Gear Review
By RANDAL Tebeau
TOUR KING BIKE COVER
a good bike
cover is impor-
tant to me when I travel. I prefer to
cover my bike at night and even at
times during the day, depending on
the weather and circumstances.
Keeping your bike covered helps
protect it from the weather and also
helps deter those who might wander
by and be a little more than curious
about your bike and attached gadg-
ets. Without doubt, it is always nice
to have a dry seat to ride on versus
a wet or water soaked thing that
seeps water for the next day or two.
Personally, I don’t want a bike
cover that takes up a lot of room, or
takes a long time to put on or take
off. I’m also not looking for a
portable garage, just a simple cover
to shield my bike from the elements.
My preference is a cover that is
small, lightweight, easy to store and
easy to put on or take off.
Tour King makes a lightweight
cover that was actually, in years
Having
gone by, a RFS incentive on two dif-
ferent occasions. I liked that cover
from the first time I used it and I still
like it. The cover weighs less than 1
pound and fits in a 4”x 8” bag and it
is made right here in the USA. It is
basically a half cover that leaves the
lower bike open. So, when it was
time to get a cover for the Road
Glide Ultra, I looked to Tour King.
Tour King has a good website,
with pictures and descriptions and
it’s easy to order and pay. Just select
your bike brand and model, click any
appropriate boxes (i.e., Tour Pak,
etc.) and when finished enter your
payment info. You can even add any
special comments on your order
form to insure your cover fits. Most
of the bike covers run $54.95 and
include free shipping via regular
postage (can be upgraded). You will
have to create an account, which is
simple, and it allows you to check on
your order status. My cover arrived
in about a week.
The cover comes with instructions
and is really simple to put on or take
off. The cover is made from a very
thin black rip stop like material that
is weatherproof and sheds water
easily. There are elastic straps that
loop over the pegs, Tour-Pak, etc., to
hold the cover in place. Windy condi-
Tour King Motorcycle Covers and Accessories: 1.800.572.8687 or visit the website www.tourking.us
tions can make it interesting, but
keep the wind to your back and with
practice it becomes quite easy.
On my previous cover, the straps
lost some of their elasticity after
many years and miles of use. I
picked up some new elastic from
WalMart, sewed it in place with a
needle and thread and it was as
good as new. The cover material
itself has lasted extremely well with
no issues over the years. I’ve never
had any damage to the TK covers
I’ve used, but I’m very careful not to
let the cover drop down onto any
hot pipes or engine parts, as it could
damage the cover material.
The only water I’ve experienced
under the cover comes from occa-
sional condensation when the condi-
tions (humidity, dew, or temp
changes) create this. The rain runs
off and not through the cover and
after a rain the cover dries out really
quickly in the sun, then simply fold
and roll it up and stuff it into the
included storage bag. If it is wet and
you are in a hurry, no problem,
shake the water off and stuff it into
the bag, you don’t have to worry
about wetting things nearby. Just
don’t forget to pull the cover out
and let it dry later or you may have
a stinky mess in a week or two when
you pull it out!!
This is my third Tour King cover
(three different bikes) and it is my go
to cover, I wouldn’t be without one. I
think you will be very satisfied with
this quick, convenient cover that
does all you need when
traveling the highways
and hedges. CMA
Randal Tebeau oversees the Southeast
Region as National Evangelist.