Vermin in the air filter!

[Rocky_imp]

I'm fortunate during the winter storage period to have the bikes inside where there are no nice.
They sit in my garage in the summer, but the building is pretty much sealed so I don't worry about them out there.
Knock on wood, so far, so good

[Gone in 60]

A recent article in Motorcycle Consumer News told of the woes that are possible when buying a pristine, older low-mileage bike. I think the bike in question was a '99 or so VFR. It looked perfect, but the after-purchase inspection revealed that all of the rubber bits were dried up, and the air filter was a multi-unit mouse apartment complex. If there article wasn't a hypothetical, the new owner ended up donating the bike rather than repairing it.

My in-laws live on a farm in rural San Diego county. Their car is parked outside, and is perpetually being chewed on by mice, and oddly enough, the engine is covered in snails. One of my jobs whenever I visit is to check all of the car's functions and lights, and make repairs and patches as necessary. I have put about six mouse traps in the engine compartment.

[GoldOxide_imp]

A recent article in Motorcycle Consumer News told of the woes that are possible when buying a pristine, older low-mileage bike. I think the bike in question was a '99 or so VFR. It looked perfect, but the after-purchase inspection revealed that all of the rubber bits were dried up, and the air filter was a multi-unit mouse apartment complex. If there article wasn't a hypothetical, the new owner ended up donating the bike rather than repairing it.

My in-laws live on a farm in rural San Diego county. Their car is parked outside, and is perpetually being chewed on by mice, and oddly enough, the engine is covered in snails. One of my jobs whenever I visit is to check all of the car's functions and lights, and make repairs and patches as necessary. I have put about six mouse traps in the engine compartment.

The snails are interesting.

[Gone in 60]

I really don't get the snails at all. I've worked on cars for years, parked in all kinds of weird places, and have never seen that. My wife postulated that the rats and mice might be bringing the snails onto the engine to store as food.

[Skypilot_imp]

I’m getting off topic here but a buddy of mine bought a vintage Italian scooter last year and asked me to get it running. I told him no dice after I opened up the fiberglass to find very little in the way of wiring left as well old mice nests AND a working birds nest WITH eggs! It had been under his deck for a couple of years. Nature wins again...

[Randy B]

I have a K&N and I just checked it today when I installed my new battery. Looked good so I just reinstalled it.

[SportsterDoc]

A recent article in Motorcycle Consumer News told of the woes that are possible when buying a pristine, older low-mileage bike. I think the bike in question was a '99 or so VFR. It looked perfect, but the after-purchase inspection revealed that all of the rubber bits were dried up, and the air filter was a multi-unit mouse apartment complex. If there article wasn't a hypothetical, the new owner ended up donating the bike rather than repairing it.

My in-laws live on a farm in rural San Diego county. Their car is parked outside, and is perpetually being chewed on by mice, and oddly enough, the engine is covered in snails. One of my jobs whenever I visit is to check all of the car's functions and lights, and make repairs and patches as necessary. I have put about six mouse traps in the engine compartment.

Mothballs in the BBQ at our Arizona ranch discourage deer mice.

Until the fox population increased, mothballs under the hood of the truck were effective for parking a couple nights. No garage, but I should build a carport for hail protection.

[teamvisegrip_imp]

When I store my bikes for the long haul, a month or more, due to my job as a sailor... I follow a simple routine. Get some knee high nylons. Fill with some mothballs. Hang one on the front right handle bar and the other on the left rear turn signal. Cover the exhaust with a bag or plug. Then cover the bike with a motorcycle cover. Then roll up the bottom of the cover and use a Hand Clamp to hold it shut. I have done this for over 30 years and never a problem till once I waited too long to renew the mothballs and I saw evidence of some that tried to live there.

Some of my bikes stay like this for over 2 years at a time. Yes you need to renew the mothballs from time to time.

[Gone in 60]

I went to the in laws yesterday to fix a plumbing leak and forgot mothballs. Shoot! Meant to try that.

But, opened the hood on their car and set three more rat traps.

At the Petersen, we put tennis balls in the intake stacks of cars in long term storage to keep dirt and critters out. I love it when people say “How does the car run with tennis balls in the engine?”

[Gone in 60]

So, got home and decided to check my air cleaner since my bike sat in a garage a while until I bought it.

Removed both air cleaner covers but didn’t see a way to access the filter. I’m sure I missed something and didn’t have time to check the manual which I’m sure will explain how to get to it.