leaving a bike outside, no room at the inn!

[Kwakki Si]

Ok dudes well looks like i will have to keep my bike outside when i finally find one! Im guessing i will need to buy a cover to go over it, are bikes generally ok to keep outside? It will be in my back garden so I'm guessing it will be fairly secure as the crooks would have to bust the lock off of the back gate and also i will be using a disc lock...
Will i run into trouble keeping it outside i.e. wear from the weather etc, I'm sure ill be using it most days so will always be having a good run.
My other option is my sister lives down the road in a coach house and i could always store it under her flat so it won't get rained on but will still get cold etc, but it would be hassle walking/driving a mile to her house and i won't be able to perv on the bike if its not here!
Any hints or tips I'm looking for really and recommendations.
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MOD1 passed 26/01/12... MOD2 passed 08/02/12
My current ride: ZX6R NINJA G2, The GREEEEN one!
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a mother fucking motorbike!

[Speed]

Mine's always outside. As long as you give it a run regularly then you shouldn't have any problems. May be worth, before setting off on a journey, give the bike a quick check over like lights, indicators, chain etc. I know your supposed to do that before every journey regardless but being stored outside may require you to be a bit more observant

[kawakid]

I personally would not want one of my bikes left outside. Even when my bike is at work I wheel it in to the warehouse.

Bikes rust, the elements get to them and they fall over.

You say you have a back garden, I would save up for a shed, I am sure you could pick one up for a couple of hundred pounds. Money which you will save on your insurance also.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[Rogerborg]

[.....]

Get a decent chain - Pragmasis or Almax, a ground anchor - A Torc Ground Anchor will do, and a decent padlock. Oh and a can of ACF-50.

It will cost over £250 but that will probably be lower than your insurance excess and incased premiums caused by a claim.

[harscot]

There seems to be a lot of folk on the forum under the misconception that a motorcycle will rust up as soon as the weather forecaster says rain....this is unhelpful to bike owners who can't mollie caudle there machine......rant over as mentioned if you can afford it, a garden shed would be a good idea, better still you can get a purpose steel storage unit bike specific, failing that you can get whats called ground anchors, which are more secure than just a disc lock on it's own.... you could make your own ground anchor...make a large hole, 6ft long, 4ft wide, 2ft deep, fill it with a concrete mix, insert 2 large D shackles sunk into concrete when it's still wet, result, one DIY ground anchor, also there are good bike covers out there as well ....your call, good luck
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First bike R reg Suzuki 125 GT twin in 1978:
2nd bike X reg Honda 650 Deauville in 2011:
Wish bike a Triumph Thunderbird: Dream bike Triumph Rocket........

[P.]

Its outside at work and home unless its special (expensive bike or long term loaner) and they all have been fine apart from people trying to steal them.

[pits]

https://a.images.memegenerator.net/instances/500x/14402032.jpg
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Stinkwheel: You have no right to free speech
00:32:08 Blau Zedong: yes, i am a massive CB400 fan and collector
00:33:00 Blau Zedong: the CB400 is my favourite road bike

[UKRedwing]

Just knock up a shed to keep it in

[jimspeed]

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=238708
about the best for that sort of money
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Hyosung cruise 125(passed test on, sold) Kawasaki el 252 (better than expected but sold on) Kawasaki GPZ500S first "big"bike.(sold) ZZR600 E5..Z750 2007,ER5, currently on a 2008 Enfield bullet electra x and loving it..
,"Alpha-9: Is there any correlation between dyno rod and dyno kits?"

[sickpup]

I've heard bikes melt if you leave them outside and should only be used within buildings to stop this happening.

[salty21]

i used to keep my 600rr outside without a cover for 2 years and it used to get covered in snow and everything and i never had any problems with it from the weather. never really had a problem with corrosion either but im guessing that was more down to it being a honda.

It will be fine, like others have said, bikes are actually designed to work in weatherand i find you end up with more problems from lack of use than you do from water
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04 NSR 125(sold) ---- 03 CBR 600rr(sold) ----90 pan euro ST1100 '' ----02 CG 125
94 CB400 Super Four ---- 2000 VTR SP1 (sold) ---- 08 ninja p8f(sold, meh) ----05 CBR600rr

[Tenantry13]

I keep mine outside.

Had a few problems, Had a drunk push it over. Not much damage just mirror broken.

I would put a cover over her most nights until we had a gale and went over in that. Don't put a cover over if it looks like there going to be strong winds.

Now I rarely put a cover over her as I've got a bit lazy , I have to park my bike down the street and cba to tuck her up every night as I'm only going to be using her the next day.

Wost thing that happened to me not to long ago is some car parking up in the night ran into my bike. Drove off without leaving a note. Did some damage to my bike. Dented my tank cracked my front faring. Thats street parking for you, guess it's something I'm going to have to live with till I move or win the lotto

[...]

I've had problems with vandalism in the past. I suggest you buy a bike that no-one wants to steal.

[haroman666]

Mine sits in the front garden, under a cover, in plain sight, with a coil lock around the back wheel.
I live in the blackest area outside of London and I haven't had a single problem.

Sure, better to be safe than sorry, but don't fanny about if you don't need to.
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The mistresses: 2000 Honda CBR600f, 2000 Honda VTR1000

[sickpup]

[st3v3]

[haroman666]

[pinkyfloyd]

https://www.myfacewhen.net/uploads/665-thats-racist.gif

My bikes have all lived outside and oddly enough my current bike is 13 year old this year and it still hasnt fallen apart or rusted terribly.

I find it rather amusing. People are quite happy to leave their car outside all year in all weather but when it comes to a bike they treat it like a member of the family. If your that worried about leaving a bike outside and you have no other option then do not buy a bike. Get a car instead.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[rac3r]

[st3v3]

[salty21]

black people are kinda associated with crime, doesnt take a genius to figure out what he means.
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04 NSR 125(sold) ---- 03 CBR 600rr(sold) ----90 pan euro ST1100 '' ----02 CG 125
94 CB400 Super Four ---- 2000 VTR SP1 (sold) ---- 08 ninja p8f(sold, meh) ----05 CBR600rr

[dan_flash]

UNRELATED; I was just reading this thread on the john and a spider was slowly webbing itself down from the ceiling above me and it made me finish up 10 times faster than I really should have.

Anyway; My motorcycle is an outsider, always has been. Invested in great chains and a cover for it, thus far is doing AOK. As has been previously stated - motorcycles are quite good for being used outside. Sure, keeping them inside is much more desirable (you can look at it a lot, let your cats jump around on it, ride it around your kitchen, and so on) but if you're running it a lot and have decent security - outside is all right.

Thus far, I don't think anybody has tried to steal it. I live in a place where there is lots of crime, particularly theft.

Given how this thread is evolving, it is also worth stating that I live in probably the whitest area outside of Yorkshire.
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Yamaha XJ600S, Volvo v40.

[nowhere.elysium]

[sickpup]