Prevent motorcycle theft with a lock and cover.

Couldn’t a thief just slash the cover and steal your bike anyway? Sure, but most thieves are a sucker for easy targets. A cable lock and motorcycle cover both work to slow thieves down. It poses too high a risk of being caught, and most thieves will simply walk away.

Even if a thief does try to steal your bike with a cover and lock, these deterrents will slow them down. The longer it takes them to free your bike from the lock and cover, the greater the chance that someone will spot the thief and stop him in his tracks.

Not only does a cable and lock protect your motorcycle, but it also protects your cover from being stolen and from blowing away in strong winds. The peace of mind that a cover and lock bring are more than worth the investment!

The material for your motorcycle storage cover is a huge factor in determining the quality of the cover. In order to pass the storage cover test, your motorcycle cover should include heavy duty material, heat shields, and a scratchproof lining.

Motorcycle Storage Cover with Heat Shields

Heavy Duty Material

If your motorcycle storage cover can’t stand up to the beating of wind, rain, and snow exposure, you’re going to end up replacing your cover every few years. Better to buy a durable cover up front than to buy cheap motorcycle covers and keep replacing them. You’ll save money in the long run and get better protection for your bike.

A heavyweight material or a double layer of material (soft lining covered by an outer protective shell) gives you the best protection. If the material is too thin, it will tear more easily and wear out faster. The outer shell is often made of polyester or a poly nylon blend.

Heat Shields

With heat shields, you can cover your motorcycle right away after riding. You don’t have to worry about forgetting to cover your bike later after it cools down. The lower portion of this type of cover is heat-resistant and won’t melt on hot pipes. Heavy duty polyester works well as a heat-resistant liner.

Scratchproof Lining

The inside lining of your motorcycle cover should be soft enough to protect the finish on your bike and windshield. A soft, scratchproof lining like 100% cotton will baby your bike through the winter months or just overnight. Some storage covers also come with extra-thick lining in the windshield panel for added protection.

Your regular storage cover may not hold up to the demands of trailering. Here’s why.

Not all covers are alike. You may think that a storage cover could pass as a trailerable cover, but the truth is that storage covers designed solely for storage may not hold up to the wear and tear of highway travel. The three main features that set trailerable covers apart from the pack are material thickness, tie down straps, and a secure fit.

Material Thickness
When you travel at high speeds down the highway, the wind can whip your cover around something fierce. Thinner, less durable materials will tear under the force of the wind. In order to withstand the wear and tear of highway travel, your boat cover or ATV cover must be constructed with heavy duty materials. Trailerable covers are thicker and more durable than storage covers, making them able to withstand constant wind, rain, and other forces during travel.

Tie Down Straps
With the force of wind speed, your cover needs to be securely strapped down in order to stay in place. Tie down straps ensure that your cover stays in place on your boat, jet ski, or four wheeler. You can adjust these straps as needed for a tighter fit.

Secure Fit
Without a secure fit, the wind can whip under the cover and “parachute” your cover. Getting whipped around by the wind can damage your cover. Make sure the trailerable cover for your boat, jet ski, or quad ensures a snug fit to reduce the wear and tear on your cover during trailering.

Trailerable covers make excellent storage covers as well. If you plan to use your cover for both storage and trailering, look for a cover that will work for both purposes.

Keep the bugs from ruining your view with these motorcycle windshield cleaning tips.

The more scratches and bug guts that collect on your windshield, the harder it is to see…and the worse your motorcycle looks. Cleaning your windshield requires extra care, as plastic motorcycle windshields scratch much easier than the glass windshield in your vehicle. Be careful what you use to clean your windshield. If you continually use harsh products to clean your windshield, you’ll soon find yourself in need of a new windshield. With the right care, you can keep your windshield in top condition for the life of your bike.

One of the biggest pet peeves of any meticulous motorcycle owner is a windshield full of bug guts. Once they dry, bug carcasses are difficult to remove and can easily scratch your windshield if you try to scrape them off. The easiest way to clean bug guts off is to wipe off your windshield before they have time to dry. Easier said than done…especially when the bugs are flocking to your windshield.

Even after the guts harden, it’s still possible to remove them without damaging your windshield. The trick is to soak your windshield and soften the bug guts so that they wipe off easily. Soak a soft cloth in warm water with mild dish detergent and lay the cloth over the windshield for several minutes. Wipe away the bugs and dry the windshield with another cotton cloth.

If your windshield is already scratched, use a buffing compound to remove minor scratches. Make sure your motorcycle cover includes a soft lining to protect your windshield from scratches during storage. You can also prevent scratches with a polish that contains wax, such as Pledge. The polish acts as a protective buffer against scratches on your windshield. Before applying wax polish products to your windshield, check with your manufacturer to make sure it’s safe for your particular windshield.

Yesterday I got passed by a truck pulling a trailer loaded with 2 jet skis wrapped up snug as a bug in their jet ski covers. Looked good–except that the trailer was swaying back and forth like a drunk driver. Stuff like that makes me nervous–and I’m not even the one pulling a drunk trailer!

In the thick of summer, with more boat trailers and ATV trailers on the road, it’s not surprising to see a few wobbly trailers out there. What can you do to prevent trailer sway? The best way to prevent trailer sway is to stop it before it starts. Take the time to check over your trailer, hitch, and tow vehicle before hitting the road.

Make sure you have the proper equipment and hitch parts, including the right ball and coupler sizes, to tow your trailer. Check the weight distribution to make sure it is evenly balanced. Never exceed the weight capacity of your tow vehicle or trailer tongue. If the trailer tongue is too short or the suspension on the tow vehicle or trailer is too soft, this can also cause trailer sway. If you’re having towing trouble, check out the most common causes of sway and rule these out first before looking for other culprits.