Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 26 to 45 of 45
  1. #26
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Sun City West, AZ
    Posts
    2
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default Tie down strap angle

    Quote Originally Posted by BLUEKNIGHT911 View Post
    I think I'm the MIKE you are referring to , Nice job, and very nice PICS.... ........I can't believe someone actually believed me .......good for you, you won't be dis-appointed.......I only use ONE on the rear wheel ...But I'm a dare Devil .....The only thing I would caution about is the distance of the front wheel anchors from the front tires / wheels. I don't think it's possible that the Spyder can move forward though.....and this is only as strong as the weakest LINK which is the ANCHORS .....I think your's are FINE....................Mike
    Thanks Mike, I was limited by the length of the short strap with hook connected to the ratchet - caused me to have the angle you don't like. I would prefer to have the strap come straight down from the top of the tire - possibly could add another anchor which is straight down to run the strap through, but I thought it would be OK with the forward strap angle because the rear is secure and pulling toward rear while the front straps are pulling forward. I'll be checking the straps often the first time I haul it any distance. Appreciate your advice and comments.

  2. #27
    Very Active Member Jim&Teresa's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Woodbury, MN
    Posts
    1,370
    Spyder Garage
    1

    Default Using a Droptail Trailer

    We use a Droptail trailer. I really like that it folds and store upright in the garage and NO ramps needed - built in. Works well for the Spyder with the low clearance. The back of the trailer hydraulically lowers and the built in rear gate folds down to extend the ramp portion. Easy to use. Our Spyder RT just fits and the nose of the Spyder fits in the V part of the front of the trailer. Not a lot of spare room, but works well. The Spyder fills the whole trailer even though this is a "two up" motorcycle trailer. A bonus for us is that our Gold Wing can be hauled on this trailer as well - however, only one bike at a time (unless you have two - 2 wheel motorcycles). There is a standard 8 inch stone guard and an optional 20" stone guard. I did add the 20" stone guard on our trailer. Also, we purchased an optional spare tire which bolts to the bottom of the trailer.

    Here's some info on the model number and a few pics: Drop - Tail "Two - Up" Cruiser / Sport Bike Trailer, model number: 03-DCT2200-02

    Good luck on your choice of trailers - there are a lot of good trailer out there that work!!
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Happy and safe rydin'
    2014 Spyder RT Limited - January 2014, Cognac/Black Seat, #958, born on 1-8-14
    2014 RT Limited , Cognac

  3. #28
    Active Member kbwitt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    AZ
    Posts
    417
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by dartex View Post
    have found many good tips on trailering one question when on the trailer do you leave the park brake set or leave it off and just strap it down have a couple of spyder riders give different answers your 2cents worth please

    I highly recommend factory way. Look in your Manuel under Transporting The Vehicle.
    It has good pictures and its so much easier than some of the suggestions made here.
    It has you putting it neutral parking brake off to pull it up onto a trailer ( in a broken mode) it never tells you in the stap down mode to put it back in gear or set brake so leave in neutral brake off when transporting.
    Kennn

    ps parking brake is only on back tire
    Last edited by Peter Aawen; 02-16-2020 at 06:06 PM. Reason: OP added a ps; PA fixed quote display

  4. #29
    Active Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Louisburg, Kansas
    Posts
    337
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default Exactly---

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Denman View Post
    SE-6 here...
    Neutral; with the parking brake on, and three straps...
    Check the straps shortly after you start your trip, and then every couple of hours after that.
    I agree with Bob---SE6- leave in Neutral, use 3 straps, check it after moving a little bit and check it often during your trip. The straps do come loose! This is exactly how we do it and it works great!
    2015 RT-Limited SE6-TricLED Fender LED's (Red and Amber), 3rd LED Brake Light/Tail Light, ISCI Handbrake with black small hands handle,Spyderpops Rock Guard. ,Can-Am Adjustable Wing Vents, Bumpskid, Bajaron's Sway-Bar with metal Heim Joints. Elkas Stage 2 Plus., TricLED Wide-VU Mirrors, TricLED Jumper Port, Laser Aligned!

  5. #30
    Active Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    36
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default

    Good thread but not sure if it will work for me. Live in Arizona, looking to get a spyder in california (~ 500 miles away) and was thinking of getting a uhaul open trailer to bring her home. Don't think uhaul would appreciate me modifying their trailer and don't have a spyder manual so no idea what it says about transporting. Any thoughts on securing to a uhaul open bed trailer? I'm guessing I'll need a 6 x 12 to be safe.

  6. #31
    Very Active Member CopperSpyder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Waynesboro, PA
    Posts
    3,179
    Spyder Garage
    1

    Default

    yes 6 x 10 or longer. the issue will be getting ramps long enough to get the spyder on and off. The ramp in the middle can be a little shorter. The Spyder sits low so you will need long ramps for the out side (front wheels). The Rt is about 64 inches wide and 9 foot long. Few ways to strap it down. best is over the top of the wheels but for you; you may have to use the through the wheels with ratchet straps place a soft rag or towel on the strap between the strap and rims so you don't scratch them. Tie the all 3 wheels down using 3 straps.
    My Spyder
    2012 RTL , Brown

  7. #32
    RT-S PE#0801 timeless's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Punta Gorda, Florida
    Posts
    162
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tango View Post
    Leave the tranny in neutral. No parking brake. One tie down each wheel, three total. My Spyder has never moved. Use towels in the spokes of the wheels to prevent scratching them. Tom
    Me too, I do exactly the same and in several thousand miles of trailering I have never had the RT move even through several trailer and motor home tire failures.

  8. #33
    Very Active Member Gwolf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    Florida Swamp
    Posts
    1,935
    Spyder Garage
    2

    Default

    My wheel chocks have a slot on the back side. One in front of the tire and one in rear of the tire, then run a strap through the slots and lock it in place. Also put a strap on the rear wheel, but not through the wheel. It goes through the frame in front of the wheel.

    Only time it has ever been on a trailer is the day I picked it up at the dealership.
    2019 F3-S , Black & Silver

  9. #34
    Active Member NewYorkSpyder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Schenectady NY
    Posts
    58
    Spyder Garage
    2

    Default

    This is how I tow my RT and also my Ryker. Straps thru front wheels RT on trailer.jpg20190908_101858_1567970971526 (002).jpg then attached to front of trailer with emergency brake on no rear strap used.
    2019 Rally , GMUltra Violet

  10. #35
    Active Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    NEPA
    Posts
    49
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default

    Black+Gray stuff works great keeping stuff from moving round also their hangers are great also

    https://www.blackandgray.com/product...ck-kit-sp.html
    with their
    https://www.blackandgray.com/product...-down-kit.html

  11. #36
    Very Active Member CopperSpyder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Waynesboro, PA
    Posts
    3,179
    Spyder Garage
    1

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by NewYorkSpyder View Post
    This is how I tow my RT and also my Ryker. Straps thru front wheels RT on trailer.jpg20190908_101858_1567970971526 (002).jpg then attached to front of trailer with emergency brake on no rear strap used.
    You should rethink the rear strap. If you ever get in an accident or have to leave the road because of an accident in front of you that Spyder may not stay with you.
    My Spyder
    2012 RTL , Brown

  12. #37
    Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie Peter Aawen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Australia; Sth Aust, Adelaide Hills
    Posts
    9,515
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by CopperSpyder View Post
    You should rethink the rear strap. If you ever get in an accident or have to leave the road because of an accident in front of you that Spyder may not stay with you.
    With it secured like that up front & no rear strap (of any sort) there's nothing at all holding your Spyder DOWN & on the tray besides its own weight, and there's nothing at all to stop it bouncing forwards & over that beam of wood in front of the front tires in the event of an impact &/or sudden/hard stop !!

    IF you're lucky, that sudden/hard stop or knock might only bounce the tires up & over the beam, damaging the front end of the Spyder & maybe the suspension too; but if the stop is sudden/hard enough, there's the potential for the Spyder to bounce forwards up & over the beam & flipping, ending up inverted half in the back of your truck, albeit with the front tires still securely tied to the front of the trailer! Not happy Jan!

    If you haven't secured the front tires DOWN behind that beam in addition to the straps holding it forwards across the top of the beam that we can see, then your Spyder really isn't too much better off than just leaving it sitting on the flat trailer deck with a couple of chocks in front of the front tires!! At least with a strap holding/pulling the rear wheel back towards the back of the trailer, it'd lessen the risk of your Spyder bouncing forwards over the beam in the event of an impact or sudden/hard stop; but ideally, you really should secure at least one end DOWN & onto the trailer bed!

    Me, with straps like that up front, I'd be fixing the rear tire down with something like an E-track ratchet strap over the tire circumferentially. Or better yet, I'd strap the front tires down using the same style of E-track ratchets, & secure the rear tire either the same way or with a strap wrapped figure 8 style around the rim & tire so that it'll stop the rear of your Spyder moving from side to side as well as holding it back & down!

    Over to you!
    2013 RT Ltd Pearl White

    Ryde More, Worry Less!

  13. #38
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Pennsylvania
    Posts
    21
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default

    I guess that trailers are the best way to go, but has anyone here backed their Spyder into the bed of of a pickup truck ? My Ford Super Duty has a tailgate opening that is one inch wider than the width of the bike, so if I back it into the 8' long bed, I would avoid the narrowest width at the wheel wells and the front wheels of the Spyder would set onto the very last few inches of the bed --- or even onto the tailgate. I have a "Gator-Ramp" that telescopes off the tailgate that provides a solid surface from side-to-side so there wouldn't be the necessity of having three normal-type ramps to accommodate the rear wheel. Has anyone been adventurous enough to try something like this ?
    As you may have guessed --- I'm terrible at backing up a trailer !

  14. #39
    Very Active Member BLUEKNIGHT911's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Central VERMONT
    Posts
    20,271
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Terraplane8Bob View Post
    I guess that trailers are the best way to go, but has anyone here backed their Spyder into the bed of of a pickup truck ? My Ford Super Duty has a tailgate opening that is one inch wider than the width of the bike, so if I back it into the 8' long bed, I would avoid the narrowest width at the wheel wells and the front wheels of the Spyder would set onto the very last few inches of the bed --- or even onto the tailgate. I have a "Gator-Ramp" that telescopes off the tailgate that provides a solid surface from side-to-side so there wouldn't be the necessity of having three normal-type ramps to accommodate the rear wheel. Has anyone been adventurous enough to try something like this ?
    As you may have guessed --- I'm terrible at backing up a trailer !
    I have put my 2014 RT ( see my album ) onto/into my 03 Toyt. pk-up that I made a flatbed for .... however I can drive it up and in going forward ... yes the ramps are steep ( 10' ramps & 28" rise ) ... I put 10ft. of 26ga. galvanized sheet metal that I put hundreds of dimples thru.... excellent traction even in the rain .... your problem is going to physics .... the Spyder hasn't got the greatest traction ( ie one powered wheel ) and you arn't making it better because you are going backwards. I'm known to try just about anything, but I wouldn't try that ..... good luck .... Mike

  15. #40
    Very Active Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Location
    southwest oHIo
    Posts
    792
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Terraplane8Bob View Post
    As you may have guessed --- I'm terrible at backing up a trailer !
    I'll just make one comment here. If you are terrible at backing up a trailer, backing the Spyder up a ramp into a VERY tight area isn't going to be any easier. In order to get the rear tire into THAT particular spot, the front wheels are going to be going from side to side, quite a bit more than that one measly inch of room that you have. Remember, that's only HALF an inch on each side. The sides of the tailgate opening will not be gentle on the wheels, tires and fenders if you miss.

    .
    HER ride:
    2017 RT-S SE6 Pearl White

    My rides:
    2000 Honda GL1500SE
    1980 Suzuki GS850G

  16. #41
    Very Active Member ARtraveler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Valley Springs, AR
    Posts
    41,273
    Spyder Garage
    8

    Default

    All good information. Even with the revival of the thread from 8/2016. I thought some of the early posters looked familiar.

    Currently Owned: 2019 F3 Limited, 2020 F3 Limited: SOLD BOTH LIMITEDS in October of 2023.

    Previously : 2008 GS-SM5 (silver), 2009 RS-SE5 (red), 2010 RT-S Premier Editon #474 (black) 2011 RT A&C SE5 (magnesium) 2014 RTS-SE6 (yellow)

    MY FINAL TALLY: 7 Spyders, 15 years, 205,500 miles

    IT HAS BEEN A LONG, WONDERFUL, AND FUN RIDE.
    2020 F3L , Magma Red

  17. #42
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Pennsylvania
    Posts
    21
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default

    Thanks for all of the thoughts about loading a Spyder into a pick-up truck ! I'm going to push it one step further ---- What if the Spyder is loaded onto the truck bed using a winch ? It might be a lot easier making incremental adjustments as you go using that method. Come to think about it --- where would you have to attach the winch cable ? The "Gator Ramp" I mentioned can be deployed onto an embankment or standard loading dock so the the ramp becomes not a ramp, but is parallel to the ground. Perhaps in that situation, the rear wheel might have normal traction ? The ramp is coated with a "gritty" compound of some sort and has always had good grip for all of the times I ran my BMW K-75 in and out of the bed. Sound like a possibility to anyone ? I still have trailer dyslexia ! Bob

  18. #43
    Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie Peter Aawen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Australia; Sth Aust, Adelaide Hills
    Posts
    9,515
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default

    I dunno that I'd be all that happy driving too far with my Spyder on the trailer/in the bed of a pick-up so that it's FACING BACKWARDS as you drive along!!

    Maybe it wouldn't be such a biggie if the trailer &/or pick-up bed was protected by a full height fairing or better yet, fully enclosed; maybe it might not be too bad for some Spyder models or possibly a windscreen-less Ryker; but even just the thought of carrying/transporting my RT while it's facing backwards so that it's exposed to all the airflow & buffeting of a vehicle travelling at pretty much any speed just makes me cringe!! And that still applies Even if the machine was winched into place, possibly with the winch cable secured to the trailer hitch?!

    Have you seen how those windshields are held on?? Or the tupperware side-panels?? Even on mine, with its 'much more positively secured D-Zus fasteners' holding the side panels on, the whole thing is designed to withstand the airflow of its motion passing from the front of Spyder over everything as it heads towards the rear & eventually flows off the back - flip that around so that the airflow & any debris, rain, bugs, or other crud it's carrying is travelling from the rear of the Spyder over & around the blunt end, creating a heap of 'backward' high velocity turbulence & lifting forces in places and ways the designers probably never even dreamt of, and I can see the potential for a few lost panels; a broken windshield, maybe tearing off a dash cover as it goes past; with water &/or other crap being blasted into the instruments & cluster etc, getting injected in under the glass & into the delicate working bits; the potential for lifting &/or ripping off things like the mirrors, trunk/frunk lids, or the glove box lid; and maybe getting even more crushed & stinking bugs stuck deep into some difficult to remove places than it currently scores!!

    So Bob, if it was me facing a choice of loading my Spyder backwards onto anything vs me spending some time practicing reversing with a trailer in tow until I'm comfortable with reversing that trailer at speed uphill thru an icy slalom course while driving a truck wearing racing slicks, I'd already be out there practicing reversing!! Or I'd just plan on NEVER EVER trailering or carrying my Spyder anywhere, and ALWAYS ryding it FORWARDS wherever it needs to go, with maybe just a little low speed reversing under its own steam thrown into the mix if necessary!

    But that's just me.... you might choose to do things differently, cos YMMV!
    Last edited by Peter Aawen; 07-17-2020 at 05:30 PM.
    2013 RT Ltd Pearl White

    Ryde More, Worry Less!

  19. #44
    Very Active Member BLUEKNIGHT911's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Central VERMONT
    Posts
    20,271
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Terraplane8Bob View Post
    Thanks for all of the thoughts about loading a Spyder into a pick-up truck ! I'm going to push it one step further ---- What if the Spyder is loaded onto the truck bed using a winch ? It might be a lot easier making incremental adjustments as you go using that method. Come to think about it --- where would you have to attach the winch cable ? The "Gator Ramp" I mentioned can be deployed onto an embankment or standard loading dock so the the ramp becomes not a ramp, but is parallel to the ground. Perhaps in that situation, the rear wheel might have normal traction ? The ramp is coated with a "gritty" compound of some sort and has always had good grip for all of the times I ran my BMW K-75 in and out of the bed. Sound like a possibility to anyone ? I still have trailer dyslexia ! Bob
    What are you going to use on the rear of the Spyder to attach your cable to ????? .... I wouldn't use a Tow Hitch because of the angle that cable is going to be at ..... plus BRP says 400lbs MAX for their hitch ( tow capability ) .. and you MUST remove the windshield as others have said ....... and will keep my " cheese grater " traction device .... Mike

  20. #45
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Pennsylvania
    Posts
    21
    Spyder Garage
    0

    Default

    Actually, I didn't mention the fact that my Ford Super Duty has a fiberglass bed cover that rises hydraulically straight up six feet and parallel to the bed, so, as I did mention before, I could ride my old BMW K-75 up the Gator Ramp and straight up to the cab of the truck. I then strapped it down, removed the windshield [4 screws] and lowered the cover down onto the bike after placing padding on the saddle and fairing. I've driven a lot of miles at 70+MPH with no problems whatsoever, so I was assuming I could duplicate that general setup for a Spyder. The bed cover is a "Top-Up Camper" I bought years ago from a company in Michigan. With canvas sides and bunks that cantilevered off the sides of the bed, it converted a pickup truck into a camper while leaving the entire bed of the truck as open space. Pretty slick ! Thanks for the advice about the 400 pound limit on the BRP trailer hitch ! That was where my mind was wandering to as a logical attachment point. I guess a custom hitch point would be required to achieve my aim. I really appreciate the different points of view and suggestions --- AND the emojis !! Cheers !! Bob

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •