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Tips for towing a trailer


nochknstrps

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Do you have a fear of towing a trailer? Is your fear worsened when your're hauling motorcycles?

Just follow this easy step and you'll be fine...

1. pretend its not back there. Until you have to pass another vehicle, make a lane change, park, making a right turn or anytime you're in reverse.

Just remember your weekend depends on you getting to your destination with those motorcycles and trailer in tack.

Oh and another thing, those sticky race take offs aren't going to keep the bike glued to the trailer, be sure to use at least 1 strap on the bike for safe measure. If you don't use racetake off you need to use 4 maybe 5 straps.

Edited by nochknstrps
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Do you have a fear of towing a trailer? Is your fear worsened when your're hauling motorcycles?

Just follow this easy step and you'll be fine...

1. pretend its not back there. Until you have to pass another vehicle, make a lane change, park, making a right turn or anytime you're in reverse.

Just remember your weekend depends on you getting to your destination with those motorcycles and trailer in tack.

Oh and another thing, those sticky race take offs aren't going to keep the bike glued to the trailer, be sure to use at least 1 strap on the bike for safe measure. If you don't use racetake off you need to use 4 maybe 5 straps.

Sounds like there is a story coming...

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haha well Ill throw alil more advice out there even if there isnt a story comin.

make sure your front wheel has a blunt object to go up against, so when you tighten the straps the front suspension compresses. If not, the bike will move when you stop, eventually falling off the trailer. True story. I whitnessed it on 25a in troy. I helped pick the bike up in the intersection.

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The only truck hauling trailer I have ever slightly worried over was when driving this through Atlanta during heavy traffic hours... It was cake, though and drives like a car...

rigrtside.jpg

Trailer makes the length a total of 83'...

trailerrtside.jpg

My truck or anything else? Child's play.

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Hell yeah!! That's how to get to the track. Go big or go home.:D

The only truck hauling trailer I have ever slightly worried over was when driving this through Atlanta during heavy traffic hours... It was cake, though and drives like a car...

rigrtside.jpg

Trailer makes the length a total of 83'...

trailerrtside.jpg

My truck or anything else? Child's play.

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Also... that which happened to some one I know hauling three bikes to Florida.

Check and make sure your trailer and the bikes on the trailer are covered by your insurance, or any insurance. Chances are the answer is no, they are not. You probably need to add insurance for the trailer and the contents.

Three bikes and a trailer hit from behind, totaled, no insurance.

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Also... that which happened to some one I know hauling three bikes to Florida.

Check and make sure your trailer and the bikes on the trailer are covered by your insurance, or any insurance. Chances are the answer is no, they are not. You probably need to add insurance for the trailer and the contents.

Three bikes and a trailer hit from behind, totaled, no insurance.

wow that's crazy. I'm pretty sure if trailering under my insurance if it is attached to the vehicle it is covered under my vehicle insurance. If something happens in the water it is covered under my boat insurance. I'd assume one or the other insurance would cover the damage assuming the bikes were insured.

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wow that's crazy. I'm pretty sure if trailering under my insurance if it is attached to the vehicle it is covered under my vehicle insurance. If something happens in the water it is covered under my boat insurance. I'd assume one or the other insurance would cover the damage assuming the bikes were insured.

yeah, that was back in the day of poor cheap students, and I'm sure he had the cheapest insurance he could get. But "insurance" is all about reasons they don't have to pay up. That's how they make a profit.

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yeah, that was back in the day of poor cheap students, and I'm sure he had the cheapest insurance he could get. But "insurance" is all about reasons they don't have to pay up. That's how they make a profit.

True. Paying insurance blows ass regardless. Than you hope like hell there isn't a loop hole to pay up when something happens to your toys.

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Well, I've hauled bikes on trailers and loads of liquid fertilizer weighing 26,000lbs through farm fields, small towns and on highways. Rule #1 is just like a motorcycle, expect the idiot at the intersection to pull right out in front of you because he "didn't see you". Rule #2 add extra distance for stopping and turning. Rule #3 Don't speed, #4 let people wanting to go faster around you if possible, #5 plan a route that keeps you out on congested areas or unfamiliar roads where bad things can happen. Last, do a pretrip inspection before moving the vehicle each time. Walk around the vehicle while sitting at the pump and check out the tire, lights, hitch, tie downs, engine, anything you can think of. Better to find it on the lot than on the road. :)

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I think thats bad advice to tell someone to forget they are pulling a trailer. Thats when they turn and hit a curb or another car or lane change and hit someone. I've seen too many drivers that forgot they had a trailer attached. It just takes practice. Make wider turns, extend your stopping distance, go slower and get mirror extensions.

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Don't forget to hook up the chains...

And put a lock or pin in the trailer hitch.

Story if you wish..

No story needed the bumper of my truck still bears the damage of a 16ft flat bed that had a tractor on it with the hitch unconnected. Dogh! :o

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