Street Bob Trailering
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 493
Likes: 0
From: Newfoundland, Canada
When I took possesion of my bike, I rode it 140 miles to home in 38 deg temps..and 50 mile/hr winds .. some rain / some snow flurries..smiling and shivering all the way...could have trailered it..but look what I would have missed out on..bringin' my new HD home....
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
Likes: 39
From: Passaic County, NJ
Ha ha....me too. Well, I rode it home 40 miles at the end of Jan. Jan in sc isn't that bad but it was nipply, with temps hovering around 40 or so. Freezing, smiling all the way.
Jmp...nice diagram. Thats how I do it too...except I was using the top shock mount.
Jmp...nice diagram. Thats how I do it too...except I was using the top shock mount.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,021
Likes: 2
Man you guys would have laughed if you'd seen the one time I trailered my bike down to FL. I had to to take my son down there to stay for the summer, and decided to get a uhaul so I could take the bike and do some rinding while there. I had ten straps on there and it still worried me to death.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Use something around the straps so u don't mess up the aluminum..trust me, sucks polishing those marks out..I trailer my bike to the drag strip so if i break something i wont be without a ride an I strap it down just like jmpancoast does
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,359
Likes: 2
From: MA
Hmm...adding a rag between the strap and the tree would have me worried. What if the rag shifts...blows out..then you have a loose strap. I've just run the tie-down around the fork tube at the lower tree. It doesn't mark, scratch or damage the aluminum unless you have large debris (metal shavings,etc) embedded in the nylon.
I always added a rag between my soft strap and the triple trees to prevent scarring on the metal. I never had an issue.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,722
Likes: 7
Bottom line, there are multiple ways to do it. The front end is most important. It appears most everyone agrees that a strap on each side of the lower part of the trees is the way to do it and make sure you partially compress the front shocks to keep it from bouncing but not so much that you keep to much pressure and bust a seal. I highly recommend some sort of wheel chock as well or at least be able to put the front part of the front tire up against something that doesn't move, such as the front end of the trailer. I have a cheap locking wheel chock and it does the job. The rear end you can get a little more creative with. The key is to just tie it down so it can't bounce up and down or move side to side. I've taken 2 straps and put them together and looped it through the rear wheel a couple of times and tied down on each end of the trailer and I've tied down from each rear shock lower mount point. Both ways worked fine. Whatever you do, stop shortly after you first leave to make sure everything is staying tight. Then check again everytime you stop during your trip.
As far as the "Harley's should never be on a trailer unless broken" statements, I used to listen to that garbage. Then I rode 6 hours in pouring rain to myrtle beach one year with trailered bikes passing me on the left and right all the way down. During that trip, I saw both my buddies behind me skid through a red light on the wet road and could have gotten killed if someone had jumped on the green coming from the other way. Now I believe there are times and places for trailering bikes and I won't hesitate to do it next time the time and place arises.
As far as the "Harley's should never be on a trailer unless broken" statements, I used to listen to that garbage. Then I rode 6 hours in pouring rain to myrtle beach one year with trailered bikes passing me on the left and right all the way down. During that trip, I saw both my buddies behind me skid through a red light on the wet road and could have gotten killed if someone had jumped on the green coming from the other way. Now I believe there are times and places for trailering bikes and I won't hesitate to do it next time the time and place arises.
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Joe Kucinski
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
Likes: 39
From: Passaic County, NJ
I too was one of those people who felt strongly against trailering. While living in Columbia, SC I've watch people trailer their bikes to MB. That annoys me still. It's a 2.5 hr ride...dammit...ride that bike.
I did have the pleasure of trailering mine to Columbia from where I live for about 2 months. I would leave monday mornings around 5am...get to work...get off work at 5pm then go ride. I was staying with a friend during the week. On fridays I'd trailer my bike back home with me. For the record it's a 2hr ride but the difference being is that on mondays (especially) I had to be dressed business-casual which meant no blue jeans. I couldn't show up dressed for a ride. I refused to dress business casual and ride. I'd look like a douche, not that I don't already look like one. Lol...
So, bottom line, there are times to trailer and times to ride. Especially having a family now which includes a 1yr old...I can't always ride to my destination. If the situation allows me to ride to point B rather than trailer, I will but I'll no longer judge people for trailering unless it's because they're scared to ride.
I did have the pleasure of trailering mine to Columbia from where I live for about 2 months. I would leave monday mornings around 5am...get to work...get off work at 5pm then go ride. I was staying with a friend during the week. On fridays I'd trailer my bike back home with me. For the record it's a 2hr ride but the difference being is that on mondays (especially) I had to be dressed business-casual which meant no blue jeans. I couldn't show up dressed for a ride. I refused to dress business casual and ride. I'd look like a douche, not that I don't already look like one. Lol...
So, bottom line, there are times to trailer and times to ride. Especially having a family now which includes a 1yr old...I can't always ride to my destination. If the situation allows me to ride to point B rather than trailer, I will but I'll no longer judge people for trailering unless it's because they're scared to ride.
trailering summary
Good summary Greg!
Along with the images posted by the other members this could be used as a trailering instruction.
Mud, would you be so kind to add this thread to the index under "Trailer Tips" in the *Search Topics * How To * Hints* ?
FXD2003Rider
Along with the images posted by the other members this could be used as a trailering instruction.
Mud, would you be so kind to add this thread to the index under "Trailer Tips" in the *Search Topics * How To * Hints* ?
FXD2003Rider