i did a search and couldn't find anything regarding how to tie down my bike. i just got a 4x8 utility trailer with no sides and when i put the bike in the wheel chock and tie it down from the handlebars to the front of the trailer with tie downs it didn't seem that secure? how do all you do it? thanks for the help.
how to tie down my bike to a trailer?
- Thread starter qdog
- Start date
Make sure you secure the front tire at the wheel chock, either a strap or rubber bungee cord. I use a plastic fork support which keeps the forks from compressing and that seems to stiffen up the whole set up. If it still makes you nervous, use straps on the back of the frame to each side of the trailer. That should be fine. Have fun.
css_elfers
Member
- Aug 26, 2004
- 166
- 0
Get some I bolts and put them on the corners of your trailer. Then get the fork savers and put that on your front tire, it'll never go anywhere.
Elf
Elf
dirt bike dave
Sponsoring Member
- May 3, 2000
- 5,349
- 3
If where the tie-downs mount at the front of the trailer are too far forward, the bike will be unstable. Having the lower tie down points further back (just barely in front of the handlebars) is better than having them at the extreme front of the trailer.
Instead of tie downs, you might want to try a bike shoe. I use this: http://www.mxsouth.com/atk/atkshoe.htm It works great, never had a bike come out of it. I even had a flat tire in the front and the bike was held tight.
I've broken a couple of tie downs and got tired of them. The bad thing with tie downs is that if one breaks, there is nothing holding the bike to the trailer, so the bike could slide of and scrape down the road. On my trailer, I have the bike shoe mounted to the steel frame of the trailer. Just in case the bike gets loose of the bike shoe, I put a chain through the front wheel and chain it to the shoe. Been using the bike shoe for about 1.5 years and haven't had a problem with it.
I've broken a couple of tie downs and got tired of them. The bad thing with tie downs is that if one breaks, there is nothing holding the bike to the trailer, so the bike could slide of and scrape down the road. On my trailer, I have the bike shoe mounted to the steel frame of the trailer. Just in case the bike gets loose of the bike shoe, I put a chain through the front wheel and chain it to the shoe. Been using the bike shoe for about 1.5 years and haven't had a problem with it.
After I watched my bike leave my trailer (at low speed, thankfully) last year, I got a little smarter about tying down.
1. I have an aluminum fork support from Thor that makes the bike sit better than before. Other companies make plastic versions, some folks make their own out of wood and inner tubes at the contact ends. The benefits are debatable, but I like the solidness and the way it rides better.
2. I replace my tie-downs about 3 times per season, since rain, oil, and road grit can lead to slippage. The old tie-downs are perfect for other less critical applications.
3. Put your bike in first gear before transporting.
4. I used to secure the back tire with a long tie-down, but I've discovered the most stable "back-up" system is to run tie-downs from each footpeg to the trailer side, as short and direct a line as possible. It will compress the rear suspension a bit, and will save your bike if one of the front tie-downs fails. Test it by tying your bike down and releasing/cutting an old front tie-down. You'll feel pretty secure afterwards.
5. On the front tie-downs, there's always a length of strap (usually with a loop) hanging loose after securing the bike. Run a bungee cord from the strap loop to the eye-hook of the tie-down at the trailer. It takes up the slack in the tie-down, prevents the strap from fraying, and provides just enough resistance that if the tie-down wants to make a momentary slip in the buckle (ie. a pothole at highway speed), the bungee will provide an elastic resistance. It's enough to ensure the tie-down won't slacken off dangerously. I also do the bungee thing with the footpeg tie-downs, just because I'm paranoid, and it looks clean. I can release any one of my four tie-downs, and the bike won't budge an inch. That's the kind of security you want.
Good luck!
1. I have an aluminum fork support from Thor that makes the bike sit better than before. Other companies make plastic versions, some folks make their own out of wood and inner tubes at the contact ends. The benefits are debatable, but I like the solidness and the way it rides better.
2. I replace my tie-downs about 3 times per season, since rain, oil, and road grit can lead to slippage. The old tie-downs are perfect for other less critical applications.
3. Put your bike in first gear before transporting.
4. I used to secure the back tire with a long tie-down, but I've discovered the most stable "back-up" system is to run tie-downs from each footpeg to the trailer side, as short and direct a line as possible. It will compress the rear suspension a bit, and will save your bike if one of the front tie-downs fails. Test it by tying your bike down and releasing/cutting an old front tie-down. You'll feel pretty secure afterwards.
5. On the front tie-downs, there's always a length of strap (usually with a loop) hanging loose after securing the bike. Run a bungee cord from the strap loop to the eye-hook of the tie-down at the trailer. It takes up the slack in the tie-down, prevents the strap from fraying, and provides just enough resistance that if the tie-down wants to make a momentary slip in the buckle (ie. a pothole at highway speed), the bungee will provide an elastic resistance. It's enough to ensure the tie-down won't slacken off dangerously. I also do the bungee thing with the footpeg tie-downs, just because I'm paranoid, and it looks clean. I can release any one of my four tie-downs, and the bike won't budge an inch. That's the kind of security you want.
Good luck!
Knowing nothing about dirtbikes, I bought a used one and it fell off the trailer (twice) before I even rode it on a trail. Luckily it was low speed on a bumpy road. I was lucky on the highway!
Now I use four ratchet tie downs...two on the front, 2 on the back, with a bungee stretched between each pair. My previous dismount was due to the suspension flexing and the tie-down hook coming off the trailer.
Now I’m thinking about a bike shoe or a fork support thingy. No trailering mishaps lately, but I still watch the rear-view almost as much as the windshield while towing it....
Now I use four ratchet tie downs...two on the front, 2 on the back, with a bungee stretched between each pair. My previous dismount was due to the suspension flexing and the tie-down hook coming off the trailer.
Now I’m thinking about a bike shoe or a fork support thingy. No trailering mishaps lately, but I still watch the rear-view almost as much as the windshield while towing it....
CanadianMike
Member
- May 23, 2004
- 11
- 0
I have had my bike fall over on the trailer (thank God I bought one with high enough "sides") and it was because of hitting a rather large bump in the road. The front wheel turned, and the suspension compressed a little, and one strap let go. My solution? - either get a wheel chuck, or if you only trailer one bike like I do - place your bike on an angle, with the front tire in the front corner. I still strap it down from the handle bars, and the back tire rests along the side rail. I tie the back tire to the side rail and it seems to be just fine.
I do have a question though - are there any ill effects if trailering your bike for say 6 hours - would the front fork springs, which I pull about 1/2 the way down with the straps, suffer any damage? :yikes:
Thanks :)
Mike
I do have a question though - are there any ill effects if trailering your bike for say 6 hours - would the front fork springs, which I pull about 1/2 the way down with the straps, suffer any damage? :yikes:
Thanks :)
Mike
KAY DEE EXER
~SPONSOR~
- Mar 3, 2003
- 629
- 0
Jam something like an empty oil bottle between the front fender and tyre so it cant compress the forks quite so far.
The compression shouldn't be a big issue. There are threads where people swear their fork seals blew because of trailering, or that their springs got sacked out, but that's largely bunk. If a fork seal was faulty, the tie-downs would just cause it to weep a little earlier than expected. The springs are designed to take a lot more abuse than trailering. Do a search, and you'll have a good read on these topics.
One good practice is to bleed the air out of your forks after trailering for a distance. I regularly transport mine for 4 hours at a time, which is why I think the fork brace is a good idea; let it take the abuse, not the suspension. Just let off the tie-down tension if you're leaving it overnight or for an extended period. I think that's just good sense. I'm told that the ATK bike shoe is the hot ticket for secure trailering.
One good practice is to bleed the air out of your forks after trailering for a distance. I regularly transport mine for 4 hours at a time, which is why I think the fork brace is a good idea; let it take the abuse, not the suspension. Just let off the tie-down tension if you're leaving it overnight or for an extended period. I think that's just good sense. I'm told that the ATK bike shoe is the hot ticket for secure trailering.
I attach mine with chains to the footpegs- the hooks in the railer are outboard and forward of the footpeg, so the bike is pulled down and forward into a wheel chock.
Just hook one chain up tip the bike over to the other side and hook the other- the bike is rock solid, both front and rear suspension are compressed equally ( and only a little bit ) and loading/unloading could not be faster once you get the length set right on the chains.
Just hook one chain up tip the bike over to the other side and hook the other- the bike is rock solid, both front and rear suspension are compressed equally ( and only a little bit ) and loading/unloading could not be faster once you get the length set right on the chains.
CanadianMike said:
They do make plastic inserts that fit in there, nothing you couldn't make yourself with $5 from the hardware store. Personally, I figure the more the front shocks compress, the more pressure fighting back, the less chance of the bike falling off. So if you build this atleast make sure you have 1-2" of compression left.
Also, this probably wouldn't have saved your bike from falling off since the wheel turned, but ALWAYS use bungee cords. Run a bungee cord parrellel to each tie down from hook to hook. This way when the suspension compresses the hooks can't fall off.
Jackpiner57
~SPONSOR~
- Aug 11, 2002
- 356
- 0
qdog,
Be sure to buy QUALITY tiedowns . I have a pair of Ancra Classic tiedowns that I have been using for almost 20 yrs. I recently bought my daughters new bikes and had to get Parts Unlimited tiedowns because they didn't carry Ancra and they are crap! The buckles are not as secure and the straps are thinner. I went to loosen up one of them so that the fork springs weren't compressed and the little spring loaded push thingy stayed in and the bike fell over . Junk.
Be sure to buy QUALITY tiedowns . I have a pair of Ancra Classic tiedowns that I have been using for almost 20 yrs. I recently bought my daughters new bikes and had to get Parts Unlimited tiedowns because they didn't carry Ancra and they are crap! The buckles are not as secure and the straps are thinner. I went to loosen up one of them so that the fork springs weren't compressed and the little spring loaded push thingy stayed in and the bike fell over . Junk.
White_Knuckles
Member
- Aug 1, 2004
- 26
- 0
This is valuable information, I picked up a couple things for safer trailor travels.
I'm not sure if anyone mentioned after pulling your push release staps to tension you should tie a knot with the slack strap end around the tight section. The knot tied directly below the clamp will not allow more than an inch of release before binding into the clamp roller stoping release motion. It's a great safety even with new tiedowns. I use a double half hitch. I've seen a half bow like a shoe lace also. The ends with the hand loops can be placed over the hand grips so they don't fly and whip your new grapics kit.
I'm not sure if anyone mentioned after pulling your push release staps to tension you should tie a knot with the slack strap end around the tight section. The knot tied directly below the clamp will not allow more than an inch of release before binding into the clamp roller stoping release motion. It's a great safety even with new tiedowns. I use a double half hitch. I've seen a half bow like a shoe lace also. The ends with the hand loops can be placed over the hand grips so they don't fly and whip your new grapics kit.
BonChance13
Member
- May 7, 2002
- 126
- 0
end the madness and get a ATK/ADB bike shoe,one of the best investments you can make.
