Motorcycle covers for the XS650

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

I wanted a simple cover for my XS1B, to protect it from barn/shop dust/dirt and varmint ejections. Don't want something delicate like tissue paper, or something so intense as armor plated kevlar with heaters and LED lighting. Never bought one before. How hard can it be? A quick eBay search brings up thousands of these things. ...Egads.

Couple of other threads on motorcycle covers.

http://www.xs650.com/threads/motorcycle-cover-help.37059/

http://www.xs650.com/threads/rust-oleum-motorcycle-cover.44899/

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

First step is to figure out the sizing. Found a chart that shows bike dimensions and cover sizes.

(I'm not sure what a "sheep motorcycle" is.)

Then, the dimensions for my XS1B.

It's recommended to choose a cover that's a few centimeters longer than the bike. Okay, easy enuff. The XS1b is 217cm long, add a few centimeters, use 225 centimeters as the target length, which works out to size XL. I also don't want something so big that would look like a bedsheet covering a screwdriver.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Decided on this cover, in size XL.
It looks tall enuff to handle my small tail-bag.

It shows a length of 245 cm, but size of XL.
Whatever. It'll probably fit.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Bike in the barn, ready for covering.


Cover applied.


Man, it just barely fit.
And, it's about 10" (25cm) off the floor.
The single rear view mirror uses up a bit of the height.
Imagine if working with 2 mirrors!

I'll go ahead and use it. But, a warning to others, especially the longer 74-up models, avoid the XL size.

This reminds me of my childhood experiences, thrifty grandmother shopping for my clothes at the Asian outlet stores. Pajamas that stopped at the elbows and kneecaps...

 

[Mailman]

Nice 2M! And a great price too! I’ve bought several over the years, when I used to commute to work I liked to keep the sun off my bike so it wouldn’t rot all my rubber and plastic. I always had good luck with Nelson Riggs covers, not cheap but nicely made. One other thing, they always run smaller than they advertise.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

... they always run smaller than they advertise.

A cover size of XXL or XXXL would've probably fitted it better.

When I've ridden my XS1B to other bike shops, it's dwarfed by just about everything in there, including some of the 250cc bikes. What the heck fits them???

 

[Mailman]

The last cover I bought for a Suzuki 650 V-Strom, I bought a cover going by the online size recommendations and it was like a joke, I had to send it back and get the one they said was supposed to fit big heavy cruisers and it was STILL a stretch fit.

 

[fredintoon]

Bike in the barn, ready for covering.
View attachment 125618
Cover applied.
View attachment 125620
Man, it just barely fit.
And, it's about 10" (25cm) off the floor.
The single rear view mirror uses up a bit of the height.
Imagine if working with 2 mirrors!
I'll go ahead and use it. But, a warning to others, especially the longer 74-up models, avoid the XL size.
This reminds me of my childhood experiences, thrifty grandmother shopping for my clothes at the Asian outlet stores. Pajamas that stopped at the elbows and kneecaps...

Hi 2many,
you don't get what you don't pay for, eh?
I've gotten 3 bike covers gifted to me over the years so I never got to actually choose one.
What I've done to get a smallish one to fit is to take the bike's mirrors off and gotten a largish
one to fit tighter by using bunjie cords.
A recent house move has reduced my vehicle storage to a single garage so my new trick
will be to discover what size of quad cover will fit a motorcycle and sidecar

 

[gggGary]

Yup all my bike covers so far have been gifts or "came with used bike" I have one that covers the Royal star, Queen Mary size???

Hint never put a bike cover on when a thunderstorm is approaching. Tipped an XS when the cover did the drogue chute thing. Two of us were desperately hanging on to the bikes and covers while we knifed the cover cords free.

 

[wannabridin]

I used one of these on each of my XS's (skinny bobber and stock) - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FS33C3W/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1

They're a bit large, but have handlebar pockets and decent vents and they tie/clip together in the middle to help keep it in place. I've mine parked in an outdoor, vinyl sided shed though, so there's no exposure to UV or rain (and hopefully it's vented well enough to keep moisture out!)

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

Decided on this cover, in size XL.
It looks tall enuff to handle my small tail-bag.
View attachment 125616

It shows a length of 245 cm, but size of XL.
Whatever. It'll probably fit.

I bought this XL Tourmaster in 2/2017 for my '80 XS winter/rat bike which goes outdoors part of the year when 5 bikes and a Miata cause too much congestion in the garage.

It cost a whopping $45 from Dennis Kirk on sale, and lasted only a year; it began to shed polyester dandruff all over the bike

2M, did you get yours from Amazon ?
Could you provide a link ?
.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

'Dude, it was an eBay cover.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/232876590351

Eyeballs are still blurry from all the online shopping...

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

'Dude, it was an eBay cover.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/232876590351

Eyeballs are still blurry from all the online shopping...

Thanks !
Yes, I had the same discombobulating experience when I tried to shop for a cover....
.
.

 

[peanut]

very helpful thread some great investigative work there 2m . thanks