Newbie questions! Trailer home tips, or fly/ride? Other Must knows?

[cptjam]

Fly and ride. 5 hours or so? Piece of cake! I had never been on one when we got the first one. Rode from East Troy, WI to Grand Rapids, Mi. Straight thru Chicago! Other than off camber turns, you will quickly adapt. On those, just lean your body into the turn. Relax, enjoy, and SADDLE UP!

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

And I use this method for the 2 wheeler and for my spyder.

If you are using the same steering technique at any speed above parking lot speed on the 2 wheeler as you do on the Spyder then you are having one helluva hard time riding your 2 wheeler. I don't know how long I rode a 2 wheeler before I was informed about counter steering. After I started using it correctly I realized why I had always had a hard time steering. On the 2 wheeler when you turn right you push on the right handlebar and pull on the left. Exactly the reverse of the Spyder. By doing so you use the gyroscopic effect of the spinning front wheel to cause the front wheel to turn the way you want it to go.

 

[Steve W.]

If you have the time, a fly and ride is great. :thumbup:

We did not have that much time, so it might have been a drive and ride. Two of us drive there, one drive back, the other ride back. I was not sure I wanted to be the guinea pig for HER bike, so we trailered. Yes, we used a U-Haul. Had to do some research on what they had, though. They have two differene 6 x 12 open trailers. One has a (short) ramp, the other has and even shorter tailgate. The one with the ramp has gussets at the rear that limit width to about 5 feet, which is too narrow for a Spyder. Fortunately, I have a pair of folding aluminum ramps to get the front wheels into the trailer, had to come up with a wooden ramp (with bracing) to handle the rear wheel.

I had some 2 x 4s up front to cradle the front to keep it from going sideways and scratching fenders, there was also a 2 x 4 going across the trailer to act as a bump stop. Ratchet straps from the wheels to the corners of the trailer kept the bike in place.

Yes, it's possible to use a U-Haul, but you have to be creative with your ramps.

.

 

[SpyderGoldwingOwner]

Goldwing rider out of Houston TX. Just bought a 2020 Spyder RT for my wife in Tulsa OK & rode 450 miles home to Houston. First time on a trike. No problems

 

[canamjhb]

Kahamom, Welcome to SpyderLovers. Lots of good advice posted above, especially about reading the "dos and dont's". But nobody has said anything about trailering. I have trailered my Spyder. To fit comfortably you will need, at minimum, a 6X10 foot trailer. A full trailer ramp is necessary for comfort and a 4 foot ramp will not allow you to load given a typical trailer deck height of 18 inches. You will need to have additional angle reducing boards or ramps. Tying the Spyder down correctly is important and there are many threads on this forum that can help you with that.

So, the bottom line is that trailering is probably more hassle than riding. Especially if it is going to be a one time thing. I would read and study all you can, do some parking lot practice, take a deep breath, and hit the road. Good luck..... Jim

 

[Valkrocket]

Howdy Gal. Fly & ride. My advice, as a new Spyder rider....Stay the Hell of Rt. 95. I live in your area and still have fits with all the tourists, trucks and just plain rude cagers out there. Take Rt. 17 all the way from Jax to Charleston. It will take you longer, but you and your Spyder will bond. By the time you get home, you'll be ready to ride anywhere on it. There is a Charleston branch of U.S. Spyder Riders (https://www.usspyderryders.com/sc-charleston-sc) you might want to join. Great people who love to ride. Hope to see you on the road soon. I'll be the guy on the 21 Petrol RTL. Oh, and welcome to Spyder Lovers.....Great folks with a lot of knowledge to share. Don't be shy about asking questions. :2thumbs:
Ron C. (Valkrocket)

 

[old Timer]

If you have ever ridden an ATV, the Spyder is essentially the same. Piece of cake. Keep a relaxed grip. I agree with what others have posted re the Semi Auto vs the Manual Tranny.