Airbox Nest

[scoobs]

Thought this might interest those of you who haven't used your bikes over the winter. I've been running mine most days, with the brief exception of two weeks over Christmas and New Year. However, a small rodent was able to sneak in to the airbox and build a warm nest, complete with acorns!!
I'd pulled it all apart to check the filter as my MPG had dropped a bit recently (PITA as you have to remove the fairing lowers etc.), got a real surprise when I started pulling out small shreds of carpet etc.
As you can see by the pictures it also enjoyed snacking on the cooling system temperature wiring, at least I spotted it before the weather really heats up!!
Off to the beach this weekend for a test run.
Cheers,
Ian

 

[scoobs]

airbox nest 2

sorry I couldn't get the system to attach more than one picture at a time.

 

[TGHSMITH]

take a dryer sheet(bounce for example)roll it up, fold it up, add a tie wrap to hold it all together, toss it into the top of the filter, mice won't go near it..I set the sheets in all the nice hiding places in my garage....

 

[redclfco]

Farmers have the best solutions!

My farmer buddy turned me on to a product marketed by Fleet Farm called "Tractor Fresh". These are little satchels of very very VERY pine smelling stuff that come 6 to a box ; the idea is place them in tractors in the fall to keep them smelling nice, but more importantly keep the rodents from chewing through your interior of the tractor.

I put two in each bike, and months later, they still are potent, and I havent seen any sign of robert and roberta rodent.

I also put one in the Subaru, and it still scents me up everyday, but strangely enough, my wife won't ride in it!

 

[RandyB]

I also put one in the Subaru, and it still scents me up everyday, but strangely enough, my wife won't ride in it!

Sounds like an endorsement to me.

 

[crazydrummerdude]

Sounds like an endorsement to me.

At my family farm this fall, we were collecting walnuts. One weekend when we left, we put them in a box in the kitchen. The next weekend, when we went in the house, the box was empty but we eventually discovered that the wall was now full.

 

[rich]

take a dryer sheet(bounce for example)roll it up, fold it up, add a tie wrap to hold it all together, toss it into the top of the filter, mice won't go near it..I set the sheets in all the nice hiding places in my garage....

I've heard that before so the wife and I tried it in a 5th wheel camper a few winters ago. We spread a whole box of Bounce around inside, and come spring we had a stinky dead mouse/Bounty aroma. With lots of mouse droppings.

It did not work.

 

[womanridge]

This may sound goofy, but it works.
My mother, (now gone) grew up on a farm during the depression. They would use bay leaves in the cupboards to keep the mice out.
Many years later, I had a cottage in northern Minn. Had a mouse problem when I first got it. After talking to my mother, I tried sprinkling the bay leaves around the floors and on the bedding. Never had any mouse trouble from then on. The nice thing about them is that bay leaves are non-toxic and don't smell like moth balls. Buy them in bulk at your local coop or natural food store and they are cheap. I sprinkle them around my bike in the winter now.

 

[119240]

Ian,
I had the same thing - I got a bike from a guy in VT. rode it for about a year and wanted to check the air filter - to my surprise - A mouse condo - it looked the same - How's the urine smell

 

[The_Veg]

This may sound goofy, but it works.
My mother, (now gone) grew up on a farm during the depression. They would use bay leaves in the cupboards to keep the mice out.

I have heard that they are also effective at keeping roaches away, but I have no experience with this. Supposedly a few pieces of spearmint chewing gum hidden in the dark & tight places will deter bugs too.

 

[manicmechanic]

Besides the plugged airboxes and chewed-up wiring, we've also found exhaust systems full of dog food and bird seed from stuff stored in the garage/shed. Also check the underside of your saddle for entrance points.

 

[womanridge]

Does it have to be fresh, unchewed gum or can it be used

The famous chewing gum wall in Seattle. (Quite gross!)

 

[rdalland]

I had a nest like that on my K75RT. Cleaned it out and covered the end of the airbox ducting with 1/4" wire mesh.

 

[jimfastcar]

Mice

Moth Balls

 

[thompsonr]

I've heard that before so the wife and I tried it in a 5th wheel camper a few winters ago. We spread a whole box of Bounce around inside, and come spring we had a stinky dead mouse/Bounty aroma. With lots of mouse droppings.

It did not work.

We too spread a box of Bounty fabric sheets in our 5th wheel had a small nest of mice which ate a large corner of carpet $$. But I put the sheets out again this year with a whole box of Moth Balls under the trailer. No mice this year!

 

[PAULBACH]

Mothballs are the answer although last fall I rerfined that method.

Find old pair of pantyhose or secure same at dollar store for a buck.

Pour half cup of moth flakes in toe. Knot the stocking. Pour in another half cup - knot the stocking. Make about 2 cups worth of knots and make final knot - cut end.

Use the stocking to shape where you want to place the moth flakes.

The big advantage of this procedure is that there are no small pieces to clean up in the spring and "leftovers" can be stored in an airtight container for next falls.

There was a longer description of the value of mothballs in my Touring Tips submission.

Here is a "reprint" of the relevant parts of that first column

My own winter advice is to distribute a box of mothballs or moth flakes (Naphthalene) around your sleeping motorcycle. The result is an acrid odor keeps small rodents at bay. The mice will not ruin your saddle and build nests in the nooks and crannies of air cleaners and exhaust pipes.

Drop some of the naphthalene down the tailpipe. By spring the small amount of remaining product in the tailpipe will easily be blown out by the exhaust. Steel wool will also keep rodents out of the tailpipe. These same procedure works well for securing the garden tractor. I regularly find mouse nests in my snow blower and gasoline powered electric generator.

Exterminators often recommend mothballs in a sock or cloth and then hanging the sock in a garage or shed to keep rodents out. Apparently naphthalene smells worse to rodents.

Naphthalene is pungent and toxic. Keep moth balls and moth flakes away from children who will suffer health consequences especially damage or destruction of red blood cells if naphthalene is ingested.

 

[rocketmanli]

A felllow cruiser rider submitted these. Holy cow!

 

[rocketmanli]

A closer look: