Best Motorcycle Cover – Buyer’s Guide

Contents:

Now that we have gone through the important reviews of the best motorcycle covers on the market, let’s discuss the buyer’s guide. As promised before, in this guide I will try to help you make an informed decision.

I have discussed the important factors you need to consider before making a purchase. As much as I seldom consider price when making a purchase, I would wish everyone follows my strategy because price can be deceiving it helps to assess the product meticulously to see if it has the important features such as waterproof, water resistance, breathability, air vents, security grommets, heat shield, windshield, and others. I will highlight these…

What are the important features before buying the motorcycle cover?

In a nutshell, you should consider weather protection, transportability, security, sizes and heat-resistant fabrics.

Weather protection

Under weather protection, we consider UV protection and waterproof/water resistance. These form an important part of every motorcycle cover. When parking outside, what comes to mind are the possible rainfall and the destructive UV rays.

Waterproof/water resistance

Although often used interchangeably in marketing purposes, these concepts are not the same. Many companies advertise their motorcycle covers as being 100% waterproof but only to find out they are actually water resistant and not as stated. The water resistance (DWR) coating can fade in years to come which will then demand another coating to keep repelling water.
Before making a purchase, ensure that the cover is waterproof as the manufacturer claims. The materials polyester and nylon are the common fabrics that are known for their capabilities in waterproofness. Some fabrics are coated polyurethane and the seams are taped to ensure the best waterproof quality. Have an evaluation of each product you intend to buy.

In my review, all the products are waterproof and they come with treated seams which seals the waterproof. Moreover, they are breathable to let the moisture out. Some water-resistant fabrics, quite often, do not feature the air vents which then can lead to mildew growth.

To wrap up, I say look for the product that is waterproof or water-resistant as well as breathable. Other motorcycle covers have the air vents at the bottom to let ample air circulate. But given a choice, go with the waterproof fabrics as there is no concern of a degrading coating as it the case with water-repellent fabrics.

UV Protection

This is yet another concern that awakens many motorcycle owners. Combined with water, UV rays can cause water spots and thus discoloring your bike. If exposed to sunlight, your motorcycle may look old in a short period of time. That affects the sale-ability of the motorcycle in the future if you intend to buy a new one.
With that said, look for covers that are UV-treated. This guarantees you that the finish will stay beautiful for a long time.

Security

The security of the motorcycle is also important. Also important is the security of your cover. To start with the motorcycle, these covers are not adequately equipped to deter theft. Yes, they come with grommets or eyelets where you can run through the ropes or ties but these are never enough to deter criminals if they have enough time to steal. But can potentially deter chance-takers.

But you can attach the chain and lock the cover and also lock it to a fixed object so that both the cover and the motorcycle do not get stolen. It’s also easy to steal the cover, so if you use the grommets you can deter that theft.

Also problematic is the invitation of criminals to your parked motorcycles. There are some fancy covers that indicate to criminals that you have covered the bike here. I advise you to avoid such obvious invitations just to improve the security.

Sizes

A small size may not cover the entire motorcycle and as a result, other parts will still be exposed to the outside elements. A bigger size as well can be detrimental to the wind blows as air can sneak through to blow it up. Check the right size versus the right motorcycle. In my review, I have tried guiding you about the relevant sizes covered by some covers. You may check the dimensions of the motorcycle and that of the cover and then compare.

Heat resistant

After a long day of riding the bike, the exhaust pipe becomes extremely hot to install the cover. The cover can melt and get damaged. In such cases, you have to wait for some minutes so that the bike cools off. Imagine the inconvenience of waiting while you are late for a meeting!

Motorcycle covers come with aluminized heat-shield to protect against the hot pipes. Other covers come as half-covers to eliminate the part that covers the exhaust pipes. Well, that’s not advisable to buy because it can still expose your bike to rain and UV rays.

Transportability

With transportability, I refer to the ease of transporting the motorcycle cover. In that case, you have to take into account the weight as well as the compression bag. Some covers come with compression bags while others you have to purchase these bags separately.

The more advanced motorcycle covers with multiple layers are common to heavyweights. A lighter motorcycle may be convenient but not efficient in protecting your bike. That’s a serious trade-in you have to consider.

Extra features

The extra features can also play a significant role in distinguishing the best motorcycle covers. The features could include the adjustable elastic hems for a snug fit or zippers for ease of installing the covers. Also important is nighttime visibility with reflective materials at the bottom to alert others to not collide with the motorcycle.

Some bikes come with additional pockets where you can stuff in alarms to deter criminal activities. The soft windshield cotton is also important to protect the windscreen against the scratches.

How to care for and install the motorcycle?

In order to increase its longevity, it’s important to care for the cover. Check the cover prints for instructions on how to care for it. Many of them are not to be machine-washed. Warm water with soap detergent and brush are the best accessories to wash these covers. This YouTube video can give you tips on how to care and install the motorcycle cover.