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towing a R1200RT

cgroh

New member
Ok lets get past all the WHY WOULD YOU TRAILER YOUR BIKE POSTS and see where would I put the tie down straps on the RT? I have a lift on the back of the Motorhome and need to get pictures of where people put the straps, if I put them around the triple tree it pulls on the plastic parts and I am worried about either braking them or rubbing the paint off. I know others take their RT's either on trailers or lifts when going south for the winter so please Help.

thanks

cgroh360@gmail.com
 
I don't have pictures, or an RT, but to tie down the front of either an RS or an R I use soft ties around the fork sliders just above the telelever ball joint bridge. Straps go out/down/forward. Tied this way the wheel/axle/sliders are tied down and the bike rides on its own suspension. At the rear, I tie down just the wheel/tire - ditto the action of the suspension.
 
would the shocks need to be compressed? I have put other motorcycles on trailers and we would pull from the triple tree and compress the front springs but understand that this might work also.

hows Texas is it warmer than up here in KC? I know Dick Hautau is really getting hit this winter with cold and snow!!!
 
I don't have pictures, or an RT, but to tie down the front of either an RS or an R I use soft ties around the fork sliders just above the telelever ball joint bridge. Straps go out/down/forward. Tied this way the wheel/axle/sliders are tied down and the bike rides on its own suspension. At the rear, I tie down just the wheel/tire - ditto the action of the suspension.

Part of the tie down kit I carry in a small bag is a fork/handlebar kit that attaches to regular tie down straps that go onto the forks. Cost $20 at most shops. Strap over the seat in back.

I generally try to compress the shocks/forks in attaching the tie-downs by having someone sit on the bike while securing.
 
the question is how do you keep the straps from breaking the plastic fairing, when I put them around the tubes and pull towards the tie downs it really pushes against the plastic. I can't find any where that shows how to tie one down and even someone that has done this and I am sure many have
 
the question is how do you keep the straps from breaking the plastic fairing, when I put them around the tubes and pull towards the tie downs it really pushes against the plastic. I can't find any where that shows how to tie one down and even someone that has done this and I am sure many have

I do as Paul said, on my 2010RT I use the soft tie down extenders on the front struts. You may have to move the tie down rings on the trailer closer to the bike. As for the rear, I use soft tie down extenters on the passenger hand holds with the bags removed and carried inside the RV.
 
Pretty much what Paul said.... I've towed motorcycles from Alaska to the lower 48 in conjunction with a move and have towed them long distances when making military moves; never had a problem.

You need a good wheel chalk for the front; preferably one that locks the wheel in place once the bike is pushed in place. No side stand or center stand used. (I do tie down the bike on the side stand when on ferry trips) Tie to each front fork below the suspension using a ratchet strap. You do not want to compress the suspension as part of your tie down. The tie down point on the floor for the forks should be forward of the front edge of the tire and about 18-24 inches out to each side. Make sure the tie downs have some sort of positive safety to keep them attached to the tie down points on the bike and floor. Open hooks can come completely off the attachment point if the strap becomes a little loose. I cut off the hooks and use snap links. There are short straps that you can use to make the attachment to the bike and then attach the metal part of the strap to it to avoid damage. The use of something like a Canyon Dancers (attach to the handlebars) on a heavy bike like the FJR is a very bad idea IMHO.

In the back wrap the strap twice around the rear wheel/tire just above the point where it contacts the floor. The tie down points on the floor for the rear should again be 18-24 inches out on each side and 18-24 inches behind the back edge of the rear tire. This strap will be difficult to get equally tight on both sides initially, but after a few miles you can tighten it again.

This has worked for me on trips of over 2600 miles. I normally check the bike and make adjustments to the straps after 10 and then again at 30 miles. Seldom do I need to make another adjustment after that.
 
Tie down The Rt

It was either the owners manual, BMW repair manual or the Haynes that had specific directions
on securing my 2012 R1200RT. My flawed memory say's owners manual, but I know I saw 'em.
Probably the best way to secure is how it was designed. I'd advise really good straps though.
I advise everyone to read that manual lots of good info even if it sucks compared to the Airhead ones.
 
towing R1200RT

It was either the owners manual, BMW repair manual or the Haynes that had specific directions
on securing my 2012 R1200RT. My flawed memory say's owners manual, but I know I saw 'em.
Probably the best way to secure is how it was designed. I'd advise really good straps though.
I advise everyone to read that manual lots of good info even if it sucks compared to the Airhead ones.

I have a 2011. RT directions in owners manual,
 
It is in owners manual, at least on my 2012 R1200R it is. Here are a couple of photos of it tied down per the instructions. Use soft straps around the handle bars, attach it to the tie down straps passed through the yoke in front, and another around passenger foot pegs. Pull the bike down about 2/3 of the way. Hope this helps, even though it is not an RT, I think they may be the same.

Wayne
 

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OK I will try how it shows in the pictures, one of the issues is this isn't a trailer but a Hydro-lift on the back of the motor-home and locations of the tie downs are not movable but should still work like the pictures. The bike gets a lot of movement back there while traveling and secure ties are critical. Thanks for all the response and looking forward to July (as well as many other rides this summer:)
:wave

I am talking about the pictures from grassrootbmw the above photos wouldn't work on the RT because of the fairing plastic but I think in Wayne's situation it would be fine also.
 
One suggestion if you do not have it, install a front wheel chock. My tie downs pulls the bike forward on the trailer. The front wheel chock keeps it from moving forward, locking the bike into one location. At my age and with my health issues, I am not up to long distance travel anymore, and this setup allows me the opportunity to still take my bike with me.

Wayne
 
I have always said Wayne, its not the amount of miles that we put on the bike, but how much fun we get out of it.
:thumb

Bill Groh
#17225
 
It is in owners manual, at least on my 2012 R1200R it is. Here are a couple of photos of it tied down per the instructions. Use soft straps around the handle bars, attach it to the tie down straps passed through the yoke in front, and another around passenger foot pegs. Pull the bike down about 2/3 of the way. Hope this helps, even though it is not an RT, I think they may be the same.

Wayne

Handle bars on an RT are different. I have the same trailer (Kendon single) and I would never use the handlebars as a tie down point. I use soft straps around the lower forks as Paul suggested and soft straps at the lower mount point for the rear bags.
 
I realize the bikes are different, so I wondered how much. This is from the RT manual. It is pretty much as the manual from my R1200R shows, and also my new bike too (F700GS). They suggest using the handlebars (fork bridge) and compressing them. I think Paul's way will work too, and I can see the benefit of having the bike ride on its suspension.

Wayne
 

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Tie down instructions are in your owners manual.

Run the straps through the gaps in the front a-arm and around the handlebars just each side of center and cinch the bike down on its suspension as much as you can.

Put the rear straps through the frame loops at the passenger pegs.

There is zero/zip/nada advantage to letting the bike bounce on its suspension. The only suspension you need working back there is the one supporting the trailer.

Fwiw, this duplicates the instructions provided with the multi trailer BMW marketed for a few years in the early 2000s and applied to any BMW. The explanation is that the lower the center of gravity the better and that equals cinched down.

Your bike came from the factory cinched down on its suspension in the crate and it didn't hurt it and the notion it could is silly. Any new shock you buy is likely to have its ends connected by wire to compress it to its minimum length.
 
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