For whatever reason, you want to destroy a motorcycle without evidence. Just make sure this is not targeted at someone else’s bike, otherwise, you could be fined or sent to prison for vandalism. For this guide, the author assumes that you want a particular rickety motorcycle gone. Perhaps, your wife’s bike is rusting up and you want to surprise her with a new one without her knowing you messed up the older bike. Destroying it may not be a better option, instead, consider junking it for money.
How to destroy a motorcycle without evidence
Below are some of the ways to destroy a motorcycle without leaving any evidence or footprint.
1. Run the engine without oil
Consider emptying the oil and running the motorcycle for some time to destroy it without evidence. Even low oil can prevent a bike from starting. Keep the used oil and add 1/2 of it later into the engine so that it’ll appear as though you accidentally ran out of oil. You can also damage the oil sealing gasket and allow oil to leak out while using the bike. However, this method leaves behind evidence due to the oil leak. Nevertheless, expect to see baked-on fried oil on the engine casing where the leak took place.
2. Submerge the engine in water
Run the motorcycle engine when submerged in water. Water entering the air intake fails to compress in the cylinders, bending the conrods and shattering the valves. Of course, you need a decent excuse such as falling off while crossing a river. This method, however, does not work on two strokes bikes. For 2 strokes, just leaving out the oil will to cause a seizure. Note that the motorcycle will become a total loss if the insurer considers it uneconomical to repair, per the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Read also: no hose, no problem with bike wash
3. Use sugar
Put some sugar in the petrol tank, perhaps 100 GM (which is about a half cup). When combined with gasoline, sugar will destroy the engine and there is no way to restore it. Sugar works by jamming every component of the bike engine.
4. Rev the engine to its redline or beyond
Revving the bike beyond the redline works, particularly if you do it too frequently. However, some motorcycles—possibly even the majority—feature RPM limiters, so there may not be a problem with over-revving. But with excessive revving, the bike engine can deteriorate more quickly and gets destroyed. Should ruin Harleys too.
5. Rip the motorbike apart
Your favorite pocket knife is the ideal tool to begin with. Shred the foam into a little pile on your shop floor by jabbing the knife into the seat leather and carefully twisting and slicing. Cut off the tabs holding the remaining section of the seat in place with your hacksaw. Make sure to cut through the frame while removing the gas tank.
Make sure to save any brake fluid that may be present in the bike. Drain it carefully into a Windex bottle or any other empty plastic spray bottle. Avoid doing this on a rainy day since the fluid is quite corrosive.
Final thoughts
Draining oil from a motorcycle engine will cause permanent damage compared to pouring sugar or any other substances into the gas tank. Unlike gasoline, sugar does not dissolve and instead forms particles that clog fuel filters and obstruct the flow of gas. So, clearing the clogged particles can restore the engine’s functionality. That’s why going after the engine is more damaging, and the repairs can be expensive if there are any attempts to restore it.
