Does anyone keep their bike out on a road in the middle of London? I’ve currently got a Bandit that’s ‘of age’ so keeping her out there, uncovered, doesn’t really trouble me. However, I’m looking to get a sportsbike around an '04 plate, and I’m really wondering if keeping one outside (albeit covered, alarmed and chained-up) is a good idea.
There’s no chance of a garage, and i’ve got no other option than the road. Ok, so it’s a quiet road and has a bike bay with ground anchors, but I’m really umming and arring.
I don’t know if I’m looking for horror stories or what, but ahhhhhhhhh, decisions, decisions!
If you’ve got ground anchors and all the toys you can’t do any more apart from remain vigilant and sharp eyed.From my recent experience, if you own an 04 plate supersports it’s stuff like this that will **** you off…basically, lack of respect.
Be careful as depending on what (sports)bike you buy some insurance companies will not offer you any TPFT insurance for a bike parked on the road, especially in London.
For some companies the bare minimun is a front garden + ground anchor.
So I’d suggest you call around a few when you’ve got an idea on what model you want.
I’ve an 05 fireblade parked in SW8, chained to lamppost outside my house. Alarmed and use a disclock, so makes it a little harder to nick by the causal chav. I’ve got an R&G sportsbike cover (ride best buy, fits v snugly so keeps pretty much all the crap out) and a much larger v tatty monsterbikes (ebay it) cover over the top, so can’t see it’s a rather nice bike, and looks fairly pikey to the untrained eye. My suggestions are to shop around for insurance – managed to get a v gd deal TPFT from Swinton if you max the excess and if you get the usually spurious ‘legal cover’ it actually covers the excess, thereby saving you money should your p&j get nicked.
Not as good as a garage, but all in all not too bad. Dry, away from prying eyes and short of a Volvo backing into it (make sure you’ve crash bungs & good relations with your neighbours) the best I could do to have a sports bike in central –ish London without a garage.
I’ve a mate with a new ZX10R who pays £50 / month to garage it. But someone vandalised it in the NCP garage, so not a great way to spend £600 / year….HTH.
