motorcycles damaged by winter weather?

[ny biker]

I'm looking for some feedback from anyone out there who has or has had a motorcycle, especially in areas with snow and ice in winter.

If you have to park a motorcycle outdoors in winter, what to do you do to protect it from the elements? Is it sufficient to use one of those covers that is like a tarp, that drapes over the motorcycle?

Also, do you agree with this statement:

"The engine and battery on a motorcycle are exposed on both sides. If we have snow this winter, residents cleaning the cars parked next to the motorcycle and snow removal trucks will push snow around the motorcycle. If this snow gets on or around the engine block and freezes, it will expand and ultimately destroy the motorcycle by cracking the engine block or damaging the inner workings."

The reason I'm asking is that someone in my condo association is requesting permission to use a special storage tent while parking his motorcycle in the condo parking lot. These types of storage units are not allowed according to condo parking policies. Since none of the other motorcycle owners in our condo has ever made a claim that winter weather will destroy a motorcycle, I was wondering if the statement is accurate or if it's just someone who is very worried about his motorcycle.

FWIW, we do not get a lot of snow or ice around here. There is some winter precip every year, but not a lot (this is northern Virginia, not Buffalo or anyplace like that). The last time we had more than 6-8 inches of snow at a time was at least 5 years ago, and it usually melts within days.

Thanks for your feedback.

[Blueberry]

Google didn't come up with anything like what he's talking about. Only that the battery should be taken off because the freeze cycles will crack that. And to make sure there's sufficient antifreeze. Couldn't the snow plowing service just not push the snow up around motorcycles?

I'd be interested if anyone can verify this...

CA

[squirrell]

I wouldn't want to leave my motorcycle outside over the winter if an alternative was possible. Would you leave your bicycle sitting outside under a tarp in the winter? Keep in mind, motorcycles owners are just as passionate about their rides as cyclists are about theirs. There's so much that can happen/cause damage during the winter to a motorcycle--including the stuff used to melt the ice, changes in temperature, wear on equipment caused by temperature changes, etc.

The problem with the covers (like you described) is that they don't provide all protection from everything. Snow/ice can still form and/or get up inside the covers. A strong wind can damage them and/or blow it off. The tires are not protected by the covers, etc. etc.

The motorcycle owner's desire to protect their motorcycle may also be influenced by the value of the motorcycle, their love of their motorcycle, their care of their motorcycle. etc.

Just because "other motorcycle owners" haven't asked to use something to protect their ride doesn't mean it might not be needed. Do some bicycle owners not take better care of their bikes mroe than others? I, for one, leave my bicycle in the garage but I know someone else who would NEVER do that and has a room in their house dedicated to their bicycles.

As for the snow/ice getting up around the engine block, remember, the motorcycle engine is not that high above the ground, so it wouldn't take much to build up to engine level. I've lived in N.VA and have seen up to 18 inches of snow and ice that stayed around for over a week, so you never know what might happen.

EDITED:

I wanted to add this because my DH just reminded me about it, and if the guy in your condos plans to ride during the winter, this could well be a problem for him if he has to used one of those "tarps."

We lived in a RV on the Andrews AFB campground for 1 year, and I was forced to leave my motorcycle outside covered with just a tarp type cover over the winter. Snow and ice did build up around the tires after one storm and actually froze the tires to the ground! It took days before it got warm enough to melt the stuff so we could move the motorcycle. Thankfully, there was no damage done to the tires/brake lines but after that, we were very careful about running outside and clearing away any snow/ice that began to accumulate around the bike. Keep in mind--it doesn't have to be "pushed" up around the bike to build up--just a slight wind or any moisture can cause snow to drift around the tires/bike or ice to form around the tires.

My DH said to include this as well: Not all motorcycles use antifreeze--only water cooled motorcycles do. If he has proper antifreeze levels in the bike, the engine should be ok. If it's an air-cooled engine though, then no antifreeze is used but in that case, the engine should still be ok AS LONG AS he can keep ice from building up inside the engine. Which shouldn't be a problem if he properly maintains the engine.

So, the issues he describes with possible engine problems are probably not possible BUT other issues arise such as rust, corrosion, etc.

Alot of it depends upon if he intends to ride it during the winter or not, too. If he does, then keeping it out of the weather as much as possible is a must.

[OakLeaf]

I'm not sure what the objection to a motorcycle cover would be, honestly. Most people who park their bikes outside cover them year-round. The covers are much lighter than a tarp, and they're sized to fit a bike, not huge and folded over like a tarp (both of which are to allow air circulation and prevent corrosion). The other thing a cover does is keep condensation from forming on the seat overnight.

The thing you have to worry about with plowing is not parts cracking from exposure (honestly, that's just goofy, a car has an engine and a battery too). You do have to worry about a bike being physically knocked over by plowed snow, and also about exposure to salt contained in the snow. A cover won't protect against the former, but it will give a SMALL bit of assurance against the later.

Really - someone putting a cover on a motorcycle is like someone putting the rag top up on a convertible cage. You wouldn't require a Corvette driver to leave their top down whenever they park it, would you? Again, I don't see the objection. Maybe if he showed the association members a photo of the cover to assure them that it's not some huge blue tarp?

[Blueberry]

I thought that he wanted to do something more than put the cover over it - it sounds like he wants to erect a tent structure to put it in. I can see why that would be a problem - gee, I'd really like to construct a tent to put my car in too.

And yeah, I agree lots of owners are passionate about their motorcycles too. But I won't buy a house where I don't have appropriate bike and kayak storage, and if I like motorcycles, I certainly wouldn't live somewhere without a garage. Just my 2 cents.

CA

[Grog]

NY Biker IS talking about a tent, not a cover. I assume it's the same kind as the outdoor "tents" as for cars, which look like this:

Hopefully his thing would be smaller.

However I can imagine that lots of other residents would like to have something to shelter their cars in the parking lot. I know a lot of towns have rules against those car tents, mainly for aesthetic reasons.

[OakLeaf]

Does it matters to the association what kind of a cover we're talking about - stretched, draped, pole supported or inflatable? Has he already shown photos (or the actual cover) to the association? Would they allow an unsupported cover but not a supported one?

If he was worried about the cosmetics of the bike, he would be renting indoor space year-round. If he was very concerned about having to wipe moisture off his seat every morning, ditto, or at least he'd have tried to cover it before now.

I assume this is his daily transportation or he would definitely be storing it indoors for the winter (also most condos only allow one parking space per unit - the motos are part of why we bought a house and not a condo for our second home! Also if he had another parking space, he shouldn't have to worry about the snow-removal behavior of the people parked next to him, because there would always be at least one side next to his own other vehicle).

So basically, if you're talking about winter weather exclusively, it comes down to two things IMO;
(1) will his daily commuter vehicle be blocked in or knocked over by rude people removing snow; and
(2) will his bike be exposed to excessive salt by the same rude people?

As much as I feel for someone who has to park his bike outdoors, I don't think a cover is necessarily the best way to address those two issues. I wonder whether he's already had some conflicts with people who park next to him?

[ny biker]

As usual, you folks have lots of good information and insights. Let me try to clarify a few points.

This person is saying he needs a tent-like, free-standing structure for his motorcycle, otherwise snow and ice will destroy it.

Things like exposure to salt or being blocked by snow cleared off of neighboring vehicles are not really issues here, because they affect cars and SUVs as well as motorcycles. As for tires freezing to the pavement, I've had that happen to my car, so again it's not a motorcycle-specific issue.

All the parking spaces are on outdoor lots for the entire condo association, and the number of available parking spaces is less than the number of units. That means there are no reserved spaces, and no one is guaranteed to have even one space, let alone more than one, even though many units are inhabited by two adults with two (or more) vehicles. It is first-come, first-served.

The storage tent that the resident wants to use is free-standing, and it stays in place even when there is no motorcycle in it. So using it is a way of reserving a space when the vehicle is not there. It is closed, so you can't tell if the motorcycle is in it or not unless you go up to it and open it.

As for motorcycle passion, that simply cannot be a consideration here. Everyone is passionate about one thing or another, but we all have to live together and make compromises. I would love to build a shed behind my building to store my bikes in, but that's a common area, so I have to keep two bikes in my living room instead. Moreover, the parking facilities here are not a secret. If someone wants reserved and/or garage parking for a car or motorcycle, they need to factor that into their decision before they move here. There are plenty of condos and apartments in this area with that kind of parking.

Thanks again for all your feedback.

[squirrell]

As usual, you folks have lots of good information and insights. Let me try to clarify a few points.

This person is saying he needs a tent-like, free-standing structure for his motorcycle, otherwise snow and ice will destroy it.

Things like exposure to salt or being blocked by snow cleared off of neighboring vehicles are not really issues here, because they affect cars and SUVs as well as motorcycles. As for tires freezing to the pavement, I've had that happen to my car, so again it's not a motorcycle-specific issue.

All the parking spaces are on outdoor lots for the entire condo association, and the number of available parking spaces is less than the number of units. That means there are no reserved spaces, and no one is guaranteed to have even one space, let alone more than one, even though many units are inhabited by two adults with two (or more) vehicles. It is first-come, first-served.

The storage tent that the resident wants to use is free-standing, and it stays in place even when there is no motorcycle in it. So using it is a way of reserving a space when the vehicle is not there. It is closed, so you can't tell if the motorcycle is in it or not unless you go up to it and open it.

As for motorcycle passion, that simply cannot be a consideration here. Everyone is passionate about one thing or another, but we all have to live together and make compromises. I would love to build a shed behind my building to store my bikes in, but that's a common area, so I have to keep two bikes in my living room instead. Moreover, the parking facilities here are not a secret. If someone wants reserved and/or garage parking for a car or motorcycle, they need to factor that into their decision before they move here. There are plenty of condos and apartments in this area with that kind of parking.

Thanks again for all your feedback.

Well, if it had been me, I would never have moved into a place that didn't even have at least 1 reserved spot. That being the case, I can see y'all not liking the idea. I had assumed that this was a reserved spot he was talking about. Every apartment we ever lived in had reserved spots (that was one thing we always looked for when having to move, which we did alot of because DH is retired Navy). We also only rented if a place had COVERED reserved parking because of our motorcycles. If need by, we'd get roommate to help pay the extra rent such places usually cost but reserved parking was an absolute necessity.

Sounds like he wants a reserved spot as much as anything.

[Grog]

Based on your further explanations, it does sound like an unreasonable request to me.......

[OakLeaf]

Things like exposure to salt or being blocked by snow cleared off of neighboring vehicles are not really issues here, because they affect cars and SUVs as well as motorcycles. As for tires freezing to the pavement, I've had that happen to my car, so again it's not a motorcycle-specific issue.

I do have to address those - even though it sounds like the guy really shouldn't get his exemption -

Many (maybe most) bikes are still chain-driven. Salt can damage a chain pretty quickly - it's not like a steel frame (which would affect older bikes and cars, but is protected by paint, so it wouldn't get damaged unless the vehicle doesn't get washed often) or steel bodywork on a car (which is just cosmetic). Motorcycle chains aren't cheap, and a broken chain can be life-threatening.

As far as buildup of snow and ice, it's not like a car where you can just drive over it, or rock the wheels back and forth to dislodge it. Maybe it's hard to explain to someone who's never ridden a bike - but trying to ride or push a bike over a steep, slippery hump, even one only a few inches high, is a recipe for dropping it, especially from a stop, and especially when footing and tire traction on either side of the hump is probably dicey, too. Dropping a bike carries a high risk of personal injury as well as damage to nearby vehicles, not just his own.

[bounceswoosh]

I do have to address those - even though it sounds like the guy really shouldn't get his exemption -

Many (maybe most) bikes are still chain-driven. Salt can damage a chain pretty quickly - it's not like a steel frame (which would affect older bikes and cars, but is protected by paint, so it wouldn't get damaged unless the vehicle doesn't get washed often) or steel bodywork on a car (which is just cosmetic). Motorcycle chains aren't cheap, and a broken chain can be life-threatening.

As far as buildup of snow and ice, it's not like a car where you can just drive over it, or rock the wheels back and forth to dislodge it. Maybe it's hard to explain to someone who's never ridden a bike - but trying to ride or push a bike over a steep, slippery hump, even one only a few inches high, is a recipe for dropping it, especially from a stop, and especially when footing and tire traction on either side of the hump is probably dicey, too. Dropping a bike carries a high risk of personal injury as well as damage to nearby vehicles, not just his own.

These are exactly the thoughts I had when I read this. Cars don't have their mechanical parts on the outside. Motorcycles do. And motorcycles have only two wheels, but they are weigh several hundred pounds, so there are situations (like being frozen to the ground) that are extremely tricky.

The most important consideration to me is that a mechanical malfunction on a motorcycle can be much more life-threatening than one on a car. You don't have all that protective material around you, and your bike isn't going to be upright when it's all said and done unless you are a very skilled and/or lucky rider. So I would say, any level of concern about even a slight risk to the motorcycle is simply smart.

That all being said, I don't want to express an opinion on whether or not his request is reasonable for the community -- I'm just expressing some of the concerns I would have as a rider.

[CyclChyk]

when we lived in NH, we would store our bikes in a rental storage shed. It was about $36 monthly but we were able to keep them out of the elements. The tarps only protect from so much and why chance it?