How to tie down

[guitarhack]

I need to trailer my bike for the first time. Where are the best places to apply the tie-down straps?

Thanks

Brad

 

[Don in Lodi]

What year bike? The '14+ you don't want to go to the bars.

 

[guitarhack]

2016

 

[Don in Lodi]

2016

Soft ties to the lower triple tree, tie downs from there to your hard points.

 

[bigbob]

Soft ties to the lower triple tree, tie downs from there to your hard points.

I do it this way too.

 

[magic]

I have a J&S wheel chock in my enclosed trailer. I use 4 Powertye 1 1/2" cam lock straps. The front ones attach to the Altrider crash bars near the front of the engine and the back ones attach to the passenger footpeg brackets. I compress the suspension about halfway and it trailers just fine. Stop and check everything over after a few miles and again at every stop.

 

[airmed]

As above - Altrider crash bars in combination with a wheel chock. I also go through the rear tire so as not to compress the rear suspension.

 

[Banderboy]

There are some good tie down vids on YouTube.

 

[HeliMark]

I use a Harbor Freight wheel chock, tie downs on each side around the triple tree, and each side of the rear around the grab handles. Close to 20K miles in my trailer with no problem.

Just be cautious on the tie down straps. If you get the heavier duty ones (1000 lbs+), the hooks are pretty wide. You can hit a bump that will cause the suspension to really compress, and if you have not made sure that it will not unhook when that happens, you will find it that way.

 

[holligl]

Just be cautious on the tie down straps. If you get the heavier duty ones (1000 lbs+), the hooks are pretty wide. You can hit a bump that will cause the suspension to really compress, and if you have not made sure that it will not unhook when that happens, you will find it that way.

I like to use loops at all tie down points (trailer and bike) with girth hitches on both ends. To go over the hooks, you form the loop and then slide it onto the hook. When tightened these will latch onto the hook and won't let go if it has any temporary slack over a bump. I buy longer straps than needed and make the loops out of the excess using a water knots.

I also use the lower triple tree, making sure to avoid the brake line on the left side. You need some longer loops here to be able to pull the girth hitch to go over the strap hook

From Kendon trailer manual:
7. Front Tie Down procedure: Use two ratchet tie-down straps on the front fork, compressing suspension to 75% of travel. (see Pg. 7 & tie down diagram). DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN straps. Correct tie tension will allow room for the motorcycle suspension to function ensuring that the motorcycle will not bounce as the trailer goes over bumps.

8. Rear Tie-Down Procedure: Use two ratchet tie-down-straps on the rear of the motorcycle connecting the frame of the motorcycle to the tie-down point IN-FRONT of the hinge on the bed of the trailer.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[magic]

I have a J&S wheel chock in my enclosed trailer. I use 4 Powertye 1 1/2" cam lock straps. The front ones attach to the Altrider crash bars near the front of the engine and the back ones attach to the passenger footpeg brackets. I compress the suspension about halfway and it trailers just fine. Stop and check everything over after a few miles and again at every stop.

https://powertye.com/store/1.5-fat-straps/1-x-6ft-cam-buckle-soft-tye-tie-downs-brlatch-hooks-pair/

 

[steve68steve]

...

Just be cautious on the tie down straps. If you get the heavier duty ones (1000 lbs+), the hooks are pretty wide. You can hit a bump that will cause the suspension to really compress, and if you have not made sure that it will not unhook when that happens, you will find it that way.

This.

I had a bike take a nap in the trailer once after passing over a big bump in the road. I use ratchet straps with big hooks on the ends, hooked into D rings in the bed of the trailer. When the bike's suspension compresses, the straps go slack, there's nothing holding the hooks in the D rings, so they fall out.

I've been meaning to get better/ different straps, but for now I just zip-tie the two hook ends together so they can't fall out of the D rings. Bike has ridden in the trailer for thousands of miles like this without further drama.

 

[slowtacotruck]

I moved my klr with the suspension fully compressed and had no issues, even when I did some very bumpy off-road areas.