Tips on Choosing a Motorcycle Cover

Motorcycle covers have come a long way from the cheap plastic tarps your father used to throw over his bike before a rain. You remember those, the bright blue plastic tarp that would grip the tailpipes and turn black on the chrome if put on while the bike was still hot. Today you can buy a motorcycle cover with built-in UV protection, non-scratching liners, rust inhibitors and chrome-saving heat shields.

Several manufacturers produce a heavy-duty outdoor motorcycle cover that's a virtual garage. They can come with heat shields, excellent venting and a waterproof surface. This kind of motorcycle cover is on the heavy side, but is durable and often comes with lockable hems letting you secure your bike worry-free.

You can find a motorcycle cover that is a bit more flexible and portable but the price for this convenience is a material that runs thin, is prone to puncture and is water resistant, not waterproof.

One thing of note about a motorcycle cover is that most are not sold as "waterproof". Manufacturers tend to use the terms water resistant or water repellant. But you can treat your motorcycle cover with 3M Scotchguard® to boost the motorcycle cover's resistance. Even with this you might still find your bike wet after a downpour. Keeping your motorcycle cover tight will help water roll off and keep your bike dry.

Oxford Rainex and Aquatex stay fairly dry as does Dowco's Elite Series (Guardian Secure) and WheaterAll bike covers. Just about anything Kuryakyn puts out is top quality. CycleShade is of course just a sun and prying eyes protector.

For the traveler you can find a light-weight motorcycle cover that is easily packed away on a tour bike or one of the economy bikes. These offer basic protection from the elements at an affordable price. A fourth type of motorcycle cover is called a half-cover, bikini top or shade and is made just for summer, to protect your bike for the sun's damaging rays.

More importantly, if you keep your bike parked on the street like most of us, a motorcycle cover protects your motorcycle from wandering eyes, deterring thieves as they can't readily see what is under the cover.

Also, securing your motorcycle cover will deter someone from attempting to steal it while keeping the motorcycle cover from blowing away. An inexpensive yet secure cable and lock is the best route to take. Most will be around $10 online or you can check with your local motorcycle dealer.