Trailer the bike.

I'm a total fair weather rider and I'm ok with that. I don't ride in the rain, I don't ride after dark (if I can avoid it), and I don't ride when it's below 60 out. Once I'm more comfortable with the bike I'm sure these limitations will change but until I get several thousand miles more under my belt it's just not going to happen. Those of you who are going to answer "just ride it", while I appreciate your input, it's not going to happen.

I plan to go out to Madison this weekend (about a 2.5 hr drive for me) to get the bike out of storage. Weather is supposed to be crappy (low 50's and chance of rain, I don't ride in anything below 60) but I really need to get the bike. I'm contemplating throwing it on a flatbed trailer I have. Assuming the weight limit on the trailer is more than 1000 lbs, what is the best way to secure the bike during the ride home. IE, where should I tie it down too on the bike, how many ratchet straps should I plan on bringing, any other advice on trailering the bike?

Thanks in advance

My wife and I just got back from a trip down to Sourthern Illinois and we trailered our the 1200 miles. I have enclosed some photos that may help. We had eight straps

Good luck

Steve Taskay

Tomahawk, WI:mytruck1:

If this is just a flat bed trailer you may want to get a wheel chock from Harbor freight or similar to support the front wheel.

If not a wheel chock, if the trailer has a wood floor you can screw down a couple of 2x4s. But you need something on the trailer to keep the wheels from sliding out to the side.

Make sure that none of your straps are going over or touching plastic.

You do want the straps to be compressing the suspension on the bike,

If this is just a flat bed trailer you may want to get a wheel chock from Harbor freight or similar to support the front wheel.

If not a wheel chock, if the trailer has a wood floor you can screw down a couple of 2x4s. But you need something on the trailer to keep the wheels from sliding out to the side.

 

Make sure that none of your straps are going over or touching plastic.

You do want the straps to be compressing the suspension on the bike,

I would also remove the windshield and run the straps as close in to the front forks as possible. It makes it easier to compress the front shocks.

Just curious, for bikes w/o a centerstand, do you leave it resting on the kickstand, or do you make it stand upright off the k/s when strapping it down?

And ditchdoctor, love the blue diamond cut fins, that's one thing I wish you could mount on a 1st gen.

-Andrew

If this is just a flat bed trailer you may want to get a wheel chock from Harbor freight or similar to support the front wheel.

If not a wheel chock, if the trailer has a wood floor you can screw down a couple of 2x4s. But you need something on the trailer to keep the wheels from sliding out to the side.

 

Make sure that none of your straps are going over or touching plastic.

You do want the straps to be compressing the suspension on the bike,

Yeah, I was considering the Harbor Fright wheel chock. More specifically I was looking at this one because I thought it might be more useful in the garage for checking fluids and such than the $40 one which looks like it wouldn't be any good off the trailer.

Make sure that none of your straps are going over or touching plastic.

You do want the straps to be compressing the suspension on the bike,

Ok, I DO want the straps compressing? I saw a wiki or about.com that said NOT to compress the suspension. Just want to make sure you posted that right because I trust ya'll a lot more than I'd trust about.com when it comes to my RSTD.

My wife and I just got back from a trip down to Sourthern Illinois and we trailered our the 1200 miles. I have enclosed some photos that may help. We had eight straps

 

Good luck

Steve Taskay

Tomahawk, WI:mytruck1:

Thanks so much for the pic's. I can't quite see on pic 2 at the rear where you have that strapped too. Looks like somewhere around the foot platform but I can't quite tell where. BTW - LOVE that color of bike!

Alternately it looks like I could rent the uhaul motorcycle trailer for about $60 if I could find one that's available. Then again for that $60 I could almost buy the Harbor Freight center stand which as I previously stated could be handy for bike maintenance.

DITTO on what everybody else said about the wheels, at least the front, needs to have something to keep it from sliding from side to side. Minimum straps is 2 on the front and three on the back. On the back, you want one on each side of the bike and one going straight back to keep it more secure in case of an emergency stop. Believe me,......it can happen. Don't ask me how I know. OH YEA.....RIDE IT!!!!! LOL, sorry couldn't resist.

DITTO on what everybody else said about the wheels, at least the front, needs to have something to keep it from sliding from side to side. Minimum straps is 2 on the front and three on the back. On the back, you want one on each side of the bike and one going straight back to keep it more secure in case of an emergency stop. Believe me,......it can happen. Don't ask me how I know. OH YEA.....RIDE IT!!!!! LOL, sorry couldn't resist.

Be very carefull riding it onto the trailer. Seen more than one dumped trying this...

Be very carefull riding it onto the trailer. Seen more than one dumped trying this...

My flatbed trailer has a tipping bed, but it's at a rather extreme angle so I wouldn't try to ride it on. Thanks for the word of advice though!

YES you want to compress the shocks.

It makes sense that if the shocks are fully extended, and you hit a bump, they could compress and loosen the straps momentarily....but that might be long enough especially if they are hooked rather than tied!

also....when the shocks rebound, combined with more bumps, it could be enough to snap the ties. (that happened with my atv!)

If the shocks are compressed already, the bike will remain still and move as one with the trailer.

Ditto on the front wheel chocks to prevent side to side movement.

YES you want to compress the shocks.

 

It makes sense that if the shocks are fully extended, and you hit a bump, they could compress and loosen the straps momentarily....but that might be long enough especially if they are hooked rather than tied!

 

also....when the shocks rebound, combined with more bumps, it could be enough to snap the ties. (that happened with my atv!)

 

If the shocks are compressed already, the bike will remain still and move as one with the trailer.

 

Ditto on the front wheel chocks to prevent side to side movement.

:sign yeah that:

Yes you want the suspension compressed for that reason.

i went to my local bike store and bought 18 inch strap x-tions, 4 of 'm', put 2 on front shocks at triple tree,hook'd tie downs in front to those. put 2 under seat on frame, tied them forward also! used 2 regular tie down straps in back when i brought bike home from stealer 'n' bike stayed in same position in back of pickup all the way home!!

When trailering my '83 or '88, I rent a U-Haul motorcycle trailer for about $16/day round trip. I have a helper (wife) to assist shoving the bike up into the trailer, and rest it on the sidestand. I use two 1000lb./2" ratchet straps to secure the front by first looping and tying off some 1/2" nylon rope around the fork-tripple clamp interface, then hook the strap hooks to the loop and start ratcheting it down equally on both sides, almost fully compressing the shocks, and flip the sidestand up somewhere about halfway. Then I use two lesser 1" ratchet straps to secure the back of the bike to prevent side-to-side movement.

No handlebar strapping necessary. Steady as the preverbial rock, with zero movement...any movement limited to the trailer suspension. -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

'83,88

Lots of good advice from the other members. I too prefer fair weather if at all possible. I plan my rides carefully. I have tried the Harbor Frieght chocks with the ride in cradle and the eye bolts to tie to in my shop. However I felt it was very hard to get the bike out of the cradle. I tried adjusting the cradle several times. Finally drilled additional adjustment holes to make it better. I suggest that you test out the chock before you mount it to the trailer. Loading a bike on a trailer can be tricky depending on the trailer. I would not trust just any trailer to haul a 900 lb bike. I shy away from single axle trailers unless they have large diameter tires. I see why enclosed tandem axle trailers are the best choice. The U-Haul Trailer and the suggestion to remove the windshield are great suggestions. Good luck.

Condor makes a very nice chock, rock steady

Don't buy/use cheap straps. As already mentioned compress the suspension. I prefer ANCRA straps myself. Yes more money, when you compare them to the blister packed straps being sold in sets of 4, 6, 8 you will see why. Helps to Have the ANCRA Nylon Soft Ties to wrap around the handlebars then attach hooks from the ratchet strap to those. Same for using soft ties on the frame in rear.

I agree with RSTDdog....use good straps. They are the only thing keeping your investment in place. It only takes one panic stop to break the cheap straps and then you will have a discussion with your insurance co.. Also, I don't' recommend straps on the handlebars. It is very hard to position them without touching plastic parts and if the straps are in the grip area it may be possible to bend the bars due to the stress of bouncing up and down and how tight the straps are pulled during initial installation Always try to use frame members to secure straps.

I use six straps... two on each side in an X pattern and one to the front, usually to hold front wheel in chock and one directly to the rear to keep bike from going forward in a panic stop. I usually remove the windshield unless the front of the trailer is covered to protect the windshield from rocks and debris thrown from the car wheels.

Just my

Jim