathers. I just used front and rear paddock stands and PLENTY of WD40! I used to give it a good clean once a week to get the worst of the muck off.
Friends always commented on the bikes excellent condition right up until I sold it after four years and over 20,000 miles.
Also kept my old SRAD GSXR outside and used the same methods, never had any issues, although bike was not in such good condition as didn't own it from new.
I kept one of my Fireblades outside, when I lived in ground floor flat without a garage.
I bought the bike new and kept it under a cheap (Oxford Products I think?) cover in all weathers. I just used front and rear paddock stands and PLENTY of WD40! I used to give it a good clean once a week to get the worst of the muck off.
Friends always commented on the bikes excellent condition right up until I sold it after four years and over 20,000 miles.
Also kept my old SRAD GSXR outside and used the same methods, never had any issues, although bike was not in such good condition as didn't own it from new.
I bought the bike new and kept it under a cheap (Oxford Products I think?) cover in all weathers. I just used front and rear paddock stands and PLENTY of WD40! I used to give it a good clean once a week to get the worst of the muck off.
Friends always commented on the bikes excellent condition right up until I sold it after four years and over 20,000 miles.
Also kept my old SRAD GSXR outside and used the same methods, never had any issues, although bike was not in such good condition as didn't own it from new.
Elnicko said:
Cheers. I have got a hein Gericke cover at the mo but dunno exactly how waterproof it is.also I don't understand the difference between the strormex and rained covers? ( apart from £15!) I have looked at those shelters but will they not just blow away?
The Stormex is supposedly resilient to worse weather conditions, but I found it average at best - damp just gets under it rather than through it I think.Nah you bolt it to the ground, or a couple of big paving slabs as i've had to do in rented accommodation.
Maybe you're happy with your standard covers, but personally if I have to keep a valuable bike outside that will always be, if possible, how I store it from now on.
I wouldn't go back to pain in the arse expensive leaking covers that the wind get under so easily, and that can melt or tear without much difficulty.
Also, when its raining, I just ride the bike into the cover, close it, and go inside, and my housemate is outside for much longer trying to get his cover in the right way, round the right way, on the bike evenly and kneeling down trying to do up the strap beneath the bike... then when the wind gets up it blows half off anyway.
The tent covers cost the price of a couple of Oxford Stormex covers but I think would last 30 years if the canvas didn't perish. Mine was second hand, no idea how old it is, but its certainly a few years old and it's still waterproof and absolutely perfect bar fading in the sun.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/MOTOGP-Cover-Black-Medium-...
buy this and be done with it
it rains in scotland a lot, this is tough, looks ok, vented and well just good for the money
buy one size up though as they are a bit small. Unless you have a triumph where it looks like a fat bird thats lost weight wearing her old clothes
buy this and be done with it
it rains in scotland a lot, this is tough, looks ok, vented and well just good for the money
buy one size up though as they are a bit small. Unless you have a triumph where it looks like a fat bird thats lost weight wearing her old clothes
My Daytona, Street Triple and now Blackbird all live/d outside under an Oxford Stormex cover. All were fine, showed no signs of corrosion beyond what you'd get from usual use. I used ACF 50 on them in winter and were fine. I never put my bikes away clean and they really haven't suffered!
It might have been a different case with bikes that are more sensitive to the elements.
The cover now has a great patina (ie its slightly green and very dirty), and has a hole ripped in it (my fault - but gaffa taped up and is still water tight). I quite like it because it looks like it's concealing a really naff old rotter.
My advice is not to worry - even if your bike gets a bit wet it'll be fine.
It might have been a different case with bikes that are more sensitive to the elements.
The cover now has a great patina (ie its slightly green and very dirty), and has a hole ripped in it (my fault - but gaffa taped up and is still water tight). I quite like it because it looks like it's concealing a really naff old rotter.
My advice is not to worry - even if your bike gets a bit wet it'll be fine.
My Oxford Stormex was clearly made on a friday afternoon then...
Yes bikes are designed to get wet, but not to get wet then be covered up for days, holding the moisture between the bike and the cover. No matter how good the cover is at keeping the water out, the damp still comes up into the cover and is held between it and the bike.
Tribal Chestnut, do it and be done with it - well worth the money. Mine is just a generic tent cover I think, and is constructed to last. Easier, more convenient and quicker to use, won't blow away if bolted down correctly, and works bloody well - completely dry under it, no damp patches on the ground even after the biggest of storms.
Ultimately, generally you're keeping it outside because you don't have access to a garage, where you would preferably store it if you could, so why not invest a few quid and get the best cover you can?
Yes bikes are designed to get wet, but not to get wet then be covered up for days, holding the moisture between the bike and the cover. No matter how good the cover is at keeping the water out, the damp still comes up into the cover and is held between it and the bike.
Tribal Chestnut, do it and be done with it - well worth the money. Mine is just a generic tent cover I think, and is constructed to last. Easier, more convenient and quicker to use, won't blow away if bolted down correctly, and works bloody well - completely dry under it, no damp patches on the ground even after the biggest of storms.
Ultimately, generally you're keeping it outside because you don't have access to a garage, where you would preferably store it if you could, so why not invest a few quid and get the best cover you can?
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