If you are trying to find a storage unit for your motorcycle, there are a number of factors to consider. How often you use the motorcycle, its overall condition, and the weather conditions in your area are the most important things to think about. Outdoor motorcycle storage will be much less expensive than an indoor facility, but may expose your bike to vandalism and damage from the elements. Outdoor storage may still be acceptable if you will be riding the motorcycle frequently to keep it warm and running well.
Many indoor vehicle storage facilities also offer extra services that may be of particular use to motorcycle owners. There are often repair and maintenance stations available for customers to use in working on their vehicles. This can be a great help when your bike has mechanical problems and you can't even drive it off the storage site. Instead of paying for a tow truck, you can simply fix the problem right then and there. Some high-end facilities may even have an on-site mechanic during business hours to handle any repairs that are too complex for the average hobbyist.
If you are not worried about damage or theft, outdoor motorcycle storage will be a cheaper and often easier option than using an indoor vehicle storage facility. If you have space in front of your home, you may even be able to park your bike right there during the off-season. Of course, parking is very scarce in some areas, especially if you live in an apartment. In that case, you can still park outside to save money, but you will probably need to take the bike down to a self-storage facility that allows motorcycle storage.
Indoor motorcycle storage will protect your bike from damage caused by insects or animals. If you must store your motorcycle outside, be sure to always use a protective cover to keep bird droppings and dirt off of the paint. Bird droppings may be especially harmful to your motorcycle's exterior because of the way it can break down the paint.
Sun damage can ruin your motorcycle's seats and tires, so indoor vehicle storage may be your only option in very hot climates. Sunlight exposure will make tires deflate and even crack in extreme temperatures. The seat of your motorcycle may also begin to crack or peel. Paint oxidation may be another consequence of excessive sun exposure. All of these things can drastically reduce the value of your bike, so indoor motorcycle storage rental may be worth the extra money if you have a classic model to protect.
Indoor storage units will also protect your bike from theft or vandalism. Classic motorcycles are a popular target for thieves, especially when they have been left in the same parking space for a long period of time. This makes it very obvious that nobody is using the bike and it may be unattended. Most indoor vehicle storage facilities have access gates to prevent access to the entire property, along with security guards, alarm systems, and video surveillance.
Outdoor storage requires more work to get ready because you must winterize the motorcycle before taking it to storage. If you are storing your bike in an indoor auto storage facility, it will not be subjected to the same extreme temperatures and weather conditions. Storing your bike indoors can also make it easier to do the actual winterizing work. Being able to work in warmth while staying safe from the elements will help encourage you to properly service and winterize your vehicle.
To properly winterize your bike for storage, you primarily need to be concerned with maintaining a charge in the battery. Like all batteries, motorcycle batteries tend to lose their charge when left unused for long periods of time. In fact, because motorcycle batteries are smaller than standard car batteries, if left alone throughout the entire winter it is possible that your battery charge could diminish to the point where it will be unable to even take a charge in the future.
You can purchase battery chargers to give your bike's battery a low rate of charge periodically to keep it running. These types of chargers will turn themselves off to avoid overcharging your battery, and they can be permanently attached to the battery while the motorcycle is in storage.
You also need to be concerned about the possible deterioration of the fuel in your bike's tank. Fuel stored in a motorcycle gas tank will deteriorate over time while the bike is in storage. This can cause a gummy build-up in not only your gas tank, but throughout the entire fuel system, which results in your bike being difficult, or even impossible to start. This can be avoided by properly winterizing your motorcycle before finding an outdoor storage unit.
By Simply
About the author:
Simply Self Storage - What Could be Easier than Simply?
Simply Self Storage is the largest privately owned self storage company in the United States and Puerto Rico. We own and/or operate over 228 facilities with over 16.1 million square feet of storage space. Visit http://selfstorage.simplyss.com
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น