Sun/rain cover

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dukey33	Sun/rain cover		Lead	[-]
HSATF 1st Officer Posts: 733 06/13/08 9:42 AM	Tags : None I'm on the cusp of selling my Vulcan which had been serving commuting duty and will be relegated to riding the Ace T daily. The cover that I got with the bike is a bit small but is otherwise a good cover (Nelson Rigg UV-2000 half cover). My concern is the paint fading from the abusive Texas sun, especially on the horizontal surfaces such as the tank and saddlebag tops. I prefer the half-cover and had even considered a bikini cover, but don't think it will provide the coverage I want. I search this forum and only found this other thread on covers. http://hondashadowacetourer.yuku.com/topic/2879/t/I-need-a-good-inexpensive-rain-sun-cover.html Only full sized covers were discussed there and the Exigent specifically claims not intended for use as a sun cover. I bit of research shows CoverMax, DowCo, Ultragard and Kuryakyn offer a half-cover sized for 'wings (which would surely fit the comparatively petite T). Any experience with those products? Any other ideas? I may just end up getting a larger size of the same Nelson Rigg cover. Thanks. duke loud horns save lives
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tonythecarguy		#1	[url]	[-]
HSATF 1st Officer Posts: 607 06/13/08 10:19 AM	Duke, I have an Ultraguard half cover for a GL1800 that fits the tourer nicely; it was a good price at a rally ~$30 IIRC. I only use it on the two or three long trips I take a year; so like 2-3 weeks of use a year. So I can't really comment on how long it will last but it does fit nicely, it is actually just a bit tight across the mirrors. In the front I hook it to the bottom of my rifle lowers and it will cover all the way to the bottom of the saddlebags when I don't have my trunk on. The seat and tank are nicely shaded and for the most part don't get wet if it rains (to give you an idea of coverage). If I remember I will take a picture this week while at the hoot (First 8 days of use for this year ) and post it for you so you can see how it fits. Tony
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Fredrider		#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 6142 06/13/08 11:37 AM	Duke, Where I used to work in Indiana there were a couple of guys that bought Bikini covers and liked them a lot because they kept the sun off their Harleys' paint, but were easy and fast to put on/take off. I have not tried one with my T, but I do not think Bikini covers are wide enough to cover the saddlebags. Fred
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dynodon1		#3	[url]	[-]
HSATF Tail Gunner Posts: 74 06/15/08 8:20 PM	If you keep the paint clean and waxed, it really shouldn't fade from the sun. Only paint that isn't maintained and protected will have those problems. MOre important is protecting the tires and upholstery from sun damage, as vinyl and rubber will deteriorate much faster than paint in the sun. Use a good tire dressing on just the sides of the tires, and use a good vinly product like Lexol Vinylex on soft vinyl. A product from Wurth called Rubber Care is good on other exposed rubber and hard plastic that isn't painted. A cover can be hard on bikes and cars when used all the time. all of them will let dust and dirt under the cover of vehicles stored outside. Also, the wind rustling the cover, with that dust on the paint, will do more wear/tear than the sun on painted surfaces. If the cover is rain proof, then it will also hold moisture under the cover causing rust and other damage from mold. Maybe not in your area of Texas so much, but in most of the country. Just be sure to take the cover off regularly and clean under it, and run the cover through the wash if it can be washed. Try to tie it down as tight as possible to prevent it from moving around on the paint. I to not try to promote my business on the site, but if you want to contact me I can give you my URL for my web site where I sell detailing products and have free tips for caring for vehicles. dmall@mwonline.net is my e-mail.
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bamaTrider		#4	[url]	[-]
HSATF 1st Officer Posts: 3889 06/15/08 10:19 PM	I too have had concerns about the sun fading the paint here in the south, but dynodon speaks the truth about the cover abrading the paint when dirty and windy. The only exception is a cover I used to see in an add in Cycle World magazine that was made out of soft spandex material. The whole thing stretched to fit which prevented it from movement in the wind. I have not seen the add for some time now. A good polish with UV protection will go a long way towards protecting the paint from fade and bird droppings. A good vinyl top protectant will have UV inhibitors for the rubber and vinyl parts. Stan "We are different - yet we are the same" 2004 GL1800 Goldwing (Titanium) 1999 Ace Tourer (Silver over Black)
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alepel		#5	[url]	[-]
Posts: 8085 06/16/08 11:38 AM	I bought the Dowco Ultraguard cover for my 88 Honda VT800. I can't remember if I got the Medium or Large but it fits my Tourer just fine. Its a full cover that I use for bad weather and weather storage. It cover everything. As for Dowco I can't enough about them. I'd buy anything that they sell. I deal with them at Americade and they are the greatest vendor. alepel "Ride with the Spirit always, and in all ways"....hombldr
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dukey33		#6	[url]	[-]
HSATF 1st Officer Posts: 733 06/17/08 10:25 AM	A cover also helps keep the seat cool and shades all the plastic switchgear from the sun. Thank goodness I don't have a gel seat. I've heard they retain a lot of heat for a long time and the gel will break down after enough exposure. Thanks for the responses. I'll report back after I've made a decision and get a new cover. duke loud horns save lives
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dukey33	Follow-up	#7	[url]	[-]
HSATF 1st Officer Posts: 733 08/11/08 8:17 PM	Well, I ended up "borrowing" the cover that I got with the BMW. It's made by Geza , size Large but doesn't quite fit the big LT (fit guide says I need an XL) It's a stretchy nylon material (much like Lycra, only much heavier) so it forms to the bike pretty well and doesn't flap much in the wind. In fact, Geza advertises their covers are good to use on a trailered bike. It has 5 loops to secure the cover: one at the nose, 2 midships and 2 in the back. I added "S" hooks to the two at the back (covered with heat shrink tubing for scratch protection) that hook right onto my wraparound Cobra saddlebag guards. The loop at the front goes under the steering lock and the cover is on in less than 15 seconds. Overall I like it. It covers the seat, windshield, handlebars tank and saddlebags. Since it is a half-cover I don't have to wait for pipes to cool, nor is there any concern about trapping moisture underneath it. It's advertised as water-resistant, but I'm not concerned about protecting it from a monsoon (nor wimpy tropical storms name Edouard neither). If it also covered the front fender, it'd be perfect. duke loud horns save lives
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2Smooth4U		#8	[url]	[-]
HSATF Tail Gunner Posts: 260 08/17/08 10:30 PM Second Officer	I use the Nelson Rigg UV2000 cover on my bike every day I ride to work, which is often and I work 12-hour shifts. It protects from the Florida heat and frequent summer rains. Mine is a perfect fit. I believe I ordered the Extra Large. I've had it over 4 years with no noticable wear. It isn't completely waterproof but the protection is adequate. It keeps the downpours out of electrical switches and the heat off the seat. My garage-kept '98 Ace-T has no fading or dry rot. It folds easily into the saddlebag or included pouch. I even took the cover with me on my tours to South Dakota and New York. It's just nice to get on the bike the next day without the seat being wet or hot. Just make sure to hang it up to let air dry when it gets wet. If you leave it stuffed in your saddlebag when it's wet it will mildew.
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