Re: Trailering my CX500 for a move

Travelling, Friends, and Trips

Trailering my CX500 for a move

Shleek13 06-06-2008, 9:52 AM

SO, I have plans to move from Colorado to FLorida and I want to take my bike with me. I am planning on buying a trailer to drag behind a van. Any advice on trailers?? I've never done this before, so any advice is spectacular.

Size? Configuration? Random stuff to look for?

Thanks!!

Re: Trailering my CX500 for a move

PWG in Lowgap NC 06-06-2008, 10:40 AM

Get a front wheel chock and bolt it to the floor. Tie the bike down at four points, i/e both handlebars with ratcheting tie downs. Front: from the inner handlebers to the outside edges of the trailer floor, and about a foot forward of the bars. Rear: from your grab-bar/luggage rack mounting point to the outside edges of the trailer floor and about a foot to the rear.

Torque the straps down with the center stand and the side stand in the UP position.

An inexpensive trailer can be bought from a harbor freight store. The smaller the wheels are, the more often the wheel bearings will need to be greased. Even if you buy a new trailer, take the time to inspect the bearings and lube them, before starting your trip. Have grease and a jack for the trailer in your towing vehicle. Check your tie-down straps every time you stop for gas. Good luck

http://httassociation.com
82 GL500 / 66 MGB Trike "Old Yeller"
05 Suzuki S50 "Plaything"

ANY WARM DAY ABOVE GROUND IS A GOOD ONE
(unknown senior citizen)

Re: Trailering my CX500 for a move

MidTNJasonF 06-09-2008, 10:46 AM
You can find tie down loops that go around your bike bars or frame and you hook those to your ratchet strap hooks. I highly recomend those both for the protection of the bike but also they seem to be more secure. I have had tie downs come loose when a large bump or such was hit and the bike bounced. It can create some slack in the strap for a fraction of a second even with the suspension cranked down.

Front chocks are great. They make loading and straping down a 2 minute one man job plus they tow very secure. http://www.baxleycompanies.com/ Baxley make the best chock I have ever run across or used. They are not cheap but they are near indestructable and ultra secure.

1973 Honda GP350 WERA Vintage ride
1982 Honda CX500 Custom
1996 Suzuki Bandit GSF 600
A couple cars
A couple trucks

Re: Trailering my CX500 for a move

RichNCT 06-09-2008, 2:01 PM
I'm not sure about the CX, but the GL has a couple of holes in the bottom cast fork bridge (except for Honda and SideCar, we call them triple trees). I just "learned" of these last fall from Don/PA. They work MUCH better than strapping or hooking to the handlebars. I second Phil's recommendation of using a front wheel chock, even if it's homemade of wood (like mine). I always use two planks, one for the bike, one for me to walk on. Never dropped a bike loading it into the truck (until this spring, don't ask).

Born to be relatively wild

Re: Trailering my CX500 for a move

DaveNearAtlanta 06-09-2008, 5:51 PM
Those two holes work very well for securing the GL Interstate, but on the non-Interstate bikes they are not available because they are used to mount the headlight bracket. This surprised me when I went to secure a parts bike a few months ago.

If you transport bikes on a regular basis, a Canyon Dancer bar harness may be a good investment. Most motorcycle shops have them for sale and they also show up on ebay.

Also, see this thread.

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1981 GL500I
1982 GL500I
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This User ID is no longer used. DaveF is my new User ID.

Re: Trailering my CX500 for a move

Anonymous 06-10-2008, 7:24 AM
One thing that needs to be said not to do!

Do not have the motorcycle on the sidestand nor center stand when transporting a motorcycle. All that will happen is you will bed the stand or bend the frame or both.

Use the motorcycle suspension to its fullest advantage. Let the motorcycle's shocks absorb the bouncing. Pull the straps down and compress the shocks about as tight as when you are riding down the road.

I have found nailing or bolting two 2X4s to the bed of a trailer, with a stop board for the front wheel is every bit as good as the expensive wheel chocks and a lot cheaper.

David from Wisconsin
R80Dave

Re: Trailering my CX500 for a move

PWG in Lowgap NC 06-10-2008, 7:58 AM
Uh, Dave, did you read all of my post?

http://httassociation.com
82 GL500 / 66 MGB Trike "Old Yeller"
05 Suzuki S50 "Plaything"

ANY WARM DAY ABOVE GROUND IS A GOOD ONE
(unknown senior citizen)

Re: Trailering my CX500 for a move

Anonymous 06-10-2008, 11:33 AM
Sorry Phil,

I am usually not up at that time of the day and I missed you saying that ...

David from Wisconsin
R80Dave

Re: Trailering my CX500 for a move

Shleek13 06-11-2008, 1:26 PM

Thanks for all the great input. Sounds like I should be able to pull it off.

One question. Based on the description of where I should tie off, it sounds like about an 8 foot length is the minimum for the trailer. Is that right??

Re: Trailering my CX500 for a move

PWG in Lowgap NC 06-11-2008, 4:52 PM

Yep.

http://httassociation.com
82 GL500 / 66 MGB Trike "Old Yeller"
05 Suzuki S50 "Plaything"

ANY WARM DAY ABOVE GROUND IS A GOOD ONE
(unknown senior citizen)