Trailering

[1200gsceej]

I am curious as to the brand/model of the trailer itself.
-ceej

Originally Posted by ausfahrt

here are a few pics of my rig:

[Chris41483]

That is an extremely nice trailer! And the Subaru too! Nice to see another Subaru fan who likes motorcycles and lives in a southern state!

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by pielet97

The difference between riding the bike and the pitbull is where the loads originate. While riding, the stresses initiate at the rubber and flow as the engineers modeled.

When using the pitbull, the inner potion of the hub will have acute compressive loads on the inner material, which are normally modeled as free. Although fatigue isn't an issue, the fact that the wheel is static may create stress paths that weren't modeled. Only the BMW engineers would know.

Another issue would be the difference in diameter. Theoretically, with enough stress, the inner tube will oblong the inner hub.

Will it matter, probably not, would I use it, no.

Exactly. You are using the inside of the FD tube for the stresses! It is no stretch to see that a hard hit on one side could easily deform the inner tube, which is not designed for this kind of stress. Plus the other items I mentioned.

Do what you want, but I would not use that stand.

Jim

[Chris41483]

Originally Posted by JimVonBaden

Exactly. You are using the inside of the FD tube for the stresses! It is no stretch to see that a hard hit on one side could easily deform the inner tube, which is not designed for this kind of stress. Plus the other items I mentioned.

Do what you want, but I would not use that stand.

Jim

I agree. The inside of the tube MAY suffer. I would love to see a break down of the stand, how exactly that it attaches, and how tightly it fits.

[GS Addict]

My reaction was not to use it as well but then I looked this up.
They make a model specific to BMW....
http://www.pit-bull.com/mm5/merchant...ler_restraints
You'd think from a liability point of view that they did their homework.......or not?

[WindSailor]

Originally Posted by def

At the front, I roll the bike into a wheel chock and use ratchet straps at the fork brace oriented so that the straps are pulling the bike forward slightly into the chock.

At the rear, I secure straps to the passenger peg mounts with only moderate compression of the rear suspension.

That's pretty much what I have done over the years; from the motocross bikes forward.

All of the tie down points I have used in the past have been high up and frame and fork oriented, and then let the suspension work. Works whether it is on a trailer or in the back of a pickup.

It appears that this 'pitbull' has it backwards. Sorry.

The stresses are not on the frame (strongest point) which makes me worry about using it, especially on a heavier bike.

Basically it seems to me that capturing the wheel, any wheel or any other 'low' point of restraint / tie down point I think makes the stresses higher overall on the bike (because of the weight above the restraint / load forces etc.) and I think in general not a good idea at all. I thought the idea of tying your bike down or securing it for transport was to reduce the load levels as much as possible.

Keep it simple - make it high and snug.

my 2

[ausfahrt]

Thanks for the comments, I figured that I would get positive and negative replies. In response to a couple of your questions and thoughts:

- I probably will continue to use the Pitbull and closely monitor the swingarm after each use.
- The front chock is not needed for the Pitbull, it is there because I haul other bikes too.
- I hauled the bike to N. Georgia to do some riding in the mountains...8 hours on I-75 on a bike is not my idea of fun.
- The trailer is an Aluma MC10. I love it and recommend it, I even pull it with my Honda Civic and I like the hidden ramp.


- Link to Aluma: http://www.alumaklm.com/motorcycle-trailers.html
- We are happy with the Forester and since we are moving to Vermont, it was on our short list. It has a boxer too, I must be horizontally opposed.
- The Pitbulls are bike-specific. You must have a separate one for each brand/model of bike that you haul.

[def]

If you have the opportunity, next time you're at your friendly BMW store, observe how BMW motorcycles are secured within the shipping crate.

[bobbybob]

Originally Posted by ausfahrt

- I probably will continue to use the Pitbull and closely monitor the swingarm after each use.

No need to "closely" monitor it. Just a quick glance will tell you if its ok. It will either be in 1 piece, or look like THIS (after my buddy ran into a ditch. he was unhurt)--->>>



Kinda speaks for itself. Not much metal holding the FD to the swingarm.

[Gompie]

I do like the wide loading ramp on that trailer.

There is similar way of attaching the bike recently reviewed on webbikeworld. They liked it too. But I'm with JvB, there is a difference. Forget the BMW FD for a minute, and imagine a 80's bike with two shocks left and right of the wheel. You can corner (on the bike, not bike on trailer) as aggressively as you want, the forces are divided exactly 50/50 between both shocks. The side forces between tyre (G-force) and road, and bike weight on the tyre where it hits the road, are always in balance, and acting in the direction of that '80's shock absorber, or your spine if you don't lean more or less than the bike

Now put that bike on a trailer where you immobilise the wheels. Unless the center of gravity of the bike is at the same height as the wheel centre (which it won't be), than cornering with the trailer will generate different forces, and put a bending moment on the wheel bearings of the bike.

Now bring in the BMW FD. By design, it can handle some bending moment as the bearing is not sitting in the middle of the wheel. But using these devices could put much more bending moment on it.

It's not the steady speed around a corner on a smooth road. It's where the trailer might sidestep due to road imperfections, and then the bike's wheel bearings have to deal with the bending moment.
I might be wrong, but this way of strapping the bike down does not seem right to me.

[oldfool]

Trailers are for livin in and windshields are for motorhomes. I hope that bike is brokedown. Richard

[WindSailor]

-Edit-

Still LOVE that trailer.

[Desert Skies]

I use the lower triple clamp with the wheel in a chock and the passenger peg mounts or rear sub frame. The suspension still works.

[Plane Dr]

Originally Posted by Desert Skies

I use the lower triple clamp with the wheel in a chock and the passenger peg mounts or rear sub frame. The suspension still works.

Matching pair to mine. Except my DR is a 400.. It is the faster Blue though. Since I use hook tie downs I add a bungee strap in the back so the hook can't detach itself.

[cozmo2312]

Originally Posted by Desert Skies

I use the lower triple clamp with the wheel in a chock and the passenger peg mounts or rear sub frame. The suspension still works.

you should be RIDING that thing!!!






j/k