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bike storage

3K views 31 replies 21 participants last post by  G-Dub 
#1 ·
hokey-doke, folks,

escrow for downsizing will close 10/10, givertake.

not real sure that my bike will fit into the garage along with my two cars.

reviewing the CCnRs for the new neighborhood, i discovered i cannot erect a storage shed in the back yard, s-o-o-o-o...

i thought i might buy a fabric cover, just to make it easy on myself. what's a good one?

weather here is mostly clement. oh, sure, a little rain, and sometimes humidity. will storing the wee under cover, outside, invite corrosion, or...? fortunately, up to now, i have been able to keep my bikes in the garage.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Where there's a will... Unless you have a very small garage, or large cars, you might be able to make it work. I've got 3 bikes and two cars in a normal size 2-car garage. (One of the cars is a Miata, though.) If you pull one car straight in and close to the wall, then angle the other one in, that will make a little space between the cars near the front, and a little space beside a car near the back.

Can't really make a recommendation on the cover, since all mine are indoor covers, but all the popular sites should have them as well as reviews. My experience with car covers is that they are not really waterproof (even the ones that say so) and let some water and dust through. Might not be so bad on a bike since it won't sit on the paint like on a car. OTOH, you want it to be breathable so it doesn't hold moisture in and cause rust and corrosion.

Edit: Did I see dollies for motorcycles somewhere? If you could put the bike on a dolly, maybe you could keep it crossways in the front of the garage, assuming the cars don't need the whole length.
 
#5 ·
How much can you spend? Speedway makes those roll up tents for around $350. It's not a "shed" so if the CCnR specifies "shed" you got them on a technicality. Otherwise, I'd leave a car in the driveway. In Boston I have to keep my bike right up against the wall in front of my car and move the other car out when I use the bike. That gives me about 2 feet of walking space. In Arizona I have the same predicament as you so 1 car will sit in the driveway.
 
#7 ·
Second the Dowco as use the Guardian Weatherall Plus in large on my 650 and it works very well in winter conditions (which, I am guessing, are infrequent in your neck). If you want, you can always spray a DWR coating on it to make it even more weatherproof. The noted ACF or Boeshield and I have only plugged exhaust, but could see that air intake is another possibility of rodent entry.
 
#10 ·
Until you get a better solution, you can rent a small storage-unit space for about $40 a month. Maybe more down that way.

It's not the best solution unless it's within walking distance, but it gets the machine out of the weather. And THAT is a priority...sure, you can leave it out in a rainstorm. Leave it out for a few weeks, even. But when you're looking around, either Craigslist or a used-cycle agency...you can spot the ones which were just parked outside. Red plastic, speedo needles and kill switch, bleached out. Seat cracked. Plastic faded or yellowed; and paint faded. Rust on painted parts and especially around the engine and chain and rear sprocket.

Don't go there. Get it under a roof, out of the sun and direct downpours. If nothing else, a good fitted cover will keep the sun off it; but that's hardly a long-term plan.
 
#11 ·
thanx for broadening my thinking. as for the CCnRs - very small front yards are maintained by HOA; furz i can see, no one needs a lawnmower for the rear portion of their yards, as they're mostly concrete patio and ornamental shrubbery, like mine. btw, it's a zero lot line neighborhood.

i considered renting a space, but too much trouble, imho, to "go there". i was gonna keep it here (old place) in the third garage stall, but mrs sinsd reminded me that my daughter and her husband (who are moving in) have tons of recreational stuff to store.

a dolly may suffice. and thanx for reminding me to look for a cover that is breathable.

the new house is nearer the ocean. you know what the salt air can do to a vehicle's finish. that is to say i don't want to park any of my transportation outside and uncovered.

ok, good start. tyvm.
 
#14 ·
I ride my bike to work every day until it gets foggy or below freezing in the southern central valley (San Joaquin Valley, CA) and the 100 degree sunny days would cook my bike. I picked up this 3/4 cover to keep the direct sun off my bike. Plastic stays nice and seat stays moisturized. At the end of the week, there was a noticeable lessening in the amount of dust and fading of the plastic and seat with the cover. I use lemon pledge furniture duster/spray for all plastics. It is a huge improvement over standard automotive plastic moisturizers like Armor All. The furniture polish is very mild and keeps plastic moisturized, not oily. Try using that and a 3/4 cover. the full covers are more awkward to put on and take off plus would take up too much space in my top case. Should keep things looking new and fresh.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GU0RGG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
#16 ·
what size is the garage? If it's a two car, should be 24x24 anyways, and two small cars and your bike should fit easily.
Id figure out a way to keep it INside.
 
#19 ·
I have owned three of these already and IMO it's the best non garage or shed storage unit for a bike. I use the largest one for my V2 and now I used the one I had for my XT for my DRZ. You live in San Diego, what are you worried about, sunshine damage?
CycleShell Enclosure - Outdoor Motorcycle Cover - Protection
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
looks really good. And should be a great option.
That is more reasonably priced than I thought it would be.
 
#20 ·
Maybe

Depending on the neighborhood, might be able to find someone who isn't using all of their garage space, and make a deal on rental. Sometimes us old folks don't have all the 'stuff' that the the younger generation accumulates (and some of us are worse). Low cost and convenient.
 
#22 · (Edited)
If you are down sizing like I did then Sell one of the cars. You live in California. I am told it never rains in Southern California.:wink2: Or if you cant live with one car, It must go outside, like my new truck. Made sure I bought a trunk that would not fit in the garage so I would not feel guilty about leaving it outside. I am retired but the wife still goes to work so she gets the other stall (no snow scraping for her) This way with the trunk out side I can get more motorcycles in the garage. And when she is at work I just move the bike over on the other side. I love these garage stories.:smile2:
 

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#23 ·
I'd keep my bike in my living room before storing outside for extended periods. Cars can stay outside. When it's time for me to downsize (soon) my house will shrink but my garage will remain 3 stall plus just for my motorcycles and other planned toys. First world problems!
 
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