To cover or not to cover....

that is the question
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The wet seat of a bike after a night of rain,
Or to take arms against nocturnal precipitation,
And by opposing it? To ride: to be dry;
No more; and by using a bike cover we end
The heart-ache and the thousand wet arses
That flesh is heir to, 'tis an achievement
Devoutly to be wish'd. To ride, to be dry;
To ride: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;

bzzzzzt............

Normal service has resumed..

Right, so, I keep the CB on the drive / allocated parking space where
it's as secure as it can be without digging up and putting in a ground
anchor. To be fair, not likely anyones gonna nick 95 CB500 really.

Anyway, i know its what many class as a hack but to me its my only
proper bike and im using it every day so dont want to risk buggering it
up or ill be relegated to the car for my admittedly short commute.

So, to cover or not to cover?

What do ye do? Am i really bothered about rubbing a bit of rain off the
saddle in the morning and the mirrors and clocks? nope, but by not
covering it is there likeliehood of genuine problems? that's what I'm
really worried about to be honest.

I have tried covering the bike after its been raining to keep more off
it, still wet in the morning, which i know people say dont cover an
already wet bike.
Ive tried covering it when dry and its rained and the rain still seems
to get through or its condensation.
Ive tried leaving the cover off and theres no rain overnight and still
its wet through condensation.

So really, it seems to matter not a jot what i do and hence im
beginning to think covers are a waste or time and effort, but what say
the font?

 

<applause>

I think if I was in the position of having to keep a half-decent bike
outside I'd bite the bullet and get a really good breathable and
waterproof cover.

 

Rather than a cheap vinyl cover from Argos, which takes the lacquer off
your paintwork.

 

....but since it's a 95 CB500, it'll be fine as it is?

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www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Until I get a flash new mohair roof for the MX5 I am keeping a 'car
cap' on it when parked behind the gates. Sort of slightly fleecy lined
silver stuff from Halfords. Certainly keeps the rain away from the
cracks in the vinyl (that's what comes of putting a 12 year old vinyl
roof up and down like a yoyo). As to condensation, it's hard to say as
it isn't a complete cover, but certainly not enough to drip in to the
car, so that's alright then. The fleecy surface does seem not to
scratch the paintwork whilst being deployed and removed though.

 

ahem

For in that ride of damp what crud will come
When we must trundle down this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there's the respect
That makes calamity of so shite a ride;
For what could bear the whips and scorns of rain
The gritter's crap, the salt man's flow,
The pangs of unfilled holes, the road's decay,
The bastard leaves and the piles
of steaming poo that the farmer makes,
When the bike itself might its quietus make
with galvanic rot? should we ACF50 wear,
And grunt and sweat upon a weary bike,
But then the dread of something on top of that,
The undiscover'd cranny in whose bourn
No metal survives, puzzles the will
And makes us rather keep bikes indoors
Than have risks under covers that we know not of?
Thus crevice corrosion does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of laquer coating
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of rust
And alloy bits of great form and function
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose their sheen and lustre.


Eamonn

 

move somewhere with a garage.

 

Humph, thought it was going to be another Bukkake thread.

 

This is your life, isn't it?

 

Colin Irvine said:

Oh Christ yes, half decent but this is really a hack possibly less than
hack status depending on your point of view.

If I had something like im on the lookout for next year, ie a decentish
BMW or Pan Euro Id definitely be covering it.

As it is, this covers one of those Bike It jobbies
http://www.bikeit.co.uk/accessories_product.asp?ID=50

and its not as premium as I would have thought to be honest, glad i got
it trade :-/

 

Eiron said:

oh yea, they're shite those things, had one years ago for a scooter and
the stuff it was made of soon started to harden and crack leaving big
holes therefore kinda fucking up the theory of it being a waterproof
cover :-/

 

Pip said:

lol.
Pisses all over my short attempt though eh?

 

Cane said:

another?? Didn't see the first one!

 

Sir needs one of these - worth every penny IMHO (just under £300 inc
delivery). I have a 100w electric greenhouse heater under mine, which
prevents condensation and keeps the Ducati dry. I can park a wet bike in it
at night and its dry in the morning.

http://www.thebikebarn.net/standardmodel.html

 

<also reply to Colin>

I have a vented cover from M&P. I used it at my last gaff before moving to
this place with a garage. It is very good at preventing condensation plus
it reduces billowing as air can escape. The vents are covered by velcroed
flaps.
http://www.mandp.co.uk/home.aspx Product Code: 500088

 

Hardtop. ykims.

 

Unfortunately the proceeds of the Nordwest clearance sale won't run to a
new mohair roof (plus fitting) *and* a hard top. As soon as early spring
came I would take the hard top off anyway, and I had the roof down
occasionally in February last year. I find the heater so effective given
the small cabin that it gets perfectly comfy even without a hardtop.
Though I suppose the hardtop protects the roof in heavy frost ? At least
the cap keeps the windows free of ice, and if the weather does dry up a
bit during the day and lure me out it's the work of seconds to remove it
and stow it in the boot. The car has already got the frankenstein bolts
and the other mounting bits, so I may keep an eye on Ebay.
--
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TMack said:

Dont think the neighbours would appreciate that in my allocates space
somehow.
I'd suffer their stares of disapproval if i had a nice bike worth more
than a few grand but not a ?300 honda cb, a bike barn would double the
price