Keeping a bike outside - SV650.org

19-07-05, 10:58 AM

Ever since I've had my curvy SV it's lived in a garage, and been very happy there. Thing is, I'm going to move soon and finding a new place with a garage is proving to be more than a bit tricky (they're not abundant in London)

How are things for you lot who keep the bike outside? Does it get p**sed about with by kids? Nicked? Run a bit sickly after it's been snowing?

I'd keep it under cover, but esp. during winter it might go a few weeks without a ride. Any advice from all you knowledgable people?

Cheers,

Y.

19-07-05, 11:20 AM

I've kept my SV outside for a couple of years.

I'd recommed a really manky looking bike cover to make it as unattractive as possible (put your reg on it in permanent ink or someone will nick it like happened to me)

A f-off lock ostentatiously peeking out from under the cover helps. I also religiously put the cover on at all times to keep it out of harms view.

In winter I try to keep the bike as clean and well maintained as as possible, otherwise salt damage etc. seems to creep up quickly.

Good luck

19-07-05, 11:24 AM

Mine's never had a garage (getting one soon) but a decent cover seems to do the trick. If you get one which is breathable & can go onto a hot bike it might help dry the bike a bit.
Other than that, the cold seems to affect the battery if you're doing short runs, if your commute is a decent run then it shouldn't be a problem, if it's short, like mine, then charging up the battery every couple of months seems to keep it going.
HTH

19-07-05, 11:26 AM

My curvy has always lived outside with no cover and my K5 now also lives outside, i did buy a cover but i can never be bothered to put it on.

19-07-05, 11:28 AM

If you can get it off the street, so much the better - I put in bigger gates in the alleyway at the back of my house to get it into the garden. Otherwise kids will mess with it, dogs will p1ss on it... maybe just get it into a front garden/patio area? A lot of houses have some bit at the front or the back where you can put a bike - just look for that sort of stuff when you're looking at places. Also a few places have garages that you can rent, though they're not always close to the house...

Good luck!

BillyC · 19-07-05, 11:35 AM

Mine's lived outside all of its life, and seems to be doing quite well considering!

I do have a cover, but don't use it... the bike is used more or less every day, and I think it is this that makes all the difference.

I've not seen any evidence of people tampering with my bike while in London. I think it's generally kids who steal them, and they tend to go for ones without gears, and where they can touch the floor.

19-07-05, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e.d.

My curvy has always lived outside with no cover and my K5 now also lives outside, i did buy a cover but i can never be bothered to put it on.

Ditto.... Never caused me any problems, but I do live in a quiet cul de sac

19-07-05, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iansv

Quote:

Originally Posted by e.d.

My curvy has always lived outside with no cover and my K5 now also lives outside, i did buy a cover but i can never be bothered to put it on.

Ditto.... Never caused me any problems, but I do live in a quiet cul de sac

I've moved now but my bike used to be chained to the outside of my front fence on a road in a student area with pubs 100 yards either side of me and all night every night there was people wanderin back and forth between pubs. And i never had it touched not even a kebab wrapper left on the seat for me unlike some cars in the area that had them deposited under the windscreen wipers.

19-07-05, 11:52 AM

Mine lives outside on the road chained to a tree. I do have a cover but I think I've used it maybe twice? So far so good.

19-07-05, 11:54 AM

I would suggest a proper ground anchor, mine's an Oxford concreted in one, and I have a huge English chain which just goes through the frame on the LHS into the anchor, and it also fits quite snugly under the seat! I have a cover which I use if the bike's going to be stood for a few days if I go away, but I usually use the Bike every day so It's probably better uncovered.
In time, I'd like to put a shelter over the bike but I will have to dig some more of the garden away to fit the bike into the corner nicely for this.

Ten years ago some scroats carried my mate's Kawasaki GPZ600R down the passage in the middle of the night, for us never to see it again. I intend to make it much more difficult for anything like this to happen again.

19-07-05, 10:58 AM	#1
Yokel Guest Posts: n/a	Keeping a bike outside Ever since I've had my curvy SV it's lived in a garage, and been very happy there. Thing is, I'm going to move soon and finding a new place with a garage is proving to be more than a bit tricky (they're not abundant in London) How are things for you lot who keep the bike outside? Does it get p**sed about with by kids? Nicked? Run a bit sickly after it's been snowing? I'd keep it under cover, but esp. during winter it might go a few weeks without a ride. Any advice from all you knowledgable people? Cheers, Y.

19-07-05, 11:35 AM	#6
BillyC Moderator Mega Poster Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The exiles of Kent Posts: 2,184	Mine's lived outside all of its life, and seems to be doing quite well considering! I do have a cover, but don't use it... the bike is used more or less every day, and I think it is this that makes all the difference. I've not seen any evidence of people tampering with my bike while in London. I think it's generally kids who steal them, and they tend to go for ones without gears, and where they can touch the floor. __________________ SV650 K3 - Gone. Now a member of the SV650.org Kawasaki brigade!

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19-07-05, 11:20 AM	#2
huge Guest Posts: n/a	I've kept my SV outside for a couple of years. I'd recommed a really manky looking bike cover to make it as unattractive as possible (put your reg on it in permanent ink or someone will nick it like happened to me) A f-off lock ostentatiously peeking out from under the cover helps. I also religiously put the cover on at all times to keep it out of harms view. In winter I try to keep the bike as clean and well maintained as as possible, otherwise salt damage etc. seems to creep up quickly. Good luck

19-07-05, 11:24 AM	#3
BaggaZee Guest Posts: n/a	Mine's never had a garage (getting one soon) but a decent cover seems to do the trick. If you get one which is breathable & can go onto a hot bike it might help dry the bike a bit. Other than that, the cold seems to affect the battery if you're doing short runs, if your commute is a decent run then it shouldn't be a problem, if it's short, like mine, then charging up the battery every couple of months seems to keep it going. HTH

19-07-05, 11:26 AM	#4
diamond Guest Posts: n/a	My curvy has always lived outside with no cover and my K5 now also lives outside, i did buy a cover but i can never be bothered to put it on.

19-07-05, 11:28 AM	#5
SVeeedy Gonzales Guest Posts: n/a	If you can get it off the street, so much the better - I put in bigger gates in the alleyway at the back of my house to get it into the garden. Otherwise kids will mess with it, dogs will p1ss on it... maybe just get it into a front garden/patio area? A lot of houses have some bit at the front or the back where you can put a bike - just look for that sort of stuff when you're looking at places. Also a few places have garages that you can rent, though they're not always close to the house... Good luck!

19-07-05, 11:52 AM	#9
Kate Guest Posts: n/a	Mine lives outside on the road chained to a tree. I do have a cover but I think I've used it maybe twice? So far so good.

19-07-05, 11:54 AM	#10
muddycoffee Guest Posts: n/a	I would suggest a proper ground anchor, mine's an Oxford concreted in one, and I have a huge English chain which just goes through the frame on the LHS into the anchor, and it also fits quite snugly under the seat! I have a cover which I use if the bike's going to be stood for a few days if I go away, but I usually use the Bike every day so It's probably better uncovered. In time, I'd like to put a shelter over the bike but I will have to dig some more of the garden away to fit the bike into the corner nicely for this. Ten years ago some scroats carried my mate's Kawasaki GPZ600R down the passage in the middle of the night, for us never to see it again. I intend to make it much more difficult for anything like this to happen again.