starter problem?

[rschulte46]

I plan to document this proceedure, with pictures, when it is done so your input will be appreciated. Sorry for the length. THE SITUATION: I have a flatbed trailer which I bought from Harbor Freight. I assembled it from a kit, and am very pleased with the overall quality. If anyone else decides to do this, be sure to open your boxes as soon as they are delivered so that you can find the one piece of "C" channel that has the vin number foil lable on it. You must call Harbor Freight's customer service and ask for a notarized "Certificate of Origin" and "Bill of Sale" if you want to register the trailer. (This does not apply to all states, but it does in CT.) This service takes at least three weeks...I am still waiting, but they claim it is in the mail. I am now trying to work out where and how to secure the bike to the trailer. I have a front wheel chock and I can attach straps all the way around the trailer. My questions are: Where do I grab the KLR? I currently have four straps but I feel that I should have backup straps or rope as well. Currently two straps (one on either side)grab the triangular forward motor mount. Is this high enough? The other two straps with hooks attach to the frame just forward of the rear wheel. I do not have any straps on the handlebar or up high over the seat. I don't want to grab the luggage rack although it is tempting. 2) Should I try to compress the shocks? Both front and rear? If I do compress the shocks...is body weight enough, I am over two hundred fifty pounds. Will this damage the shocks in any way? 3) It is easy to lock the front wheel into the wheel chock. 4) Do I need a couple of pieces of 2x4 on either side of the rear wheel to hold it from moving off center? I really appreciate your thoughts as I don't want my "Praying Mantis", green 2006 of course, falling off the trailer. It goes without saying that I would check the final arrangement about every fifty miles of trailering on good roads, and more frequently on back roads. Thanks, Bob in CT.

[Jim]

The best thing I found to secure a bike on a trailer is a 6" wide steel or aluminum channel, cut and notched about 12" from one end, bent up, and welded back together. Bolt it down and you have a perfect channel to keep the wheels from sliding around on the trailer, and keep the bike from rolling forward. To secure a bike, grab each side of the handlebars and each side of the rear grab handles. With the front wheel up against a chock, you want the front straps running forward a bit to hold tension against the chock. You'll know if you have them right because the bike will feel secure with just the 2 straps. Yank them down enough to compress the suspension a decent amount, so that it doesn't move when you apply a bit of body weight on the handlebars. Then secure the rear straps, pulling them down to just pull the rear of the bike down a few inches. The rear straps won't be doing much of the work, mostly just keeping the rear of the bike from trying to walk side to side. They should be run almost straight down to each side in the rear, at a very slight rearward angle. If you weren't using any chock for the front wheel, then you would want all 4 straps running at about a 45 degree angle to each corner. Once secured, just check them after several miles into the trip, and if nothing has moved, just check them when you stop for fuel. About the trailer- I avoid those little trailers. Their tires are very tiny, and spin so fast that you can't tow them very fast. The bearings wear quickly, so if you tow a lot, you will be replacing bearings once or twice a year. You don't want to tow on the interstate, because those trailers shouldn't go over about 50 mph. I now build my own trailers, but for those who don't have the skills or tools, there is usually a trailer place nearby that sells small custom built trailers. I have one small one that my mother had bought back in '87 to haul our little lawn tractor on. It was built using trailer springs and a custom axle using Dodge Caravan rear axle spindles. It has regular 14" automotive tires and wheels. The deck is 4'x8'. I've used it hard for many years, and it has never needed anything other than replacing the tires once. I guess I should repack the bearings sometime, but everything is still tight and works great. It has been from NH to North Carolina and back, and to several other states. It cost us a whole $700. It would have been less with a plywood deck, but we asked for pressure treated, and its still in good shape. It sure beats the $400-$500 things you can get at Home Depot, etc. Jim

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "rschulte46" wrote: > > I plan to document this proceedure, with pictures, when it is done so > your input will be appreciated. Sorry for the length. > > > THE SITUATION: > > I have a flatbed trailer which I bought from Harbor Freight. I > assembled it from a kit, and am very pleased with the overall quality. > If anyone else decides to do this, be sure to open your boxes as soon > as they are delivered so that you can find the one piece of "C" > channel that has the vin number foil lable on it. You must call > Harbor Freight's customer service and ask for a notarized "Certificate > of Origin" and "Bill of Sale" if you want to register the trailer. > (This does not apply to all states, but it does in CT.) This service > takes at least three weeks...I am still waiting, but they claim it is > in the mail. > > I am now trying to work out where and how to secure the bike to the > trailer. I have a front wheel chock and I can attach straps all the > way around the trailer. > > My questions are: > Where do I grab the KLR? I currently have four straps but I feel that > I should have backup straps or rope as well. Currently two straps > (one on either side)grab the triangular forward motor mount. Is this > high enough? > > The other two straps with hooks attach to the frame just forward of > the rear wheel. I do not have any straps on the handlebar or up high > over the seat. I don't want to grab the luggage rack although it is > tempting. > > 2) Should I try to compress the shocks? Both front and rear? If I do > compress the shocks...is body weight enough, I am over two hundred > fifty pounds. Will this damage the shocks in any way? > 3) It is easy to lock the front wheel into the wheel chock. > > 4) Do I need a couple of pieces of 2x4 on either side of the rear > wheel to hold it from moving off center? > > I really appreciate your thoughts as I don't want my "Praying Mantis", > green 2006 of course, falling off the trailer. > > It goes without saying that I would check the final arrangement about > every fifty miles of trailering on good roads, and more frequently on > back roads. > > Thanks, > > Bob in CT. >

[Carlos Rigdon]

We trailered 4 bikes to Moab back in May. W e used 4 high quality ratchet straps per bike 2 off the bars and 3 off the rear grab bars and compressed the shocks about 3 inches and took off. Not one bike moved on the trip there and back 3200 miles there and back. I think I have some pictures of the strapped down if you want them.

On 7/26/06, rschulte46 wrote: > > I plan to document this proceedure, with pictures, when it is done so > your input will be appreciated. Sorry for the length. > > THE SITUATION: > > I have a flatbed trailer which I bought from Harbor Freight. I > assembled it from a kit, and am very pleased with the overall quality. > If anyone else decides to do this, be sure to open your boxes as soon > as they are delivered so that you can find the one piece of "C" > channel that has the vin number foil lable on it. You must call > Harbor Freight's customer service and ask for a notarized "Certificate > of Origin" and "Bill of Sale" if you want to register the trailer. > (This does not apply to all states, but it does in CT.) This service > takes at least three weeks...I am still waiting, but they claim it is > in the mail. > > I am now trying to work out where and how to secure the bike to the > trailer. I have a front wheel chock and I can attach straps all the > way around the trailer. > > My questions are: > Where do I grab the KLR? I currently have four straps but I feel that > I should have backup straps or rope as well. Currently two straps > (one on either side)grab the triangular forward motor mount. Is this > high enough? > > The other two straps with hooks attach to the frame just forward of > the rear wheel. I do not have any straps on the handlebar or up high > over the seat. I don't want to grab the luggage rack although it is > tempting. > > 2) Should I try to compress the shocks? Both front and rear? If I do > compress the shocks...is body weight enough, I am over two hundred > fifty pounds. Will this damage the shocks in any way? > 3) It is easy to lock the front wheel into the wheel chock. > > 4) Do I need a couple of pieces of 2x4 on either side of the rear > wheel to hold it from moving off center? > > I really appreciate your thoughts as I don't want my "Praying Mantis", > green 2006 of course, falling off the trailer. > > It goes without saying that I would check the final arrangement about > every fifty miles of trailering on good roads, and more frequently on > back roads. > > Thanks, > > Bob in CT. > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Bill Watson]

One detail that might not be clear is that when we're saying to run the straps to "the handlebars", we mean to attach NOT TO THE ENDS up by the grips - I saw someone do this once and the bars rotated, no more description required of the after-effects.... You want to hook over the handlebar down low near the triple clamp, very near where the fork tubes meet the upper triple clamp. There's a bend there in the bars, right by where they're clamped to the motorcycle under the cross-bar, that holds things in place nicely. Bill Watson Phoenix --------------------------------- See the all-new, redesigned Yahoo.com. Check it out. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Lars Lemberg]

Bob, I trailered my Soylent Green '06 from Philadelphia to D.C. on a flatbed utility trailer that I built out of a boat trailer. It has sides on it to form a box for hauling things like mulch, but I removed all but the front of the box to haul the KLR.

> My questions are: > 1) Where do I grab the KLR?

I put two tiedown straps on the handlebars, and two on the passenger handles. I positioned the straps to be sure they were not going to rub on plastic.

> 2) Should I try to compress the shocks?

I compressed the shocks as far as I could by pulling the straps tight. Many are of the opinion that you should place a block of wood above each tire to prevent compressing the suspension. I haven't yet been convinced that is necessary. I think the bike suspension taking up road shock makes a light weight trailer ride more smoothly.

> 3) It is easy to lock the front wheel into the wheel chock.

I bolted two 2X4's angled from the floor to the front of the box to form a front wheel chock.

> 4) Do I need a couple of pieces of 2x4 on either side of the rear > wheel to hold it from moving off center?

I did, and I think it is necessary. There is quite a bit of bouncing around going on when on surfaces like concrete with its expansion joints. The KLR was rock solid all the way home, and never needed any adjustment from the initial tie down. As far as Jim's comments about small trailer tires, I think the size is not the only thing that matters. If the trailer was built with bearings, wheels, and tires rated for highway speeds, it should last a long time. My ex-boat trailer has eight inch wheels, and has been towed probably a couple hundred thousand miles since it was new in 1965. Lots and lots of miles at 60mph with a load on it. I do regular preventive maintenance (repack wheel bearings, that's about it), and have had no problems. Lars

[Don Montgomery]

You can also get the short double ended loop straps made from webbing and attach just above the lower triple clamp. (Ever counted them, there are not 3 of them!) Attach your tiedown straps from there. I hate to put straps or hooks on wiring and cables on the bars! Get anal if you like and duct tape the hooks closed so any bouncing that might unweight the straps don't allow the hook to come off the loops. Same for the trailer end. klrdon

----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Watson" To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2006 1:00 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Questions about trailering a KLR > One detail that might not be clear is that when we're saying to run the > straps to "the handlebars", we mean to attach NOT TO THE ENDS up by the > grips - I saw someone do this once and the bars rotated, no more > description required of the after-effects.... > > You want to hook over the handlebar down low near the triple clamp, very > near where the fork tubes meet the upper triple clamp. There's a bend > there in the bars, right by where they're clamped to the motorcycle under > the cross-bar, that holds things in place nicely. > > Bill Watson > Phoenix > > > --------------------------------- > See the all-new, redesigned Yahoo.com. Check it out. > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > Archive Quicksearch at: > http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.4/401 - Release Date: 7/26/2006 > >

[Norm Keller]

Lars posted: I think the size is not the only thing that matters. Some will argue with your conclusions........... Norm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Norm Keller]

Just for reference: "My questions are:" "Where do I grab the KLR?" I use some ratchet tie-down straps of the type which are sold everywhere. The front ones go onto the handle bars just inside the cross bar. Rear straps go onto the passenger grab handles. I pull the suspension down about 2 inches. My concerns over bottoming the suspension are that the springs won't appreciate that and bottoming when the trailer may be a problem. The flip side is that movement in the suspension will allow the bike to pound the straps on rebound. This system has worked well for the limited carrying I've done but others will have more data.. I like to have something to keep the rear wheel from slipping to one side if worse comes. A couple of short 2x4 and cordless drill work well. HIH and awaiting will be following this thread. Norm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[matteeanne@yahoo.com]

PS< KLR's hate being trailered! They tend to bail out of a trailer or the back of a truck to be free! --- Norm Keller wrote:

> Just for reference: > > "My questions are:" > > "Where do I grab the KLR?" > I use some ratchet tie-down straps of the type which > are sold everywhere. The front ones go onto the > handle bars just inside the cross bar. > > Rear straps go onto the passenger grab handles. > > I pull the suspension down about 2 inches. My > concerns over bottoming the suspension are that the > springs won't appreciate that and bottoming when the > trailer may be a problem. The flip side is that > movement in the suspension will allow the bike to > pound the straps on rebound. > > This system has worked well for the limited carrying > I've done but others will have more data.. > > I like to have something to keep the rear wheel from > slipping to one side if worse comes. A couple of > short 2x4 and cordless drill work well. > > HIH and awaiting will be following this thread. > > Norm > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > >

Sean Brown International Order of the KLR. "yeh, unto the ride, the thumper, yeh, and it was good, and thine did rejoice" amen matteeanne@... __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

[matteeanne@yahoo.com]

Actually Norm, I have a better fix, eat and drink to excess (like me) and then your fat ass will weigh the bike down so much it makes it impossible to ride off with the side stand down! --- Norm Keller wrote:

> An alternative to defeating the safety switches is > to install a by-pass switch which will allow the > safety switches to be by-passed on demand. > > I did this because I prefer to incorporate the side > stand switch because of the consequences of riding > off with side stand down. > > If you would like a copy of the procedure I wrote to > add the by-pass switch just email. > > HIH > > Norm > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > >

Sean Brown International Order of the KLR. "yeh, unto the ride, the thumper, yeh, and it was good, and thine did rejoice" amen matteeanne@... __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com