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Motorcycle Covers Keep Your Bike "Showroom New"

Motorcycle covers serve an important purpose--to keep your bike looking just as good as the day you brought it home. Imagine this scenario:

You've just brought home a spanking-new "bike," and you can't stop looking at it. This thing is absolutely your pride and joy, and God help anyone who says a word against it! But how are you going to keep your new motorcycle in showroom condition. Proper maintenance and the occasional trip to the carwash aren't going to cut it...

You're going to need a high quality motorcycle cover--one worthy of your new 'pride and joy," and in this article, we'll go over the basics of locating and buying the right cover for your bike and using it properly.

Let's begin at the beginning: your first consideration before purchasing a motorcycle cover is to decide if it will be used outdoors or indoors. If you decide on an indoor cover, you will usually be limited to only using the cover indoors. On the plus side though, indoor covers tend to have a smooth, soft touch that will certainly protect your motorcycle from any scratches. Indoor covers also do a great job of keeping dust off your bike, but they are usually neither waterproof nor weather resistant.

Another limitation of indoor covers: you cannot pull an indoor cover over a hot motorcycle fresh from the road. Indoor covers don't offer heat panels to isolate and protect from exhaust heat, and so they can actually be dangerous if used incorrectly.

But if you are certain your cover will only be used in indoor settings, check out the Dowco Duster line of motorcycle covers. If price is your biggest concern, the lightweight Dowco StoreAway cover might be a better option for you.

If, however, you are certain your motorcycle will only be stored outside, an outdoor cover is by far the best way to go. Outdoor covers tend to be much sturdier than their indoor cousins, and there is a wide range of outdoor motorcycle cover designs to choose from. Two great choices would be the Dowco WeatherAll cover and the Nelson-Rigg Defender. These outdoor covers both feature lifetime warranties and a 100% waterproof cover surface. They also offer  heat-resistant lower panels allowing them to be used safely on a fresh-from-the-road bike, without any fear of creating a fire hazard.

The Dowco Company also produces a lighter all-weather cover that includes most of the same features mentioned above. But if your bike is a larger "cruiser" type, an excellent choice would be the Nelson-Rigg Falcon cover. This outdoor cover is also 100% waterproof and offers heat resistant lower paneling.

After you've deciding on a cover, you need to ensure you get a perfect fit. Motorcycle cover sizes go by make and model. You will find application charts available to guide you to the right size for your specific motorcycle. However, if your bike has custom extras such as leather saddlebags or a front visor, it is wise to purchase a slightly larger size cover. Usually going up one size is sufficient in these cases.

Remember, your motorcycle is exposed to the elements on a regular basis. Give it the protection it deserves with a quality motorcycle cover to keep it showroom new for years to come.