Parking your bike

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Parking your bike

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Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 7:14:19 AM

Tigerling

Posts: 8
Joined: 5/3/2008
Status: offline

Hello all,

I am fairly new to the forums, been reading it for about a month and alot of good advice on here. I am currently in the works of buying a Nightster, but I have a question. I live in an apartment (cause FL is way to expensive to have a house and insurance at the moment) and I dont have a garage to keep the bike in, I plan on buying a cover for it, but was wondering if any of you had a problem keeping it out doors like that with a cover.

Thanks for your help

Post #: 1

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 7:35:57 AM

blackout85

Posts: 41
Joined: 7/17/2007
Status: offline

Make sure you buy an outdoor cover (no logo), purchase a lock (brake lock and/or if you can a cable lock through the frame and wheel to a fixed object) and you should be fine. I stored my bike outside last year without problems. Try to park in an inconspicous spot as well. One last thing, I haven't been able to find a cover that doesn't scratch the paint a little.

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Post #: 2

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 7:40:16 AM

Zimbob

Posts: 996
Joined: 12/14/2006
From: Grottoes Va.
Status: offline

Lash her to a light pole. Be prepaired for some suprises when you pull the cover off, ie, stolen side covers, battery gone, scratches on the tank and fenders from someones kids that are just "playing", things like that. I know this stuff doesn't always happen, but, just pointing out some things that could happen.

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Post #: 3

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 7:46:23 AM

JosephGarcia

Posts: 1161
Joined: 8/26/2007
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my bike is an outdoors bike. but its 20 years old so im not too worried about getting it dirty.

morning dew, sprinklers, and bird crap are your main concerns. the dew and sprinklers especially, when it dries up it leaves water spots all over your entire bike.

remember to clean it by hand and not hose it! haha

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Post #: 4

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 8:30:52 AM

Somber Goat

Posts: 91
Joined: 5/24/2006
From: Franklin, TN
Status: offline

Besides a cover (plastic tarp if your cheap like me) and brake lock you definitely want to park under some sort of light to prevent the night gremlins messing with you and if at all possilbe somewhere within your line of site so you can randomly spot check until you feel comfortable with the spot.

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Post #: 5

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 9:40:33 AM

hogsport

Posts: 775
Joined: 8/21/2007
From: Gahanna, OH
Status: offline

good insurance, alarm, siren and pager might give some peace of mind. If nothing else it might make it easier to fill in the "time of theft" on the police report.

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Post #: 6

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 9:54:18 AM

DannyZ71

Posts: 1224
Joined: 6/9/2007
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Status: online

Chaining up a Rottweiller next to it may help. That is if he doesn't eat the tires.

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Post #: 7

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 9:57:42 AM

kawsakimx6

Posts: 1263
Joined: 6/5/2007
From: FL......Gainesville
Status: offline

You are in FL.....you may want to look in to one of those Covers that attach at the bottom. key is to keep as much moisture out as possible. Rust starts quick in 80% humidity.

ask me know i know

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Post #: 8

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 11:41:59 AM

trama

Posts: 115
Joined: 5/30/2007
Status: offline

I keep mine out side. Cover from Wallyword for $20-30, wash it constantly and good insurance should do it. I try to park my car right behind it or in front of it to minimize access. Nothings happened to it. (knocks on wood)

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Post #: 9

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 12:00:07 PM

2kanzam

Posts: 150
Joined: 3/6/2008
Status: offline

I dunno what your set-up is, but I keep mine outside and covered year-round...and this is WV so it snows!....But I also pretty much ride it year-round too.

I ride mine up right in front of the living-room picture window where my Great Dane is always watching. I chain it to the porch column with a coated, braided, stainless steel Schlage cable locked with a Contractor's key lock. Then I lock the forks and cover it.

Get stainless steel for a cable/ chain, much harder to cut (a friend had his chained down, someone cut the chains, picked up and put into a truck). And having it on the sidewalk (for me) makes it hard to access with a vehicle.

Maybe I'm paranoid but I also loop the cable thru the brake rotor and spokes, come back around the tire and lock both looped ends of the cable to a spoke.

...oh and I wouldn't use a tarp unless you put a liner under it. A tarp will scratch your finish over time.

< Message edited by 2kanzam -- 5/21/2008 10:19:08 AM >

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Post #: 10

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 12:03:56 PM

2003FLHPI

Posts: 1536
Joined: 9/7/2007
From: Lakeland, Florida
Status: offline

it's a Sporty....park it in the living room!!!

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Post #: 11

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 12:24:25 PM

cardboard

Posts: 2130
Joined: 11/27/2006
From: Livingston, Texas
Status: offline

See if you can keep a covered trailer there. If so you can put a Condor Pitstop in the trailer and drive the bike in and lock it up. It will be out of site, and out of the weather. You can put a lock on the tongue of the trailer and chain it up also. and lock the back door.
If yer apartment has a parking place see if you can keep it in it.

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Post #: 12

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 12:27:12 PM

2kanzam

Posts: 150
Joined: 3/6/2008
Status: offline

quote:

it's a Sporty....park it in the living room!!!

I tried!! LOL!

But nightster needs a LLLLLLOOOOONG ramp to get the clearance up the 3 (small) steps AND I can't get it past the stairwell once i get the handlebars in the door!

I'd prolly sit on it more than the couch.

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Post #: 13

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 7:31:13 PM

Tigerling

Posts: 8
Joined: 5/3/2008
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Cool thanks for the ideas all. I might have to end up putting it on the porch only cause I dont have a light pole to hook it up to and a trailer type thing would be to expensive, but will definately be using a cover and washing it all the time because I do plan riding it all the time.

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Post #: 14

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 7:59:28 PM

cosmicHD

Posts: 1297
Joined: 7/10/2006
Status: offline

All good advice: "brandless cover", park under lights, locks, insurance etc

One thing I can add is rust prevention. I notice the inside of certain head bolts collect water. It is easy to miss. For example, the bolts holding the rear fender strut on. These will rust up quick. What I do is dab a little bit of vasoline in these and other head bolts. It stops rust in its tracks.

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Post #: 15

RE: Parking your bike - 5/20/2008 8:16:40 PM

pahqman

Posts: 32
Joined: 3/30/2008
Status: offline

argh, im in an apartment too but i do have a garage... i have put padlocks in addition to the door lock and still dont trust anyone... could be the 5am wake up calls from the pipes...

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Post #: 16

RE: Parking your bike - 5/21/2008 7:27:04 AM

Teek

Posts: 1262
Joined: 5/17/2007
From: "Useless", TX (DFW)
Status: offline

I'm just tempting fate. Mine's a daily rider and my apartment isn't really facing a parking space, so I can't keep an eye on it very well. In daylight, I CAN see it through my bedroom window, though. Um...technically, it's parked in another city! I also don't bother covering it, unless I KNOW I'm not gonna ride that day, or the next. If it's already wet, it's too late to cover it. Nobody has messed with it so far. Been parked there since September '07, with a brief stint at the dealer when I was in the Philippines for two weeks.

Teek

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Post #: 17

RE: Parking your bike - 5/21/2008 10:11:25 AM

The Communist

Posts: 89
Joined: 2/24/2008
Status: offline

I used to live in an apartment complex and never had any problems. We just always put the disc lock on it and a cover of course. (check ebay, some good cheap covers)
We also locked the bikes together and to a car with a VERY heavy chain.
So if you have a car lock it to that or the lamp post.
There was a bunch of kids living in that complex and it wasn't the nicest of ones but we never had any problems.

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Post #: 18

RE: Parking your bike - 5/23/2008 10:05:50 AM

MADOGA

Posts: 68
Joined: 2/13/2008
From: Perth Australia
Status: offline

Im very carefull where I leave my sporty (read PARANOID!),

I prefer it locked up in the back shed, sometimes I leave it out the front of my flat but its in a secure compound, even then its alarmed, locked,insight, and most importantly covered (out of sight out of mind is the important thing).

you cant just leave a Harley lying around the place, to many sticky fingers.

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Post #: 19

RE: Parking your bike - 5/23/2008 1:15:43 PM

kelton3

Posts: 122
Joined: 2/28/2008
Status: offline

I bought a used sportster which was outside and covered by the previous owner. The bike itself was in great condition, however the tires which had good tread, were weather checked/cracked. I would suggest extra treatment where the bike is still exposed with the cover on.

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Post #: 20

RE: Parking your bike - 5/23/2008 2:58:07 PM

TeachersOnHarleys

Posts: 55
Joined: 5/5/2008
Status: offline

I find a typical mean biker look when riding in and out work pretty well. Nothing like the fear of the guy on a Harley coming to kick your ass.

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Post #: 21