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“We can fill our lives with ‘stuff,’ but as we do we’re concurrently filling our lives with the obligation to maintain that ‘stuff.”
― Craig D. Lounsbrough
Today’s article is going to be about something that needs to gain a lot more traction with people who buy stuff: maintaining their stuff.
Within the context of this website, maintaining their motorcycles when they’re not with them.
Motorcycles are tough, robust machines. Regardless of how safe you ride, your bike will power through (most of) the inevitable accumulation of scratches and dents from being on the road.
But there will also be inevitable occasions where you will be away from your two-wheeled baby:
- During the winter when it’s too cold to ride, even with gear on.
- During a heavy monsoon.
- If you want to ship your motorcycle overseas
- If you’re going to be away for a while
The problem is that when you leave your motorcycle out for extended periods of time, it’s going to accrue passive damage, via:
- Dirt and salt festering on your bike
- Your tires deflating under the weight of your motorcycle
- Loss of battery power because you forgot to detach it
And those are just three among many things you unfortunately discover when you get back home with a skin shade too tan (remember to apply sunscreen with a high SPF, kids).
And at first, protecting your bike against such elements is going to seem very confusing (after you figure out how to tone it down with the tanning).
Fortunately, the motorcycle storage crates and sheds that exist nowadays do more than enough to keep your motorcycle safe. And this article is going to tell you about different storage units, what to keep in mind before storing your motorcycle, and the best motorcycle storage solutions for you personally.
Motorcycle Storage Boxes Vs Motorcycle Storage Covers
Both motorcycle storage boxes and motorcycle covers/sheds protect your motorcycle from the elements.
But while they have a lot of similarities, they also have a lot of differences.
Motorcycle storage boxes, on average, provide much more protection than motorcycle covers.
As a result of which they’re also more expensive and difficult to transport.
They come with tougher, heavier material spread over a large size- which is the reason for both the protection offered and the higher cost/ labor factor.
We highly recommend you splurge on a good motorcycle storage box if you’re going to leave your motorcycle alone for extended periods of time (such as going away on holiday or having it shipped overseas).
Motorcycle storage covers, on the other hand, don’t offer as much protection.
But they’re much easier to transport (you can stuff a lot of them in carrying bags), assemble and wrap around your motorcycle- and they’re cheap as heck, too.
Covers are generally used for storage sessions that last for less than 24 hours (such as wrapping one around your motorcycle during a heavy shower in an open parking lot).
What To Keep In Mind Before Loading Your Motorcycle Into A Box
Cleansing
Motorcycles accumulate a lot of particles while riding. These can fester if not tended to when left idle.
Cleaning your motorcycle to remove these particles will take care of this.
- Start with hosing the bike down to remove loose dirt and particles.
- Follow with a sponge/brush to clean smaller particles.
- Have intervals in between to rinse your sponge/ brush so that the dirt particles it collects won’t cause scratches on your bike.
- After this, dry it off using a clean chamois/ towel equivalent.
- You can also finish it off with wax or anti-corrosive substances.
Take Care Of The Tires
Your motorcycle is going to be stationary for quite a while.
When tires don’t rotate/ aren’t in motion for that long, there’s a very high chance they’re going to deflate under the weight of the motorcycle.
You can circumvent this easily by just having it hoisted on a lift stand.
If that’s not possible (not recommended), have a rug placed underneath it to ease the pressure off the tires.
The Battery On Your Motorcycle
Batteries lose small amounts of charge over time. This is due to a chemical process where the bottom of the battery “settles” with these chemicals. This portion is not rechargeable, leaving incrementally less material to charge with.
In fact, when not charged, some types of battery (such as those using lead-acid) lose not only charge over time but capacity too.
Having a maintenance charger (also known as a trickle charger or battery tender) however, can easily mitigate this. Such chargers release small amounts of charge to the battery at a rate that replaces the charge lost.
Having such a set-up for your battery before loading it into a box will take care of any possible damage to your battery.
Different Kinds Of Motorcycle Storage Crates
The ‘classic’ shed
This is what first comes to mind when you hear the word motorcycle “shed”.
The shed comes with an interior with plenty of room to park and store your bike- all while shielding it from the elements. The unit is also designed such that it allows for a double door entrance at either end.
The exterior is usually coated with a specialized protective element like galvanized steel- which means that you don’t have to do any maintenance work at all. The material is often fire/ corrosion resistant.
Providing fantastic protection against hazards like hailstorms, heavy rains, and snowstorms – this is perfect for those of you who live in volatile climates.
They also usually arrive pre-assembled – which means you’ve got 95% of your work already cut out for you.
These are perfect to ship via freight transport or have locked up for long periods of time.
Foldable shelters
As the name suggests, these sheds are makeshift.
Present with a steel frame and waterproof cover, these are great for when you immediately need to set up shelter. The main appeal behind these is how they fold down quickly and are easy to carry away or store.
That being said, they don’t offer nearly as much protection as professional-grade metal sheds.
Makeshift wooden workshops
As the name suggests, these are storage sheds that you construct on your own.
The packages come with the parts required and a clear instruction manual.
Self-contained and easy to assemble, these are awesome if you live in an area where building a garage or motorcycle shelter isn’t an option.
5 Best Motorcycle Storage Boxes
1. Suncast Glidetop Horizontal Storage Shed
Size: 80 x 58 x 52 inches
Weight: 112 lbs
Type Of Material: Polypropylene Resin Panels, Wood/ Concrete Foundation
Ease Of Assembly: 1-4 hours.
Ventilation: Not present
2. Abba Patio Outdoor Motorcycle Shelter Shed
Size: 6 x 8 feet – 51.2 x 13 x 8.7 inches / 7 x 12 feet – 70.5 x 13 x 9.8 inches / 8 x 14 feet – 83.5 x 13 x 9.8 inches / 10 x 10 feet – 78.3 x 13 x 10.2 inches
Weight: 6 x 8 feet – 112 lbs / 7 x 12 feet – 115.5 lbs / 8 x 14 feet – 110 lbs / 10 x 10 feet – 120 lbs
Type Of Material: Powder-coated Steel Frame, Wood/ Concrete Foundation, Polyethylene Top Cover.
Ease Of Assembly: 1-2 hours.
Ventilation: None
3. Quictent Heavy Duty Motorcycle Shelter
Size: 106 x 41 x 61 inches / 136 x 54 x 75 inches
Weight: 39.7lbs (106 x 41 x 61) / 46.3lbs (136 x 54 x 75)
Type Of Material: Frame: Heavy Duty Black Powder Coated Steel, Cover: 600D Oxford Fabric, UV protected, water-resistant
Ease Of Assembly: 1-2 hours.
Ventilation: None
4. Portable Storage Tent Garden Shed
Size: 72.5 x 10.5 x 8 inches
Weight: 68.9 pounds
Type Of Material: Plastic Windows, Exterior- Heavy Duty Fabric, Light Metal Frame
Ease Of Assembly: Less than an hour.
Ventilation: Windows present on either side
5. Speed-Way MTS Sport Shelter
Size: 108 x 43 x 64 inches
Weight: 55 pounds
Type Of Material: Durable polyester Fabric / 700mm polyurethane coating / Fully taped seams for waterproofing
Ease Of Assembly: Less than an hour.
Ventilation: Windows present on either side
3 Best Motorcycle Sheds
1. Velmia Motorcycle Cover with TSA code lock
Size: M 81 x 35 x 47 inches / L 91 x 39 x 49 inches / XL 96 x 41 x 49 inches / XXL 104 x 41 x 51 inches.
Weight: 3.65 pounds to 4.4 pounds depending on size
Type Of Material: 100 % Polyester
2. Anglink Motorcycle Cover
Size: 13 x 11.3 x 3.5 inches/ 104 x 49 x 41 inches
Weight: 1.55 pounds/ 1.96 pounds
Type Of Material: 210D oxford fabric
3. XYZCTEM All Season Motorcycle Cover
Size: 11 x 4 x 7 inches
Weight: 1 pound
Type Of Material: 210D oxford fabric
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