Owning a motorcycle comes with a lot of fun and the convenience of moving from one place to another.
However, providing adequate maintenance and identifying the best storage space for your motorcycle can be daunting.
Typically, no motorcycle owner wishes to keep it where it is easily damaged; therefore, they will always try to find a secure and convenient storage space.
See Also: How Much Does It Cost To Add A Basement To A Mobile Home?
In this regard, Can You Store A Motorcycle In The Basement?
Storing a motorcycle in a basement is right, but first, you have to prepare the motorcycle for storage. Preparation is important, especially if you keep the motorbike over winter or for a long time. Removing the battery, elevating the tires, treating gasoline, and filling the gasoline tank are basic aspects of preparing a motorbike for storage, whether in the basement or a garage.
Otherwise, if you store the motorbike in the basement without any storage preparation, you may find it damaged. Of significance, you also need to prepare the basement by ensuring it will provide the ideal storage conditions for your motorcycle.
Notably, if your basement has an independent entry gate with no staircases, it will be much easier to store. However, if you only depend on the stairway below the home floor, you may need other people’s help to put the motorbike inside and remove it.
Apart from the basement, there are other ideal places where you can comfortably store your motorbike for a short or long period, but still, you have to consider how safe it will be.
This post will cover more on preparing a motorcycle before you store it and several other options for storing it.
Where Else Can You Store A Motorbike?
Storing a motorcycle in a basement is acceptable, but there are other convenient and acceptable storage options for a motorcycle.
If you don’t have a basement, you can prepare your motor and store it in any of the following spaces.
- Garage
- A garden Shed
- Inside the house
- In a storage unit
- At a friend’s or family member’s place.
- Portable motorcycle garage
How To Prepare A Motorcycle For Storage
During winter, motor rides may not be among the regular things you need to do.
Therefore, finding ample storage space is relatively easier.
Another reason you may be planning to store your motorbike for a long time is a planned long-term vacation, or you are traveling out of town to handle some issues.
Here are a few tips to help you have your motor stored well.
1. Wash The Motorcycle
First things first! When it comes to storing machines, cleaning should be the very first step in the entire preparation process.
You want to remove dirt and grime accumulated on the bike over the last few rides. Any dirt, mud, or grim will easily damage the paint on the bike and later lead to corrosion.
While cleaning with water and soap, make sure you touch all the parts, ensuring no dirt particles remain on the motorbike. Once you have confirmed that it is clean, you can now let it dry.
2. Check Your Gasoline Tank
Check your gasoline tank to see the amount of gasoline in it. If your tank is empty or half filled, top it up and ensure it is filled to the brim.
When a tank is not full, it can cause some maintenance issues that can be hard to reverse.
For example, ethanol-based gasoline can condense inside a half-filled tank and suck moisture from the environment, eventually forming some gunk in the tank.
The gunk can clog up the fuel system and be hard to repair when you need to use the motorcycle.
Another way to safeguard your motorcycle gasoline tank is by starting the engine until all the gasoline is consumed and the tank dries up.
However, this method is not considered the best because you will want to ride when you return to take your motorcycle.
But it can be very challenging if you have left the tank empty.
3. Disconnect The Battery
Disconnect the battery to help it from experiencing parasitic discharge and maintain it for the longest time possible.
Disconnecting also prevents the acid inside the battery from leaking out, causing corrosion at the terminals.
While disconnecting the battery is a good care choice, it is important to know that you will need to recharge it before you reuse it.
The battery loses charge even when not in use, and there are times when you may need to replace it with a new battery before you start riding your motorcycle.
4. Change The Oil
Before you pack your motorcycle for a long time, giving it a good oil change is good. For most motorcycle users, changing the oil of their motor engines takes a long time.
However, taking advantage of the storage time can help you allow the oil to lubricate motor parts and also help the filtration system.
Basically, as oil breaks down, its acidity level increases, causing corrosion and etching of several soft metal components in the engine like the bearings.
If you leave old motor oil, the carbon deposits rise to the surface and stick to some parts of the engine.
Eventually, there will be excess carbon build-up, interfering with airflow or the carbon deposits falling inside the engine cylinders.
When you put new oil in the motorcycle before storing, there will be no carbon build-up, and the engine will stay safe.
5. Elevate The Tires
Elevating the tires simply takes the load off your tires and the suspension system.
Failing to use a motorcycle for a long time can cause more tear and wear than if the tires are running.
However, the tires will gradually lose pressure as time extends, leaving the tires lighter.
While the tires remain light for long periods, a permanent flat spot on the rubber might also damage the tire’s inner tubes.
To save your tires, elevate the motorcycle and take it off the load from the tires.
You can invest in service stands or a cradle to help remove the load on the tires and suspension.
6. Wax Your Motorbike
While storing your motorbike, you may be too excited that you have somewhere to keep it safely; however, it can shade off its color for some reason.
To prevent color shading, you can simply way your motorbike at least twice before you store it. Returning to your storage space to find a faded motorbike can be frustrating.
Therefore, always wax it before you cover it.
7. Cover it
No matter where you plan to store your motorcycle, always cover it properly.
Using a good moto cover will protect the paint and general body from moisture and dust.
Additionally, a good motor cover will protect the motorcycle from animals roaming around storage spaces.
While covering, remember that small insects and rodents like mice can easily get through small openings and exhaust pipes.
You should therefore make sure you block all those openings with easily removable plugs to prevent the entry of dirt.
Conclusion
Determining where to store a motorcycle can be daunting, but if you have space, you can creatively figure out where to keep the motorcycle.
If you opt to keep it in the basement, you will have to use the outer door of the basement.
However, if your basement is fully underground and has only one floor-space entry point, you will have to seek help from others to store it.
The most significant aspect is preparing your motorcycle before you store it.
Sources
https://www.motorcycletouringtips.com/storing-your-motorcycle-without-a-garage/
