Topic: keeping the bugs out

[gmonkey]

Seems like if I leave a bike in the driveway for longer than 15 minutes, the cobwebs start getting built up on it.  My CB was full of spider nests when I took it apart.  The FZR seems to be headed in the same direction.  When I left it in the garage for a few days, a mouse filled the intake with bird seed.  Anyone ever have this problem?  Any kind of spray that will keep the wildlife out but not mess with rubber bits ?

[zanorak]

An old farmer told me to shave bits of Irish Spring soap and put them in my car during storage, also under the hood. He said the mice couldn't stand the smell - worked like a charm! Also rodents of other sorts are turned off by it. He said it makes everything taste like soap to them or something. worked on my friends truck too - had 8 sets of plug wires chewed through before he tried it. You have the change the shavings every couple months.

[Kframe]

I wonder if mothballs would work, too?
We used to toss them under a shed to keep raccoons from living under there.  It worked.
-K

[gmonkey]

My problem is with a running bike.  I think mothballs would melt and start smoking.  Although I'll keep it in mind for winter storage.

The spiders are the bigger worry actually.  I know I'll be riding to work one morning and some big nest of them will hatch and start crawling all over the place.  I'm not usually one to freak out over spiders but I'd rather it not happen.

[Bodi]

Spiders won't actually hurt anything, mice rats and squirrels will eat plastic/rubber and fill cavities with nests and food caches.
Put out poison for the rodents. Squirrels are cute I suppose but don't belong in any garage, mice and rats are just plain vermin. Look for where they get in and plug any holes. Mice are going to get in any garage, they fit under very small gaps, but squirrels need a good sized hole.
If the garage is not occupied much (like you don't have poker games in there for hours) especially with the door shut, get Vapona no-pest strips. These gas off insecticide and kill any bugs that spend a lot of time in there. A good blasting with a can of Raid to clear out the place is good first though - close the big door almost all the way so you can get out underneath or all the way if there's a small door, take a few deep breaths, and spray the whole dang can out towards the walls while holding your breath. Get out and close it up as tight as possible. After an hour or two go in and hang about double the recommended number of Vapona strips for the cubic area of the garage. Keep it closed as much as possible and spiders should not be a problem. The strips last about 2 or 3 months.
Take bikes and cars out before the Raid spraying, droplets might damage the paint.

[Tintop]

I wonder if mothballs would work, too?
We used to toss them under a shed to keep raccoons from living under there.  It worked.
-K

+1 on the moth balls for storage.  have used this trick for 20+ years storing cars, and never had a rodent problem.  use a metal container though jar lid), as they will eat through some plastics over time.  as for the creepy crawlers, 'fogging' your storage area periodically will limit them.  I use the stuff you get for barns from tack stores.  be aware it is highly toxic, so you must be able to close off the space while it is working.

[CB500_k2]

The best way to keep creatures from nesting in your bike is to ride it at least once per day.  The only bugs you have to be concerned about are the ones smashed on the front surfaces.  I have had real mouse problems, primarily with my Ducati Monster.  They go in the air inlet stacks and eat my K&N air filter.  Yes, they even tried to go through the wire mesh of the filter.  I have found that a handful of old fashioned naphthalene moth balls works well.  Naphthalene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon which sublimes rater than melts at air filter temperatures. No mess the stuff just gradually disappears as it is sucked into the engine as part of the fuel.  There is no potentially corrosive chlorine as you would find in the para-dichloro benzene moth balls.  

[Kframe]

The best way to keep creatures from nesting in your bike is to ride it at least once per day.  The only bugs you have to be concerned about are the ones smashed on the front surfaces.  I have had real mouse problems, primarily with my Ducati Monster.  They go in the air inlet stacks and eat my K&N air filter.  Yes, they even tried to go through the wire mesh of the filter.  I have found that a handful of old fashioned naphthalene moth balls works well.  Naphthalene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon which sublimes rater than melts at air filter temperatures. No mess the stuff just gradually disappears as it is sucked into the engine as part of the fuel.  There is no potentially corrosive chlorine as you would find in the para-dichloro benzene moth balls.  

+1 on the original napthalene ones, those are what I was referring to.

-K

[HondaMan]

Mothballs in the air cleaner? Hmm...I remember a '60s article about that improving auto performance...

[BeSeeingYou]

Follow the easy instructions shown here and you should not have any problems with bugs.

[grumpy]

Spiders won't actually hurt anything,

Well, we have these running around here...



I've heard flea powder keeps spiders away.

[HondaMan]

Spiders won't actually hurt anything,

Well, we have these running around here...



I've heard flea powder keeps spiders away.

Flea Powder?  Heck, where's my .38?

[zanorak]

ANybody try diatomaceous earth? That was the only thing that kept ants out of my sisters old place.