Coronavirus Quarantine Life: DIY Tips To Store Your Two-wheeler

With the lockdown likely to be extended at many places, these tips to keep your motorcycle wrapped up safe in your garage will come in handy

The coronavirus pandemic has shown no sign of letting up in many parts of India. Even though some of the restrictions have been lifted now, there have been no signs of the disease easing up in many states. The only way out seems to be a complete lockdown -- and when the inevitable happens, your two-wheeler will also need to survive the quarantine in one piece. Here are some handy tips to store your two-wheeler for the long run:

Wash your two-wheeler properly:

Keeping your two-wheeler clean goes a long way in extending the life of its parts. There are less chances of rust build up if the bike is kept clean, not to mention aesthetic reasons. We have already covered this aspect earlier and you can read all about it here.

Inspect and lubricate the joints:

Two-wheelers have a lot of parts interlinked with one another. Due to their inherent complexity there are more chances of retaining dew drops and moisture. So apply coconut oil or vegetable oil over parts like brake and clutch cable joints, footpeg and kick start lever joints. But the most effective solution would be to apply WD 40. This is an excellent solution that can not only lubricate parts to a certain extent but also prevent rusting.

Disconnect the battery:

The battery continues to drain slowly even when the bike is turned off. Over a long period of time, it may get discharged completely. If this happens, you might have trouble cranking the motor back again. So open the battery compartment and disconnect the wires from the battery terminals. Remove the battery and store it in a cool, dry place inside your home. This will greatly extend the life of the battery. If you have WD 40, then you can apply the same on the battery terminals as well. 

Keep the insides of the engine rust-free:

Prolonged non-usage of a bike might cause rust to build up inside the engine cylinder. One workaround would be to drain a little bit of oil from the engine into a small cup. Then remove the spark plug and pour the oil into the combustion chamber. If your bike has a kick lever, use it to move the piston up and down so that the oil is coated evenly across the cylinder walls. If you don’t have a kick start lever, put the bike in the first gear and move the bike manually. Put the spark plug back on once done.

Prop your bike properly and close the exhaust tip:

If your commuter has a main stand, just use it to prop the bike and then place a brick under each tyre. This prevents contact with the surface and will keep the tyres away from water. If your two-wheeler only has a side stand, then apart from propping up the tyres, put a brick under the side stand too, so that the bike is resting on an elevated position. Apply some pudina (peppermint oil) onto a metal scrubber and use it to close off the exhaust tip. This prevents rat infestation. 

Also Read: Coronavirus Quarantine Life: DIY Tips For Chain Maintenance

Also, spray an insecticide like Mortein around the area where the bike is parked, so that there’s no insect infestation either. You may have to repeat this every week to maintain the potency of the insecticide. Put a few naphthalene balls on top of the engine casing so that there’s no insect intrusion through these areas. Now cover up your two-wheeler with a properly-fitting cover and secure the straps. If it doesn’t have one, then use a bunch of cloth clips to secure it. 

With these measures taken, your two-wheeler should stay safe until this pandemic dies down. Stay home and stay safe, people.