motorcycle cover

[HarryG]

I'm definitely not rich, but do not mind buying quality. I have not found another thread addressing covers. I am interested in others opinions about covers.

How easy to put on?

How does it keep out the elements?

Have you used it for garage storage and while traveling?

Any other comments one might have.

[keithb]

Hi Harry

What kind of bike are you riding? Do you want to use the cover while traveling? Garage use only? Do you have saddle bags on your bike?

 

Personally, I have two covers and I ride a 1200RT. One for garage use only and one for traveling. The traveling cover is a half cover made by EZ touring (model Traveller A). The garage use cover I have had for 20 years. I don't know the brand. Probably a Dow cover. Both are easy to put on and take off. There is a guy here in Orange County who sells covers (Mark's RT protective cover). His phone number is 949-861-3888. 9am-5pm PST. His email address is jwu_99@hotmail.com. Out the door pricing is about $28.00

[Fightingpiper]

Mine is always covered, Covered in bugs and road grime...

 

Seriously, I have a cover from wally world that was cheap but I have never used it.

[HarryG]

How could I have forgot the bike?? 08 R12RT...Blue:) Kind of expect almost anything will work if you want to use one. Does the BMW cover w/air vent really make a difference or is it just a selling gimmick?

[HarryG]

I'm pretty anal and still...only 7k keep it pretty clean. Its' my first bike in 15 years and I'm loving it...again

 

[Bullett]

Hubby and I bought Dowco covers from the dealer when we bought our bikes. We used them last winter when we stored them at the in-laws in Phoenix for a few months . . . I recall that there was a threat that they might be stored in the back yard , which mandated hauling the covers all that way. Fortunately, there was garage space available, although we did actually use the covers.

 

I also used my cover on the R26 when it was sentenced to the back porch last winter. Now that it is a "running bike," it gets to stay indoors with the rest of the toys.

 

I'm not sure exactly where the covers are now, but our RT's are in the garage covered in bugs and dirt and stuff.

 

I bought a cover for the Miata also. I used it once and it blew off. Jan's plan to make me park it in the driveway under the cover failed and it is now taking up precious garage space.

 

I worry about grinding the dirt and bugs into the paint, so I don't use the covers.

[lvnvbiker]

I have a Dowco cover that works well myself. I work in a pretty dusty enviornment( a rock quarry) and cover mine about 70% of the time. The Dowco is nice, but seems to get brittle over time and rips easily after a year or so, but at 50 bucks thats pretty cheap insurance. It keeps the bugs and road grime from getting dirty while I am working!

[Sailorlite]

Wal-mart sells decent motorcycle covers for about $20 as I recall. They come in more that one size and the largest one fits my RT with room to spare. Mine's used only in the garage - may not be the very best for outdoor use.

[Elhoff]

I use the Nelson-Riggs UV2000 half cover on my R12RT while it is parked in the sun all day at work. It is easy to install, fits over the side cases, and only cost $35. I store it in the fanny pack that comes with it, strapped around the back seat. Hopefully it will extend the upholstery life, reduce paint and instrument fade, etc. Plus my seat is not as hot when I come out of work and it is 105 out!

[swfraley]

+1 Nelson-Rigg half-cover. I use it in the garage and when staying in motels. I'm pretty sure drunks are somewhat less likely to sit on a stranger's bike if it's covered.

[VinnyR11]

I no longer cover my bike.

 

I've tried garage storage with and without covers and prefer no cover. Traps humidity, potential for scratches with trapped dirt, and unless your garage is extra dirty or has a workshop, I don't see any need for a cover. Just think of the conditions your bike sees while riding. 75 mph dirt and dust blasts, rain, etc., etc. Is having it sitting quietly in your garage for a few weeks really such a big deal that it needs extra protection?

 

Just park it and when you're ready, just hop on and ride off. Seems like a nice solution.

 

 

[Unhofliche_Gesundheit]

perhaps if you dont know if you want or not sure you would use a cover, you might just get a cheap one - if you like it then just use it till it wears out then buy a good one... if you dont end up using it then you are not out much $.

 

for me i vote for the cover - i was not sure either so i bought a 19$ one. in my case my garage is small with bike and car squeezed in - i tend to bump into things squeezing past - knock things over - put on cover in garage to protect bike from knocks and drops and bumps, keep dust off (flying salt in my case) - over 4.5 months adds up - if someone peeks in to the garage the bike is all but invisible.

 

if i stay away from home (if this ever happended!) the bike could be covered to not attract attention.

 

if i could do it again i would spend a bit more - not for the quality (thin - light weight travels better) but to get a bigger one - what i got is a bit too small with the bags and the big windscreen.

[elkroeger]

I've got some heavy duty Nelson Rigg cover that came with my bike. I'm sure it was pricey as far as covers go. Really, it takes up dang near 1/2 a saddle bag, which is too big to lug around most places. If left to my own devices, i'd skip the cover except for certain cases: First a little 1/2 cover for travelling. Other people use these and they seem to feel better about the likelihood of thieve's hands rummaging through their tank bag... it makes sense to me, but I haven't tried it myself. Second, there's long term outdoor storgage. Snow, rain, months of sitting out in the weather all winter, even U.V. light. These things warrant a cover.

 

While visiting friends last spring, my bike (which is black) sat out in 95F sun, and the paint on the gas tank blistered. I think what happened was that I live in Seattle, and the bike is wet almost all the time. Then I went to Spokane on the first real HOT day of the year, and left it out in the sun all day. Perhaps some moisture was the culprit. I dunno, it doesn't matter now. A cover clearly would've prevented the problem. Even then, I'm still ambivalent about covers - I don't need my bike to stay pretty.

[MarkEngland]

Hi Harry

What kind of bike are you riding? Do you want to use the cover while traveling? Garage use only? Do you have saddle bags on your bike?

 

Personally, I have two covers and I ride a 1200RT. One for garage use only and one for traveling. The traveling cover is a half cover made by EZ touring (model Traveller A). The garage use cover I have had for 20 years. I don't know the brand. Probably a Dow cover. Both are easy to put on and take off. There is a guy here in Orange County who sells covers (Mark's RT protective cover). His phone number is 949-861-3888. 9am-5pm PST. His email address is jwu_99@hotmail.com. Out the door pricing is about $28.00

Here is a URL to the cover. I use it for traveling and works great. I have not found any reason to cover my bike since I park in the garage.

http://kc6tew.com/modifications/rtmods/cover/default.html

 

[Rob F.]

I love my GEZA stretch cover. I've been through them all. I live in sunny California and all the others don't last. It's a bit pricey ($250) but worth it IMO. It fits snug and stays put. Fits like a glove and packs easily.

[MarkEngland]

I love my GEZA stretch cover. I've been through them all. I live in sunny California and all the others don't last. It's a bit pricey ($250) but worth it IMO. It fits snug and stays put. Fits like a glove and packs easily.

some questions after looking at Geza's website.

 

What size did you get for you RT?

Does your RT have a trunk?

what model cover did you get?

 

Thanks

Mark

[stubble!]

I pack a UV-2000 for trips and commuting. I feel better with my bike under the cover in hotel lots, and on rainy days a dry seat is nice. I don't cover it at home in the garage. It's proven to be durable and it's cheap and small.

[jjg3]

Don't cover the bike in the garage. With 3 machines in (and another coming) and the wife's car all taking up space, doing the simple, daily stuff is easier without covers.

 

Traveling is a different story. I don't camp so it's m/hotels. I use a Nelson-Rigg and cover the bike every night. Have heard a cover is as good as an alarm, if they can't see it, they don't know if it's what they want or worth taking. It covers down to below the heads (R/RT) so at a casual glance you can't tell what kind of bike. The cover comes with a stuff bag and packs about the size of a football. I keep a cable lock in the bag so it's where I need it to be (secures through the grommets at the bottom sides of the cover).

 

Nice to at least start a rainy day ride on a dry bike.

 

Got it on sale at a local bike shop for around $40 4 years ago, used it many, many times and expect to use it many more.

[Rob F.]

I got the Pro-Plus XL Geza cover. It's fits a bike with a top case.

[simon999]

have you tried Hein Gericke??? I got one in the Uk from them for £10

[bretthw]

I'm a big fan of using a 1/2 cover to protect the bike when sitting in the Texas sun all day, everyday while in the office. I also think it keeps prying eyes off of my farkles... less chance of a "walk away"... Recommend using the EZ Cover... they have great customer service and replaced a cover that I developed a hole in...

 

http://www.eztouring.com/traveller.htm

 

For the home garage, I use the full BMW cover when I will set the bike for long periods of time without riding. It keeps dust off of it and protects against minor scrapes. The OEM cover is really nice and hefty...

 

http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=1440

 

 

[Mark K]

Wal-mart sells decent motorcycle covers for about $20 as I recall. They come in more that one size and the largest one fits my RT with room to spare. Mine's used only in the garage - may not be the very best for outdoor use.

 

+1.......No need to cover; but when I do, this is what I use.

[Effjay]

Like some others, I use an EZ Touring on the road. Mine is an old Traveller A model bought many years ago when I had a Yam FJ12. It fits the RT but I want a larger size. The "A" covers top surfaces incl tops of sidecases but not the topcase and can't hook over the rack with topcase in place.

 

Cover a dirty bike??? Not me! Some saw my routine at John Day UN where I fill a motel wastebucket with hot shower water then add a bit of Meguires auto wash to the mix to melt away bugs and debris. I use my own towels too, not the motel's!

 

Jeff

[Silver Surfer/AKAButters]

I bought a cheap one at Cycle Gear ($30). I have been using it for 2 years without any problems. It is lightweight, durable, easily stowed, and easy to put on. Squashes up to the size of a scoker ball.

 

[tlc]

Geza now offers a "HYBRID" size for the RT. It fits both with and without a top case. The size is between Large and Extra Large, and it's cut so that the fit is snug without the top case. I just ordered one today. I'm not going to tell my wife what it cost!