She's an outdoor dog.

I've got an '02 VFR800 which will be sadly stored outdoors for the next 18 months or so. I live in a row-home in Canton (Baltimore, MD), and I don't have access to a garage. I was wondering if anyone else keeps their bikes outdoors--if you do, respond to this with some tips n' tricks on how to maintain the bikes beauty, integrity, and value. I kept my last bike outdoors with a cover, but I've read that covers can muff the paint up from rubbing the bike on windy days. I can't imagine leaving the viffer all cold and lonely outdoors without as much as a thin cover, but I don't want to ruin the paint either. As of now, I'm going to keep her parked on the sidewalk out front with a cover, and try to give her a good washing once a month.

 

Just put a nice soft blanket on her before put the cover on. Don't forget to give :biggrin:her a good nite kiss

 

Anyone mention a really, really good locking system? :unsure: Maybe an alarm on both the bike and cover. :defence: Just a thought.


Oh, yea..... anyway to park it inside the house? I would not have been past parking my bike in the kitchen or living room when I was a young single guy.

 

I'd love to park the bike inside, but I don't have an option to. My house has a typical late 1800's front door (read as: no fat people allowed)--the viffer just isn't going to fit. Anyone know which type of lock to look into? I was thinking about drilling a very large eye hook into the sidewalk (with all proper permits and permissions, of course :angel, and then chaining the rear wheel to said eye hook.

 

You would be surprised at how small a door you can get the bike through. That would protect it from both theft, vandalism, and the weather (which can be almost as bad as vandals - as weather is really hard on the electrical systems). If putting it inside is an impossibility, a fixed mounting in the sidewalk should be step one. Step 2 would be a securing system which goes through the frame and rear wheel. You do need to be aware that thieves defeat some of the locking systems with liquid nitrogen and a hammer, or a monster set of bolt cutters. Some plan their thievery rather carefully, but a most VFR's - even 2002-2009 would not be on their high priority list, and you just want them to walk away and find an easier target. Insure it, cover it from prying eyes, and lock it. Somewhere on this forum is a fairly recent thread which has links to the "confessions of a professional motorcycle thief" (or something like that). I would check it out. Good luck & happy & safe riding.

 

bet you a donut that if you park on the sidewalk someone jack-wagon will write a ticket, and present it between your seat/gas tank gap. You need an excellent cover, a bunch of companies make em, I have used mine and it had a lifetime guarantee which I have used once. Got a brand new one in the mail. Dow Guardian maybe?

Chain the bike up to a light-pole or some immovable object, when I say chain, I mean, an expensive one. Krytonite comes to mind, have used mine in NYC and never had a bike stolen.

Sucks having to park your pride and joy out-side. Maybe you can look into how much a garage space would cost?

 

Dude, you are planning to park a motorcycle outside in Baltimore?! - I wouldn't worry about trying to protect it from the elements, since it's just going to get stolen/set on fire.

 

You might want to check the link in this post in regards to securing your bike. http://vfrworld.com/forums/anything-goes/38549-confessions-motorcycle-thief.html

Regrading the elements, all I can say is don't skimp out on getting a quality cover. Most of the $20-$30 covers won't last very long if exposed day in day out. You might look at places that cater to the touring rider. i.e. Goldwing riders, I've seen a few shelter type systems advertised in one of the magazines that catered to them. Sorry I don't recall the mag, it was in the place I got my haircut at.

Cheers.

 

I moved from Bmore to Sacramento. I can tell you that some drunk will likely hit your bike well before it's stolen in the Canton area. Sorry to be the bluebird of happiness but unless things have changed in the last 4 years, very likely. Then vandalism before theft. Having said that, best thing would be a nice, heavy weight, thick cover with an eyelet to put a pad lock thru on the under side of the bike so no one can remove the cover. I'm not sure locking the wheel to the sidewalk will really deter a true bike thief. If an experienced thief wants your bike, he'll get it.

 

Thanks for the tips everyone. Rainbow7: Baltimore is like any city... there are good areas and bad areas. Canton is a very nice area, and is becoming more gentrified (and expensive to live in) every year. Soloii-74 and OOTVS, thanks for the info on "confessions from a motorcycle thief"; I'll definitely read the entire thread. REEK, you are correct about the drunks--I have on multiple occasions interrupted a 20-something pissing in my alley as I returned home from the bars. Drunk kids do whatever the eff they want, and if they think it will impress some girl than I'm sure they would knock a bike over. Ridervfr, there are a bunch of bikes parked on sidewalks in Canton, including a Duc 1098 a few houses down from me. I don't think I'll get hassled by the ticketing authority. FYI, the Ducati sits uncovered, and its only lock is a chain that locks both wheels together so that it can't roll. I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't make it through the summer months.

Thanks everyone for all of the quick and free info. It is people like you who make forums like these so valuable to the average Joe. Thanks!!!

 

A few tips from someone in NYC who has their bike outdoors most of the year. The best cover I have found after trying different brands is the Nelson Riggs Falcon 2000 ( large for VFR's ). It is the most waterproof and has the best ventilation system. Definitely don't put a blanket under a cover since moisture is your biggest enemy when you have a cover on. Masterlock has an excellent self locking cable lock that is great for threading through the covers grommets, it is available at Home Depot. The best lock I have found is ABUS. Google them and get the very best one you can afford. Better to spend a little more for a good lock than a lot more for a new bike.

 

:welcome: to the site and "Bah-mer" Remember, just cause you're in the "good part" of Bmore dosen't mean the bad part ain't round the corner, and they know where the "good part" is too!! If you can get a bigass solid eyelet bolt in the sidewalk without getting in trouble, DO IT!! Then chain to something on the bike that is HARD to get off quickly and quietly (ie not a wheel, damn sure not the rear wheel on a SSSA bike). Otherwise, keeping her clean and waxed should go a long way to protect her from the elements. As long as she's clean, and so is the cover, covering the bike should do no damage to the finish. It's the dirt getting caught between the cover and the paint that basically makes sandpaper and ruins the finish, this is why I don't understand why people use vehicle "bras" of any sort. Sure, no rock dings, no clear coat left either tho :crazy:

 

Do you have a place for something like this?

Cycle Shelter | Over The Top Shelters

 

I keep my dirt bikes outside and some others. I just throw a cover on them and make sure to relube the chain if its been really rainy out. Also you can probably find a disc brake lock for that bike so people wont run off with it as easy.

 

Thanks for the info... I'll look into the suggested items.

 

If I put one of them on the sidewalk, somebody would definitely start bitchin'. I'm looking to attract as little attention as possible.

 

If fold my mirrors in I get get the bike through the small man door from my garage into my basement. It's worth a shot.
I've read that whole bike thief thread before. If your bike is outside and someone wants it bad enough it will be gone.

 

The guy had a point though, that if you make it too difficult, a thief capable enough to defeat your locks and chains will probably be too professional to bother when there's a Duc 1098 sitting outside right there.

Anyway, I'm skeptical about the eyelet thing. The type of steel used for those eyelets is not the same stuff they make chains out of, and as they say a 'chain' is as strong as its weakest link. I would suggest a good disc lock and a retarded heavy bike chain for the other wheel, such as one of the $100+ kryptonite locks. Then a good cover with a cable lock on it, like the other folks suggested.

You also might try what I'm thinking about. My bike is parked outside here in NYC, but always in view of any of my apartment windows. Since I know far more about computers than motorcycles, I'm thinking about building a dedicated box with no monitor/keyboard or anything (except when I need to re-boot/update linux or my files) to run a high quality webcam on my bike 24/7. The problem is that due to the high angle it's unlikely I'd get any good mugshots. I had thought I could put a warning on my bike-cover that it is under 24 hour video surveillance, but I am skeptical as to whether or not that would really deter a thief. It might catch whoever put a cigarette burn in my cover though...

 

I just ordered the Nelson-Rigg Falcon Defender 2000 from RevZilla. Thanks again for the recommendation. I haven't decided on a lock yet, but I'll most likely pick one up at a motorsports store as shipping one wont be cheap. Thanks again!

 

Have you checked Cycle world out on Ritchie highway? gives you an excuse to ride. They used to have a decent parts/aftermarket/accessory show room. But that was 8 years or so ago. Good guys, did my state safety inspection there when I was transfering titles into MD from NY.