Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Yes, probably the most mentally challenged question ever asked....as you may have seen in my pics, it's raining outside, I live in an apartment, and even the porch gets a bit wet. Is it at all dangerous to charge a new battery in the carpeted living room?


Also, if any of you have any other tips for parking in a larger apartment complex, please share!

Here is an example of where I park. Right now I'm behind the red ninja, but I know it's not the best spot. Rain like that is not normal for my area. I lock the front tire and frame with a cable.
Parking Lot

A charging battery can give off hydrogen gas. Hydrogen goes BOOM when exposed to a spark.

An overcharged battery can explode itself as well (use a trickle or maintenance charger).

Good to know about the hydrogen gas. But where would you charge it if you lived in an apartment? Also my charger has an automatic switch to maintenance charge.

Look around out on the carport. Most have electrical outlet. Or charge it on your little deck or patio. Get a storage space with electricity. 10x8 should do it.

Got it charged. Any more parking tips (where) are appreciated.

sliding glass door?

then the dining room or living room either one are excellent choices.

dont stress charging a battery in the house...but do use the trickle charger. they are not expensive and will help prevent BOOM,

It's hard to keep the floor clean when parking a mototrcycle in the house. I bought a 4x8 foot sheet of the plain white waterproof paneling used in bathrooms to park on. Very easy to keep clean. Also, provide for ventilation of gas fumes. I would shut the petcock just before pulling in the drive and idle the bike until the float bowls were dry. Seemed to help with the gas smell.

The best solution I've come up with is to rent a small warehouse with electricity, water, and sewer, then build an 8x16 insulated shed with a flat roof. Install a bathroom, a bed, and a desk, like an RV. Still room for a TV and recliner, if you wish, or in my case, a work table for building model airplanes. Washer, dryer, water heater, microwave, coffee maker, hotplate, and frig go out in the warehouse, along with a utility sink and a dinnette table and chairs. Rent is cheap, utility bills are cheaper, and everything is locked up inside. Even in the coldest weather the inside of the warehouse never drops below 50*F. A 15A electric space heater on the low (700W) setting keeps the shed toasty. In the summer, a 5,000btuh window air conditioner is more than enough to cool the shed, and a small exhaust fan vented through the roof on low speed circulates enough air through the warehouse the heat from the AC and clothes dryer isn't even noticed.

I can't get it into the apartment. The sliding glass door is (thankfully) protected by a larg immovable wooden outer wall. For storage, I would rent a place, but since this area has a 12 month riding season, I want to start riding this to work every day etc, so a shed isn't practical.

Should I try and install an alarm? I lock it to a post currently. My car was broken into a year ago, but it had excessive crap in it and was old; I haven't heard of any one with a new car in my area having any troubles, which I believe is because the group of people who I know steal don't break into cars which look like they have alarms.

Comprehensive insurance was $850 on this bike, which cost $800.

hey, I live in a big apartment complex... Your bike lucky it has roof to sleep under. There is nothing like that in my apartment. I have to keep it outside 24/7 and the last time it had a nice warm time to stay inside was in August of 06 in Wisconsin. ( now im in cali)

Well anyways, I bought a "covermax" cover for 35 bucks and its currently on my motorcycle as its been raining straight for the past four days. I have a minivan, and I park my motorcycle in front of my minivan in a tiny 3 foot clearance between the parking block and the apartment. For locking.. I think a fork lock and a u-lock in the back will suffice... Unless 5 people want to come to my apartment complex, somehow move my minivan, then pick up my bike and put it in their truck, I think im in good hands..
also what sucks for me is that there IS an indoor motorcycle parking but it is tiny and only one way.. that means if I put my bike in there, and a nother comes into park it, Im stuck and I cant get out until he takes it out. and maybe we could be a little cooperative but that old "dog" with a huge harley wont budge.


but Id recommend you get a heavy duty U-Lock and lock it to the spokes of your rear wheel, and lock the fork.

and looks like there some posts that support the roof. maybe you could lock maybe the front wheel to the rear left post with a long chain lock?

Ill post pics of my situation tommorow.

good luck!.


also, its really annoying to take off the cover and take off the locks and put them in a backpack.. but you get used to it.

If you park in front of your van, when your van is gone, don't you worry that someone will turn into that parking spot and possibly hit your bike?