New bike falls out of trailer while towing

[jefffoxsr]

I just got my bike last week.
My bike fell out of the trailer yesterday. It could have been much worse though.

I want to tell you what happened. I learned a few lessons and I'm hoping you guys and teach me a few more.

I was told by my brother in law to use 2 straps on the front.
I used 2 ratcheting tie downs rated at 2000#. I hooked them to the bottom of the handle bar. I hooked the other end of the strap to a place on the trailer front corner. I racheted them until the suspension was loaded really good.

I put the kickstand down.

I drove for an hour and then stopped to get gas. I checked everything and it looked good.

I pulled over 15 minutes later to make a call. When leaving I pulled back out on the road slowly. I was looking in the rearview mirror as I pulled out.
I watched the bike go over, then out of the trailer. It landed in the road and slid a little.

I pulled over and dragged the bike off the road. Luckily nobody hit it.

It could have been much worse. I cannot figure out how this happened.
I know the reason the bike went out of the trailer instead of just on it's side is because I had the kickstand was down which acted as a fulcrum.

Lesson #1 = Don't leave kickstand down
Lesson #2 = Strap down the back of the bike with two straps, loading the suspension.

Besides all the side plastics and fenders being trashed, the handlebars bent a little. The throttle is a little closer to me now. Can I bend this back, if so, then how?

Please educate me on how to properly secure the bike so that this doesn't happen again. I am currently using a 5 x 8 gated trailer that has 8" high side rails.

Thanks.

 

[Crzyfrlss1]

Call me cautious, but I usually loop an extra tie-down strap around the rear tire.

Stops the back end of the bike from hopping and prevents what just happened to you.

 

[Vic]

Call me cautious, but I usually loop an extra tie-down strap around the rear tire.

Stops the back end of the bike from hopping and prevents what just happened to you.

Yup. Gotta tie down the rear.

BTW, get some quick release tie downs. It will make your life a little easier.

 

[sakirider]

Dont load the front suspension...get a piece of 2X4 bout 9 inches long(or you can buy one of those things from a store-seen them in magazines) and put in between yur front tire and fender...inline with yur forks. make it just long enough so yur forks compress bout 3 inches. Then tie it down good and tight. You will blow your fork seals in no time if you compress the forks for long periods of time. your bike will stay in place better than with out it and it beats havin to rebuild yur forks for no reason.

 

[Papakeith]

No matter how hard or soft you are with respect to the tension put on your front suspension while trailering, the front tire can and will "walk" if given the oportunity. My solution is to bracket the front tire so it cannot bounce out of it's desired position for transport.

It doesn't have to be elaborate. In the bed of my pickup I have two batton strips spaced 15 inches or so apart with cross pieces on either side of the tire. I've also see people cut notches for their front tire in the deck of their trailer.

using some form of bracket, you only need minimal pressure to keep the bike securely in place.

 

[sick 96 250]

what everyone else said as well, and also i use whatever is remaining from the excess strap after its been tied down and wrap it through the hook and around the bars whichs keeps from having it unhook itself at the bars from a bump or something. Adding a strap to the rear wheel really makes a huge difference i noticed, keeps the bike more locked into place

 

[adamant]

Call me cautious, but I usually loop an extra tie-down strap around the rear tire.

Stops the back end of the bike from hopping and prevents what just happened to you.

Same here :nod:

 

[RS1441]

that is bad losing your bike of your trailer just when you bought it....:( lucky you weren't behind a car that could of ran over it or something on my bike i use 2 tie downs on the front and 2 of the rachet types on the back so to keep it stable and some times i would put one around the back wheel but not all the time

 

[jmics]

No matter how hard or soft you are with respect to the tension put on your front suspension while trailering, the front tire can and will "walk" if given the oportunity. My solution is to bracket the front tire so it cannot bounce out of it's desired position for transport.

It doesn't have to be elaborate. In the bed of my pickup I have two batton strips spaced 15 inches or so apart with cross pieces on either side of the tire. I've also see people cut notches for their front tire in the deck of their trailer.

using some form of bracket, you only need minimal pressure to keep the bike securely in place.

yes you need to keep the front wheel from getting kicked to the side, I take an extra tie down and loop it around the front wheel ,cinch it to the trailer so my wheel stays planted Now the two you have on the handlebars can't try to twist the wheel at an angle which will loosen up the strap opposite the wheel being turned.

 

[FruDaddy]

I have a similar trailer, and I use a bungee strap to keep the rear in place. I hook in into the grates behind the rear of the bike. I also use the tie downs that you wrap around the bar and hook to itself. This allows me to leave the strap a little looser. To keep the front from walking, you coud use a bungee on the front tire as well as the rear. Put the tension straight back if you do.

 

[MrLuckey]

Never used anything but two tie downs on the front of my bike and I've been down some really rough roads, and a lot of things I wouldn't call roads or anything remotely close...never has the front of my bike moved to any discernable degree. Don't put the kickstand down, don't use those horrible things to keep the front from compressing...and I stay the heck away from ratchet tie downs.

If your front tie down points are in front and pull forward and down there is no reason you need more.

 

[Masterphil]

If you don't use a block between your tire and fork, than atleast take a black stretch strap and attach it at each "eye" of the ratchet strap. Doing this keeps the strap taught in the event that your bike bounces and prevents the hooks from un-hooking from the handlebars.

 

[MrLuckey]

If you don't use a block between your tire and fork, than atleast take a black stretch strap and attach it at each "eye" of the ratchet strap. Doing this keeps the strap taught in the event that your bike bounces and prevents the hooks from un-hooking from the handlebars.

Straps with caribiners on the ends are probably a better solution.

 

[GETMETOCA]

Are your bars just twisted from the correct position or are they actually bent? If they are bent, you'll need new. If they are straight, but just out of whack they can be manipulated and tightened back into place.

Sorry to hear about the mishap, but glad it wasn't worse and no one got hurt. The first time I tied my bike down by myself I was petrified it would fall out of the pickup and land on someones' windshield. :(

 

[ziptiedEXC]

"8" high side rails"
taller side rails

 

[BSWIFT]

Several good points have been made.
1. Some device to prevent the front tire from moving side to side.
2. The "quick release" tie downs need to be anchored below the axle or tie the rear tire down.
3. Compress the forks 3-6 inches.
4. Use a long bungie from one tie down to the other passing thru the front wheel to take up slack if the bike leans a bit.
5. Locking hooks are great and so are "soft ties".
6. Tie off the excess length of your tie downs right at the "quick release".
7. If the straps get wet, re-check and adjust as necessary.
You can tie down with additional straps going to the foot pegs and this is effective but not necessary.
The biggest thing to remember is don't get distracted while tieing your bike down. That is most likely the thing that will cause you to loose your bike from the trailer. Drive causiously and not like your in a sports car.
BTW, MX547 uses the best method to tie a bike down in a trailer and you will only loose a bike if something made of steel breaks. I'll see if I can get him to post a pic when he gets back from Milleville this weekend.

 

[MrLuckey]

Sounds like Brian is talking the tried and true method of using either hooks on the frame/footpegs and turnbuckles. No straps or loosening from the suspension while turning and the bike leans (which it won't). Never saw the need for it in a truck but I'd probably do it on a rail trailer...along with straps/w caribiners.

Have you guys really seen the front tire move after being strapped in good and tight? I've seriously been down a lot of roads that damn near toss everything else out of my truck, the back of the bike can go from one side to the other, bounce in the air a good foot and the front never moves!

PULL the straps tight lol.

 

[YZ165]

Pull the straps tight!

Yep.....

 

[kdx200chick]

Sounds like Brian is talking the tried and true method of using either hooks on the frame/footpegs and turnbuckles. No straps or loosening from the suspension while turning and the bike leans (which it won't). Never saw the need for it in a truck but I'd probably do it on a rail trailer...along with straps/w caribiners.

Have you guys really seen the front tire move after being strapped in good and tight? I've seriously been down a lot of roads that damn near toss everything else out of my truck, the back of the bike can go from one side to the other, bounce in the air a good foot and the front never moves!

PULL the straps tight lol.

Pull them tight, it's the tried and true method.. I've tried the gadget between the tire and fender and for me, it doesn't feel as secure as just yanking down on the straps.

 

[MrLuckey]

In the past 6 years my bike/bikes have taveled a minimum of 25,000 miles in various trailers, trucks and rigs of various states of disrepair, haven't lost one yet.

PS - Nikita is going nuts in the back yard LOL

 

[Papakeith]

Have you guys really seen the front tire move after being strapped in good and tight?

I had it happen once eddie. Whatever the cause: me not getting the wheel in just right , strap not tight enough. Either way I hit a whopper of a pot hole and the front wheel shuffled to one side leading to the bike falling over in the bed of the pickup.

since I cobbled together the wheel chock I haven't had to worry about it.

 

[Bill Hibbs]

Happened to me. Luckily the Big Zip Tie I use of the front wheel kept it in the trailer. I do have a nice flat spot on my left Bark Buster though... ;)

 

[91KDX]

Could have been worse, my neighbors hauled my bike for me on a three place trailer behind an old school bus converted into an RV. A skid plate wore through a brandnew strap and my bike fell into the middle of the road and we dragged it for a good 2.5 miles before the driver noticed. Luckily the tires of the bike were still on the trailer but the road ate my bark buster, radiator shroud, handlebar, clutch lever/perch, grip, and the topclamp and fork. It wouldnt have been so bad but I had to replace the KX forks and topclamp which got expensive. I was 16 years old and got stuck with the bill. It was stupid of me I guess, even though it wasnt in anyway my fault. But oh well live and learn.

 

[2stroke]

some quick ideas I use.....in my van, I made a shoe for the front wheel out of some plumbing pipe....you can buy those already made...good for flatbeds......and with a three rail or something, I will use a short chain and padlock to secure the front rim to the rail so if all else fails it wont hit the road.

 

[Green Horn]

I've never lost a bike from my truck or my trailer. I'll usually run just 2 tiedowns when hauling it in my truck, but I use 4 when it's on the trailer. 2 on the bars and 2 running from the subframe on either side. Simply because the trailer bounces/ sways around alot more than my truck. It's a 5x8 trailer and I'm sure you've seen how they tend to bobble especially when carrying light loads (like 1 dirtbike w/ gear). I think some others mentioned, but you also have to be careful where you attach the hook on the bars and on the trailer. I usually try to put them on so that that the open part of the hook faces towards the back of the bike. This means that it would have to rotate further in order to come unattached from the bars. Biggest thing, is that you'll hopefully learn from your mistakes. Hopefully you got it out of the way, and won't ever do it again.