P500 Towable cover...yes or no

[Shive]

This is my first post.What a great forum to get information.
Were towing our new p5 with the Honda windshield, soft top with rear cover and doors out west on a road trip. Total miles will be about 4000. I'm debating on whether or not to get the cover for towing of just remove the accessories for towing. I've read the post about pros and cons. To those of you that have experience with them, what's your overall experience. I read where the windshield needs some sort pf protection. So...yes or no? Buy the cover or remove the accessories? Thanks in advance.

 

[oldfortyfive]

You will need to protect the windshield. Mine was ruined by the cover rubbing on it. Now use a plastic film covering it.

 

[alloutdoors]

The components on these machines, windshields, etc., aren't as durable as those on our vehicles and suspect the unit will take on damage giving a 4000 mile road trip. Personally, I would remove all the accessories, stow them or I would consider a covered trailer. I would still put a cover on a "naked" P500 anyway without the accessories to avoid any potential damage during the long towing process...

 

[Gassygordo]

I have towed mine many times with no cover and all my accessories stay. I don’t go over 65mph.

 

[trigger]

I've towed mine with a hard top and half shield at about 80 mph. I looked into it once and never found a towable cover with any kind of real warranty, it's going to shred.

 

[Husker1]

View attachment 108098 View attachment 108099 I have towed mine many times with no cover and all my accessories stay. I don’t go over 65mph.

Gassygordo How do you like your tie downs.

 

[Montecresto]

This is my first post.What a great forum to get information.
Were towing our new p5 with the Honda windshield, soft top with rear cover and doors out west on a road trip. Total miles will be about 4000. I'm debating on whether or not to get the cover for towing of just remove the accessories for towing. I've read the post about pros and cons. To those of you that have experience with them, what's your overall experience. I read where the windshield needs some sort pf protection. So...yes or no? Buy the cover or remove the accessories? Thanks in advance.

4,000 miles?????? IMO do your best to find a box trailer to transport it in. The so called ‘towable covers’ are not sufficiently durable for that kind of long haul and when those things start fraying, they begin to do damage to paint and plastic. I have a friend that invested (I think about $600.00) in a truckers grade, very heavy duty five sided tarpaulin with tie downs every foot along the bottom because he transports so often, and it works perfectly. They can be ordered in custom dimensions/colors.

I ordered one for my bumper pool table that sets on the deck at my lake house in snow, ice, rain and wind, in its third year now and it keeps it 100% safe and dry.

Here it is in ice/snow that just started falling...

 

[oldfortyfive]

I regularly tow on an open trailer 2600 miles round trip. Other than regularly checking the tiedowns and my tarp rubbing on the windshield I've had no real issues. Over time I've gotten much better at securing the tarp and now use a plastic film on the windshield to stop the rubbing. Since I planned from the beginning on towing the distance I went with an aluminum trailer. Done everything I could to keep the weight down to help keep fuel costs down. I've been pretty happy with how it has all worked out.
Lurking somewhere on the forum are photos of my hillbilly looking rig in transport. Pioneer security

 

[Gassygordo]

Gassygordo How do you like your tie downs.

Great! They do not loosen up like the way I first tied it down. I also have the winch hooked to the trailer tongue.

 

[Alan aka Davinci]

I personally would not cover, they take too much of a beating resulting in a short life in addition to rubbing n your P5. I will say that mine is usually covered but that because it's in the garage in the toy hauler.

 

[Montecresto]

Over time I've gotten much better at securing the tarp

Yeah, that’s a learning curve for sure.

 

[Shive]

View attachment 108098 View attachment 108099 I have towed mine many times with no cover and all my accessories stay. I don’t go over 65mph.

I'll be towing with my truck with a topper that's raised about 6" in the back so that should help deflect some wind. I'm probably leaning toward just removing

4,000 miles?????? IMO do your best to find a box trailer to transport it in. The so called ‘towable covers’ are not sufficiently durable for that kind of long haul and when those things start fraying, they begin to do damage to paint and plastic. I have a friend that invested (I think about $600.00) in a truckers grade, very heavy duty five sided tarpaulin with tie downs every foot along the bottom because he transports so often, and it works perfectly. They can be ordered in custom dimensions/colors.

I ordered one for my bumper pool table that sets on the deck at my lake house in snow, ice, rain and wind, in its third year now and it keeps it 100% safe and dry.

Here it is in ice/snow that just started falling...

I personally would not cover, they take too much of a beating resulting in a short life in addition to rubbing n your P5. I will say that mine is usually covered but that because it's in the garage in the toy hauler.

We actually looked at a toy hauler, but went with an open trailer which better serves our needs. My wife brought up a good point. We have a 1999 boat and motor with no cover and we have pulled it thousands of miles with no ill affects, so maybe I'll just quit worrying about it and have a good time. I've seen many boats with paint wore off in spots where cover were rubbing. Ours still looks like new . We were going to haul our old machine out and I didn't give it a second thought. It's been hauled all over with no damage. I guess since this one is new I started thinking about it.

 

[Mudder]

Keep it uncovered for the joy of kids passing by.

 

[Montecresto]

I'll be towing with my truck with a topper that's raised about 6" in the back so that should help deflect some wind. I'm probably leaning toward just removing

Good luck with whatever you do and enjoy the road trip and 4 wheeling out west, it’s the best!!!!

 

[Shive]

Good luck with whatever you do and enjoy the road trip and 4 wheeling out west, it’s the best!!!!

Thanks. Going to ride in the Sedona area for 4 days. We're excited.

 

[trigger]

I regularly tow on an open trailer 2600 miles round trip. Other than regularly checking the tiedowns and my tarp rubbing on the windshield I've had no real issues. Over time I've gotten much better at securing the tarp and now use a plastic film on the windshield to stop the rubbing. Since I planned from the beginning on towing the distance I went with an aluminum trailer. Done everything I could to keep the weight down to help keep fuel costs down. I've been pretty happy with how it has all worked out.
Lurking somewhere on the forum are photos of my hillbilly looking rig in transport. Pioneer security

Lol, I remember seeing that pic! That's about the only cover that won't tear to shreds.

 

[Montecresto]

Lurking somewhere on the forum are photos of my hillbilly looking rig in transport. Pioneer security

Did that have plywood on it too???

 

[oldfortyfive]

Did that have plywood on it too???

Yup. Everyone thinks it’s a junk machine so it reduces the chances of problems when we spend a night at a motel.

 

[Montecresto]

Yup. Everyone thinks it’s a junk machine so it reduces the chances of problems when we spend a night at a motel.

Haha, I remember it and that would provide some peace of mind when at the motel, the place that I’m always most concerned.

 

[KYhillbilly]

after losing a soft door towing in the winter at speeds i thought safe i bought a Honda towable cover. Love it but it will not fit with a bed on the rack, 2-you must put something over the windshield to protect it, and 3 its a pain to put on in the dark.

However compared to taking off the doors, windshield and Tusk rear soft window its worth it. I only do 100-200 miles each way so not sure about a 2,000 mile trek.