TL;DR: Harley transport mode is essential for safely trailering your motorcycle without draining the battery or triggering the alarm system. This guide shows you exactly how to activate it and when to use it.

• Prevent battery drain by disabling motion sensors during transport
• Step-by-step instructions for Touring and Standard models (2014–2020)
• Learn how to turn off Harley alarm for transport without losing security
• Understand when to use Harley trailer mode or Harley tow mode
• Avoid common mistakes like forgetting the key fob or skipping activation

What Is Harley Transport Mode and Why It Matters

If you’ve ever hauled your bike across state lines or prepped it for a rally weekend, you already know one thing—your Harley-Davidson® isn’t just cargo. It’s a finely tuned machine built for the ride. But without the proper setup, transporting your motorcycle can lead to a frustrating surprise: a dead battery.

This is where Harley transport mode (also known as Harley Davidson® transport mode, Harley tow mode, or Harley trailer mode) becomes essential. When your bike is equipped with a factory security system, motion sensors are always on alert. That’s great for theft prevention—but not so great when your bike is bouncing along in a trailer for hundreds of miles.

Without activating transport mode, your Harley’s alarm system can continuously trigger during transit, slowly draining your battery. By the time you unload, you may be stuck with a bike that won’t start.

Harley Trailer Mode: The Smart Way to Transport Your Bike

Transport mode is designed specifically to solve this problem. When activated, it disables the motion detection portion of your security system—effectively allowing your bike to move freely without triggering the alarm.

Think of it as putting your bike into “travel mode.” The security system is still active, but it won’t react to motion. This is why many riders refer to it as Harley trailer mode or Harley tow mode.

It’s also one of the easiest ways to turn off Harley alarm for transport without fully disabling your bike’s security features.

For riders who regularly travel to rallies, events, or long-distance destinations, using Harley transport mode isn’t just a convenience—it’s a must. It protects your battery, reduces unnecessary wear on electrical components, and ensures your bike arrives in the same ready-to-ride condition you expect from every Harley-Davidson®.

How to Put Harley in Transport Mode (Step-by-Step)

Let’s break it down by model so you can confidently get your bike road-ready—even when it’s not being ridden.

Touring Models (2019–2020)

Enter Harley Transport Mode

1. Make sure your assigned key fob is within range.
2. Turn the ignition switch to IGNITION.
3. Before the security lamp turns off, switch the ignition to OFF.
4. Within three seconds, press both the left and right turn signal switches simultaneously.
5. The turn signals will flash once—confirming that Harley transport mode is active.

Once activated, you can remove the fob and move your motorcycle freely without triggering the alarm system.

Pro Tip: On models with a fairing, the odometer will display “TSPORT MODE ACTIVE” when engaged.

Exit Transport Mode

1. Bring the assigned key fob within range.
2. Turn the ignition switch to IGNITION.

That’s it—your bike is back to full operational mode and ready to ride.

Standard Touring Models (2014–2018)

How to Put Harley in Transport Mode

1. Ensure your key fob is nearby.
2. Turn the ignition switch to IGNITION.
3. Before the security system lamp turns off, switch the ignition to OFF.
4. Within three seconds, press both turn signal switches at the same time.
5. Watch for the turn signals to flash once—this confirms Harley-Davidson transport mode is activated.
6. Remove the fob, and your motorcycle can now be transported without setting off the alarm.

Exit Transport Mode

1. Bring your assigned key fob within range.
2. Turn the ignition switch back to IGNITION.

You’re ready to fire it up and hit the road.

CVO Models (2014–2018)

Transport mode steps can vary slightly depending on the configuration of your CVO model. For the most accurate walkthrough, refer to your owner’s manual or follow a verified Harley-Davidson® tutorial.

2013 Models and Earlier

Older Harley-Davidson® motorcycles may use different procedures to activate Harley tow mode or disable the alarm for transport. Because these systems vary, we recommend checking your model-specific manual or speaking with a certified technician.

When Should You Use Harley Tow Mode?

Knowing how to put Harley in transport mode is only half the equation—you also need to know when to use it.

You should always activate transport mode when:

• Trailering your bike long distances
• Shipping your motorcycle
• Moving your bike without starting the engine
• Storing your bike where it may be repositioned frequently

In short, if your Harley is moving without being ridden, Harley trailer mode should be on.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

Even seasoned riders can overlook transport mode. Here are a few pitfalls to avoid:

• Skipping transport mode before trailering: This is the fastest way to drain your battery.
• Forgetting your key fob: You’ll need it to both activate and deactivate the system.
• Assuming the alarm is fully disabled: Transport mode only disables motion detection—not the entire security system.

Understanding these details helps you properly turn off Harley alarm for transport without compromising security.

Ride Ready, Wherever You Land

At Southside Harley-Davidson®, we believe the ride starts long before the engine fires up. Whether you’re heading to a rally, delivering your bike cross-country, or storing it for the season, knowing how to use Harley transport mode ensures your motorcycle is ready when you are.

If you’re unsure about your specific model or want a hands-on walkthrough, stop by Southside Harley-Davidson® and connect with our team. We’ll make sure you’re dialed in, confident, and always ready for the next ride.

Because every mile matters—even the ones you don’t ride.

Figuring out how to ride a motorcycle on your own is definitely possible. Figuring out how to ride it safely- well, that's a completely different story. For myself, I learned how to operate a motorcycle a few years back, and I did it how anybody else today might go about picking up a new hobby: Youtube.

How Not To Learn

I had no experience with a manual transmission; didn't know what a clutch was, let alone how to use it. In fact, I bought my first motorcycle before even considering how I was going to learn to ride it. I walked into a dealership out of sheer curiosity, fell in love with a pearl-white beauty, and had it delivered to my driveway within that same week. Did I jump the gun a little? Sure. But how hard could riding a motorcycle be?

Within the 24 hours prior to her delivery, I had consumed as much information from video tutorials as my brain could possibly contain. I practiced the clutch-shift-throttle motions over and over until it practically became muscle memory. I was so confident in myself and could hardly wait to get on my new baby for the first time.

I'll never forget the first time I started her up. My 10-year-old son and his friend, Justin (who grew up around Harley's and probably knew more than I did about motorcycles), were standing in the driveway when my brand-new cruiser emerged from the truck. Not eager to embarrass myself in front of the delivery guy, I waited until he pulled off before I swung my leg over the bike.

I sat there for a few minutes, excited in anticipation for the freedom and adventure that awaited me. I looked up toward the garage- about 40 feet ahead of me- and decided that reaching it would be our first journey together. But as I looked back down toward my hand controls, I realized that in all my perceived learning, I must have overlooked how to simply start the bike.

Luckily, Justin- the 11-year-old from down the street- was there to offer some neighborly advice. "It's that button there," he pointed toward a switch near the right hand-grip. I pushed it and was instantly filled with adrenaline as I sat above the roaring engine. Confident in my Youtube education (and after overcoming that one minor obstacle) I pulled in the clutch lever and began to go through the motions just as I had rehearsed. Not but five seconds later, I found myself climbing out of the hedges beside the driveway.

Determined to get it right, I picked up the bike and kept working at it until I was able to ride with more proficiency. Eventually, my bike became a daily commuter to me- but it didn't happen without a few scares and a little bit of damage.

What I Learned (from "learning" on my own)

What I didn't realize until much later on is that most (if not all) of those scares could have just as easily been avoided if I had just taken a rider safety course- specifically, the Harley-Davidson® Riding Academy New Rider Course.

Okay, full disclosure, I am an employee here at Southside Harley-Davidson, but this is far from a promotional testimony. Although I began riding several years ago, I had never actually received my motorcycle endorsement (oops), and being one of just a few employees at a Harley-Davidson dealership who couldn't legally operate a motorcycle was a somewhat isolating position to be in. So, I signed up for the Riding Academy, with the expectation of flying through the course and graduating with honors (FYI, there's no such thing).

Doing It The Right Way

What began as a journey to become a legal rider became an experience that was far more valuable than just a stamp on my driver's license.

Going in to the course, I was pretty confident in myself; having ridden for one entire summer, I was sure that I knew how to operate a motorcycle just as well as anyone else in our group. As we took turns introducing ourselves and detailing our riding experience and what each of us hoped to take away from the course, I was quite surprised by the diverse mix of new and experienced riders. I was actually a bit confused at first, wondering what someone who had ridden for 10 years could possibly acquire from a basic riding course.

As it turns out, we all had something to gain- but some of us didn't realize that yet. 

It wasn't until we began diving in to the classroom exercises that I realized how little I knew about motorcycle safety. Yes, I knew how to operate my bike, but riding (for those who'd like to survive, anyway) is more than physical motions; it's a complete, unbroken awareness of the world that moves around you; it's anticipating how your environment may change in the blink of an eye, and mentally formulating how you'll respond to it; it's the responsibility of maintaining the mindset that you are always at a disadvantage and that one wrong move could have a rather unfavorable outcome. If that makes you a bit nervous, that's good- because that means you'll likely take motorcycle safety seriously.

Passionate Coaches

Safety is something that the coaches really tried to drive home in each of us. Not to scare us, but to open our eyes to the smallest factors that could impact us for the rest of our lives. What I found so captivating about the classroom portion of the Riding Academy is that our coaches didn't simply teach the lessons from the book like a robot; they preached it like it was the Gospel; they spoke passionately from decades of riding experience and genuinely believed every word they spoke to us. They made believers out of us.

By the time we hit the range and got on our bikes for the first time, each of us- including the more seasoned riders- had become better equipped and prepared for the challenges ahead. But some of us (yes, me) had a few bad habits left to break.

In 2015, I took a pretty nasty spill going into a left turn. In fact, I was riding home from work- probably for the hundredth time- along a very familiar route. I stopped completely, checked left and right at least twice, triple checked for oncoming traffic, and proceeded to turn on to my own neighborhood street. About half-way through the turn I caught a peripheral glimpse of a car coming toward me in the oncoming traffic lane. I turned my head toward the car, became fixated on it, and went down on my left side.

Not long after, I sold my bike and tried to forget the whole thing. But I spent the next three years replaying that dump in my head, trying to figure out where the hell that car came from. Truth is, it doesn't really matter. I became fixated on that car and, on a motorcycle, your body takes your bike wherever your eyes are looking. That's a lesson that I wish I had learned long before the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy. In fact, if finally being able to understand the reason I went down that day was the only thing I learned from the course, it would have still been worth it.

Now, most of us were fortunate enough not to have a fall and embarrass ourselves out on the range, but we had our fair share of screw ups. You wouldn't think that- with only two days on the bikes- each of us could get any one-on-one time to address our shortcomings- but, even with 12 individual riders revving for attention, it felt as if we had our own personal coach. They were patient, understanding, compassionate and genuinely caring. They wanted us to succeed as badly as we did.

A Supportive Group Of Classmates

The whole atmosphere was invigorating; not only did our coaches cheer for our victories but, through their passionate energy, they inspired the entire group to celebrate as a team. I couldn't imagine a more supportive and motivating environment to learn how to ride.

By the time we took our skills test, there wasn't a single nervous tremble in my bones. In fact, I've never felt more comfortable taking a test (let alone a motorcycle skills test) than on that final day of the Riding Academy. Even in front of my peers and coaches, I couldn't have been more calm and collected. It was like being in the presence of family, knowing that literally everyone around you is rooting for you to succeed. Seriously, when was the last time you took a test at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the customers and staff cheered for you when you passed? Yeah- doesn't happen.

What You Take With You

There's an incredible satisfaction when you graduate from the Riding Academy and earn your motorcycle endorsement. It's so much more than just another letter added to your driver's license. It's symbolic of hard work, perseverance, and dedication to safety. It's something to be proud of, and something you can carry along with you wherever the road leads. 

From the bonds that we formed with our fellow riders, to the valuable lessons that we learned from our coaches, the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy was well worth the cost. Sure, you can learn to ride from Youtube or the 11-year-old down the street, but neither will prepare you for the real-world dangers of the open road like the H-D Riding Academy.

While the entire experience was incredibly humbling, I now have more confidence in my own skills, abilities, and awareness as a rider than I had ever (realistically) had in the past. In fact, I can now sit more peacefully behind the wheel of my car, with greater awareness for the environment around me. Heck, I truly believe that anyone who comes within 10 feet of a motorcycle- rider, passenger, 4-wheeled motorist, etc.- should go through this course, even if only to understand the unique perspective of a motorcycle rider.

There's nothing nearly as refreshing as cruising down a long stretch of country road on your Road Glide®- or any HarleyDavidson® touring bike- while blaring your favorite tunes and breathing in the scenic landscape. While the wind-splitting adrenaline and natural wonder alone can be enough to satisfyyour craving for freedom, Harley-Davidson leaves riders no room for hunger with the factory-standard Infotainment System on select touring models.

In typical H-D® fashion, the Boom!™ Box Infotainment System was designed to enhance the riding experience by bringing together modern bluetooth capabilities and a sophisticated navigation system into one convenient package. But with so much to offer, riders can sometimes be overwhelmed with the vast assortment of features and options.

When you purchase a Harley-Davidson touring bike, you’re making an exciting investment, and the last thing we- here at Southside Harley-Davidson- would want is for you to miss out on some of the Infotainment system’s most beneficial features hidden right under your nose. That’s why we’re going to take some time to address some of your most frequently asked questions about the system in the following how-to guide.

First, keep in mind that there are two Boom! Box Infotainment models available. You’ll notice that the 6.5 model comes equipped with navigation, which we will be discussing below. The 4.3 model isn’t equipped with navigation, but we’ll also be digging in to some of the coolest bluetooth features of the Infotainment System, which will apply to both models.

We’ve received quite a few questions regarding this particular topic here at ISSHD. That’s because entering the address of your destination is a bit different on the Infotainment System. Many GPS systems are designed for users to key the desired address in the format of street number > street > city > state. But the Infotainment navigation system was designed for address entry in the reverse format, state > city > street > street number.

You may be wondering why the system was designed this way. Well, the Infotainment navigation system will auto-populate your state first, recognizing your current GPS location. This makes it easier for the system to auto-populate your most probable intended destination.