Trailing tips for 03 VFR

I'm going to be trailing a VFR from Orlando to NC...about 650 miles. I have a 6x10 trailer that has tied down hooks everywhere. The floor is made of long 2X6 wood boards

What is the best way to trailer this bike. A friend has one of those wheel (triangular) chauks that I could used. This would be my first time trailer

I wish I could ride it but I have no one to drive the car back.

Thanks for the help
Cyberized

 

I got one word for you...Canyon Dancer...or is that 2 words? It will slide over your bars and is designed for the right side to pull the left grip and the left side to pull the right grip. With the front wheel chocked it won't touch your bodywork at all. It is a very nice strap design for about 3 Hamiltons...or 6 Lincolns...or 30 Washingtons...or 1.5 Jacksons...or........

 

Forget the Canyon Dancer Bar Harness. I have two of them & they are laying on a shelf in the garage collecting dust. All you need is a good chock. I use Condor Lift SC2000's. They cost in the $170 range but are absolutely worth every penny. Condor makes chocks that are designed to bolt down to a trailer/truck or ones that sit on the platform and you tie the bike down. Both work exactly the same way. $170+ versus $30 might seem a little steep just to trailer a bike but they extra security the chock provides makes it a very smart investment. The single best feature of these chocks is it makes securing the bike a simple, 30 second, one man job.

The SC2000 is the bolt on model & the PS1500 is the movable model.
http://www.condor-lift.com/products.asp

KC-10 FE out...
lane:

 

If you didn't like the first Canyon Dancer, why did you get a second one? I still like the idea of a couple of straps holding my bike down.:wave:

 

I wasn't trying to insult you. If you took it that way, that's your business. I have two of them because at the time, I was borrowing a trailer & couldn't drill holes in it to secure a chock.

I would confidently make this challenge to anyone: Trailer your bike(s) once using the Canyon Dancer & then again with any good brand of roll in chock. I would venture a guess that 95% would prefer the chocks.

When I use my chocks, I can secure the bikes myself & it takes approx 1 minute to get everything strapped down & ready to roll. I roll the bikes in, run a strap thru the front wheels to keep them from rolling backwards & run a strap from each passenger peg pulling forward. That's all, it couldn't be simpler. I've never had the slightest issue with this method.

I trailer my bikes at least twice a year & I've never had an issue with my chocks. I had multiple issues when using the Canyon Dancer.
1) I had to replace my grips on both bikes every time I used it. In order to get the bikes to stay upright securley, I had to crank down on the straps significantly & the grips would pull up.
2) The Hawk GT fell onto the VFR once resulting in the only damage my VFR has sustained in 7 years of ownership.
3) The VFR leaned over to the right to the point it contacted the wall of the trailer.

KC-10 FE out...
lane:

 

I didn't take it as an insult, that's why I put in the wave. My skin is a lot thicker than that. I bought the Canyon Dancer to tie my bikes down on my lift. The VFR has very little room to hook a tie-down without it touching the bodywork. I then used it with a chock when I trucked my bike and towed my camper (couldn't pull a 5000lb camper with my VFR) and I was very pleased with it. I havn't had the grip problems you had, and I hope I never do. Just a thing with me...I like straps.

 

trailering...sry, had to do it.

I prefer a wheel-clamping chock (Condor or Baxter) vs. no chock, but to each his own. I try to use strap extension loops around the fork lowers & rear tire as to avoid compression suspension. Otherwise I use a canyon dancer for the front strap and passenger pegs as the rear tie-down point.

1 or 2 pairs of tie downs w/ chock, DEFINITELY 2 pairs w/o a chock. Get good straps - 1.5 or 2" webbing w/ snap hooks instead of 'S' hooks if possible. Ratcheting, not cam-type.

There is newer transportation technology like the Strapless stands and Pitbull's version...not sure if either one will work w/ a VFR. I like the idea behind this type of stand because it allows for unloaded suspension (like my chocking method above...but even more secure). Not sure if there are any proven drawbacks to compressed suspension other than slight possibility of fork seal damage. But I feel its better if you can leave suspension uncompressed.

 

Thanks for the feedback

:juggle: Thanks for the dialogue and saving me $30. I'm about to trailer a '00 and already have a Condor Pit-Stop Trailer-Stop. I used that un-attached to a trailer floor for my K1200LT, with four ties on the rear frame and fork brace. I was going to buy a Canyon Dancer for double security, but don't want to risk damaging the grips. I will, however, use the Pit-Stop Trailer Kit to secure the front, and soft ties away from bodywork to secure the rear. Thanks again!

 

I've always just used two pairs of tie-downs, but I agree that a chock plus tie-downs is probably the best method.

 

I use soft ties around the lower triple where the fork comes through. You need to be careful to not wrap the soft tie around the brake lines and damage them. I have "E" tracks and removeable Pingel chocks in my trailer. I set up my soft ties on the lower triple and connect the trailer end of my tie downs so the loose tail end and hook end are toward the bike. I roll the bike into the chock and put the sidestand down. Then lean the bike slightly to the left, reach down and hook the tie down to the soft tie sticking out from under the bodywork and bring the loose tail up and over the clip-on without pulling the tie down tight. I then straighten up the bike and repeat the process for the right soft tie and tie down. The left tie down needs to be just tight enough that it stabilizes the bike when you lean over to the right to hook the RH tie down to the RH soft tie. With the loose ends of the tie downs over the clip-ons where I can get a hold of them, I can then cinch the bike down in the front evenly. Just for security I tie the bike from the rear subframe or passenger peg hangers pulling fwd slightly. Bikes never move. I've got it down to a science in my trailer. I'm about 5'10 and 185lb. with a 30" inseam so my short little legs need to stretch when bending over to pick up the tie downs and hook the soft ties. Don't get too carried away when cinching down either. You don't need to pull the front suspension down but about 2 inches.

 

I have a Baxley chock. It's awesome. No front straps required.
http://www.baxleycompanies.com/Sportchock.html