While Spyderfest was in progress, we took a combination business/pleasure trip from Georgia to eastern Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas to call on a few clients. Since it was partially pleasure we rode the bikes. My GL1800 pulled one trailer and my wife's RT had the R622 in tow.
We came home via the Blue Ridge Parkway from Virginia down to Hwy. 74 in North Carolina. On one leg the RT got 154 miles before her low gas light came on and we looked for a place to fill up. My Gold Wing runs 43-45 mpg but drops under 40 with the trailer. The Spyder usually runs 30-31 but it actually seemed to improve on this trip with the R622 trailer in tow.
Penny ran her bike without putting it in trailer mode as it wasn't loaded up much (my trailer carried the cooler and the extra gasoline) and it almost seemed that the aerodynamics of the Spyder improved with the trailer hooked up. She said the curves seemed to take less effort than running just the bike alone.
I have read that 18 wheelers have more stability in turns with the trailer attached versus running with the tractor only so maybe the same principle applies with the Spyder and factory designed trailer.
We spent the last night of our trip at a Holiday Inn in Sylva, NC and there were seventeen bikes parked under the front entranceway that night. Most were traveling as singles or pairs and it looked like a motorcycle flea market. A 50's Norton, a Triumph, a couple of Gold Wings, A few HD's, a Yamaha, a couple of Suzukis and two Spyders.
:agree: I've been hooking it up even when I don't have anything to haul. Maybe I just like cabooses!Would love to see wind tunnel tests both with and without the trailer. Having driven 18 wheelers for 25 years and towed many trailers I know that a trailer design can play a significant role in breaking up or adding to the drag/air flow. When towing the 622 trailer I find it feels more stable in curves and at highway speeds the overall package feels more fluid.
:chat:
:2thumbs: Now that is a beautiful combo.
Sorry I missed you, too. I didn't expect you in Cuba (any more than anybody expected meScotty,
I was only able to be at Spyderfest on Wednesday and part of Thursday. Sorry I missed meeting you. I have enjoyed your posts immensely.
Cappy
aka:joke:
ps for what its worth, I had a great ride back to Mississippi. 1016 miles up to Cement City, Mi and a little over 1400 back including the 'weather detour'that required me to go to Cuba to get West of most of the rain.
Must have ridden a little too hard because on the third day back, apparently the bearings on the rear axle failed. :gaah:Will know shortly.
Sorry I missed you, too. I didn't expect you in Cuba (any more than anybody expected me). I was on the road Wednesday, although I made the VIP dinner (tardy, but grateful). I hung around Cowtown much of Thursday.
Scotty- how DID we miss each other? I was at Cowtown for about 3 hours Thursday afternoon. Mainly chatting with the Perrys and Dave from TX. That bugs me that I didn't get to shake your hand and applaud in your general direction
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I don't know...and I was sad about that. When I returned home from Spyderfest, and saw the posts from all the people that had attended, I not only realized how very many of them I had met, but also how many I had somehow missed. Guess that's a good incentive to attend the next event...and the next...and the next.....
Glad to hear the sprocket/wheel was OK, and the rock didn't do any serious damage. Most of the volume problems with the comm system seem to be either the location of the helmet speakers in the helmet, or the audio settings in the menu. Ask BigRed1 (George). Sounds like you'll need to experiment a bit. :congrats: on a great journey!Scotty,
Thanks for the kind words. I loved my trade in trip. Most miles I have ever done in such a short period of time.
Turned out my problem was an ID10T error:duh:. There was no bearing failure. I had ridden down a gravel road, high centered, and a rock got wedged into the rear sprocket but I did not see it. Damage to belt was so minor, I would not have changed it had I been there, but now I have a spare!!
Except for getting enough volume sound into my headsets, I am extremely happy with my RT.
Cappy:joke:
I did a little exploring today, while chasing a burned out side marker on the caboose (LED assembly, not a bulb). I had noticed that there were no separate amber turn signals on my 2011 RT-622 trailer, unlike the 2010s I have noticed. Turns out that BRP has revised the wiring, so only the red LED signal is functional. The bulb sockets are blanked out, and the wires cut off close. The rear wiring harness has no separate connectors. This trailer now just has a combined brake/turn signal function for the center portion of the red LED assembly. I suspect the reason was either varying state trailer lighting regulations, or that it made it easier to adapt to a 4-wire system (with BRP's new accessory adapter). Sad to see the higher visibility, separate turn signals go.