My trailer solution to carry Spyder

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

The only time I ever hauled my Goldwing, after trailering it home from the dealer, was in the back of the pickup when I moved from Louisiana to Idaho in 2006, so I figured when I got my Spyder I would never have need of a trailer to haul it anywhere. Wrong! :sour: I have a 5' x 10' utility trailer, but of course that is not wide enough, by 6"! If I'm going to go on a long trip I'll RYDE! That's why I bought it!

So what should I do to haul my Spyder to the dealer when riding isn't a good first choice? I borrowed an enclosed trailer from my nephew once, but that's not a convenient option since he lives 25 miles away. I couldn't justify buying a new trailer just for the once or twice a year I might need to haul my bike. Plus, this size trailer really works good as an all around utility trailer and my ATV fits in it quite nicely!

This is what I came up with. I took it to the dealer today to have the air bag checked out. I used the winch on the tongue to pull it up and the service manager drove it off. And yes, I took the windshield off, which takes all of about 2 minutes! Worked great! All for less than $60!:yes:I will probably add a 2 x 4 stiffener to the underside of the ramps. They sagged about 2 inches while loading/unloading. More weight on the front wheels than I expected!

 

[Chupaca]

Well done..!!

looks good and if it works it is all you need. Just reinforce as you said..congrats..problem solved...:2thumbs::clap::clap:

 

[retread]

One thing, and it's a fairly big one....If you load your Spyder backwards, take the windshield off! Otherwise, it could get expensive, it's built toe take pressure from the front.

john

 

[Highwayman2013]

One thing, and it's a fairly big one....If you load your Spyder backwards, take the windshield off! Otherwise, it could get expensive, it's built toe take pressure from the front.

john

He did mention that.

 

[Highwayman2013]

The only time I ever hauled my Goldwing, after trailering it home from the dealer, was in the back of the pickup when I moved from Louisiana to Idaho in 2006, so I figured when I got my Spyder I would never have need of a trailer to haul it anywhere. Wrong! :sour: I have a 5' x 10' utility trailer, but of course that is not wide enough, by 6"! If I'm going to go on a long trip I'll RYDE! That's why I bought it!

So what should I do to haul my Spyder to the dealer when riding isn't a good first choice? I borrowed an enclosed trailer from my nephew once, but that's not a convenient option since he lives 25 miles away. I couldn't justify buying a new trailer just for the once or twice a year I might need to haul my bike. Plus, this size trailer really works good as an all around utility trailer and my ATV fits in it quite nicely!

This is what I came up with. I took it to the dealer today to have the air bag checked out. I used the winch on the tongue to pull it up and the service manager drove it off. And yes, I took the windshield off, which takes all of about 2 minutes! Worked great! All for less than $60!:yes:I will probably add a 2 x 4 stiffener to the underside of the ramps. They sagged about 2 inches while loading/unloading. More weight on the front wheels than I expected!

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I have the same size trailer, thanks for the idea.

 

[pitzerwm]

Necessity is always the mother of invention, clever!!!:yes:

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I have the same size trailer, thanks for the idea.

If you have any questions about specifics that you can't decipher from the pics, just holler!

 

[Roadster Renovations]

One thing, and it's a fairly big one....If you load your Spyder backwards, take the windshield off! Otherwise, it could get expensive, it's built toe take pressure from the front.

john

Agree! Otherwise, looking good!
Hey,how much wind deflection would you get by putting a full cover on. It would have to knock a substantial amount of I would think!

 

[Raknid]

Very creative ��. I would also recommend cross-bracing those lift blocks. They could otherwise risk collapse with the twisting and shaking forces (and the weight which you mention) over a long trip at highway speed. I admire your ingenuity.

 

[jaherbst]

The only time I ever hauled my Goldwing, after trailering it home from the dealer, was in the back of the pickup when I moved from Louisiana to Idaho in 2006, so I figured when I got my Spyder I would never have need of a trailer to haul it anywhere. Wrong! :sour: I have a 5' x 10' utility trailer, but of course that is not wide enough, by 6"! If I'm going to go on a long trip I'll RYDE! That's why I bought it!

So what should I do to haul my Spyder to the dealer when riding isn't a good first choice? I borrowed an enclosed trailer from my nephew once, but that's not a convenient option since he lives 25 miles away. I couldn't justify buying a new trailer just for the once or twice a year I might need to haul my bike. Plus, this size trailer really works good as an all around utility trailer and my ATV fits in it quite nicely!

This is what I came up with. I took it to the dealer today to have the air bag checked out. I used the winch on the tongue to pull it up and the service manager drove it off. And yes, I took the windshield off, which takes all of about 2 minutes! Worked great! All for less than $60!:yes:I will probably add a 2 x 4 stiffener to the underside of the ramps. They sagged about 2 inches while loading/unloading. More weight on the front wheels than I expected!

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Good Luck.

 

[bronzeflex42]

Pretty neat idea, just be cautious how you drive. opcorn:

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

One thing, and it's a fairly big one....If you load your Spyder backwards, take the windshield off! Otherwise, it could get expensive, it's built toe take pressure from the front.

Agree! Otherwise, looking good!
Hey,how much wind deflection would you get by putting a full cover on. It would have to knock a substantial amount of I would think!

It took me about 2 minutes to remove the windshield! I thought about a cover but from other discussions here a cover while hauling on an open trailer can abraid the paint from the wind whipping.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Very creative ��. I would also recommend cross-bracing those lift blocks. They could otherwise risk collapse with the twisting and shaking forces (and the weight which you mention) over a long trip at highway speed. I admire your ingenuity.

Not really a problem. If you look close at the last picture you can see some angle braces I put on there to lock the blocks to the trailer side. Also the bike tires sit about 1 inch below the top of the side rails so they are locked in tight to prevent side to side movement. The tie down is wrapped around the tire, the block, and the side rail, with the one tie down strap around both tires. I don't think anything is going to move, except the bike bounced around somewhat. This last bit is why I think a tie down method like is used on two wheelers is better than the BRP method. You strap to the frame and preload the suspension. The upward or downward force of a trailer bounce has to overcome the upward force of the bike springs before the bike will move. I was going to look to see if there was some place on the underside where I could pull down on the bike to do such a preload but I forgot to.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Pretty neat idea, just be cautious how you drive. opcorn:

No problem at 70 mph +. The only issue is the bike bounces up and down quite a bit going over pot holes, curbs, and rough roads, but that's because the BRP tie down method doesn't have any provision for snugging the bike down by pulling down on the frame. When I hauled my Goldwing in the pickup bed it was snugged down by the frame, not tires, and did not bounce at all.

 

[Cavman]

That's pretty cool rig you came up with. Will you be taking the service dealer with you or will you be learning to drive it off yourself?. Make sure you are on level ground when you do and the trailer is hooked to your tow vehicle!
I once backed my RT off my Alumna trailer without it attached to the ball hitch of my truck. It turned out alright but it was a wake up call! Won't do that again. :banghead:

 

[jcthorne]

Gotta ask, why did you not make the blocks a bit longer so you could park the Spyder in the forward direction?

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Gotta ask, why did you not make the blocks a bit longer so you could park the Spyder in the forward direction?

Good question. Glad you asked.

Main reason - you see that vertical angle iron in the middle of the trailer? There's one on each side. They're there to hold a removable cross piece so I can haul long boards, pipes, whatever, resting on the front cross piece, the middle cross piece, and the ramp gate, and not have them sag too much between the front and back. Those vertical angles are right on the outside of the side rail so there is only about 65" clearance between them. Too close for comfort to pass the front fenders between them.

It's more difficult than one would think to back a Spyder exactly straight back. That complicates a bit the process of backing it off the trailer.

Loading it forward I would have to have full length risers, and then the front would have really been up high at the point the front wheels would just be on the risers and the back tire at the bottom end of the ramp. Try to visualize a Spyder doing a hill climb! I don't think the back tire would have enough traction to get it up there! Pulling it up backwards the bike was almost level until the point just before the front wheels reached the top.

Loading it backwards it was easy to hook up the tow strap to the hitch and use the winch to pull it up. I did have to pull the back tire sideways a couple of times to keep it centered on the trailer. There's no good place to hook the tow strap to the front end, and in that case the tow strap would have been at quite an angle for pulling. I thought about running the tow strap under the full length of the bike and hooking it to the hitch in order to pull it in forward.

I thought about it quite a bit and the overall simplest way I really believe is the way I did it.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

That's pretty cool rig you came up with. Will you be taking the service dealer with you or will you be learning to drive it off yourself?. Make sure you are on level ground when you do and the trailer is hooked to your tow vehicle!
I once backed my RT off my Alumna trailer without it attached to the ball hitch of my truck. It turned out alright but it was a wake up call! Won't do that again. :banghead:

I loaded my ATV on the trailer a time or two without it hitched to the pickup. Just gotta take it slow and easy and enjoy the teeter toter ride!

I was going to ride it off but the service manager was there and jumped right on it. I think he wanted see what it felt like!

As far as being on the level the best setup is to have the trailer tires in the gutter at the front of the up sloped driveway. That way the ramps and ramp gate would be closer to level. I may do just that when I bring it home. The downside is my pickup and front half of the trailer will cover about 2/3 of the street width.

 

[pitzerwm]

The only time I ever hauled my Goldwing, after trailering it home from the dealer, was in the back of the pickup when I moved from Louisiana to Idaho in 2006, so I figured when I got my Spyder I would never have need of a trailer to haul it anywhere. Wrong! :sour: I have a 5' x 10' utility trailer, but of course that is not wide enough, by 6"! If I'm going to go on a long trip I'll RYDE! That's why I bought it!

So what should I do to haul my Spyder to the dealer when riding isn't a good first choice? I borrowed an enclosed trailer from my nephew once, but that's not a convenient option since he lives 25 miles away. I couldn't justify buying a new trailer just for the once or twice a year I might need to haul my bike. Plus, this size trailer really works good as an all around utility trailer and my ATV fits in it quite nicely!

This is what I came up with. I took it to the dealer today to have the air bag checked out. I used the winch on the tongue to pull it up and the service manager drove it off. And yes, I took the windshield off, which takes all of about 2 minutes! Worked great! All for less than $60!:yes:I will probably add a 2 x 4 stiffener to the underside of the ramps. They sagged about 2 inches while loading/unloading. More weight on the front wheels than I expected!

View attachment 101658 View attachment 101659 View attachment 101660 View attachment 101661

I think that you solved a problem and I liked your solution, but was reading your loading problems/challenge. What about adding another 2"x? on top of what you have now, which would widen the resting place, you might also need a wider ramp. That way you probably could drive/back it up easier. I tried to back my bike up (just onto the trailer) and my bumpskid dragged and the rear wheel lost traction. I just have 6' ramps. 7 or 8' might not have that issue, but I too don't like to back up. And I see that you just can't load the bike forward. BTW I discovered that type of tailgate causes a lot of turbulence like dragging a brick wall. I took mine off and replaced with a chain.

 

[jcthorne]

Good question. Glad you asked.

Main reason - you see that vertical angle iron in the middle of the trailer? There's one on each side. They're there to hold a removable cross piece so I can haul long boards, pipes, whatever, resting on the front cross piece, the middle cross piece, and the ramp gate, and not have them sag too much between the front and back. Those vertical angles are right on the outside of the side rail so there is only about 65" clearance between them. Too close for comfort to pass the front fenders between them.

It's more difficult than one would think to back a Spyder exactly straight back. That complicates a bit the process of backing it off the trailer.

Loading it forward I would have to have full length risers, and then the front would have really been up high at the point the front wheels would just be on the risers and the back tire at the bottom end of the ramp. Try to visualize a Spyder doing a hill climb! I don't think the back tire would have enough traction to get it up there! Pulling it up backwards the bike was almost level until the point just before the front wheels reached the top.

Loading it backwards it was easy to hook up the tow strap to the hitch and use the winch to pull it up. I did have to pull the back tire sideways a couple of times to keep it centered on the trailer. There's no good place to hook the tow strap to the front end, and in that case the tow strap would have been at quite an angle for pulling. I thought about running the tow strap under the full length of the bike and hooking it to the hitch in order to pull it in forward.

I thought about it quite a bit and the overall simplest way I really believe is the way I did it.

Does indeed sound like you thought it through. Its easy to sit at a keyboard and play quarterback....:doorag: