leo3wheel Posted August 10, 2015 Share #1 Posted August 10, 2015 Will be towing our RSV trike a few hundred miles this week. Trailer says to put motorcycle in gear for hauling. Is this correct, or should trike be in neutral to take the engine and drive train out of the picture? Front tire is in a chock, rear tires are wedged and obviously trike is tied down. Movement will hopefully be at a minimum. Any insight is appreciated. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muffinman Posted August 10, 2015 Share #2 Posted August 10, 2015 Will be towing our RSV trike a few hundred miles this week. Trailer says to put motorcycle in gear for hauling. Is this correct, or should trike be in neutral to take the engine and drive train out of the picture? Front tire is in a chock, rear tires are wedged and obviously trike is tied down. Movement will hopefully be at a minimum. Any insight is appreciated. Thanks! I always tow with the bike in gear in case of tie down slippage or other issues like bike hopping around just another small way to help keep the bike where you want it. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leo3wheel Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share #3 Posted August 10, 2015 Because trike will be strapped down well, will leave it in gear. Agree it's safer. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steamer Posted August 11, 2015 Share #4 Posted August 11, 2015 I think neutral would be safer for the transmission. I would be concerned that the gears would take a beating from all the bouncing around the trike will be doing on the trailer. No matter how well you tie it down, there will still be movement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leo3wheel Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted August 11, 2015 I think neutral would be safer for the transmission. I would be concerned that the gears would take a beating from all the bouncing around the trike will be doing on the trailer. No matter how well you tie it down, there will still be movement. That's my dilemma! Seem to recall someone's logic that oil is not circulating in engine, so there is a chance for wear. Of course, wear may be ever so slight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daitan Posted August 11, 2015 Share #6 Posted August 11, 2015 For my two cents...go in gear one way, and neutral the other:beer:, that way you got both suggestions covered:cool10:. Sorry couldn't resist:rotf: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragtop69gs Posted August 11, 2015 Share #7 Posted August 11, 2015 The concern with having it in gear is that the pistons may move slightly up & down wearing the cylinder walls, once the oil is gone there's the risk of breaking a ring, ring land or cylinder wall scoring. Myself I think it's a low risk unless you're towing it for 10's Of thousands of miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leo3wheel Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share #8 Posted August 11, 2015 The concern with having it in gear is that the pistons may move slightly up & down wearing the cylinder walls, once the oil is gone there's the risk of breaking a ring, ring land or cylinder wall scoring. Myself I think it's a low risk unless you're towing it for 10's Of thousands of miles. Hi Jay, Called my brother-in-law last evening. He hauls his Goldwing back and forth between NH and Florida every year. He always hauls bike in gear. He drives up tight to the front chock, hits the kill switch and ties bike down. Believe there should be enough synthetic oil film on parts to make a trip of a few hundred miles. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonRider Posted August 11, 2015 Share #9 Posted August 11, 2015 I agree with the Muffin, I always leave them in gear...........just so much safer. I always tow with the bike in gear in case of tie down slippage or other issues like bike hopping around just another small way to help keep the bike where you want it. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carbon_One Posted August 11, 2015 Share #10 Posted August 11, 2015 I've always left my bike in gear when on the trailer. Hardly unlikely it'd come out of the wheel chock so there's 0 movement to begin with . Once strapped down fore and aft it ain't going anywhere. If the bike has to move enough to cause gear damage you've got bigger problems. Like a loose bike on your trailer. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venturous Randy Posted August 11, 2015 Share #11 Posted August 11, 2015 I always towed in gear with the front wheel tight against the trailer with straps pulling forward and down and to the side. The bike is not going to move and every time I have started releasing the bike it was still tight against the Trailer frame. Everything I tow on a trailer, like my riding mower, is with the brakes on and locked in gear. Randy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leo3wheel Posted August 12, 2015 Author Share #12 Posted August 12, 2015 Thanks folks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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