Trailer a 2009 RT-P

[KneeDrachen]

Purchasing an 09 RT-P and with the unilever front end, what is the best way to secure the front end other than the handlebars/canyon dancer type of harness?

 

Thanks!

[Rougarou]

I use the canyon dancer type, others will say they cause damage but I've not had any issues and once strapped down, I'm not exactly careful with the load (drive normally).

[ltljohn]

Here is a good video on how to tie down a BMW.  Same info in PDF format here

[TEWKS]

Not the exact bike here but the tie down points are the same. I've used the canyon dancers as a secondary safety, but not cranking them too tightly.

 

http://www.ascycles.com/pdf/Tiedown2.pdf

 

edit... And John takes the checkered flag! 

[KDeline]

This one is easy as you have handy tie down points. Just tie down to the police bars, front and back.

[Tri750]

I towed Authorities bikes for several years at the dealership I worked at. 

I used a Kendon stand up dual for most. 

The front lower crash bar is a great starting point , really tight. 

A second set with a soft tie around the grip to each handlebar mildly tight to the handlebars to control things, and two in the rear, to the rear crashbars , that's it. 

Even tho the mothership frowned on handlebar points, we never cranked on them. Just enough to be snug. 

We never used Canyon Dancers.i just gave away two of them. They can hurt your grips and switches. 

 

As far as tie downs, I only use the standard Classic Ancra. Not ratchet .

Strong and no slips wet or dry. 

Somewhere I have a picture of two newer R1150RTP's being suspended upside down as a tow truck flips the Kendon back over after a DUI hit me from behind and steered me into the center K wall about 65. 

The truck rolled 1.5 times and spun, somewhere the trailer became unhooked and landed upside down grinding off the tops of the bikes as they slid down the freeway.

Ancra straps held tight, every one of them. 

They were usable again. Nothing else was. 

 

[KneeDrachen]

Thanks again, all.  Now to locate a trailer!

[tallman]

If you have any damage to your grips, it will co$t.

Seen thousands trailered.

Chock.

Soft ties to the correct points.

Tie straps off with the soft tie loops and trailer points.

No need ever to do handlebars if done properly.

 

[dirtrider]

16 hours ago, KneeDrachen said:

Thanks again, all.  Now to locate a trailer!

 

 

Afternoon KneeDrachen

 

If you end up with a trailer without wheel rails then be sure to either nail a 2x4 along each side of front & rear tires, or somehow restrain bottom of tires from scooting sideways (like lateral straps on lower part of wheels), OR use a proper wheel restraining chock up front.

 

Tying the bike down above center  can allow the wheels to move sideways on the trailer  &  tip the bike over if you trailer over bumpy road surfaces.

 

Also, do not trailer the bike with trans in gear as that allows the bike to chuck around & beat on the trans & final drive gear teeth, remember a lot of the gear  teeth are above the lube level when the gears are not turning.   

[Rogerl]

U Haul has wonderful motorcycle trailers. They are low to the ground, have a rear ramp, and even have a front wheel chock. If there is a U Haul in the area get the motorcycle trailer.

 

Roger L

[BarnRat]

52 minutes ago, Rogerl said:

U Haul has wonderful motorcycle trailers. They are low to the ground, have a rear ramp, and even have a front wheel chock. If there is a U Haul in the area get the motorcycle trailer.

 

Roger L

I second that.  They are such nice heavy-duty mostly-aluminum trailers that I looked into purchasing a used one -- but you can't.  U-Haul's policy is that they don't sell their old trailers -- they use them for parts.  U-Haul will sell their (used-up) vehicles.  I called U-Haul and the guy said "Yep.  No sales of trailers.  If you see a used one for sale it is most likely stolen."

 

Here's a video review.  Ignore the fact that the moron doing the review doesn't know the correct terms "chock" and "d-ring" . . .

 

 

[szurszewski]

Wow. That is an amazing video. Wow. I don’t know what else to say. It’s like if I decided to do a video review of dissertation on astrophysics: “Well, uh, they arranged some letters into groups that look like words. I can’t actually read any of them though because they’re really big and weird. Oh - here’s the word ‘the’ and the word ‘energy’ - I guess those mean things.”

 

 

BUT the uhaul motorcycle trailers do work really well!

[wbw6cos]

I was looking to see if an actual motorcycle was going to be loaded onto the trailer.   That, too, would have been brutal to watch.   HA

[KneeDrachen]

Good Morning All,

 

I apologize for being MIA, schedule has been nuts.  Anyway, with everyone's advice, a bit of luck in locating a UHAUL motorcycle trailer (and new rear suspension on the minivan along with installing rear airbags to help with trailer, the RT-P made its way safely home, after a 690 mile round trip:

 

 

[KneeDrachen]

I ended up using trailer directions that the PO had from the RTs, a soft tie around each lower fork leg over the fender mount and then a soft tie on each side of the frame (blue in the above photo).

 

He then put a tie down through the rear hub hole, but I pulled it out, the bike was being pulled forward in to the chock so I was not concerned about rear wheel hop.  Bike was also left in neutral as a poster here advised.

[KneeDrachen]

Tool tubes have been removed from each crash bar, right now the bike REALLY needs a good, sudsy bath.  I looked, no 2nd battery and I really need to raise the saddle.  If anyone has any advice on how to raise the saddle, I'm all ears.

 

Thanks again for all of your help!

[wbw6cos]

Nice bike.  

 

Are those authority lights functional?

 

LEO or funeral escort?

 

Just curious.

 

Regards,

[mica]

13 hours ago, KneeDrachen said:

Tool tubes have been removed from each crash bar, right now the bike REALLY needs a good, sudsy bath.  I looked, no 2nd battery and I really need to raise the saddle.  If anyone has any advice on how to raise the saddle, I'm all ears.

 

Thanks again for all of your help!

 

Funny finding you here. haha

 

Your seat might be in the low position.  Guy at the dealer lowered mine but I didn't get a good look at it first to see how he did it.  Near the front of the seat there is a bar type thing you just kind of flip over or something to that effect. I bet if you look at it you can figure it out. 

[mica]

"Downward little tie spots" haha I hope for his own safety he doesn't actually ride a motorcycle.

[KneeDrachen]

Or continues to make videos...

[lkchris]

On 2/18/2019 at 5:04 PM, KneeDrachen said:

Purchasing an 09 RT-P and with the unilever front end, what is the best way to secure the front end other than the handlebars/canyon dancer type of harness?

 

Thanks!

The best way is to follow the instructions provided in the owner's manual.

 

Run straps through the openings in the front suspension a-arm to avoid fairing contact.

 

You really want ratchet straps ... NOT straps with hooks.