Bike Covers: Good or Bad?

My current bike (56-plate Hornet 600) is my third bike, after another Hornet and a 125 Varadero. The first two used to just live out on the back yard in all weather, and so did my current one, for a month or two, and has been under a cover ever since.

I noticed the other day that the tail of the bike (where it comes to a point) has a spot where there's no paint. I wondered at first if it was me '3-point-turning' on the back yard and I'd nudged the wall, but then I realised that I'd have hit with the numberplate first if that was it and I'd have known about it.

Eventually I figured out that it is the rubbing of the cover when I take it off/put it on the bike that has worn the paint down. Thank fully I have an orange model so the light plastic colour isn't standing out loads; if I'd still had the black one then it would've shown up all right!

I don't have an option of a garage as we just don't have one on the property, but I've been to see a friend today and he's shown me a bike 'tent' that he's bought to keep his Hornet in. Looks quite snazzy and there's loads of room in there.

It's left me wondering if I should bother with the cover or not. The bike is used every day, no matter what the weather, and it spends 8hours+ at work exposed to the elements anyway. Is a few hours at home without a cover really going to make that much difference?

I'm gutted about the paint job as there's not a mark on it otherwise (well, apart from marks by the foot pegs where my boots have rubbed on the side and scuffed it, but this seems a problem on all Hornets that I've seen). Assuming the tent isn't an option, should I make do with loosing the paint, have no cover at all, or by a cover that isn't lined with sandpaper? :lol