BIKE TO BE LIVING OUTSIDE: COVER RECCOMENDATIONS

[CymruGlenn]

Good afternoon all,
I will be picking up my (new to me) K7 VEE (08) very soon. I live in an apartment near the city centre and do not have a garage or shed. This is my first bike, therefore having never owned or maintained a bike before I am wondering if any of you good people could recommend the best cover to keep out the nasty rain and frost when not in use.
Thanks in advance.
Glenn

[brynnjenkins]

will it be kept on the road or offroad parking?

[boac]

I recently bought an Oxford Stormex cover, large size. Cheapest I found it was here: http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/46433

Pretty happy with it, material is decent quality, pretty thick though so doesn't fold down particularly small. Comes in a zipped bag for keeping it in but no chance I'll ever fold it back in there! You might just be able to squeeze it into a large topbox and take it with you but there would be no room for anything else.

They also do a fancy stretch material, Protex or something, but it's a lot more money.

[Pedro41]

Ride bike magazine reviewed these in April 2015

http://75a200b1e5cfa8bbf15a-12066a485c07b5c03ddb8ec68766c94c.r88.cf3.rackcdn.com/076_RDE_0415wm_OXFORD_AQUATEX_BIKE_COVER.pdf

this  Oxford Aquatex one got a Ride 'best buy' and starts £20..(though £35 for our size)
http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/101233

[CymruGlenn]

will it be kept on the road or offroad parking?

Off road in the parking bays (open air) behind my apartment block,

[FlyingPanMan]

I bought two Oxford Aquatex for large bikes with topboxes. They fit very well indeed, even with panniers.

Initially they were 98% waterproof but as months went by the material degraded and after several months they both leak like seives sieves cullanders! The silver parts are particularly permeable as they age and any creases add to the problem. I won't buy them again.

[CymruGlenn]

Stormex ordered!!! Reviews are very good. Cheers

[Apocalypse Ali]

I have the large stormex and it fits a DL650 quite well.

[wurzel]

I have been using the stormex thus winter so far it's a good cover.

[CymruGlenn]

So,
Ordered the stormex http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/46433
went for the biggest size. Only paid £48 including next day DPD delivery (£85 at my local Infinity Motorcycles)... It surely did arrive next day. Very happy with that. Would recommend!!

[FlyingPanMan]

I don't want to put a dampener (no pun intended) on it for you, but reviews on Amazon complain about the seam tapes disintegrating/unsticking after a while.

While yours is still new, it may be worth thinking about coating/taping over the existing tapes to prolong their life? Just don't use ordinary duct tape - it comes off after a while and leaves a sticky mess of glue.

[Apocalypse Ali]

My stormex cover is about a year old and some of the tape is lifting but its still waterproof.  I have sprayed it as a precaution with waterproofing solution.  I am pretty sure its the heat from the sun that lifts the tape but at £60 I think it's very good value.

[Tigerjohn]

I'd give a thumbs up for Oxford Stormex as well - I've used it regularly for 5 years to keep out the elements in West Cornwall. It's done the job but needs tying down securely to stop it flapping. Reflective bits help too if your bike is kept on the road.

[bazza72]

I've had a R&G 'Adventure' cover bought for me for christmas and its excellent, really good quality and perfect fit for my glee. Not sure of the price but would think it was expensive due to the quality  and make. would recommend it..

[ipod]

I have the Total Enclosure System (TES), it has a bottom part that you ride onto then cover the bike and zip it together, stops it being blown away in our lovely weather.
So far it's been a year and its still waterproof and the zips still work.
Only problem is I have the largest size and with the Givi screen and top box on, you can't fully zip it up, plenty to stop it blowing off, about half way. So for the winter, when not riding for a while, I take the box off and lower screen and it fits perfectly.

[Snapper]

I don't want to put a dampener (no pun intended) on it for you, but reviews on Amazon complain about the seam tapes disintegrating/unsticking after a while.

While yours is still new, it may be worth thinking about coating/taping over the existing tapes to prolong their life? Just don't use ordinary duct tape - it comes off after a while and leaves a sticky mess of glue.

 

This is one of two major issues with that cover, both caused by exposure to direct sunlight; firstly, the black fades to purple/grey like nobody's business within weeks and secondly the taped panels all come unstuck within a couple of months  .

My advice ... try and park your bike in the shade.

That said, the construction of the cover is pretty good and it breathes fairly well. If they made it in a silver colour, I'd buy one again.

[ms666]

That's why I went for something like that. I had to build timber frame to make it tad taller but it does a good job. Not much help for the OP thou