Best way to strap my bike

roll it on  and kick it over .

  :goofy:

 seriously roll it on.. 2 straps around the forks at the lower triple clamp. 2 straps in back of the frame ( the rear foot brackets work well.)   one strap pulling the rear wheel back.. one strap pulling the frame forward.

 yep! 6 straps  :fing02:

 i would also try to the bike on the side stand with a cord from the front wheel to the stand keeping it in the down position. 

[image: mwc-2900-wheel-chock-1.jpg]

hard to  beat  !!!

Plus  these  

[image: locking-tie-down-strap-19.jpg]

roll it on  and kick it over .

  :goofy:

 seriously roll it on.. 2 straps around the forks at the lower triple clamp. 2 straps in back of the frame ( the rear foot brackets work well.)   one strap pulling the rear wheel back.. one strap pulling the frame forward.

 yep! 6 straps  :fing02:

 i would also try to the bike on the side stand with a cord from the front wheel to the stand keeping it in the down position. 

3 straps is al you need, 2 for the fork and one for the rearwheel. Straps so thigt, that the springs of the bike are comressed, and the bike will never leave the trailor.

You first need four eye bolts mounted through the deck of the trailer. They should be plated at each side as to distribute the forces. You also need to be sure the front is solid to be used as a wedge for the front tire. Otherwise get a wheel chock type thing like Switchblade posted.  I use a strap that is sold with loops that slide over each grip then will hook down to the front pair of eye bolts. The angle of the straps should be pulling the bike forward against the front of the trailer or the wheel chock. IMO the back straps are only for insurance, if the front is done right, find any points, pass pegs? top of wheel? strap to back eye bolts. Front forks should be compressed but not fully compressed, about half range of motion.

Looking at the trailer, do not hook any straps to the side walls.

Wow. that looks slick

Attached Images

• [image: PB.jpg]

roll it on  and kick it over .

  :goofy:

 seriously roll it on.. 2 straps around the forks at the lower triple clamp. 2 straps in back of the frame ( the rear foot brackets work well.)   one strap pulling the rear wheel back.. one strap pulling the frame forward.

 yep! 6 straps  :fing02:

 i would also try to the bike on the side stand with a cord from the front wheel to the stand keeping it in the down position. 

3 straps is al you need, 2 for the fork and one for the rearwheel. Straps so thigt, that the springs of the bike are comressed, and the bike will never leave the trailor.

all you NEED... yes..

  for a worry trip  you need 6. .

i have been doing this literally MY WHOLE LIFE!

i grew up with no car in the family just motorcycles.

 i remember my dad punching a guy in the face when i was 5..  a strapped slipped and  dads  harley fell. :ohmy:

 i have seen too many bikes leave a shop perfect ,only to come back later damaged.  and still in the trailer.

 . 6 straps. over DC potholes and MD speed bumps and Hakuna Matata!!    :musik20:  

:fing02:

and yes.

if thats YOUR trailer get a front wheel lock.

i am writing under the impression youre borrowing it .

I know this sounds weird but in Ontario it is law that a bike has 4 tie downs securing it to the trailer after being stopped by the MTO it waqs a good thing I has the required # on the bikes . 

I use 4 ratchet type straps.  Also important is to be certain the transmission is in neutral.  Even slight rocking motion can damage shift forks. 

Don't use a bar harness on bikes with cast handle bar mounts. R3~

roll it on  and kick it over .

  :goofy:

 seriously roll it on.. 2 straps around the forks at the lower triple clamp. 2 straps in back of the frame ( the rear foot brackets work well.)   one strap pulling the rear wheel back.. one strap pulling the frame forward.

 yep! 6 straps  :fing02:

 i would also try to the bike on the side stand with a cord from the front wheel to the stand keeping it in the down position. 

3 straps is al you need, 2 for the fork and one for the rearwheel. Straps so thigt, that the springs of the bike are comressed, and the bike will never leave the trailor.

all you NEED... yes..

  for a worry trip  you need 6. .

i have been doing this literally MY WHOLE LIFE!

i grew up with no car in the family just motorcycles.

 i remember my dad punching a guy in the face when i was 5..  a strapped slipped and  dads  harley fell. :ohmy:

 i have seen too many bikes leave a shop perfect ,only to come back later damaged.  and still in the trailer.

 . 6 straps. over DC potholes and MD speed bumps and Hakuna Matata!!    :musik20:  

:fing02:

and yes.

if thats YOUR trailer get a front wheel lock.

i am writing under the impression youre borrowing it .

I agree with you, that a Harley needs at least 6 straps. But you can't compare a tractor with a leightweigth Honda :goofy:

My trailer has rails around, so i have no problem finding a good place for the straps and once in place its easyer to flip the complete trailer on its side, then to get some motion in the bike. It was even enough for the feared German police. :cheerleader:

Of course i use the ratched type straps.

@ Dutchy: does the misses know what kind of online stores you are visiting :ph34r:

i wasnt ONLY TALKING ABOUT HDs..

 a NEW duc 1199 with carbon everything left..

and came back 10 min later still strapped in..

but on its side.. and in need of $3000 worth of replacement parts :wacko:

I know this sounds weird but in Ontario it is law that a bike has 4 tie downs securing it to the trailer after being stopped by the MTO it waqs a good thing I has the required # on the bikes . 

I also heard that last year.   I attach 4 straps with only enough tension to stay tight - to stay legal.  (I'd love to know if that actually is the law though.)

I use the Canyon Dancer bar straps and two ratcheting straps up front with the wheel in a chock. I use two ratcheting straps in the back (get loops of whatever they make the straps out of if you don't want to scratch anything) pulling in the opposite direction of the front. I also run a strap looped around the lower part of the back tire so the back end can't shift as I don't have a rail. It looks like you have a rail with raised lips so you are good there. I could just screw a couple of two by fours down as well. Make sure you have an extra pair of hands when you take this all apart because when you release the lock on the keepers of the ratchet the weight will shift to the opposite side very quickly.

[image: 0000-canyon-dancer-bar-harness-ii-black-]

That'll  work   !!!!

 Hey Spiderman. Just sayin, that's a elephant gun to kill a mouse. The front straps are meant to pull down and forward. They do all the work. Each there own.

In a previous job... I've broken the seal on enough shipping containers that have crossed the Atlantic Ocean and then half the United States from the PNCT to know if something can go wrong, it will go wrong.  I've seen a $750,000 dollar printing press scrapped by the insurance company when the container was opened.  I've been to just enough rigging schools to qualify myself to sign-off on those containers to ship those same pieces of equipment around the world in the insurance company's eyes.  I understand that the only force vectors your motorcycle encounters going down the road aren't facing rearward.   More importantly, I understand the equation F=ma and the implications that has for a nearly 500lb motorcycle moving at 75 mph 3 feet behind me being held in place by a few pieces of nylon should there be an unfortunate or unexpected incident.

Did   you  nail  the  2x4's  to  the bed  ? 

No, the transverse 2x4 are cut to the width of the bed and drop in.   The longitudinal 2x4s are screwed to the transverse boards after the motorcycle is situated in the bed and are there to prevent the wheels from shifting laterally. 

It is not clear from my photo, but the front wheel of the motorcycle is not touching the front of the bed or the tailgate.  All the forces the motorcycle experiences are being transferred through the straps to the bed rails, through the boards to the sides of the bed and through the wheels to the bed itself.  I would much prefer an 8' bed so that I could situate the motorcycle directly fore and aft, but for daily life I like the 6' bed.  The motorcycle has only been in the back twice.

I remember riding home from Sturgis one time when I saw a cool bumper sticker on the back of one of the group of riders in front of me that read  "We don't Haul Bikes, We Haul A$$"   I like the two straps on the front of the bike and  two on the back. I also favor the pull and lock tiedowns  over the ratchet style although the ratchet style may hold better, the pull down type are easier to operate when loading the bike by your self. Just check them often when you stop along the trip.

i wasnt ONLY TALKING ABOUT HDs..

 a NEW duc 1199 with carbon everything left..

and came back 10 min later still strapped in..

but on its side.. and in need of $3000 worth of replacement parts :wacko:

I bet the owner was extremely quacked off. :goofy:

The few times my motorcycle has been transported without me aboard I chock the wheels with two by fours to prevent lateral movement at the base.  I anchor for both lateral and thrust motion.  I drive the way I normally would and don't have to worry about what is in the back.

Check the straps after a mile or two.   Check again after 20 miles.  Then check at each fuel stop.

[image: 3277134057_94bc762488_z.jpg?zz=1]

i wasnt ONLY TALKING ABOUT HDs..

 a NEW duc 1199 with carbon everything left..

and came back 10 min later still strapped in..

but on its side.. and in need of $3000 worth of replacement parts :wacko:

I bet the owner was extremely quacked off. :goofy:

make his cousin donald look calm !! how ever he could only blame himself and i and 359,963,628,064 people warmed him to use more straps.. 

The few times my motorcycle has been transported without me aboard I chock the wheels with two by fours to prevent lateral movement at the base.  I anchor for both lateral and thrust motion.  I drive the way I normally would and don't have to worry about what is in the back.
 
Check the straps after a mile or two.   Check again after 20 miles.  Then check at each fuel stop.
 
 
[image: 3277134057_94bc762488_z.jpg?zz=1]

The few times my motorcycle has been transported without me aboard I chock the wheels with two by fours to prevent lateral movement at the base.  I anchor for both lateral and thrust motion.  I drive the way I normally would and don't have to worry about what is in the back.

Check the straps after a mile or two.   Check again after 20 miles.  Then check at each fuel stop.

[image: 3277134057_94bc762488_z.jpg?zz=1]

Holly  $hit     that  aint  going  anywhere's..

Did   you  nail  the  2x4's  to  the bed  ?

:goofy:

One note to pay attention to if you have Heli-bars...

(From Heli-bar instruction manual)

[image: Heli-bar tie down note.png]

Let me just add this comment. You cannot have too many tie-down straps on the bike. Some people may think it is overkill and looks funny, but I don't care. Back in 1980, I was towing my Yamaha YZ250 on my 3-rail metal trailer. Two tie downs up front, bungee cord around rear tire. I hit a 'mother of a pot hole'. Bike swayed, one strap came off (just hooked around handlebars), other strap threw the bike off the trailer. I look in the mirror and see my bike being thrashed about down the expressway at 60 mph held on by only a bungee cord. Managed to get slowed down and pulled off side. Good outcome - scrapes and ground down areas over bike, but everything worked and was still functional.    

I think I have found my master in posting risky pictures......................   :goofy:

I was going for risqué, but close enough I guess  :laugh:

 i would also try to the bike on the side stand with a cord from the front wheel to the stand keeping it in the down position. 

That usually ends up bending the side stand :(

Baxley Sport Chock works for the truck, trailer, setting sag, etc.

d'oh.

Wanted to edit my post - if you have the front tire in a chock then ALL the straps should pull forward towards it.

That lady looks like she may have once been a man - sorry.

Thread edited and posts deleted - keep it Family Friendly please.

 Hey Spiderman. Just sayin, that's a elephant gun to kill a mouse. The front straps are meant to pull down and forward. They do all the work. Each there own.

In a previous job... I've broken the seal on enough shipping containers that have crossed the Atlantic Ocean and then half the United States from the PNCT to know if something can go wrong, it will go wrong.  I've seen a $750,000 dollar printing press scrapped by the insurance company when the container was opened.  I've been to just enough rigging schools to qualify myself to sign-off on those containers to ship those same pieces of equipment around the world in the insurance company's eyes.  I understand that the only force vectors your motorcycle encounters going down the road aren't facing rearward.   More importantly, I understand the equation F=ma and the implications that has for a nearly 500lb motorcycle moving at 75 mph 3 feet behind me being held in place by a few pieces of nylon should there be an unfortunate or unexpected incident.

Did   you  nail  the  2x4's  to  the bed  ? 

No, the transverse 2x4 are cut to the width of the bed and drop in.   The longitudinal 2x4s are screwed to the transverse boards after the motorcycle is situated in the bed and are there to prevent the wheels from shifting laterally. 

It is not clear from my photo, but the front wheel of the motorcycle is not touching the front of the bed or the tailgate.  All the forces the motorcycle experiences are being transferred through the straps to the bed rails, through the boards to the sides of the bed and through the wheels to the bed itself.  I would much prefer an 8' bed so that I could situate the motorcycle directly fore and aft, but for daily life I like the 6' bed.  The motorcycle has only been in the back twice.

Excellent  job    !!!!

One note to pay attention to if you have Heli-bars...

(From Heli-bar instruction manual)

[image: attachicon.gif]Heli-bar tie down note.png

Thanks for that, Duc2V4.  I have my Heli-bar manual around somewhere but I had forgotten that it had anything in it about trailering.  I've been following this thread with interest because I'll be moving in a few months and will probably need to trailer the VFR for the first time.  I prefer to ride my bikes where I want them to go, but there are some times when it's not practical.

I've had to trailer my DR650 twice--once on a long cross-country haul when it wouldn't have made sense to ride then go back for the car. Being a dual sport, the DR is relatively easy to transport.  The handlebars are steel and there are plenty of places at the rear of the bike to tie straps.  What I've used before is a U-Haul motorcycle trailer like this one:

[image: MotorcycleTrailerLarge.png]

I think they rent for about $14/day.  There's a built-in wheel chock, tie-down points, and a wide, low ramp.  The DR, at about 330 lbs dry, is easy to roll up the ramp and strap in using four ratchet straps.  I'm surprised that people are recommending leaving the sidestand down.  I was told specifically not to do that.  With the DR, it's two straps up front pulling down and forward to hold the wheel in the chock and two on each side at the rear doing basically the same thing.  Ratchet down hard enough to partially compress the suspension.  The bike seems very secure and, even though the trailer has some suspension of its own, you can see the bike's suspension working when going over bumps. I would think the sidestand would interfere with that--or at least make a heck of a racket banging on the trailer floor.

I was planning to use the same technique if I end up trailering the VFR, but I'm worried about the extra 170 pounds loading and unloading--and all the expensive bodywork should something go wrong. Thanks to mrgsx400e too for the photo, I was having trouble envisioning how I would hook up to the triple clamp without rubbing the Tupperware. Maybe I'll add a couple more straps after seeing Lee 2002's spiderman technique ... better safe than sorry.  :wink:

I use my pickup or trailer to move bikes.    I pretty much use the same technique regardless and have been for over ten years.  I roll the bike into a chock and then tie down the bike with 4 points.  On the front I use a Canyon Dancer (Version 1 or 2) and then add two more points on the rear.  I leave the bike in neutral and do not use the kickstand.  When I carry my Wing on the trailer I use 6 tie downs just because.................

[image: med_gallery_2144_5984_211724.jpg]