Now normally I'm never on a trailer. I go camping with a group year round, one of the group has a toy hauler which leaves the rest of us to using a trailer. Hit the campground, mount up and ride for the day, return and start fire, drink. Here's my question. Where are you guys tying off when trailing. The fairings too wide to use the handlebars...
I have some 12" soft ties I hook up to the handlebars then put a small towel underneath so it doesn't rub on the fairing then put on my tie straps with built in soft ties.
I know this was on the forum before somewhere...basically loop straps over the triple tree clamp. Seems to work great from what I've seen.
I use a Kendon single trailer. Soft loops around the lower triple tree/fork junctions then ratchet straps down to the trailer. No contact with bike parts so no other padding needed. For the rear, there is a massive frame junction under the side covers that a soft loop will fit around, then a ratchet strap to the trailer. DO NOT use the saddlebag protectors as a tie down point, you will break them off. If you use another soft loop around the trailer axle at the trailer frame for the lower end of the strap, you can actually put the side covers back on. If you hook the strap to the tie down loop further out on the axle the covers will not fit while trailering. While Kendon identified this "loop" as the tie down point, it looks a little weak to me so I don't use it. Trailered to Sedona, AZ and back a couple of weeks ago with no issues.
I trailered my F6B home from the dealer after they performed the brake recall work. They told me the best way to trailer is to loop a soft grip around each handlebar grip so it cinches tight on the handle bar grip, then tied the other end of the soft tie down to the trailer D ring. I did this and also placed a tied down to each of the passenger hand grip bars. This worked great and there was no bike movement at all. With my D ring spacing, none of the tie down straps rubbed any of the plastic body panels. Hope this helps.
When I trailered mine I used soft loops on all four crash bars. The front ones pulling the bike forward into the chock and compressing the suspension maybe 2 inches and the back ones just basically holding the rear in place. Worked great. I used to trailer my Valkyrie Interstate the same way, never any issues at all.
Dave that's how I trailer mine. I've probably towed mine 5 or 6 thousand miles. The secret is to have a good chock and pull the suspension down 1/2 its travel and then just snug the rear. Use safety hooks on the tie downs cause the bike will flex a little if you hit a big dip. Never have a problem this way. The reason people break the crash bars is because they cinch the straps down too hard.
I would much rather take off the two side panels and attach the soft tie to the frame of the bike, not the saddle bag guards. Talk to any Honda dealer or service center and they will warn you not to use the guards. Just my two cents...... Your bike, do what you want.
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Retired USAF
1974 - 1994
Originally Posted by Dave Ritsema
http://www.leatherup.com/imagesproc/...H355_MW400.jpg
I use this and tie off from the crash guards to the floor of the toy hauler. Very stable and easy to do.
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