IF you Hauled it how would you do it

[Eric]

First let me say that I Know you are supposed to ride a bike not haul it, but Me and my family are going to do some traveling over the 4th of July, and I would like to take my FJR with me because we will be dangerously close to Deals GAP ( The Dragon US 129 in NC and TN ) 318 curves in 11 miles sounds like fun, but my wife won't drive that far and you can't pack kids in the saddle bags ( although I'd like to try sometimes.

I have a small 4x8 tilt utility trailler that I think will haul it, but how do you tie it down.

I worry that strapping it by the grips might hurt it if we hit some big holes. This bike is MUCH heavier than my Gixxer 750.

How do any of you haul if you ever do?

 

[odot]

I haul.....

ass.

 

[stellarsteve]

BTW, it is for sale. $350

 

[El Toro]

Coupla points to make.

1. Deal's Gap is an F'n Moron Magnet, especially at this time of year. It is wall to wall LEOs, it has an absurdly low speed limit, if the LEOs aren't there, it has a high density of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle outfit wearin', front wheel in the air, passin' on the blind curves, crossing into your lane, T-bonin' the innocents kinda riders. Like Yogi Bera says, "No one goes to Deal's Gap anymore. Its too crowded." Hey, if you don't believe me, take a look at page 86 of July's edition of Sport Rider.

2. I do haul bikes from time to time. Sometimes I can't face the 95F weather up the eastern seaboard on my way to northern New England, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada, so I'll haul a bike into central MA, or maybe even southern ME. If you're hauling a bike, the first order of business is to get a Cycle Cynch.

https://www.cyclecynch.com/CCpages/CCproduct.html These things are much more gentle on your controls than the Canyon Dancer Bar Harness. It was invented by an Aprillia rep who was tired of busting up the throttle on his wonderful Italian Stallions. Second, when I haul bikes, I prefer to either stick them in the bed of the pick up truck, or else use a covered trailer. If I use the bed of the truck, I mount a Condor Chock centrally at the front of the bed, and I load with a Big Boy II 10' folding ramp. It comes in two sections, each weighs only 40 pounds, and it folds up so that it fits easily next to the bike in the truck bed. The covered trailer I have is a modestly priced motorcycle trailer built by PACE. It has a drop down ramp type door at the rear, a side door for easy access, I have a Condor Chock mounted to get my tongue load right (checked with a spring scale on a crane). It has a very good suspension, and tie down D-rings strategically located. I use the bar harness at the front, and soft ties with regular clamp style tie downs at the rear. If the bike's got side cases, I might use that strategy after removing the bags, or I might just tie the rear wheel to the D-rings instead without removing the bags, depending on whim.

I like the trailer because of the extra storage space it gives me. I don't like the trailer because of the reduced gas mileage it gives me.

 

[TellurideFJR]

I have had my FJR in the back of my pickup several times before. I dont use a dancer harness although they look nice. I do use a pair of soft hooks (webbing loops to attach tie downs to) and regular tie downs. Soft hooks go around the tripple clamp and depending on the angle of the straps you may need to do a bit of paint protection on the fairing. I usually am doing short distance (hauling my bike to its winter storage location 65 miles) so I only tie the front end.

 

[Bustanut joker]

I haul.....







ass.

What!? I believe ya mistyped man. Shouldn't it read "I am an ASS?"

:jester:

 

[odot]

No, dude....it really should read....."pups from this forum are so gay that I fear for my ass".

 

[sin_loki]

silly yippy, Trailers are for boats!

 

[flyinlow]

Use a Baxley sport chock and you only have to tie it down from the back.

www.baxleycompanies.com

 

[borrec]

Use a Baxley sport chock and you only have to tie it down from the back.

www.baxleycompanies.com

Gunny!

Good front wheel chock and a utility trailer works fine. Just use common sense on the placement of the tie downs. Stop after the first 20-30 miles to recheck the tiedowns and you are good from there.

 

[jasona1700]

First let me say that I Know you are supposed to ride a bike not haul it, but Me and my family are going to do some traveling over the 4th of July, and I would like to take my FJR with me because we will be dangerously close to Deals GAP ( The Dragon US 129 in NC and TN ) 318 curves in 11 miles sounds like fun, but my wife won't drive that far and you can't pack kids in the saddle bags ( although I'd like to try sometimes.
I have a small 4x8 tilt utility trailler that I think will haul it, but how do you tie it down.

I worry that strapping it by the grips might hurt it if we hit some big holes. This bike is MUCH heavier than my Gixxer 750.

How do any of you haul if you ever do?

I had to drive about 250 mi to pick up my bike when I bought it used. The guy I was gonna buy it from had a ramp, so I was going to put it in the back of my truck..but it's such a PIA to get it down (especially when I don't have a ramp at home...done the plank of wood trick before on other bikes...never again). So I rented a motorcycle trailer from Uhaul for $15. Best money ever spent. I know you will be gone for a few days, so it'll be more expensive..but still may be worth it. I had a set of gatortuff tiedowns (https://www.gatortuff.com/motor.html) and basically looped one hook to the tiedown point, along the forks inside the fairings, around the triple tree and back down to the tiedown point. I was a bit nervous..but the bike didn't move an inch.

 

[WinnipegTechGuy]

I haul this bike all the time.. Any reason to take it with me "some how some way" doesn't matter.

Have a 23 KRS Outback Toy Hauler and a 12' enclosed Motorcycle trailer.

Found the best way for "me" was to use a front wheel chuck as this kept the bike upright while I secured the four corners.

I use a "Canyon Dancer Bar Harness" tie down in the front that is specifically desined to keep the straps away from the machine.

Hauled my baby from Winnipeg to Tampa this last winter with narry a scratch.

Here is the link for the Bar Harness.

https://www.newenoughhp.com/track_garage/ti...arness_two.html

 

[El Toro]

I use a "Canyon Dancer Bar Harness" tie down in the front that is specifically desined to keep the straps away from the machine.

We're using similar strategies with the chock, and four corners, with bar harness. I think its the best for long distance hauling. Through some states that are road maintenance challenged, even this approach requires regular checking of the load. Take I-81 through PA, for example. PDOT ought to be ashamed.

I used to use the Canyon Dancer. I gave it away when I sold my ST1100 this Spring because I liked the Cycle Cynch so much better on the last few trips. The Canyon Dancer basic design requires that there be cross forces and some significant fork compression. The Cycle Cynch is a lot easier on the throttle, and does not require fork compression if you're using it with something like the Condor chock.

Edit added August 4, 2008: I found after trailering my 06 FJR AE through PA and NJ recently that the Condor's movable piece that locks behind the front wheel can shave the FJR's cowl during extended trailering over crappy roads. I've cut about 3/4" of the lip off to give enough clearance so that roads in PA and NJ won't do as much damage. Sigh.... I don't think they're ashamed...