Transporting

Transporting/Tying down for Transport

Silverback's Discussion:

Warning - never tie down with the handlebars - rubber mounted, can damage!

Warning - always have the trailer securely attached to the pulling vehicle before attempting to load the bike.

Warning - never cover a trailer/trucked bike with a cover - wind, flapping cover and road dust will destroy the paint and chrome!

I always strap down the bike so that it is secure, but free to bounce on its suspension - helps absorb the road bumps and make the whole package (trailer and bike) ride super smooth -- and, it takes advantage of the built in shock absorbers of the bike's suspension, and avoids harsh compression of the springs/shocks. My trailer has a chock, located so the bike load is positioned on the trailer so as to provide equal load balance front to rear - does NOT add weight to the tongue. (more at the end).

My preference is to use a "soft strap" around the lower front fork just at/above the point where the fender attaches - one strap on each side, secured to a mount on the front of the trailer at the side (front corner) via ratchet hold downs at least 1 inch wide.

On the rear, I also use a "soft strap" on each side, low on the frame (really the swing arm) where it attaches to the wheel assembly. Picking the right spot is governed by your bags and exhaust system - taking care to avoid rubbing on the chrome or bags. You want to be as high as you can safely get, and still be on the swing arm - to avoid compressing the spring. Each soft strap is secured via a ratchet strap to a mount on the rear corner.

I load my bike on the trailer and into the chock, shut it down and put town the kickstand, dismount, and then attach the straps as follows:

    • Attach the left front strap as noted above, tightening just enough to leave some slack, but little enough slack to prevent the bike from tipping over to the other side when that side is tightened.
    • Attach the right side front strap as noted above, and tighten down enough to bring the bike off the kickstand, and to begin tightening the strap on the other side.
    • Work back and forth between the two front sides (loosening and tightening a little) to get the bike to stand upright.
    • Then tighten down both front straps very tightly, and very evenly between the two sides - being sure to keep the bike level.
    • Now add the two rear straps and tighten them both "gently" until they are balanced and equally taut.
    • Now tighten down the rear straps evenly, very tightly - being sure to keep the bike level.

I unload my bike as follows:

  • Undo the two rear strap, and remove them from the bike
  • Make sure the KICKSTAND IS DOWN
  • Carefully loosen the right strap, bit by bit, until the bike is resting on the kickstand
  • Remove the two front straps from the bike completely
  • Roll the bike of the trailer - after having raised the kickstand.

(Note: Some procedures call for all the straps to be attached to the trailer so they all pull the bike forward into the chock. I prefer the 4-corner approach - securing the bike with the front straps first (locking it tightly into the shock - and then the rear one to add stability).

Chock and Bike Positioning.

Ideally you want to position the chock so the bike's weight is positioned equally front to back - placing zero extra load on the trailer tongue. makes for the best balance for riding, and ensures you do not overload the trailer hitch, or under load the trailer hitch. Proper balance means the bike can be on the trailer, disconnected from the hitch, without any danger it will tip up in front.

My trailer is a 5ft by 10ft steel framed trailer with pressure treated wood decking, a skeletal steel frame about 16-18 inches high around the front and two sides, and a steel framed 4ft long ramp across the entire end, covered with expanded metal mesh. (The tailgate is a heavy "sucker"!).

When we originally configured the trailer, the tailgate was attached, and the weight on the tongue was about 120 pounds, empty. With that configuration the chock (the wide one from Pingle) was located on the center line and all the way forward on the decking. This placement as close to ideal, as the trailer with bike loaded combined to put 130 pounds on the hitch.

The expanded metal tailgate made for two negative factors: the gate weight was a lot to haul around (I'd guess it to be 160-180 pound), and it caused a hell of a lot of wind resistance in its raised, transport position. Running over the same 100 mile route, with and without the gate attached and raised, I measure about 5-7 mpg fall-off with the tailgate attached.

I removed the tailgate and replaced it with two sets of ramp brackets (4 brackets in total), with each attached to a PT 2x10 that is 5ft long. They are arranged with two abutting each other, side to side along the center line (a pair for the bike to ride on) and one on each side of the central pair - about 8 inches away from the central pair, on each side (for me to brace my feet on in case I need to put my feet down or 1/2 walk, 1/2 ride the bike up the ramp). Each bracket is secured to the trailer thru the decking with a long pin (provided with the brackets) - to ensure they do not move side to side or kick out and off the trailer. As an added precaution, I have a 2x4 that spans the underside of the 4 planks, and maintains the plank spacing via holes drilled thru the planks on the 2x4, which are secured with 1/2 inch carriage bolts, onto which I loosely spin nuts. When not in use, the cross piece is removed and stowed in the tow vehicle, and the planks are secured to the trailer - carefully and firmly.

The removal of the tailgate significantly changed the balance / load distribution of the trailer, and the trailer-bike combo. I needed to position the chock so the bike was as far back on the trailer as it could go with none of it hanging off the rear. With the chcok and bike in the new location, the load on the tongue was just about the same as before - about 130 pounds.

Why Tie Down Below the Shocks/Springs?

On my first trip, I followed the advice of some 'veteran" towers, and tied the bike down from high on the front (not on the bars, and high on the back from the sissy bar to fender attachment. I then followed advice and climbed up on the bike and had my beefy freind tighten down the straps so that sucker was tight, with the springs loaded. I then drove 685 miles with the trailer and bike bouncing all over the place - because the entire load was rigid, and it just bounced!

I then talked to more folks and got the good advice, which matched my experience, to let the bike suspension absorb the load (as it does when you ride) -- and tied it down as noted above. - Smooth trip.