Storing bikes in a wet garage?

I've been searching and reading winterizing threads for a few days, but haven't found anything that specifically answers my question.

My question is this.....

I have a one car garage, and over time.....snow, slush, and general wetness gets tracked into the garage. While I do my best to sweep out any puddles and chunks. It seems to remain wet (and salty) the entire winter.

While the bikes wouldn't be sitting in any puddles, they would be near.
Will the salt dragged into the garage cause any issues?

What do I need to do differently to prevent any issues with storing my bikes in the moist environment??

I considered building a platform to keep the bikes up off the floor for the winter?

Will covers retain moisture?

 

i use a fitted bed sheet to cover mine and give it some tlc once in a while
one time i sprayed WD40 all over the metal parts, big mistake that stuff is a dirt magnet

 

Putting awnings over the door will give you a place to knock off the snow and slush and help keep it out. We don't get much snow here in NC, but I put them over my doors and it sure helps . If you can get some heat in there that will also help, not much just enough to keep it above freezing. Concentrate your efforts on keeping the water out.

 

Would I be better off renting a storage space?

 

Humidity can really take its toll after awhile. If you can keep it dry as possible or if thats not possible , rent a spot that is. My 2 cents

MN

 

Can I put like pans of kitty litter or something to absorb some of the moisture?

I suppose heating the garage up once a week would help?

 

Heating the garage once a week would be worse. The rapid increase in temp would cause condensation.

You could move to Oregon or Washington where salting the roads is ilegal because it kills the weeds alongside the roads and pollutes the streams.

They use environmental friendly de-icer and fertilizer. And sand. Millions of litttle rock ball bearings that help you fall in the corners.

On the upside you never see a car with rust here unless it is from the midwest or east coast.

 

I would suggest a small oscillating fan. It should help with the water evaporation

 

Kitty litter would only give the cat more options.

My unheated garage gets wet like you describe, not all the time, but really really damp. My solution is to open the door and let nature dry it out. Works pretty well. Your garage sounds like it is not ventilated, at all, if it never dries out.

I can only account for the last 5 years, but my XJ has probably spent ALL 30 winters here in Duluth in an unheated frozen garage, as has every other motor vehicle I own. No worse for wear for what I can tell.

 

It isn't ventilated at all really. Once all of the doors are shut, it's practically sealed.

I could point a small fan at the bikes to keep the moisture off?

Well, I'm probably just over reacting due to reading WAY too much on the internet.

I figure if I take the normal winterizing precautions, they should be fine.

Just making sure the bikes aren't sitting in wetness is probably my best best....and wiping off the cars the best I can before pulling in?

I read about putting grease or Vaseline on the forks (and things that are similar) to keep them from rusting up?

Otherwise, just making sure the bikes are clean, and waxed should be enough?

 

Drive it down here and I will keep it in shape over the winter...

That is good riding time down here.

 

Clean, dry, then wax everything!
I've not used it but there is a spray on waxing system for RVs out there. It was a silicone based type wax but it might be the ticket for getting into the nooks and crannies.

 

This has been my experience as well

 

+1. Don't think it will be a big issue. Way better than outside, even covered. Now, if you want to see something really interesting, set a 5 gallon bucket of grannular chlorine next to the bike. By spring, you will be able to sweep the bike into a dust pan. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

Lay 2 wooden palletts on the floor, lay a 3mt x 2mt tarp on the palletts, roll the bike/s onto the palletts, cover the dry, clean bike/s with a dry cotton sheet/s, lift the edges of the bottom tarp up & tie over loosly, now throw another tarp loose over the whole ensemble.
Keep a small fan blowing all winter.
Holliday homes in the Algarve, that were shut up all winter collected mould on the ceilings & walls, EXCEPT the ones that had a small fan running!!!

 

Just lock the garage and stay out all winter!

 

Air it out when you get a chance. My bike definitely spent some winters in damp, salt ridden garages and it still looks fine. It'll be fine.

 

Wiz also had great advice. Robert's post reminded me of a product I used when storing my motorhome over the winter. It kind of loosely looks like a 5 1/2" diameter by 6" tall mushroom with a ventilated top. You put these little white pellets in the bottom and the water in the air is absorbed into the pellets. The product is called Dri-Z-Air. Works great but would not want to try to dehumidify the whole garage. Should be able to incorporate Robert and Wiz's ideas to make it work.

 

you have to keep the metal warmer than the air, once the metal is cooler than the air moisture will condense on it
gun guys have heaters they put in the gun cabinets or safes to keep them warm
if you were to put a cloth cover over the bike all the way to the floor and put a light under it might keep the metal just a little warmer than the air in the garage and stop any condensation
occasional heating is bad, especially with a flame heater that will put more moisture in the air
my table saw sweats every time i light the kerosene heater

 

I think this is more of a philosophical issue. You only have a 1-car garage, and have a car and two bikes in it.

The car has to go. Then there won't be any salt and slush tracked in.

The car can live outside.