Should I Cover my Spyder While Towing?

[JoeyL]

I just received my Stinger trailer. I bought it directly from the manufacturer, who I would give a 9 out of 10 rating. I'm planning a 700 mile trip in a few weeks and was wondering if I should put the cover on while towing, or will the wind pick it up and damage it or the bike? Thoughts? Opinions?

[Peter Aawen]

Leave the cover off & preserve the paint!

The paint's softer than you might think, and anything covering it that will move or flap AT ALL for any length of time WILL damage it!! I've seen a Spyder that'd been covered with a (fairly?!?) tight fitting, specially lined, & advertised as suitable for covering vehicles being towed cover that had many biiig wear blemishes rubbed into the paint after just 1 hour of towing at 'around town' speeds - so not even Freeway or Long Distance Travelling speeds, just 35 mph or so for about 1 hour & the paint work was destroyed!!

So just leave the cover off & preserve the paint! It'll be no harder to clean the bugs & road grime off than it would be if you rode it that far . Besides, cleaning it sure beats getting it stripped back & repainted!

[Arion]

What Peter said!

[newdave]

That's been my experience as well. More damage from rubbing than you will ever get from road debris. Any strike energetic enough to cause real damage will not be stopped by a fabric covering.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Leave the cover off & preserve the paint!

The paint's softer than you might think, and anything covering it that will move or flap AT ALL for any length of time WILL damage it!! I've seen a Spyder that'd been covered with a (fairly?!?) tight fitting, specially lined, & advertised as suitable for covering vehicles being towed cover that had many biiig wear blemishes rubbed into the paint after just 1 hour of towing at 'around town' speeds - so not even Freeway or Long Distance Travelling speeds, just 35 mph or so for about 1 hour & the paint work was destroyed!!

So just leave the cover off & preserve the paint! It'll be no harder to clean the bugs & road grime off than it would be if you rode it that far . Besides, cleaning it sure beats getting it stripped back & repainted!

..... Absolutely .... take a good look at your Car or anyone else's..... see those millions of Swirl marks .... they occurred after the car was carefully washed and then waxed.... now imagine what the cover on the Spyder is doing as you drive down ( or up ) a highway at 60 + mph ?????? .... get the picture ..... Mike

[Motorcycledave]

I just received my Stinger trailer. I bought it directly from the manufacturer, who I would give a 9 out of 10 rating. I'm planning a 700 mile trip in a few weeks and was wondering if I should put the cover on while towing, or will the wind pick it up and damage it or the bike? Thoughts? Opinions?

NO NEVER !!!! the wind blowing on the cover will act like sand paper and remove your paint.

[canamjhb]

The best protection for your Spyder is to make sure your towing vehicle has good protection from throwing stuff at the bike from the rear wheels. Good mud flaps on the towing vehicle and/or a good rock guard on the trailer. And follow the good advice given by the previous posters..... Jim