Trailer Tie Down

I know, I know....you are supposed to ride your bike not trailer it. I am considering trailering my bike to Florida this winter and wondered what is the best way to secure the bike to the trailer.

I place a pair of ties at front, and a pair at back. Front ones go up around the triple tree, one on each side, rear pair go to the frame section right in front of the panniers. Sometimes it helps to momentarily remove the panier to feed the strap through. Have these pull backwards. Rear pair keep the bike from sliding frwaord, front pair keep it from sliding back.

Ohh.. and if you have the inclination and might be doing this solo, mount a front wheel chock. Harbor freight has their big one, #97841, that also works good for parking the bike when it's not on the trailer. 4 bolts hold it to the trailer, or to a piece of plywood on the garage floor. Only time I use the side or centerstand is if I'm out riding.

The wheel chock makes a huge difference, helps to keep the bike planted. I've not used the HF model but Condor makes a very nice one that sort of locks the wheel in place when you ride into it. That's what I use, that and 4 very good quality tie-downs.

Here is the HF chock on the trailer. Plenty wide to give some stability.

I suggest popping off the tip over wing covers and using the engine guards for a simple fore and aft tie down on each side that has zero possibility of scuffing or marring paint or plastic. For extra security you could use a soft loop around the frame near the passenger foot peg in addition to the ones from the engine guard.

+1 on the engine frame under the wings... they pop off with one bolt and are a good mount point.

One thing, note; DO Not usr the handle bars as a tie point... they use a rubber buffer in the mount

Showing one side of my tie down points.

Well I have become somewhat of an expert at this since I trailer my bike back and forth to Pa every summer on a 5X8 utility trailer. In no real sequence here is what i do. Run the gas tank down as much as possible. Lower the windshield. Take off saddlebags. I use the harbor freight flip up wheel chock because you can ride the bike into it and get off and it will stay right there with no kickstands. I take off the plastic covers from the front tipover bars and use those for the front tie down point. I have tip over bars in the rear from Bygdawg that i tie the rear down to. If you dont have them use a good mounting point near that area. Make sure when you ratchet the straps you do it evenly and compress the suspension about an inch or inch and a half. It will keep the bike in place better. Do Not tie the handlebars. They are aluminum and will break under severe stress. After about a hundred miles or less check all straps and you will usually be able to get one more click out of the ratchet. With the harbor freight chock you can run a bike lock through the front wheel and around the chock to prevent theft. I always put a lock on the receiver and the trailer and the tailgate just to make sure. Is it overkill? yea...but when I come out in the morning from a motel I know that the bike should be there. Always try an park in the front of a motel under a light and a security camera if they have them. Tell the motel clerk its your equipment and in most cases they will agree. Good luck any questions contact me. I have trailered the bike about ten thousand miles the last four years. Oh one other thing ...if you use a utility trailer with a ramp make sure the angle getting on is low enough so you dont scrape the bottom of the crankcase. Also, if you use the flip up harbor freight chock measure which hole to put the bolt through on the pivot point so it does not flip up and hit the fender. You will see what I mean if you get one. Hope this all helps.

http://www.harborfreight.com/motorcycle-wheel-chock-96349.html this is what i use

Could someone please post a picture of an ST anchored by the tip over bars. That seems like an awfully low anchoring point to me.

I recently borrowed a trailer locally (Thanks again , Coleridge ((David)), and trailered my ST up to Ohio, about 850 miles total. The tip over bars are a good place to anchor, but make sure you have good sturdy ratchet straps. I was using Ancra type straps, and due to the low tie down they had enough moment to actually loosen the cam buckle type fasteners. I had to stop and re-tighten them about every 150 miles. I still think that is the best front anchor point, but be forewarned.

the Ferret said:

ST anchored by the tip over bars. That seems like an awfully low anchoring point

Click to expand...

I agree... but to each their own. Next time I happen to have the trailer set out I ought to ride the bike up there and try it. I just don't see how that has enough leverage to keep a solid grip.

the Ferret said:

Could someone please post a picture of an ST anchored by the tip over bars. That seems like an awfully low anchoring point to me.

Click to expand...

This was a short trip of only 450 miles. The straps did not come loose or need retightening.

This is a very rare photo in post #11 in this thread - my bike has only been trailered once but my wife wanted to go to NC with me this trip and she does not ride.

You can also use the ST-Owners search engine. Type "tiedown" and let it search posts. There are many threads and other photos in the results. The search engine is handy to use.
https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?88741-Trailering-Tie-Down&highlight=tiedown

I tow mine to Florida yearly. I use the tipover bars as the mainpoint. Watching the bike in the rear view mirror, it seemed to "rock" with just the lower tie downs. I got a set of Canyon Dancers (see link below) and made a secondary tie point. You can't put much pressure on the bars, but you can put enough to contain the rocking.
http://www.canyondancer.com/Products.aspx

This is about the only beef I have with my ST. It does not like getting on a trailer! I haul 2 and 3 naked bikes several times a year to different shows and never a problem or concern. I use what I consider to be the best tie-downs available (soft straps and hook locks built-in) and have a wide motorcycle trailer with 20 or so built-in tie down points. The trailer has wheel stops/chocks that flip up from the floor - still the ST does not tie down as well as I'd like.

I know this is over-kill, but I had these good straps on the tip-over bars and the bike still moved a lot. I added another set and racheted them in different directions - still a lot of movement. I finally added my canyon strap and went with a 3rd set of straps just for piece of mind. Those bungies are there to keep the slack out of the straps since I would not tighten the canyon straps and wanted then there just in case soemthing came loose. Even with the heavy 3,000 lbs/rachet/hook locked straps, the tip-over bars are too low in my opinion. Add in lighter straps, lighter tie-down points - no I would not do it and travel 75~80 on I85 through Atlanta and traffic for 10~12 hours. I have yet to use my single bike trailer I built last year for the ST and our Maine/New England trip planned, but some method of hauling the ST has to be reached before then. Even with the Condor mounted on my small trailer, the ST is not happy up there.....

Gordon

I bet my trailer queen has more miles on most of your bikes put together!

HF Chock, tiedowns at the tipover bars (covers removed) and tiedowns on the back by the saddlebags to keep the rear end from moving around.

My pictures are in one of the threads someone on the first page of this thread, has a link to.

Here is how I did mine. Over 1000 miles on this and solid as can be. I put the bags in the back of my truck. I put some foam on the rear straps so they did not rub on the pipes.

Anyone looking for the "better" Harbor Freight wheel chock, check an issue of Cycle World or Rider magazine. They always have coupons that are better the HF's email coupons. I bought (2) chocks a 39.95 each, half price.

I threw some D-rings on the bed of my trailer and run straps to the bars under the tip-over wing covers.



Cinch it down enough to compress the suspension so the bike will not move around, then secure the front wheel with a strap just for added security (warm fuzzy).

I would just like to point out that the rear end should be tied down as well.
My B-I-L saw a dirt bike in the back of a pickup tied down well with the front end compressed.
The driver had someone pull out in front of him and when he hammered the brakes the bike rotated on the front end... rear end smacked the trucks cab and then went side ways...

I throw a tie down across the back through the rear tire along with my front end being compressed.