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Trailering my RT

Olsensan

New member
I've recently moved and I'm pained to have to trailer my RT to my new home/location. I have been trying all day to find a thread/device that was posted some time ago showing a system to secure the wheel(s) of the bike. It is a strap that extends left and right of the wheel with a heavy net looking thing wrapped around the top of the tire. Rather than messing with the suspension/springs, this secures the wheels down to the bed of the trailer. They were pricey but very effective. Please help, anyone know what I'm referring to?
 
BMW recommends compressing the springs as much as possible.

Some folks with lesser knowledge worry about the suspension.
 
With something like this wheel chock from Harbor Freight....shown as an example-
http://www.harborfreight.com/motorcycle-wheel-chock-69026.html
you can bolt this to the front of the trailer and use a motorcycle tie-down such as my favorite- Ancra -
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.co...-Street-Motorcycle-Tie-Downs-Accessories.aspx
You can do a fine job of moving/trailering your bike.
Secure the chock to the front. Strap from the handle bar on each side to the front corners of the trailer. I like to advise "closing" the ends of the "S" hook with a wrap of electrical tape, just in case a really hard bump comes up. There is no problem with the straps going slack- just if they fall off. Some put a set of straps on the rear also.
Good luck. OM
 
These are actually tie down straps that rather than strap it to the bike frame, it covers the wheel and holds it in place. I do have a chock for the front wheel and was just wondering where this was located again. I'm sure I saved the location, I've got bizillions of organized bookmarks for anything that interests me. Just don't know where the darn thing went to. These are also in car world, called wheel nets, but for bikes.
 
Compressing the motorcycle's suspension when tying down provides an excellent tensioner on the straps.
It's easy and there is no downside.
 
read the owners manual...

....this is what it shows for the '09 RT.

I use the double loop extensions on top of the handle bar mount, then standard tiedowns at all four corners.
 

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With telelever front end, you can strap it securely by running straps over the cross brace, above the fender, or even the front a arm and cinch tight without compressing the suspension at all, as the spring is above those points.

Then a couple in the back at a shallow angle to stop side to side sway will barely compress the suspension either. Thing will not move and suspension will still let the bike bounce up and down over bumps.

This will give you a rock solid attachment, and NOT compress the suspension any more than riding it will, in fact less.
 
I'm not very concerned with compressing the suspension. I'm hauling my bike through some pretty rough roads in NY, Cross Bronx Expressway and the trailer will be getting beat up pretty badly when it hits a NY pothole. See my concern?
 
If you search the Internet for BMW motorcycle tie down procedure you should be able to find the tie down PDF file with pictures on how to do it. I can't seem to attach it from my phone
 
I believe the gentlemen are right

I have been trailer and trucking sportbikes for about 10 yr now. I use canyon dancers on the front bars, a 2nd strap by triple tree and then straps to 2 attach points on the subframe in the back.

That was before I ever had a BMW.

The 1st time I did the same to my RT, and took off down the highway, I thought the bike was going through an exorcisim. Then I wondered If I needed one, from the way I saw the bike bouncing off and on against the straps. As the truck hit a bump in the road, the bars would dip...loosening itself from the tension on the strap and then pop back in place. It was almost a violent action / reaction.

A 20 min phone call to a buddy in Tennessee, and I went back and tied the bike as described above. Securing the front wheel and then the back wheel to let the suspension and bike respond and do it's thing.

I finished the trip just fine. The bike did also.
 
Uh...

...what's keeping that front tire from "kicking" sideways at about the same time, the same compression/release affects the back & the
bike "skids-out", falling mostly on it's side till the high side strap reaches its catch point? I know someone that twice found the LT
in the back of a SURV toyhauler laying that way. He told me..."you can't pick-em up that way" while strapped in; "don't ask me how I know"!
 
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