[robertyknwt]

I have a 2011 Wee, I'm in southern California, but my job here might be ending so I might be moving back to Vancouver BC. And in the place where my wife lives (we're not separated, I've been in "employment exile", so of course I'll be moving back in with her), I'd have to park the bike outside. I haven't worried about a cover here in L.A., but the weather in the Pacific Northwet is, of course, much different.

So what would be a good bike cover that can handle:

1. Heavy rain. (Average annual rainfall about 45" or 1150 mm, most of which falls Oct-Mar, average for those 6 months about 32" or 800 mm.)
   
2. Some freezing weather, not super cold, but definitely below freezing at least a few times in the winter. (If you know what "Degree Days" are, average of 30.2 Celsius "degree days" below freezing, so about 55 Fahrenheit degree days.)
   
3. Can stick a padlock on the bottom through some grommets. (Most good covers have those, don't they?)

Any recommendations? Bonus points if you've used it in BC, WA, or OR.

 

[Gert]

A bike cover is perhaps not the way to go. A cover, under strong windy conditions (even tied down), can be bad. The bike could blow over, due to the billowing effect, plus the cover could cause the paint to rub through on the contact points. Under sunny conditions, the cover can promote rust unless the cover can breathe. Under cold conditions, if the bike is stored under the cover while warm, will also promote rust. Suggest perhaps looking for another alternative to store your bike while at home. At work will be a problem though.

 

[RCinNC]

If I had to go back to storing my bike outside, I'd probably opt for something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Peaktop-Moto...Garage/dp/B01J587HKS?tag=badasshelmetstore-20

It's small enough that you could even put it in a standard parking space at an apartment complex (provided there weren't any rules against that). There don't appear to be any stakes to secure it to the ground (and you couldn't use stakes anyway if you had to set it up on asphalt), but some strategically placed sandbags on the bottoms of the supports would keep it in place. They fold up and down like the sun shade on a baby carriage, so no fighting with getting a fitted cover over the bike then the wind is blowing. It's vented, so moisture accumulation won't be as big an issue as it is with some covers. Plus, it doesn't touch the bike, so no worries of worn off paint.

The price on this one is about what I paid for a regular fitted cover with a floor a few years ago.

 

[Bugzy]

My friend bought one of those covers with a metal frame. It was good until the first big wind storm and then he found it over in the neighbors yard. He had cement blocks holding it down, but the wind here can be severe sometimes.

A few weeks later it snowed while he was at work, about a foot of heavy wet snow. When he got home he found it all collapsed and bent. He managed to get another one under warranty, but the next snowfall it bent again, so he just tossed it.

Now with his bike out in the driveway with just a cover on it, a few months later he noticed someone had been messing with it, found the ignition punched out. The bike didn't even have a battery in it, but the thief didn't know that and tried to steal it anyways. Not sure he ever did fix it, that was years ago.

The best thing would be to try and find someplace under a hard cover that is out of sight so the thieves don't try to mess with it. Clean it up really well and bring it inside the house if you can. There are places that will store your bike too, but that costs money.

Gert has it right about covers, they can be hard on the bike, the rust part especially. Those covers that claim to be waterproof are sort of like rainproof motorcycle gear, where they work fine for a few hours, but then the moisture gets underneath anyways and everything gets wet. If it isn't able to dry it all rusts, nasty stuff.

 

[brutalguyracing]

you need the
dowco guardian weatherall plus
https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/dowco-guardian-weatherall-plus-motorcycle-cover

 

[realshelby]

Beware that covers, on anything stored outside, can do more damage than they prevent. Rain isn't as hard on a bike as sunlight is. If I could not find a garage, I would only consider one of the light weight partial covers. These keep the sun off most of the bike. Rain off most of the bike. But fit tightly and don't add much to the wind load on the bike. Bikes will tip over with full covers! Something like the Nelson Rigg UV 2000.

Heavy covers can mess up paint and some plastic where they rub against it in wind. Get them dirty and you have sandpaper rubbing against your paint.

 

[StuckOnEarth]

you need the
dowco guardian weatherall plus
https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/dowco-guardian-weatherall-plus-motorcycle-cover

I too have this cover and have been using it for over a year to protect my bike from the environmental conditions of Vancouver, BC.

I'm very impressed with the quality and have not had a problem with the wind or with any rubbing on paint or parts - the windshield area has a flannel backing that does a good job of protecting the plastic there. I did notice a few days ago that a small section of the hem stitching is coming apart at the point where I grab it and pull it over the rear fender -- not a big issue at all but I'll be picking up some nylon thread to repair it before it does become problematic. I keep the cover clean and dry and always hang it up inside the house when I'm not using it.

My bike is kept in my driveway and is covered after each ride (I ride year-round). I use the cover not only to protect the bike from the elements but also for additional theft protection from prying eyes (I also use a disc lock on the back wheel and an alarmed disc lock on the front).

Realshelby's comment about the sun being more of a concern than rain is quite true -- I cover my bike (when it's in my driveway) if I'm not going to be riding it anymore that day. I also have a shaded spot at work to park the bike.