Storage Blues

 When you're a biker in a northern climate there comes a time of the year when the iron gets put away before winter sets in. Now I know I just wrote about riding to work in crappy weather but I am blessed with more than one scoot so I decided to start figuring out where they will go for the winter. Its kind of a sad task because the riding season is coming to an end, but its also exciting because it means I can bring something into the warmth of my shop and tinker with it all winter. I have a three stall garage. My wife gets one bay, I get one bay and the third is walled off and heated. The heated area is my winter workshop. Sure its small but I manage to get a lot done in here.
 For the start of this winter season I decided to bring the sportster into the shop. There are some things it needs but there are also things I need to change just to be happier with the bike. The tail section with its "classic lines" doesn't work for me. I have a feeling that a cut-off wheel and welder may be needed to adjust this a bit. I hate the front brakes. Having to think about where I want to stop, rather than just pulling the lever and stopping, is really a joke. As for lighting, I really prefer my motorcycle headlights to pierce through the darkest nights illuminating the ditch and deep down range. This headlight is more of a warm glow which is fine for theater aisle lighting or a romantic dinner but not so good for deer avoidance at night. I also need to work out some storage solutions for traveling. I want to avoid having to use saddlebags but still be able to haul enough stuff for a week on the road.

This look isn't doing it for me. Its clean and functional but you can go for a ride and see the same look a hundred times a day.

 

I built this sissy bar as an experiment and now I have a good idea what the next bar will have to look like to be functional.

The tank will be coming off after the bike comes in the shop. Because not everybody in the house likes the smell of gasoline as much as I do, it gets drained outside. The shop is connected to the laundry room of the house so this step is necessary to keep the peace.

  The BSA has been in my life for around 35 years. I never seem to find time to fix it even though every year I say "this is the year I'll get that bike on the road again". I said that this year and nothing happened. I'll say it again next year.

'67 BSA Lightning and '74 Schwinn Breeze tucked away for winter. Right now the Breeze is the faster of the two because its easier to push.

The rat turd sits ready for duty. If needed I can just push it up against the wall and still get my truck in the garage.

Ah, cleaning the garage can be an adventure. I found this 13mm wrench in the bottom of a bucket of waste oil. My 1/2" combo wrench is still MIA.

Shuffling bikes around is only half the battle. Anything that can't freeze must come in. The pressure washer, cans of paint and assorted cleaners come to mind. Unfortunately all this stuff takes up room in the heated shop.
 The drawers of my toolbox are near empty now,  everything is strewn about in the garage from a season of projects. Soon they will be overflowing with tools and parts. Thats all for now, I need to get back out there and finish cleaning the garage.