A fe observations of a Bike stored outside. Should I be concerned

[muaymendez1]

So i keep my bike outside due to no garage or shed.

In the winter I will be keeping it under the cover all week till my polar bear rides on sundays.

I have noticed a few problems and wonder if anything is serious.

My starter button needs to be hit a few times before it angages. no click . its just that the switch. i will dissasemble and clean and lube.

the front wheel has been making a lobing squeak. noticeable at a gas station when doing 5 MPH squeak squeak squeak. faster as I go faster.

i didnt think anything of it until I got into a heavy lean last night where I didnt want to accelerate anymore and I heard no squeaking but an undescribeable sound comming from the wheel when I turned right.

Could this be my wheel bearings going or do they need to be lubed.

There was less noise when leaning to the left and nothing when going straight down the road except for the SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK

[muffinman]

The key to storing your bike outside is to keep the moisture down under the cover.Take the cover off the bike on days that its not going to rain or put a small fan under the cover to keep the air moving I do both as needed to keep the corrosion down.

It sounds like the starter switch might be to far gone to make work but it is worth a try to take it apart again and clean it good before it is lubed up.

the noise in the front wheel might be a wheel bearing do not take a chance with it the bearings are cheap and its not worth the possibility of them locking up while you are riding.take the wheel off and check or have them checked out at the dealer also when putting it back together make sure you lube the speedo drive gear.

Good luck

Jeff

[Condor]

Mine stay out year round, but I don't have near the weather you do on the east coast. I keep three covers on each bike all winter. The top one is an 'el cheepo'. Water proof but only good for one season... and it seems to work. I don't ride much during the winter so they get fired up maybe once or twice til the fan kicks in. i think if I were in snow country I'd be looking for a small enclosed trailer..

[Guest tx2sturgis]

We can assume that where you store the bike there has been some blowing dust, or maybe traffic nearby causing some road dust to be kicked up. This can cause the brake pads to make a scraping/squeaking noise. As far as the starter button, it may also have gotten some dirt inside.

 

The best type of cover for your situation would be a 'half cover'. They pack easily on the bike, and they dont restrict airflow when placed on the bike, so they dont trap moisture. They can be installed even when the bike is still hot from a ride.

 

They mainly provide shade and UV protection for all the rubber and vinyl pieces, not to mention the paint, and are very easy to put on and remove.

 

If you have over 50,000 miles on the bike, it might be a good idea to check the bearings, but the noise you describe seems to indicate dust and grit on the brake pads....if it changes or quits when applying the front brake, its most likely that the pads or rotor are dirty.

[Kurt Behm]

on a ride back from Alaska. It sounded like I was dragging a rake behind the bike. It was worst at low speeds. I did manage to get all the way to Idaho Falls before I had it replaced.

 

A dealer should be able to tell you on the spot if its a wheel bearing.

 

Ride safe !

 

Kurt

[Yammer Dan]

I gave up!! Building a garage and my new pontiac or my Ford probally will never see it. I'm tired of trying to keep up with them outside. And I'm jealous of Skid.

Edited September 1, 2011 by Yammer Dan