Motorcycle covers

[mack]

Anyone ever buy a cover for these? Is there a difference between one for a special and a standard? Is it worth the money?

[650mark]

bike covers

fwiw, i keep my '80 special covered in my garage. the last 2 covers i bought from dowco each lasted about 3 years. they cost over $100 each. just bought a new bilt cover from cyclegear for $50.00 on sale and it's made just as well as the dowco. and, it has a 3 year unconditional warranty so at 35 months i'll have them replace it with a new one.

[crazy steve]

Well, none of the various vehicle covers I've ever bought seemed to quite meet the manufacturer's claims about how well it would protect against weather. If you're storing the bike indoors someplace where it's more-or-less protected against condensation, covers are fine for keeping dust off, so yeah, they're useful for that. But none of them will do long-term storage well if moisture is involved. And by long term, I mean 3-4 weeks or more, like off-season storage, with the time period going down as the moisture goes up. In my experience they can do more harm than good in these cases. For occasional or 'temporary' protection they can be OK IMO.

Cover size? A standard and a Special will use the same cover from most manufacturers all else being equal. A windshield may make a difference, a fairing/bags/trunk more so. True 'custom-fit' covers are generally only available for some popular and/or high-end bikes (Harleys, Wings, Beemers) but expect to pay for it. The rest of us will have to settle for a 'generic' cover that covers a 'range' of bikes based on size/type/wheelbase. I will say that the 'better' covers will usually feature a softer inner liner that will be less harmful to finishes; the cheaper versions can mar paint rather quickly.

Worth it? Your call; I personally think most are overpriced and of limited utility. If you have a restored bike that doesn't get ridden a lot and is stored indoors, then they're useful for keeping the dust off, but something rigged up from old bedding (sheet, blanket) may work just as well. Do be aware that critters like to live under them if the vehicle sits for long, so finding mouse nests and/or insects isn't unknown...

[mack]

Covers

My shop is actually for woodworking, although since I started restoring these two bikes it hasn't been used for that purpose for the last three years. My list of woodworking projects has grown so it's time to get back at it this winter. I just want some covers to put over the bikes inside to keep the saw dust off them. I've used blankets the last couple winters with limited success. I like to keep the bikes in my heated workshop and fire them up a few times over the winter, plus I always have a short list of tweeks for each that I'd do when I don't feel the need for the smell of wood.

[crazy steve]

Mack, in that environment I'd suggest a 'better' indoor-type cover. They do do a better job at keeping dust off compared to sheets/blankets. And I'd recommend that you make sure you get a big enough cover, as many don't go all the way to the ground and dust can still find it's way under them.

I've got a 'premium' HD-brand indoor cover that I use on my sportster and it works OK. I wouldn't pay what they want for one new, but got it cheap off of CL. It covers everything except the last 3-4 inches of the wheels at the ground so dust still gets under it (the bike has a low sissy bar and W/S fitted), but does eliminate 90% of it. It's not a bad idea to remove the cover once a month or so and blow the bike off, that helps keep dust build-up to a minimum. Also allows you to check for critters...

[DGXSER]

As a woodworker with a basement shop I can tell you no amount of covers will ever keep the sawdust off the machines. But, an MC cover, may do better than a blanket.

For outdoor use, like Steve stated, unless they are a top quality breathign type, they do mroe hamr than good by trapping the moisture under them and causing expedited rusting. My uncle has a really nice TR3 he stored for twenty years in his garage, unfortunately, the garage gad a dirt floor. Time he pulled the cover off it, he could about run his fingers through the piles of rust, and push his fingers through the frame rails. Not that the TR3 was not prone to rust to start with, but still. Only thing wrong when he stored it was a borken windshield wiper system.

[mack]

Thanx Lads

I went to the dealer today and got a couple covers for $30 each. Nice and soft and breathable and large enough to cover them completely. I'll still be blowing them off when i start them but they should keep the large stuff off quite well. The small stuff I'll take care of by breathing deep when I work.

I'm going to go look at a cherry 83 xvz on wednesday. If I like it I will buy it. Price is right and I can't find the barn find 78E I want so this will have to do for long hauls.

Nice job on that entertainment center Steve. Meant to PM you on that long ago but life got in the way.Hows the music recording going. Tedious isn't it.

[RWrightPhotog]

I picked up a 20 dollar cover from Wal Mart earlier today and it kept my bike dry under my leaking car port, until I was able to move it into the shed. Not the thickest material, but would probably be good for an indoor cover. The fit was pretty good, for what it is.