5 Reasons Why Storing Your Motorcycle Indoors Is The Smartest Choice

If you want your motorcycle to last for years to come, you have to take care of it and keep it away from harsh outdoor environments. Not all riders are able to store their motorcycles in a garage or storage space, but making the decision to move indoors could be the best idea.

Here are a few reasons why storing your motorcycle indoors is the smartest choice:

1) Keep Your Ride Clean

One of the most important things to do to keep your bike in great condition is to make sure your ride is clean. In the wintertime, snow, ice and salt can wear on your bike if you leave it outdoors and during the summer, dust, dirt, mud and tree debris can dirty up your ride.

If you let the filth stay on your bike for too long, rust will build up and begin to eat away at some of your chrome parts, including mirrors, exhaust pipes, forks and wheel spokes. Once your motorcycle begins to rust, it immediately loses resale value. Use a soft sponge, bucket, soap and a hose to clean off excess dirt. After it air dries, use a soft cloth and>wax spray to give your ride that extra shine and protection.

2) Charge Your Battery

If you live in an area that sees a lot of snow and subfreezing temperatures, it's smart to keep your motorcycle indoors to prevent rust and other damages from the cold weather. Additionally, over the winter months, you should store your bike indoors where you have access to an electrical outlet. You should use a battery tender to hook to your bike when you plan to not ride for a few days, let alone several months.

Using a battery charger is a great way to keep your bike in prime condition for when the first day of spring arrives. Also, batteries for motorcycles have increased in price over the past decade and replacing them is no cheap task. Protect your bike's battery by plugging it in to an outlet.

3) Prevent Moisture Buildup

When a motorcycle sits for a long time outdoors, moisture buildup can occur in areas where there are subzero temperatures. However, putting your bike inside a garage can also cause moisture buildup because temperatures can change often inside a garage or storage space. The only way to completely prevent this is through a climate-controlled space, which can cost a fortune to operate.

To prevent this from happening, properly shield your motorcycle with a protective cover. This will prevent moisture buildup in parts that could be significantly damaging to your ride such as the kickstand, shifter, throttle, and clutch cables.

However, you cannot use any old cover to protect your bike. If you don't have an actual motorcycle cover, you should protect your bike with a sheet or blanket. It's best not to use any sort of tarp or plastic covering because moisture tends to gather when enclosed in plastic.

4) Lower Your Insurance Rates

Many motorcycle insurance carriers want to reward you for taking good care of your bike and this can happen by storing your ride indoors. Most insurance companies ask riders if they keep their bike indoors and often reduce deductibles or overall rates for those who do.

Additionally, city riders will save on insurance by storing indoors because those who live in highly populated areas are more prone to theft, damage and vandalism.

5) Peace Of Mind

Those who store their bikes outdoors often have to worry about damage or theft. However, storing a bike indoors will give you peace of mind by knowing your ride is protected and locked up.