Interstate Bra...any good?

[J.Mencalice]

I just missed closing a deal on a used bra for my 2000 Interstate on eBay; missed it by 5 seconds.
Got beat out by a buck from some shrewd eBayer to the tune of $73 for the item and $16 for shipping.
Well, my question is this:  Are these things any good or are they just something that winds up flapping in the breeze when they come loose from stretching vinyl and aging velcro?
I'm kinda torn between seeking one and just going naked, but will continue the search if they are truly a functional accessory.

Anybody wanna give me some pearls of wisdom on this? ???
Thank you from Willopad357

[R J]

1 question kind sir.

Do ya value your paint job?

Will wear and buff the paint in the wrong places.

[Rams]

Just my personal opinion but, here it is.  Bras do two things, protect from foreign object damage while still damaging paint and cover up damage while damaging paint.   Ever look at the paint beneath a bra, it's usually dull and worn from the bra rubbing on it.  I'm told that if installed right, it won't do that, guess I haven't seen one installed correctly.

[Oss]

had one

it didnt damage the paint in 7 years

My fat girl now rides bra less

Seems to be happy

Of course had a wee little chip in the paint first ride out from something bouncing off the road

thats life

[Rams]

My fat girl now rides bra less

OK, you can stop talking like that right now.  You know how excited I can get. 

[Karen]

Back in the 70's, I was fortunate enough to pick up am old BMW R26, 250cc, single cylinder, with oxidized paint & metal. I spent the better part of a day cleaning, shining and polishing the Beemer, until I had it as good as I could get it. I decided to ride out to a motorcycle junkyard that I had heard had some BMW parts, so I got on my new ride & headed our Route one to 128. As I got on 128, I noticed that people were really turning their heads as they drove by, and I thought "Boy, this bike looks great, all that time spent cleaning was worth it!" Then I looked down. My loose T-shirt had been blown up by the wind, and I wasn't wearing a bra...(it was the 70's) I pulled off the road, had a cigarette & continued on, making sure my shirt was down. If that happened today, I'd feel the gas tank, but things change (they always do). The only good part to this story is that so far, no one has ever come up to me and said "Didn't I see you riding on 128?"

[PAVALKER]

Back in the 70's, I was fortunate enough to pick up am old BMW R26, 250cc, single cylinder, with oxidized paint & metal. I spent the better part of a day cleaning, shining and polishing the Beemer, until I had it as good as I could get it. I decided to ride out to a motorcycle junkyard that I had heard had some BMW parts, so I got on my new ride & headed our Route one to 128. As I got on 128, I noticed that people were really turning their heads as they drove by, and I thought "Boy, this bike looks great, all that time spent cleaning was worth it!" Then I looked down. My loose T-shirt had been blown up by the wind, and I wasn't wearing a bra...(it was the 70's) I pulled off the road, had a cigarette & continued on, making sure my shirt was down. If that happened today, I'd feel the gas tank, but things change (they always do). The only good part to this story is that so far, no one has ever come up to me and said "Didn't I see you riding on 128?"

    Morning coffee wasn't quite done yet.... thankfully.  Got a good chuckle.  Thanks....

had one

it didnt damage the paint in 7 years

Got one, no paint damage.  Clean under the bra and wax it when I clean the bike.  I know it has protected the paint on the fairing from flying stones and bugs.  I would like another one as back up (or for when I get that second I/S).

[Dave Ritsema]

I have one, pulled it out of the package twice for longer road trips. The bike was clean when I put it on of course and I left it on for the duration of the trip and took it off when done. No scratching or marking of the paint at all. I think they work fine in an application like that, but I would never leave it on all the time.

[cookiedough]

I would agree with Dave on this one.  Longer trips or where rough roads where rock chips happen more frequently I would put one on, but not leave on always.  I've seen too many car bras scuff and take paint right off the hood over years of continued use, same could happen with a cycle.  I guess if you kept the bike clean and washed off at least monthly taking off the bra and cleaning underneath before dirt/dust had a chance to collect, it may be fine, but wouldn't chance it.

[F6BANGER]

I have one and like it. Only problem I have is when I hit rain. The bra stretches a bit and wind gets under it. It starts flapping loudly. Just take it off in the rain and its ok.

[alph]

the instructions that came with the bra say that you should wash and wax the frairing before putting on the bra.  it also tells you not to leave it on if it gets wet.  so, if a person would just obide by what the manufacture sugests, there won't be any problem, but if you leave it on all year, you've got no one to blame but yourself......

i've got one, it comes off once it rains, and i'll wash and wax before i put it on.  what i like the most about it, is that it makes cleaning the bug guts easy, they just wipe right off of that vinyl.

[Oss]

Alph you are killin me here

Since I got my Valk used (3k) it did not have any bra instructions and I NEVER even looked under there

yeah I know hard to believe Oss never looked under a bra

until I took it off before heading to Maggie Valley last year.

Suppose its better to be lucky ................

Karen, so that WAS you I saw that day. There was birds singing and rainbows in the sky
Thanks for the mammories  I mean memories

[fudgie]

I have one on my HD fairing. Love it. Cleans easy. I dont care what it looks like under it since thats why I have a bra on!  Mine fits tight and has no loose ends to flap around.

[old2soon]

I just missed closing a deal on a used bra for my 2000 Interstate on eBay; missed it by 5 seconds.
Got beat out by a buck from some shrewd eBayer to the tune of $73 for the item and $16 for shipping.
Well, my question is this:  Are these things any good or are they just something that winds up flapping in the breeze when they come loose from stretching vinyl and aging velcro?
I'm kinda torn between seeking one and just going naked, but will continue the search if they are truly a functional accessory.

Anybody wanna give me some pearls of wisdom on this? ???
Thank you from Willopad357

   Sent you a P M. RIDE SAFE.

[Tailgate Tommy]

Back in the 70's, I was fortunate enough to pick up am old BMW R26, 250cc, single cylinder, with oxidized paint & metal. I spent the better part of a day cleaning, shining and polishing the Beemer, until I had it as good as I could get it. I decided to ride out to a motorcycle junkyard that I had heard had some BMW parts, so I got on my new ride & headed our Route one to 128. As I got on 128, I noticed that people were really turning their heads as they drove by, and I thought "Boy, this bike looks great, all that time spent cleaning was worth it!" Then I looked down. My loose T-shirt had been blown up by the wind, and I wasn't wearing a bra...(it was the 70's) I pulled off the road, had a cigarette & continued on, making sure my shirt was down. If that happened today, I'd feel the gas tank, but things change (they always do). The only good part to this story is that so far, no one has ever come up to me and said "Didn't I see you riding on 128?"

I remember those good old days! You made me laugh 

[J.Mencalice]

Thank you all (or y'all depending on your location) for the varying opinions; looks like a 50-50 split of for and against, or for w/conditions attached.

Guess I'll have to sleep on this one for a little bit, but the Mayfly and Miller Moth season is upon us in Western Colorado and they are hell to clean once they've dried and petrified on the cowl!

I'm one of those who'd probably leave it on permanently unless I got caught in a frog-choker up in the high country and have to dry it out.

Thanks again,
Willopad357 out...

[alph]

let me tell you about the ONLY thing i don't like about my BRA.  other than that nasty underwire cutting into my skin......

i don't like when you turn the handle bars to the left, mine gets hung up on my bakers airwings.  i've heard of this happening to one other person. 

[Chattanooga Mark]

I have one and use it when needed in heavy bug season. It works great and cleans up easily. Like the Hodaline tank strat, I remove it periodically and wash/wax under it.

Works good, lasts a long time,

Mark

[Thulsa Doom]

Had a dent on the fender when I got my Valk.



Tried to pop it out but it ended up looking like a popped out dent - lousy.
Then I had a brilliant idea to cover it with leather. Everything looks better in leather right?
Frank from Franks Leather Products made this for me. I think it looks good - especially better than a dent. I leave it on all the time.

 

[Oss]

I think that was me Alph in LaCrosse Wisconsin a few years ago

I went to a hardware store and got double sided tape but velcro also would work

The problem was the bottom isnt flush with the fairing without the velcro or tape

[John Schmidt]

Same thing happened to my wife a few years back. We were cruising down this four lane and passed some elderly type who did a double take, then a big grin and waved. My wife waved back and we kept going. Passed another car...same reaction, and so on until we caught a light. The old timer pulled up and rolled down his window, pointed to my wife and said "kinda cool for riding like that isn't it?"  She looked down and her blouse had blown up enough to expose the girls to the daylight, and she never noticed. She just laughed, pulled it down, then told him "I pick up extra change this way to help pay for the bike." 

[Valkahuna]

I don't really get the Bra (for bikes and cars, not women - I get that!!!) thing. I've had several for various cars, and one for a bike. Seems to me to be an Oxy Moron. You buy it and put it on to protect the paint, so it looks good longer. Then, you cover the paint - and nobody can see it anyways!

So, I don't get it. Leave the paint uncovered and let the bike/car look good. Unless you are trying to protect the paint for the next guy buying the vehicle. ???

Also, Karen. In the '70s I used to travel Rt 128 a lot going to Polaroid in Waltham. One day, there was this beaudacious babe on a bike with billowy, big boobies, busily biking down the Boulevard (boy, say that quickly three times!). I cursed near wrecked! When I recovered sufficiently to give chase, the anemic cage I was driving just couldn't keep up. When I got home I told my better half that I'd seen a modern day Lady Godiva, in a big rush on a road in Greater Boston. She thought I had come upon a Parade, and I did not elaborate.!

So... that was you! Well, nice to finally meet you (sorta)

[G-Man]

I'm kinda partial to the bra that was on Oss' desk.  His secretary was more than happy to demonstrate its features.   

[ValkFlyer]

Back in the 70's, I was fortunate enough to pick up am old BMW R26, 250cc, single cylinder, with oxidized paint & metal. I spent the better part of a day cleaning, shining and polishing the Beemer, until I had it as good as I could get it. I decided to ride out to a motorcycle junkyard that I had heard had some BMW parts, so I got on my new ride & headed our Route one to 128. As I got on 128, I noticed that people were really turning their heads as they drove by, and I thought "Boy, this bike looks great, all that time spent cleaning was worth it!" Then I looked down. My loose T-shirt had been blown up by the wind, and I wasn't wearing a bra...(it was the 70's) I pulled off the road, had a cigarette & continued on, making sure my shirt was down. If that happened today, I'd feel the gas tank, but things change (they always do). The only good part to this story is that so far, no one has ever come up to me and said "Didn't I see you riding on 128?"

Oh boy, what some people will do to get noticed ............just kidding.....good one.