quality bike cover

[transalp]

I seem to be going through quite a few bike covers, probably at a rate of about one per year.

One of them was a Moto, I certainly won't do that again as for some reason it had some horrible fluff on the inside which gradually disintegrated and stuck to the bike.

Last one was a light duty Oxford which was ok but split. Both were in the £ 20 range.

Question is whether it's worth spending a bit more and if a more expensive cover is really going to last significantly longer. It's hard to guess the actual quality when shopping online, has anyone found any products that are really outstanding ?

I'm currently looking at a JDC, a R+G and an Oxford Stormex, prices about £ 40 to £ 50.

Would be interesting to hear what people here go by, thanks for your help.

[Mr Fro]

Erm... mine came from Halfords.

I've still got the one I bought in 2004 - fair enough it's made up of a high percentage of gaffa tape now but it kept the shit off the bike before I got a garage.

[rob m]

I can recommend the Oxford Stormex. I've used them for about 4 years now, current one for 16 months. Extremely waterproof, lined inside, attach around the bottom, gaps for chains to go through and a pouch for a solar powered battery charger. Worth every penny.

[raesewell]

At £20 a year that's only 39p a week, doesn't seem bad to me.

[Mawsley]

Depending on why you're covering it, and where, a ratty old cover can be a boon.

Thieves stole my decent motorbike cover, leaving the Harley where it stood. An old cover pretends there's not much underneath worth nicking, a flashy one says you've got cash to lob on a decent machine worth taking without consent.

If it's just for rain, a piece of cheap tarp will do the trick as well as any pricey sheet.

[Throttled]

I have used numerous covers and found I have to replace them, no matter the make and cost about every 18 months or so. That is why I now use the Ghost Bikes £20 cover.

It has the advantage over more expensive covers of allowing far more ventilation around the bike. Expensive, fully waterproof, very elasticated covers that almost go down to the ground just trap moisture inside.

[ZacharyHobbs]

For your first question, if it’s worth spending a little more money for a quality cover, my answer is yes. I think it’s always better to buy an item that’s a bit expensive than others as long as it is of top quality. As for your second concern, there are actually tons of shops out there that offer quality bike covers. I have tried buying a motorcycle cover waterproof item from this online seller, so maybe you could try searching the Internet too? But aside from shopping online, I think it’s also a good idea to gather suggestions from your relatives or friends. Either way, just make sure that the cover you’re buying has high standard features and really fits your bike.