Is it ok to park a motorbike on the road in a residential area, and should I always cover it?

Question

Hello. I want a motorbike for commuting to work. Unfortunately I don't have off road parking as I live in a terraced house. There really is no option but to park on the road, but I'm a bit worried about it getting knocked. Also, do bikes always need to be protected from the elements and if so can you recommend a decent bike cover. Thanks.

Answer 1

I'd chain it to something at least, cause 4 big boys and a pickup can make short work of most any bike.

Answer 2

are u crazy?  Someone will totally steal it!  or maybe u live in some super safe place....?

Answer 3

Depends on where you live, but it might attract too much attention.  Some people are careless when parking.  You don’t have to cover it, but it might at least offer some protection from people trying to sit or mess with it.  I don’t like the idea of parking a bike on the street.

Answer 4

If you cant take care of it, dont buy it.

Find a storage unit within walking distance.

Ive always found a sheltered spot to keep my machine.

Heck once I kept it in my dinning room, thru the sliding glass door. Even an over hang with a cover.

You will need a chain/cable and a big lock to.

Answer 5

park it on the sidewalk if you dont want it to get knocked off then buy a chain and a huge lock and chain the wheel to each other and the bike should be okay in any wheather so waht kinda bike ya gonna get i street bike harley crotch rocket scooter and so on

Answer 6

That depends on the safety of the town you live.  If it is a hot bike it can easily be stolen.  I usually CHAIN it to a post. It keeps the thieves from just LIFTING the bike onto a pickup truck.

And no you do NOT need a cover.  They are mostly for long term storage.

Good Luck...

Answer 7

chain it to a solid object,youll be ok....

Answer 8

A cover is useful to keep the elements off but it also keeps prying eyes away, thieves come in two basic types the young joy-riding scum and the professional steal-a-bike-to-order scum, the second are harder to dissuade, there are ways past any security system – however, both want an easy life – if they cannot see what kind of bike it is and that it is attached to something immobile by a big chain they will go and steal another bike.

What you want from a cover is that it fits your bike, sportsbikes and giant trailies are hugely different in dimensions, virtually any cover as long as it fits will do the job, you might find one that you can bungee under the bike which is handy for long periods, but not something you want to bother with every day.

The chain should be Thatcham approved to reduce insurance costs and should attach the frame to a lamp post (or something immobile – not the wife's car) you should try to fit it so that it doesn't reach the ground – it is harder to operate powertools on a chain in the air.

Getting knocks are virtually impossible to prevent, fir frame protectors and mushrooms and it should be less of a problem.

Answer 9

Covering your bike makes good sense. Prying eyes can't see and don't know what's hidden.

Too bad you can't anchor your bike to the ground, telephone pole or street lite.

Walmart sells patio furniture covers, large but covers everything.

Get heavy chain, not cable and a HD combo lock. Certain Keyed locks can be opened with BIC pens.

Better yet, you can get a cell phone with built-in locator wired to your battery, in case your ride gets jacked.

Good riding.

Answer 10

Eventually,your bike WILL be stolen or vandalised,even with the best of security in place.

Bikes do of course have resisitance to the elements but its relative.Your bike will eventually suffer from weather related problems so you DO need a cover.

My advice is forget locks and covers, dont leave your bike on the street.If cant have a garage to put it in then bring it up to the house and chain it to a dedicated post concreted into the ground and then cover it to help disguise it and of course to protect it.