Where to tie down a Goldwing Trike

[mgwtrike]

I read about tying down a 2-wheeled Goldwing when transporting on a trailer, but what's the best way to tie down
a Roadsmith Goldwing trike?

Does the suspension/front forks need to be compressed like on a 2-wheel bike?

Your info is important to me.

Cheers!

 

[Calgary]

I use a WheelDock Chock
http://www.wheeldock.com for the front wheel and cross tie the rear to side tie down anchors.

The trike does not move in the trailer while being towed!

 

[mgwtrike]

I use a WheelDock Chock
http://www.wheeldock.com for the front wheel and cross tie the rear to side tie down anchors.

The trike does not move in the trailer while being towed!

What size fits the tire width the best for a Goldwing?

 

[dirtdobber]

According to the site it uses a #4 for the goldwing and freewheeler.

 

[poppajim]

You will have to manually push the trike out of the Wheel Dock chock as the Gold Wing reverse is not strong enough. If you take the side covers off there is the frame I use to tie down forward using soft ties. You can also get soft ties up around the triple tree to tie down. You are not supposed to use engine guards. Hope it helps

 

[FRR]

I'd never compress the front forks on any bike, 2 or 3 wheels. Never necessary on a Trike. I chaulk the front wheel, and run ties thru the back wheels, but even that isn't necessary.

 

[SMSgt]

My 2012 Roadsmith has tie down loops just beneath the shocks. I just put tie down straps from left RS attachment point to the right side of the trailer tie down D ring and from the right RS attachment point to the left side trailer D ring. As for the front I put the front wheel up against a block, not a roll in chalk, then strap the wheel with two straps from left to tight. It will not move and there is no real force on the front wheel. All the shifting weight is secured buy the crossed straps in the back. Anyway it has always worked for me that way.
P.S. I always compress the front forks on a two wheeler in order to keep pressure on the tie down straps. If the front forks are allowed to flex, while being transported, there is a possibility of the strap going slack and coming off one of the attachment points.

 

[mgwtrike]

My 2012 Roadsmith has tie down loops just beneath the shocks. I just put tie down straps from left RS attachment point to the right side of the trailer tie down D ring and from the right RS attachment point to the left side trailer D ring. As for the front I put the front wheel up against a block, not a roll in chalk, then strap the wheel with two straps from left to tight. It will not move and there is no real force on the front wheel. All the shifting weight is secured buy the crossed straps in the back. Anyway it has always worked for me that way.

P.S. I always compress the front forks on a two wheeler in order to keep pressure on the tie down straps. If the front forks are allowed to flex, while being transported, there is a possibility of the strap going slack and coming off one of the attachment points.

Thanks SMSgt, good method of tying down your Roadsmith.

That's actually how my RS trike converter guy told me to do it.

He has 3 of his Goldwings (1 RS trike and 2 two wheelers) down to Florida in a large hauler with a drop ramp in back and front, and ties them down like you.

In fact he showed on the RS the tie-down loops you talk about that need to be crossed. ThumbUp

 

[mgwtrike]

P.S. I always compress the front forks on a two wheeler in order to keep pressure on the tie down straps. If the front forks are allowed to flex, while being transported, there is a possibility of the strap going slack and coming off one of the attachment points.

???? You say you compressed the front forks on a two wheeler, does that mean you don't on a trike???

Some here say compress the forks, some here say don't, hmmm what's the correct way????

 

[Gold Rush]

???? You say you compressed the front forks on a two wheeler, does that mean you don't on a trike???

Some here say compress the forks, some here say don't, hmmm what's the correct way????

My front wheel chock holds real well so I just tie the front forward to keep the wheel in place then tie the rear ended toward the back and out. Haven't hauled that much but nothing ever moved...:xszpv::xszpv:

 

[mgwtrike]

Haven't hauled that much but nothing ever moved...:xszpv::xszpv:

That's always good news............ThumbUp

 

[keepinon]

Like FRR, I don't compress the forks. Just strap the front tire into a wheel chock, then strap the rear wheels side to side just in case a severe bump wants to move the rear sideways.

Only hauled it one time, to Eureka Springs, (wife didn't want to leave in the rain) but had no movement or other problems.

 

[mgwtrike]

Like FRR, I don't compress the forks. Just strap the front tire into a wheel chock, then strap the rear wheels side to side just in case a severe bump wants to move the rear sideways.

Yep, this is why I went to a 7' wide instead of 6'.
The 6' would work, but like you say if the trike does shift, there wasn't much room.
Also going to the 6' width I couldn't walk around it once in the trailer.

 

[FRR]

Yep, this is why I went to a 7' wide instead of 6'.
The 6' would work, but like you say if the trike does shift, there wasn't much room.
Also going to the 6' width I couldn't walk around it once in the trailer.

Good point....I had to get a 7 ft with my Hannigan but I love the idea I have plenty of room on each side and can walk around it easily.

 

[Calman]

I'd been very happy with using a hollow tube wheel chock for the bed of my trailer and then using tie downs that run from the front edge of the trailer to the road pegs on either side. I loop a tie down through each of the rear tires and ratch them down aft. No compression and no movement.

However, I just changed over to using a Insta Motorcycle Tow from BillyBob1.com. Really easy to use - just run it up on the removeable ramp, use one short tie down secure tire to front of the "tow" and use one long tie down that runs from one road peg and round the front of the "tow" and over to other road peg and ratch down. Again no compression and no movement. Best part is the reduction in gas mileage since the InstaTow weighs in at only 48 pounds as opposed to my 1,000 trailer.

 

[keepinon]

Calman, I've seen something like that before. I like the idea, but wondered if there were any negative effects on the 'Wing's transmission? Let us know your experiences as you gain more use.

Thanks

 

[Calman]

Calman, I've seen something like that before. I like the idea, but wondered if there were any negative effects on the 'Wing's transmission? Let us know your experiences as you gain more use.

Thanks

I used it a couple of days ago to tow the 1800 to my mechanic who lives about 75 miles down the road. (Had an electrical problem I couldn't resolve.) No problem with the transmission as I towed it in neutral. And, I took a 125 mile ride yesterday and could no feel any difference in the trike.

But it tows really easy and since it has a swivel point it makes taking corners very easy. Only negative thing I can say about it is that I had it set at the lowest set (got 4 settings) and that left it low enough that I scraped the driveway going and coming back from Richlands. And the one at the Subway in Trenton too. Will raise it one setting up next time I have to use it.

Did notice I used slightly less than 1/4 tank of gas than when I would take a motorcycle down on the trailer. And I was cruising at 65 MPH as opposed to my usual 55 MPH with the motorcycle on the trailer.

And as Ron, BillyBob's, mentioned to me when I was quizzing him before I ordered -- once you get to your destination you don't have to worry about that darn trailer you've been towing.

You just unhook the Insta Tow, put it in your vehicle, and go do what else it is you want to do.

 

[Calman]

Forgot to mention that by adding a piece of angle iron, less than the width of the towing vehicle, to the tow post and adding eye bolts on the end it can tow 2-wheelers. Ratchet straps from the eye bolts to the center of the bike stabilizes it, keeps it upright, and allows it to turn on the pivot point and not the bike.

Directions provided with product instructions.

 

[Calman]

The Insta Tow was the subject of a informative posting on another website. Am re-posting here for all to read:

QUOTE...I hate to tell you this, but Goldwings should NEVER be towed with the rear wheel on the ground like this.

When the rear wheel is on the ground being towed, it is turning the final drive, which turns the driveshaft, which turns the output cluster of the transmission, even when the transmission is in neutral. The problem is this: you are rotating the entire output cluster of the transmission, with NO LUBRICATION at all. The engine is not running, so the oil pumps are not turning. This means no oil is being pumped to the bearings or gears of the transmission cluster - so it is getting no lubrication.

If you have to tow any shaft-drive bike with the rear wheel on the ground, you should first remove the driveshaft, so that the transmission output cluster is not being turned by the rear wheel. If it's an emergency, then leave the engine on the motorcycle idling for the duration of the tow, so that oil is being pumped to the transmission while it is being turned by the rear wheel.

Towing a Goldwing like this for any distance is a good recipe for a very expensive transmission rebuild...UNQUOTE

Guess I'll remove the drive shaft if I have to tow the Wing any significant distance in the future.

 

[grinhart]

tying down a gl1800 trie

what method do you use if the uhaul 6x 12 does not have a chock?