How to Measure Your Bike for a Cover | Get The Right Fit

Measure the bike’s length, width, and height in straight lines, then match those numbers to the cover brand’s size chart.

One rainy night is all it takes to learn why a bike cover must fit. Too small and it exposes the seat or the brake rotor; too large and it flaps in the wind until the strap snaps. The fix for sizing a cover for a bike correctly takes about five minutes, a tape measure, and your bike parked on level ground.

Tools And Setup Before You Measure

You only need a tape measure long enough to span the wheelbase, and a flat, level surface to park on. Put the bike on its center stand or have someone hold it upright so your numbers aren’t skewed by a lean. Remove nothing — accessories count toward the final measurement, and a cover sized without your saddlebags or top case won’t clear them once fitted.

How To Measure A Motorcycle For A Cover

Motorcycle covers are sized against three straight-line dimensions: overall length, overall width, and overall height. These measurements tell you which size class, from “Small” up to “XX-Large,” fits your machine.

• Length: Measure from the front tip of the front fender to the rear edge of the tail section.
• Width: Measure at the widest point, typically the handlebar ends or the mirrors. Include saddlebags, panniers, or crash bars in this reading.
• Height: Measure straight up from the ground to the highest fixed point, which is usually the windshield or the top of the mirrors.

Accessories matter here. Cycle Trader’s sizing guide notes that saddlebags, windshields, and sissy bars must be included in your measurements, since a cover that fits a naked bike will stretch or tear over a bagger’s bags. If your numbers fall between two sizes on the chart, always round up rather than down — a slightly loose cover sheds rain better than one that strains at the seams. Allow 1 to 2 inches of clearance, because cover dimensions listed on the chart are for the cover itself, not the bike.

How To Measure A Bicycle For A Cover

Bicycle covers follow the same three-axis logic but use different reference points, since the geometry of a bicycle differs completely from a motorcycle.

• Length: Measure axle-to-axle, from the center of the front wheel to the center of the rear wheel.
• Width: Measure at the widest point, which is most often the handlebars.
• Height: Measure from the ground to the highest point, usually the top of the handlebars or the saddle.

Stand the bicycle with both wheels on the floor and let the handlebars sit in their natural riding position. Do not measure along the frame tubes or curves — straight-line dimensions are the only ones that matter, because that is how manufacturers design their covers. The Cover Store’s own measuring guide emphasizes that sizing varies by brand and product line, so always pull up the chart for the exact cover model you intend to buy rather than trusting a universal “large.” If you ride with a child seat, a front basket, or a tall touring cockpit, add those to your numbers.

Choosing The Right Size And Fitting It

Once your three numbers are in hand, compare them against the brand’s chart and pick the size where all three dimensions fit comfortably inside. The RevZilla cover chart, which covers a broad range of makes and models, is a good reference for how these sizes map to real bikes, but it should not replace the chart for the specific cover on your shopping list.

When the cover arrives, fit it once before a storm hits. Make sure the hem clears every accessory and reaches below the exhaust pipes on a motorcycle, then pull the drawstring or cinch straps snug. The hem is what sheds rain and keeps the cover from sailing off in gusty wind, so a loose hem defeats the purpose of an accurate measurement. If you are still deciding between two sizes, the larger one is the safer bet.

Want to skip the math on sizing and jump straight to models that fit? Our roundup of the best covers for bikes breaks down the top options by size range and protection level.