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New Spyder Sea to Sky and Trailering - will I be able to tie my Spyder down properly?

srd9711

New member
So excited!!! I have a few posts about selling my harley and buying a Spyder. I am going to pick up my new Spyder Sea to Sky on Friday (3 hour drive) and I own a 7x10 Alum trailer. I know the length of the Spyder is 9.3 feet and now I'm starting to worry it will not be long enough to tie down safely. I have been reading and watching videos about tieing down with a criss cross method seen in several videos. Anyone have any experience with a trailer this length? Riding back home is not an option, I have to trailer it.
Thanks everybody!
 
Tell us more about the trailer. Open or cargo type. Make model etc. A good tie down on the rear wheel is important. A cloth in the rear wheel and a HD racket strap to the rear ramp, keeps it from ending up in the tow vehicle with you if "something bad happens). Rags on the lower A-arms with HD Rachet straps to trailer front A-frame. Stop and check the straps after a mile or two, then at every stop.

Then if you are going to be trailering a lot on that trailer, Erickson e-track is about the best way. I did three and half days commutes from Az to Wa and put both belts and suspenders on the trike. The Spyder does back out of wheel chocks very well, so behind the tires I put a short e-track.

Tie downs.jpg
 
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It is an Aluma 7 x 10 utility trailer with a bifold ramp. I have rhino 2 x 8 car tiedown straps.

The trailer will carry the weight so I’m not worried.
 
Congratulations & obviously, follow the manual. But additionally; yes, all the above posts, Lower A-arms ok & if going through the rims, do NOT go through the drive sprocket on the rear, just the rim. Placing your straps In-line over the tires is also good with enough space. Please Do NOT cover the Spyder, as wind flutter will scuff & scratch things, not just paint, but down to plastic/metal wherever it is in contact. Your Spyder can handle most weather. Some have even towed with their Spyder reversed - however, this brings some additional problems; the need to remove the windshield; the nose can scrape horribly; the same risk with the low hanging shifter (Having someone sitting on the bike helps compress the shocks while strapping down - which will provide a little extra tightening when they dismount before traveling. Check all straps Often (& that compartments, seat, etc are closed) at every pit/gas stop. Keep the Operating keys in the tow vehicle, not on the bike.
 
Straps on the front control arms and through the rear wheel are a good method.
With a short trailer like this, where the rear strap will basically be going straight out to the sides, an additional strap from each front control arm going backwards to a tie point will prevent the Spyder from moving forward in an emergency stop situation.
 
Hello, and Welcome to the Spyder Forum. The Spyder is a real friendly bike to Ryde.
That saying, you will probably need to get out there and ryde your Spyder to get the
real feel.

I hope you have read some of the posts about the 'Learning Curve' about Ryding a
Can Am Spyder. I recommend you read some of these articles. Lots of good tips
that should make your transition better to enjoy.
 
Congrats on the new ride!!! When hauling with a trailer you have to remember that the load is always going to move forward more than back for the most part. I like using some type of chock system for the front when I can, in the past when I used a friend's trailer, it had a wooden deck that I screwed some 2x4's down onto for the front tires to rest on, then I strapped it forward, from the front, and then back off the back tire! If you don't have enough space on the trailer to get your straps stretched out, you can strap it from the front back to the middle, and back to the front to the middle, that way they are pulling toward each other and holding the load. I have since purchased an enclosed trailer and made my own wheel chocks that I drive my front tires into and lock them down to the deck with straps, so the bikes not going anywhere without the trailer, and just for good measure, I run a strap through the tire in the rear and back to the back corners, but that's just for peace of mind! Be really careful when loading like has been said above about the beak of the bike, and the hanging bit's underneath do not take well to being dragged on a hard surface!! It's a easy job once you have a system down and the trailer is setup! Good luck!!
 
I own a 6810BT Aluma trailer which would haul the Spyder, just be careful when loading on the ramp because there could be a clearance problem being that the Spyder has such a low ground clearance and long wheel base. I would run the jack stand down lowering the rear of the trailer while it is attached to your vehicle in order to lower the rear of the trailer as much as possible before loading then make sure you put the jack stand back in travel mode.
 
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