Canyon Dancer 2

Well I've added a CONDOR Wheel Chock to my trailer but I'm reluctant to go anywhere without a tie down connected to the bars. Maybe I'm too old school or just paranoid. I'm gonna go with a wheel chock, a set of tie downs to the frame near the passenger pegs AND the bar tie downs.

I was not happy with the way the Canyon Dancer thing squeezed and twisted the hand grips. Many folks added PVC or foam to protect the grips.

The Canyon Dancer 2 is the next generation:

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Canyon Dancer 1.jpg


Don't worry the plastic has a steel D-ring in the mold.

On Top the old version - On the bottom the new version:

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Canyon Dancer 2.jpg


I'm going to add a foam insert which will protect the handgrips even more. It's foam pipe insulation (cut to length) from the very exotic Home Depot Plumbing department.


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Canyon Dancer 3.jpg


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Canyon Dancer 4.jpg

There is no handle bar connected to the grip, but you get the idea. TexasMac will be my third trip with the new Canyon Dancer. I really don't compress the front wheel that much, but I can't seem to get my head around going with just the wheel chock and a couple frame tie down.

Am I being too protective?? Is this overkill or just playing it safe??
God knows it takes a while to get all the straps right.

My "old" canyon dancer is looking for a new home if anyone wants a free harness for the bars. I'll give it away at the TMac event. It's new - only used for one or two trips.

Brian

My theory is you can have enough tie downs on a trailer. Kinda like having a girl too pretty...LOL.

Can you post up a picture of your setup with and without the bike on the trailer. I am really interested to see what type of chock you are using. Dont worry about not feeling comfy with the chocks cause I dont feel comfy with straps (lost a bike from strap failure). The best way to transport your bike is with you on top of it, or atleast thats what has worked best for me up to this point.

The condors are cool, but with a wheeldock, you don't need any tie-downs on your handlebars. Cornercarver and I hauled our bikes to TMAC and back last year with them.... the handlebars were three inches apart on the trailer, and they never made contact (and we went over some rough terrain!)

Trailer on Bro! :biggrin:

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Hey, whatever makes you feel better! I go with Baxley Sport Chock and just strap the back end. One of the bike rags debunked the fork seal busting from strapping the front down too tight, anyway.

Can you post up a picture of your setup with and without the bike on the trailer. I am really interested to see what type of chock you are using. Dont worry about not feeling comfy with the chocks cause I dont feel comfy with straps (lost a bike from strap failure). The best way to transport your bike is with you on top of it, or atleast thats what has worked best for me up to this point.

Oooo, I saw that happen once. Fell off the trailer then the strap dragged it behind the trailer until the driver finally saw it!

I am very happy with my Canyon Dancer 2, I had had an earlier set much like the CD 1 and disn't like it tugging on the grips either.

Thanks for the idea with the pipe insulation tubing, that should really work well, and address my one concern with the CD2.

I also have a Condor chock, but always supplement it with the four straps (the CD2 at the front and two sets of ratchet straps at the back. I like the idea of of keeping the bike upright!

John

Can you post up a picture of your setup with and without the bike on the trailer. I am really interested to see what type of chock you are using. Dont worry about not feeling comfy with the chocks cause I dont feel comfy with straps (lost a bike from strap failure). The best way to transport your bike is with you on top of it, or atleast thats what has worked best for me up to this point.

Oooo, I saw that happen once. Fell off the trailer then the strap dragged it behind the trailer until the driver finally saw it!

:biggrin: :fing02: :blink:

Well I've added a CONDOR Wheel Chock to my trailer but I'm reluctant to go anywhere without a tie down connected to the bars. Maybe I'm too old school or just paranoid.

It's a good thing you are paranoid. Only the Baxley or Wheeldock (that I know of), can you not use front tie downs because of the way they grip the front wheel. Normal wheel chocks the bike can still easily tip over with normal turning forces in a trailer.

I was just looking into this yesterday since I have a trailer with a bike holder which I wouldn't trust on it's own.
I should also point out that if you have Helibars, it clearly states in their booklet NOT to attach tie downs to them due to possible bending. Instead, they suggest using the lower steering bracket?
Greg :biggrin:

Can you post up a picture of your setup with and without the bike on the trailer. I am really interested to see what type of chock you are using. Dont worry about not feeling comfy with the chocks cause I dont feel comfy with straps (lost a bike from strap failure). The best way to transport your bike is with you on top of it, or atleast thats what has worked best for me up to this point.

Oooo, I saw that happen once. Fell off the trailer then the strap dragged it behind the trailer until the driver finally saw it!

Yea it was a 2 month old DRZ400s and my first time using a trailer in over 15years. The trailer was on of those utility types with the extruded steel mess floor and angle iron frame. I guess the trailer flexed a little and the strap was not tight enough. Next thing I saw going around a turn from a traffic light was my bike falling out of the tralier and dragging along till stopping the car. Now as I have a much more expinsive motorcycle and will need to trailer it eventually, I would like to see some of these super slick trialering wheelchocklockingdohickies.

Yep, same thing that I saw. Trailer flexed and unhooked the front right tie down. It leaned over onto the side stand, then went went over the top landing on the screen! That dude was already having a bad day and it actually got worse after that. Oh well...
One of the members here got the new Pit Bull trailering lock down dealie and liked it a lot. It looks cool on their website, but thats my only experience with it personally.
Love my Baxley Sport Chock!

Oooo, I saw that happen once. Fell off the trailer then the strap dragged it behind the trailer until the driver finally saw it!

Poor bike. :sad:

I use the Condor chocks in our toyhauler, and while I trust them I also run a couple of tiedowns to a Canyon Dancer. I don't strap them down tight at all, it's more for peace of mind than anything else. I also use the http://www.highrolle...m/tiedowns.html that use carabiner type hooks instead of the regular J-hooks that so many tie downs use.

The High Roller tie downs with the carabiners on each end look like good ones. But why would someone want one with a carabiner on one end & a S hook on the other, which they offer as well? I mean if someone wanted a tie down with a carabiner, wouldn't they want it to have them on both ends?

Are the cam-lock as good as the ratcheting type?

I use the hook at one end because they go through a soft loop and are unlikely to come out of that. I have had hooks come out of the floor tie down spots. That's why I went with the caribiner type. And they didn't have the ones with a caribiner at both ends when I bought mine.

I have the cam-lock type and like them for my use. I don't want them really tight and the cam lock gives me a better feel for how tight I'm getting them. It's too easy, for me anyway, to over tighten them with the ratchet type.