Protect Your Garage-Kept Motorcycle From Rodents And Weather

Even if you store your motorcycle inside a garage, your prized possession may not be completely protected from weather and wildlife. Garage doors don’t always provide a waterproof seal. And if a lot of water seeps into your garage, it’s a good chance rodents are getting in too. The first defense is plugging the holes, so to speak, with door and threshold seals. Once you’re happy with the weatherproofing, shore up your rodent defenses; a single mouse that builds a nest in the right place can total a motorcycle. Being mindful of your motorcycle’s home is its own kind of bike maintenance, so take the time to do it properly.

If your garage floods during a heavy storm or snow melt, we feel your pain. As you watch your motorcycles become surrounded by standing water, their new tires marinating in runoff, your mind may be swimming with pricey solutions to prevent such a disaster from happening again. Before you regrade your driveway and put in new drainage, purchase a Garadry threshold seal, which is available in different lengths to suit a range of garage-door openings and in several heights to protect against even severe flooding. Installation is quick and easy, and the kit comes with everything you need to do the job correctly.

Your motorcycle has few enemies as nefarious as the rodent. If a furry little creature builds a nest in your airbox and you fire up your bike, well, it’s a scene too gruesome to think about. Unless your garage is completely rodent-proof (few are), you’re going to have to stop the pests in their tracks. There is no other product as simple and effective as the basic mousetrap. Your best bet is to discover where rodents are coming in—usually around garage doors—and place traps strategically so the invaders have no other choice but to walk into them. Pro tip: Store your motorcycles away from walls and plug their muffler openings with WD-40-soaked rags.

If you have a major garage-flooding problem, you’ll need something like a Garadry threshold seal. For most homeowners, however, a new vinyl garage-door seal will be all you need to keep water outside. Over time, seals of this type become brittle and less effective at doing their job, so they need to be checked and replaced regularly. The Bowsen seal fits 1/4-inch T channels and has an internal tube for added strength.