Covering bike when hauling it on a trailer question.

[Albertastar]

Has anybody covered their bike when hauling it on a trailer or would it damage the paint? Will be trailering my Venture down to Arizona this fall and was hping to protect it from the elements

[AABBCC]

Has anybody covered their bike when hauling it on a trailer or would it damage the paint? Will be trailering my Venture down to Arizona this fall and was hping to protect it from the elements

 

I ride in all elements!

 

Does your trailer offer any protection like this one? [ATTACH=CONFIG]112872[/ATTACH]

 

I'd worry more about road hazards than elements.

[BMW]

Stretch wrap

[slowrollwv]

I would think that a bike cover would get shredded at highway speed. You could rent a U-Haul box trailer.

[M61A1MECH]

I considered trying a cover when I trailered a couple of my bikes, but was cautioned against it, as the cover is likely to beat on the paint and damage the bike's finish, so I just washed it when I got where ever arrived at my destination.

[Flyinfool]

Most covers are not designed to withstand that much wind. Remember if you are driving interstate speeds into a headwind the a actual airspeed could be over 100 MPH, That will destroy most covers. If the cover fails the flapping shreds will beat the paint off anywhere they touch. A tarp would be near impossible to wrap tight enough to be sure it would not flap in the wind.

 

Your best bet is either an enclosed trailer or a good wash when you get there. It should not get any dirtier than if you had rode it there, maybe even less dirty since the tow vehicle will eat some of the stones and bugs.

[adventurer 08]

I have a trailering cover i bought then did not use, it is new in the box, if you have any interest PM me. I bought it from J&P Cycle.

[Sylvester]

Don't cover it unless in a cargo trailer.

 

[bongobobny]

Yup! My response is "Don't do it!"

[gmarshall]

If you drove it down it would be exposed to the elements. Same difference , eh?

[RDawson]

In my opinion you're asking in the wrong forum. NOBODY wants to trailer a Venture. Might check over on a HD site. 😂😂🤣😂🤣😂 they might have experience.

[AABBCC]

In my opinion you're asking in the wrong forum. NOBODY wants to trailer a Venture. Might check over on a HD site. 😂😂🤣😂🤣😂 they might have experience.

[Uturn 780]

Has anybody covered their bike when hauling it on a trailer or would it damage the paint? Will be trailering my Venture down to Arizona this fall and was hping to protect it from the elements

 

Years ago when snowmobile covers were cheap, we would put a flannel sheet on first, then the cover. Most bike covers are not designed for trailering. I have seen a couple Goldwings behind motorhomes with tight fitting covers, so there must be some out there.

[JDaniel]

Sysop, I have that exact trailer. Use it to haul my Goldwing to Florida every March. I leave my bike uncovered while hauling it.

[tz89]

No cover - 300 miles to go.

 

 

Edited June 9, 2018 by tz89

[Condor]

No cover - 300 miles to go.

 

I liked the set up of that trailer, then I started thinking...which is very dangerous at times....?? I wonder what the tongue weight is with most of the bike sitting ahead of the axle like that??

[tz89]

Well... if everything was perfectly centered, the weight would be split between the axel and the tongue. It looks like the engine is closer to the axel but the photo may be deceiving.

 

[Condor]

Well... if everything was perfectly centered, the weight would be split between the axel and the tongue. It looks like the engine is closer to the axel but the photo may be deceiving.

Yes it could be, but from what I'm looking at the bulk of the bike plus the trailer are forward of the axle... So, considering the bike weighs around 775# dry plus the trailer weight, according to your formula how much does the tongue weigh??

[tz89]

If centered between the axel and the tongue, the bike would put 775/2 = 387.5 on both the tongue and the axel.

 

The trailer has to be pretty balanced since I can easily pick up the tongue when it is empty to hook it up. So less than 25?? on the tongue from that.

 

And then take back off the tongue any bike wgt * ft behind the axel (fulcrum).

 

Call it 400 and change?

 

 

Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world. Archimedes

Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/archimedes_101761

 

[tz89]

In this picture you can see the bike weight is very close to the axel and not placing most weight on the tongue.

 

[Condor]

If centered between the axel and the tongue, the bike would put 775/2 = 387.5 on both the tongue and the axel.

 

The trailer has to be pretty balanced since I can easily pick up the tongue when it is empty to hook it up. So less than 25?? on the tongue from that.

 

And then take back off the tongue any bike wgt * ft behind the axel (fulcrum).

 

Call it 400 and change?

 

 

Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world. Archimedes

Read more at:

The rule of thumb is aprox 10% of the GTW (trailer plus the bike) should be used as a guide line for proper tongue weight. So let's say the trailer weigh's 600# and the bike is 775# for a total of 1375#. 10% of that would be 137.5, +/-10-15# 400# is way too much towing weight. I don't care what old ARCHY sez.... :-)

[tz89]

Yes, now that we can see the bike is very close to the axel (not centered between) that takes a lot of the theoretical weight off the tongue.

 

I suppose Uhaul had this figured out anyway, but still, it is fun to try to remember basic physics.

[Condor]

Yes, now that we can see the bike is very close to the axel (not centered between) that takes a lot of the theoretical weight off the tongue.

 

I suppose Uhaul had this figured out anyway, but still, it is fun to try to remember basic physics.

 

I guess we'll never know unless we get a straight side pic of the bike on the trailer... To me the bike still looks farther forward. And I kinda wonder if the trailer was designed that way or it had been re-purposed??

[Mike G in SC]

I bought a lightly used Bass Tracker boat many years ago. Mint,,,, spotless,,,, except where the cover had been used to transport across country.

Had rope wear lines on both sides of the front of the hull. Would likely be same for a bike. Easier to wash if it gets wet or dirty. Put a good wax job one it before you go.

[WRIDR]

Oh ohhh... that foto supposedly showing the bulk weight is "near the axle" IS misleading, even to these 75 yr old eyes.

 

For our money, most of the engine and bulkier weight stuff is STILL well ahead of that axle.

 

We're betting that tongue is supporting a LOT more weight than it should. Be VERY careful assuming otherwise. A load imbalance like that could produce significant issues at speed on the highways, INCLUDING the potential for a side-to-side weave action. (Anybody who missed that should go back and take another look at the foto.) If you've never experienced one, you have no idea how frightening - and disastrous it can get. The only recommended way to come out of it safely is to hang on to the wheel tight, and... speed up. That takes a lot of intestinal fortitude, along with a large dose of good luck.

 

Rgds, WRIDR