What is the proper way to tie a motorcycle down on a trailer?

Grabcon

Grabcon

Joined
Jul 24, 2011
Messages
807
Age
72
Location
Hereford, AZ
Bike
2020 Moto guzzi V85T
My wife and I are kicking around the thought on buying a trailer to load the bikes on, we have it down to two but the trailer is not the topic. (This is a big topic at the house don?t ask why. Thanks). More importantly is how secure the bikes to the trailer. I have not done much hauling of bikes but from what I have seen most everyone seems to tie there bike down in a way that compresses the suspension front and rear. To me this does not make much sense as it adds wear, tear and stress to the suspension parts. Also as you are in motion the suspension on the bike is working causing the straps to loosen and tighten as you drive. May be not a lot but the suspension does move. Potentially causing the straps to loosen and no longer be effective.

What makes more sense to me is to secure the bike in a way that does not interact with the suspension, which means securing the front and rear wheels without clamping something to them. So I have seen a couple of options as to how to do this without compressing the suspension.

First assumption is that there is a front wheel chock. First tie down points are at the lower legs. Now this works if you don?t have an inverted fork. Strapping at the top of each lower leg with a cinch strap and then using the ratchet straps to tie off each side to the trailer.

For the rear I have seen a strap that is sewn so that it goes over the top of the rear tire and then has straps from the front and back that come together and then can be connected to the ratchet straps to tie off each side to the trailer.

In using this method the bike is fully secured without any potential loosening of the ratchet straps. Plus lessening stress on suspension parts.

So for those of you that do haul your bikes on a trailer how do you tie down your bike and have there been incidents where things didn?t go as planned? What did you do to correct the issue if there was one?
 
The ST should not have straps on the handle bars the best way is toi remove the tip over covers and use the tip over bars I also have rear tip over bars nad would use them if I had to trailer A wheel chock is good if you have one on the trailer. I had to put my ST in the back of a U Haul last November and I used the tip over bars front and rear.
 
SteveST1300 said:
The ST should not have straps on the handle bars...
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+1...
A good method is to rig the front tie-downs at the lower triple-tee.
I use "lashing loops", wrap them around the fork tubes, just above the lower clamps (check to not pinch any lines) and "cross" them (from RHS tube down to the left and vice versa) so the lashings stay clear of fairing parts and front fender.
At the rear I use the passenger rails as attachment points; rock solid, tested on several ferry-crossings, the "auto-train", trailers...
 
I've been trailering my bikes for years. I have a bunch of pictures at home showing how I did it, I'll add the pictures tonight.

Here's a link to how I trailer my ST1300s.

ST1300 Trailering
 
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I have towed vehicles on trailer tied down by compressing and not-compressing the suspension.

Compressing only for me from now on. If the vehicle can move, bounce and dance on it's own it leaves and uneasy feeling to the tow vehicle driver.

If you are worried about the vehicle getting jarred by shocks, lighten up the suspension on the trailer.
If worried about the straps coming loose, tighten them down and compress the suspension a little more.

I always towed the ST with straps around the top of the triple tree and straps around the top of the rear frame, behind the side-bags.

IMO I would not use the passenger grab bars on a ST1300, they are just plastic. Very strong, but still plastic.
I did try tying down with the tip-over guards up front, but unless you have a direct down route I don't feel like they provide much holding power. More moment and leverage to the top of the triple tree.

Again, YMMV... lot's of folks have tied up their ST for a trip in lots of different ways. Don't think I have heard of anybody losing one.
Just don't use the handlebars!!!

Ohh.. I use the HF heavy-duty wheel chock, mount it to the trailer. Works great and for $59?? you can't beat it. I bolt it to the trailer and then tie the ST's front wheel in there. Just an extra bit of insurance and allows one person loading/unloading.

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If you are trailering a $10,000.00 to $15,000.00 bike don't trust it to $5.00 ratchet straps, use good quality, heavy duty strap to a heavy duty tie-down d-ring bolted to the deck.
I use the tip over bars to secure the bike.
 
I take off the left saddle bag and left mirror, lay it down on a cheap mattress with a glass of Chardonnay and soft music in the background.

The local motorcycle dealership has asked me to stay away from their location, but I don't think there's a restraining order filed.
 
I found that the angle of the straps on the rear tip over bars did not prevent the rear wheel from sliding to one side or the other. I added two straps to the rear wheel itself near the contact patch and led them directly out to tie down points to prevent this. My front wheel was in a chock and could not slide.
 
Svrdhd said:
I take off the left saddle bag and left mirror, lay it down on a cheap mattress with a glass of Chardonnay and soft music in the background.

The local motorcycle dealership has asked me to stay away from their location, but I don't think there's a restraining order filed.
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You're a bad, bad man. Yes, I did the "coffee up the nose" routine when I read this ( for the second time). And to think I live in a state which would harbor such folks......
 
I have 'trailered' in the back of a pickup, both the 1300 and the 1100.
I too have avoided the bar ends after ruining a set of grips... doh!
I don't tie down the back of the bike the way most of the photos suggest... I wrap a tie around the wheel itself and secure the ends.

The BIL saw a bike with the front end tied down; but, not the rear end, pivot up around the front wheel into someone's cab once... I am glad I have always tied the rear end down!
 
Thanks for he thoughts on this. It seems so simple and maybe I am just over thinking it. But I have two bikes to haul so maybe I need a King size mattress.
 
STOC# 889 said:
At least 3 people mentioned not using the handlebars, is ruining the grips the only reason??
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Nope, more important is the strength in the bars. Although a lot of folks us the handle bars, there is risk for a number of reasons. The design of the ST 1300 bars is one reason they just won't take the stress. The ST1100 design is different but there still is stress on the bars and they can get bent or twist.
 
STOC# 889 said:
At least 3 people mentioned not using the handlebars, is ruining the grips the only reason??
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The reason, the 1300 handlebars are mounted with rubber bumpers under them. Overly squish the rubber (too hard too long) and you'll have some floppy steering input mechanisms.
 
T_C said:
The reason, the 1300 handlebars are mounted with rubber bumpers under them. Overly squish the rubber (too hard too long) and you'll have some floppy steering input mechanisms.
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If you don't bend the bars...
 
Mark said:
The BIL saw a bike with the front end tied down; but, not the rear end, pivot up around the front wheel into someone's cab once... I am glad I have always tied the rear end down!
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Tie me kangaroo down, sport, tie me kangaroo down.
 
I use a product called wheel dock to put the front wheel in ,they are fantastic ride in and they have a small hydraulic pump that will lock the wheel in place holding it secure . To remove bike hit the lever and it slides right out ,they are guaranteed for life and no step up to get the bike in just ride it into place very slick setup.
 
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