Keep it under wraps! Best motorcycle covers for indoor and outdoor use, tested by MCN

How can you tell if a motorcycle is valuable? It usually has a cover on it. While it’s preferable to store your motorcycle collection in a palatial garage or personal museum, many of us are forced (for the time being) to park bikes on the street, in gangways or behind apartment buildings. You’re not alone. But an outdoor motorcycle cover will help keep dust, dirt, pollen and rain (or snow) off your bike if you must store it outside.

And when you finally move into your estate with a five-car locked garage? An indoor motorcycle cover helps here, too. Indoor bike covers keep dust from household projects and activities off your motorcycle and mean less time cleaning and polishing.  

Why do I need a cover for my motorcycle?

Ever left your motorcycle parked on the street for a week? Dust, pollen and soot build up quick. Add in leaves, rain and snow and the mess adds up quick. Cleaning your motorcycle is a huge pain compared to cars. Plus, over time, UV rays from the sun damage paint, instruments and anything plastic or rubber. A cover means more time leaning, less time cleaning. 

Covers also keep prying eyes away — research shows covering a bike makes it less likely to be stolen. Combined with a lock and chain, a cover will help deter all but the most determined bike thieves.

If you have a garage, a cover protects your bike from scratches in high-traffic areas and again, protects paint and plastics from possible sunlight.

What to look for when buying a motorcycle cover

If you’re looking at an outside cover, make sure it breathes to allow built-up moisture to escape. A soft liner will prevent damage to the bike’s paint or finish. You’ll also want a slot for a chain or lock.

For an inside dust-cover, you’ll also want material that’s as soft as possible. Here are MCN’s picks of the best covers for motorcycles.

Best Outdoor Motorcycle Covers

Other Outdoor Motorcycle Covers to Consider

Best Indoor Motorcycle Covers

Frequently asked questions

What size cover do I need?

It depends on the size of your motorcycle. Keep your bike dimensions handy when shopping for a cover. The cover needs to be bigger than your bike dimensions, with enough room to cover the wheels completely.

What rules do I need to be aware of?

Laws and parking rules vary widely, depending on your state and city. Most larger cities do not require motorcycle tags or wheel tax stickers (sometimes called “city stickers”). Cities that do require them (like Chicago) ostensibly stipulate they be displayed at all times, including when covered. In practice, enforcement of this rule is uneven.

Paid street parking is monitored via license plate, so again, obscuring your license plate with a cover leaves you at the mercy of parking enforcement. As with motorcycle tags and registration stickers, enforcement is a bit of a grey area, especially with a locked cover preventing anyone from lifting or removing it. Ultimately, you bear responsibility for legalities in your area and assume the risk of expensive parking tickets.

Can I leave a cover on my bike for long periods?

Some covers are more breathable than others and allow ventilation and airflow through the bike. If the cover isn’t breathable enough, moisture builds up leading to corrosion and rust. Of course, riding your bike periodically will solve this problem.

How MCN tests motorcycle covers

The MCN team of expert journalists have decades of experience over hundreds of thousands of miles. We don’t torture test anything. We use it just like you do in the real world and in all conditions to deliver impartial motorcycle cover advice.

MCN covers countless miles each week and tries lots of options in a short space of time. We quickly discover which motorcycle covers work great, which ones don’t and why.

We only feature motorcycle covers we’ve extensively tested. Comparison motorcycle covers will be included if deemed important and relevant. Testing is ongoing and we will continually add gear and products to our site.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.

Scoring explained

Products are given a score from 1 to 5 stars. Beyond the ratings tab, you’ll find in-depth info on product and gear performance and attributes.

• 1 star – Avoid at all costs.
• 2 stars – Barely acceptable.
• 3 stars – Average or adequate.
• 4 stars – Above average.
• 5 stars – Excellent performance.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.

NOTE: While MCN may receive commissions or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections – read why you should trust us.

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