Can I leave my motorbike or dirt bike in the rain?
Swann Insurance knows that every bike owner wants to protect what they love. The last thing you want is for it to become damaged. How can you avoid the elements destroying your new favourite bike?
If you don’t have a garage, live in an apartment and can’t take it up the stairs, or simply can’t have it in the house and keeping a motorbike outside is your only option, your bike sadly needs to battle the elements to some degree. Luckily in Australia, it seldom snows in most parts, but it does rain often. If you have no alternative but to leave your bike in the rain and you’d like to find out more information on how you can best protect your ride, read on!
Why is it bad for your motorcycle or dirt bike to get rained on?
Many issues can arise from your bike being too hot, too cold, rained on, or all of the above.
The worst enemy to your bike is rain. Does rain damage motorcycles, you may be wondering? Rain can cause rust and corrosion and that type of damage is hard to come back from. If you live in an area where it rains a lot or is humid, leaving your motorcycle or dirt bike outside may cause it to corrode more quickly than if it was inside. Rain can cause rust to the chain as well as the breakdown of bearings and bolts. Not to mention a motorcycle left in the rain will see a rapid demise of its factory finish.
The type of destruction the elements can cause depends on an array of variables. If your bike is new, between 5-10 years, it probably has better seals than a 20-year-old bike.
Ultimately both motorcycles and dirt bikes are designed to be ridden in the rain and leaving your bike out in the rain for one day probably won’t cause irreparable damage. Rain on its own won’t hurt your bike, but leaving it to marinate for days definitely will. Standing water left on the bike will cause corrosion, and frequent use will help dry out those hard to reach places where water likes to pool. If you can’t ride the bike, at least try to dry it off after a heavy rain – keeping all the moving parts well lubricated also goes a long way towards protecting those components.
Should you cover your motorcycle or dirt bike?
The best way to avoid damage is to ensure your bike is well protected. If you can’t offer a roof over its head, what’s the next best option? If you do need to leave your bike outside for whatever reason, you should cover it! Motorcycle and dirt bike weather protection can come in a variety of types, and it’s best to see what would suit your needs best. If you do need to leave your bike out in the rain for long periods of time, then motorcycle covers are a great investment to avoid damage and cost of repairs. Make sure when choosing a rain cover for a motorcycle that you pick one which is the appropriate size for your bike, and can be secured in some way. It’s also worth being mindful that these covers can turn your bike into a bit of a wind sock – so park somewhere sheltered and avoid leaving a motorcycle in the rain if it’s going to be a long term thing.
Whilst Swann Insurance can’t protect your bike from everything, we can save you from some of the elements with our Comprehensive Motorcycle Insurance – offering cover when your bike is damaged in events like floods and storms. For more information, click here or contact us today for a motorcycle insurance quote!