RT - Where is the Balance point

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I have a 14 basic RT, I'm building a trailer - so knowing where the balance point is will save a lot of trial & error, because I can position the axel for best towing ( weight front to rear ) …. Thanks , much ….. Mike hyea:

 

[Chupaca]

good one....

Don't know about the RT but the RS it is pretty much under the driver pegs.....

move it forward and the rear wheel drops move it back and it will nosedive....:thumbup:

 

[Peter Aawen]

:agree: Ditto for my 2013 RT. Even with a single lifting point jack (std trolley jack) the lifting point that doesn't see it teetering one way or another is pretty much in line with the front of the peg bracket..... but I usually have about 5-10# of gear in the frunk, and of course, mine is a V-twin, so it's probably got a touch more of its weight forward than one of the triples. :thumbup:

 

[Bob Denman]

Hi Mike,
If you're building a trailer: it's the trailer's balance point that matters.
Of course; you'd like the balance point of it to be somewhat forward of the actual center point of the trailer (fully loaded: 10% or so: F.O.C)
It sounds as if you're looking for the Spyder's balance point: I that correct? :shocked:

 

[Eviltwin]

I don't know if this will help, but this is how I have my trailer set up with the RT. I had heard the balance point was where the front peg was. For this setup, I moved the bike back and forth a bit till I got it to about 200 lbs. That is about 10% of the total weight of the rig and it seems to tow very well.

 

[Bob Denman]

:shocked: Silly me... :banghead:
Eviltwin's picture explained what you were doing to me... I was under the impression that you were building a trailer to tow WITH your RT.
Just give yourself enough room to move the bike fore and aft a bit... load it so that you've got about 175 pounds or so of hitch weight, and she'll tow like a dream! :2thumbs:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Hi Mike,
If you're building a trailer: it's the trailer's balance point that matters.
Of course; you'd like the balance point of it to be somewhat forward of the actual center point of the trailer (fully loaded: 10% or so: F.O.C)
It sounds as if you're looking for the Spyder's balance point: I that correct? :shocked:

Yes, and the Spyders balance point is very close to where the drivers pegs are ….. It doesn't have to 100% exact …. I will weigh the trailer at the coupler after it's loaded to get the proper tongue weight for towing ….Thanks All ….. Mike hyea:

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I don't know if this will help, but this is how I have my trailer set up with the RT. I had heard the balance point was where the front peg was. For this setup, I moved the bike back and forth a bit till I got it to about 200 lbs. That is about 10% of the total weight of the rig and it seems to tow very well.

Something doesn't compute. Are you saying the trailer weighs around 1000#? That seems awfully high for an aluminum trailer. The Spyder weighs about 850# so the total weight is, of course, the Spyder plus trailer. If you have 200# on the coupler and you're guessing that's 10% that means the whole rig is close to 2000#. I'm thinking you have a lot more than 10% on the coupler, as in more like 15 to 20%. If you have just the Spyder and trailer as pictured I think you want the coupler weight to be closer to 150#. The guideline is 10 to 15% of total weight on the coupler, and 40/60 split of load over the trailer axle.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Something doesn't compute. Are you saying the trailer weighs around 1000#? That seems awfully high for an aluminum trailer. The Spyder weighs about 850# so the total weight is, of course, the Spyder plus trailer. If you have 200# on the coupler and you're guessing that's 10% that means the whole rig is close to 2000#. I'm thinking you have a lot more than 10% on the coupler, as in more like 15 to 20%. If you have just the Spyder and trailer as pictured I think you want the coupler weight to be closer to 150#. The guideline is 10 to 15% of total weight on the coupler, and 40/60 split of load over the trailer axle.

IMS. I don't know where most of your info came from hyea: ……….. In snowmobile form the trl. weighed approx. 350 +/- lbs ….I took 29 1/4 inches ( equally ) from the middle making it only 6 ft wide ( was 8.5 ft ) ….. I lost some weigh but not much 35 +/- lbs. ( I also removed 29 in. of 3/4 in marine plywood - that's freaking heavy stuff ).… I also narrowed the thick 2 1/4 in axel by about 2 inches ….. The wheels will now be inside the main frame … I plan to put raised plywood covers over the trl. tires.... and I lowered the platform 7 inches. My Aluminum Welder person is coming tomorrow..... It's coming together nicely..... over the summer I plan to build a camper on the trl. that will hold the Spyder for long distance trips ….. Thanks … Mike hyea:

 

[Eviltwin]

Something doesn't compute. Are you saying the trailer weighs around 1000#? That seems awfully high for an aluminum trailer. The Spyder weighs about 850# so the total weight is, of course, the Spyder plus trailer. If you have 200# on the coupler and you're guessing that's 10% that means the whole rig is close to 2000#. I'm thinking you have a lot more than 10% on the coupler, as in more like 15 to 20%. If you have just the Spyder and trailer as pictured I think you want the coupler weight to be closer to 150#. The guideline is 10 to 15% of total weight on the coupler, and 40/60 split of load over the trailer axle.

Trailer weighs about 6-700 lbs. Bike weighs around 900. Also has the cargo box mounted in the front that has maybe 20-30 lbs of "stuff" including tiedowns and the box itself. So figure around 15-1600 for the total rig weight. 10% would be somewhere between 150-200 lbs tongue wt. I would have it a bit more toward the heavier side then lighter so the whole rig doesnt porpoise.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Trailer weighs about 6-700 lbs. Bike weighs around 900. Also has the cargo box mounted in the front that has maybe 20-30 lbs of "stuff" including tiedowns and the box itself. So figure around 15-1600 for the total rig weight. 10% would be somewhere between 150-200 lbs tongue wt. I would have it a bit more toward the heavier side then lighter so the whole rig doesnt porpoise.

That all sounds good! A Google search brings up 9 to 15% as the best tongue weight so your 150 to 200 range fits.

 

[cruisinTX]

I must be missing something. There have been a couple quotes of weight of the Spyder at 850 and 900lbs, but every online spec sheet I just looked at listed a 2014RT dry weight at 1012. What am I missing?

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I must be missing something. There have been a couple quotes of weight of the Spyder at 850 and 900lbs, but every online spec sheet I just looked at listed a 2014RT dry weight at 1012. What am I missing?

You're not missing anything!!! I was remembering back to my Goldwing days. :banghead: The 2005 GW dry weight is 792 lbs. Like you say, the RT is 1012 lbs.