Got it Covered?
Motorcycle covers come in at different price brackets, you can fork out a lot for one or get a cheapy, but on balance are they a good investment or not? Well of course the answer is yes, absolutely they are. You may want to look at your beautiful silver dream machine gleaming in the sun, but do you want other people to spot it out on the street and do you want the wind and weather to get to it? Nope.

In favour of motorcycle covers...

There are a lot of riders out there who have to keep their motorcycle on the street or in the garden, as they don't have a garage. For them, the use of a cover is really important for several very good reasons. Firstly motorcycles left outside are subject to all sorts of damage from the elements – for example wind blowing corrosive road dirt and salt against them can do a lot of damage and increase the likelihood of rust. Rain and snow can cause deterioration in the paintwork, and make moving parts seize up. Exposure to the elements can in fact considerably shorten the life of your bike and decrease the lifespan of footpegs, tyres and bearings etc, and a cover can really help with this by protecting it from the usual stormy British weather – particularly in winter of course.
Another good reason not to leave your motorcycle, uncovered and fully visible out on the street, is that thieves may notice it and come back for it, if it is in any way a desirable machine. A bike covered in a cover could be any make and model, or just an old rust bucket, and is far less of a target if no one can see what it is.

Even if you are the lucky owner of a garage or workshop to keep your bike in when you are at home, it may still be worth carrying a cover to use when you are out to keep the weather off and hide your motorcycle from prying eyes.

 

So how do you choose the right cover for your bike? Well first make sure you get the right size so that it is a good fit. Most covers are available in Small, Medium, Large or Extra-Large so check out the measurements before you buy so that you get one which is a good fit – don't do a Cinderella. Also consider if it has to fit over a Top Box as well, some covers are designed with extra space to fit one in which is an important consideration as you don't want to have to take your Top Box off each time you want to put your cover on. Too big and the wind could rip it or blow it off and possibly damage your bike in the process. Too tight - well at risk of stating the b*** obvious, you won't be able to get it on and cover your bike up properly...doh.

What is vital in a cover?

So what are the priorities for your cover? Mainly it needs to be 100% waterproof, of course, to keep the winter water out and the April showers for that matter. There's nothing more damaging for a piece of working machinery than being left unprotected out in the rain to get rusty and seize up. 
However it needs to also be ventilated to let condensation out so that doesn't cause a damp problem in itself. The vents also let heat from the engine out if the cover is put on after the bike has been running. The cover also needs to be heat resistant so that if it touches the hot exhaust it doesn't melt and stick to it. Some covers are even lined so that they don't scratch the bike, and insulate it better in freezing weather.

The cover needs to have a strap which clicks together under the bike to prevent it from blowing away in windy weather. 
A heat resistant lining stops the cover, and the bike inside, from getting very hot on a sunny summer day and reflective panels make it more visible to road traffic when parked at the kerbside. 
There should be holes in the cover near the front wheel so that a lock can be threaded through so that the bike is securely locked up. This is obviously important and has the extra bonus of preventing anyone from lifting the cover up to see what bike is underneath. An integral pouch can be included to keep the padlock dry so that it doesn't lie on the wet tarmac or in a puddle.

So basically to sum up – yes indeed – a good motorcycle cover is an excellent idea it should prolong the life of your bike and afford it some great protection especially when the winter hits so it's a good worthwhile investment.

 

Do you always cover your bike if it is parked on the street? Let us know on Facebook or email [email protected]