Where do you park

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BwanaDik

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So I'm staying in a Marriott Inn of some sort for work. Nice place, friendly staff and all. I've got Ms. Piggy along because the riding roads around here are fabulous (northern NM).

I ask the nice clerk lady if I can park the bike in the drive thru in front of the front door. After a conference in the back, probably with the "manager" (looked like some pimplie faced kid), the answer was "No, we can't take responsibility for someone hitting it while it's in the driveway".......

I pointed out that they didn't take resonsibility if someone hit it if it was in a parking slot. I got the blank look back that you would expect. Sorry, just pointing out the obvious to them.

These guys always send me a survey after I stay there so, rest assured, I'll point out their non-motorcycle friendly attitude and tell them I'll stay at a Best Western next time.

So I'm off to the sea of uncontrolled, unsupervised parking slots in front of the motel. I'm concerned:

a) Some drunk will come wheeling in late tonight and hit it whilst trying to thread the needle into the available parking space next to me.

b ) Some hooligan nicks my Soltek's so he can mount them on his quad so he can make his midnight drug run in relative safety.

So where do you park?

Out in the hinterland where there is little chance of getting hit but every possibility of something getting damaged or ripped off? or

Up close, in the hopes that you'll be blocked in early and so avoid the drunk/idiot driver, with the miniscule hope that the night staff might accidently see a theft in progress (and actually do something about it)?

 
any chance you can park close to the front door in a yellow striped sort of slot?

I suppose you could wheel it into the lobby and head for the elevator and then maybe they'd let you park it in the drive thru.

I've not done a lot of motel parking where I wasn't parked right outside my room but I know what you mean about damage, etc. But, I've never had a problem either.

 
I always try to park Bernice where I can see her from my window. IMO I would not like to park her in the driveway where gramps in his Grand Boat could hit it . And I ALWAYS bring a cover to hide my farkles-she is a lot less interesting when you can't see what's under the cover.

 
I always try to park Bernice where I can see her from my window. IMO I would not like to park her in the driveway where gramps in his Grand Boat could hit it . And I ALWAYS bring a cover to hide my farkles-she is a lot less interesting when you can't see what's under the cover.
+1, and under a light.

Could also get a cheap laser pointer and tape it to an object in the parking lot to center the "Dot" on the windscreen.

 
Because this
Universal1.jpg
also has a laser pointer thingie. <_<

 
I try to find a spot where I can see the bike from my room. Slight slope upward. Locked well.

At one time I thought it would be good to have an alarm. The bikes are insured, and I don't take it to this level anymore.

 
Once in a very great while, I really can't find a safe, out-of-the-way spot to put my bike in a parking lot--motel, store, whatever. If that's the case, you do what you've gotta do, best parking space available. I just make sure the bike isn't pulled way into the spot. I don't want some bozo to swing into a space that he thinks is empty only to find a motorcycle taking up the front half of it.

But the rest of the time (most of the time), there IS a space I find acceptable, and that's what I take. I'm a firm believer in the philosophy of "if you don't ask, they can't refuse." But if I did ask, and they did refuse, I wouldn't wait till I was filling out my post-visit complaint card to tell the manager (I'd make her call him up to the desk) that I wouldn't be staying there again, and why. And I'd make sure I got his name, and borrow a pen and piece of paper to write it down right in front of him.

 
Most decent hotels do let you park under the front, or at least that's been my experience. However, I don't always park there if I think it's better somewhere else, my room is in the back, etc.

I do carry a cover and put it on; I think that's a pretty good deterrent, sorta "outta sight, outta mind" type of thing. I like to put it someplace I can see it from the room if possible, but that's not always possible.

 
Most decent hotels do let you park under the front, or at least that's been my experience. However, I don't always park there if I think it's better somewhere else, my room is in the back, etc.
I do carry a cover and put it on; I think that's a pretty good deterrent, sorta "outta sight, outta mind" type of thing. I like to put it someplace I can see it from the room if possible, but that's not always possible.
On our way to CFR last year bluestreek, exskibum and myself found a couple of motels that wouldn't let us park under the canopy. They cited the same reasoning, that someone pulling up to check in wouldnt expect a motorcycle to be there and might hit it.

We understood. A couple of them let us park very near the entrance. Others didn't and we parked in the general lot BUT we all had covers for our bikes (and a good thing because it rained most of the time we were traveling).

Some motels are not motorcycle unfriendly, they just won't treat us as special as we'd like. Others will let us park near the doors, under our room windows, etc., and seem to go out of their way. We all gamble when we're on the road...sometimes we win big.

 
Some motels are not motorcycle unfriendly, they just won't treat us as special as we'd like.

Full coverage insurance (or theft & comprehension minimally), a bike cover and smart use of available parking space is sometimes the best that can be done or expected when traveling away from home.

I've found the Mom & Pop owned motels are usually the most accomodating to motorcyclists needs. You may give up some personal ameneties compared to the larger chains, but the more personal experience makes up for the lack of the latest TV or work out room for me.

In many of these types of motels I've been made to feel more like a friend than a paying guest.

 
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I'll park where I can see it from the room window. If that's not possible I park as close to the hotel/motel front entrance as I can, which more often than not is lighted. I've learned not to ask permission cause ....... when I do it can be refused ... when I don't, I have never been asked to move it yet. This has been my experience for what it's worth.

 
I'll park where I can see it from the room window. If that's not possible I park as close to the hotel/motel front entrance as I can, which more often than not is lighted. I've learned not to ask permission cause ....... when I do it can be refused ... when I don't, I have never been asked to move it yet. This has been my experience for what it's worth.

Exactly the same for me. I usually stay in the larger "motel" chains, two floors max. If available, I actually park on the concrete sidewalk (in front of my room window) and not the parking lot blacktop. If they would challenge me though, I would use the 'tip over' excuse and their soft parking lot surface. I've never had any trouble, but its usually only a 'one night's stay'.

 
I bought a cheap dowco half cover and a dowco accessory alarm (it was on sale for $15), which has a loud 130 db 9v battery alarm. The alarm has a pin that pulls out if someone removes the cover, and hopefully would alert you or make the thief run away. It sits inside the DOWCO pocket on the cover so it cannot be seen.

0000_Dowco_Guardian_Cover_Alarm_--.jpg


Linky to cheap alarm

 
Good comments all, thanks. I particularly like the idea of a cover, out of sight, out of mind. I think one's on my list.

 
Uh, I thought the room was for the bike, and you stay outside. What am I missing? :D

I look for the old fashioned motels with rooms opening on the outside and try to get a downstairs room so can park in front of the room. I keep a half cover on the bike to use at night to cover up and protect it too. I have a disc lock and handlebar locked in position too. You can't prevent everything.

doctorj

 
If it's a motel, get a 1st floor room, remove the side bags, and pull the bike into the room with you. If you happen to be one of those riders with a trailer, a Unigo lends itself to this tactic very well.

 
Every time we (fjr group) arrived at a hotel/ motel, they have always told us up front where we can park our bikes. Usually, they allow us to park under cover near the main entrance or in an area that seems to be safe and secure. It seems some places tend to treat motorcyclist like we are 2nd class citizens.

I think you happened to get a hotel that doesn't much care. The best way to rebel is to stay someplace else next time. Most Best Westerns are extremely friendly to guests arriving on two wheels.

 
On my trip to Pennsylvania last month I stayed at mostly mom and pop owned deals and found them to be more than accommodating. One in fact in the western part of Pennsylvania had a room where the area infortn of the tv and bathroom was this treated concrete and he said that if I could get the bike thru the handicapped door I could store it inside for the night!! I asked most everyone else if they had video monitored parking and if so where was the optimal space in which my bike would be the star of the show incase something happened. And if it was right outside my window that was a twofer.

 
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