How secure a ST 1300 the very best way to a trailer for transport ?

Joined
Jun 23, 2017
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Norway
Within a few weeks, I will go for a 8 hour drive one way; to get a second hand ST 1300. I will transport it back home on a trailer.

One detail which conserns me, is how to secure the bike the very best way to the trailer;so damages to paint, fork and steering, etc. is avoided.

I see several youtube-videos reccommend fastening a strap to each side of the steering as the way of securing the front of the bike. some swear to securing the fork at bottom also.

So what is your best experiences, securing your STˋs on a trailer ?

I would love to get your 5 cents on this :)
 

st11ray

2006 ST1300
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charlotte, nc
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'06 ST1300
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7189
Do not strap it by the handle bars. Use a double end loop strap to go around the triple tree. Take the tip over wing covers off and strap to the tip over bars.
 

dduelin

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
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I've only had occasion to trailer mine once but I used cloth loop straps over the lower fork clamp with the lower part led in a way not to touch or rub on the inside of the fairing. I removed the tip over guard covers and used the engine guard bars on each side as tiedown points for straps led down and back.
 
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
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Kenly NC
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07 ST1300A(P)
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7649
I like removing the front tipover wing covers, and hooking onto the bars underneath, I then anchor the front wheel to the trailer to prevent the wheel from turning to the left and right, then I anchor to the rear wheel, cinching it down to the trailer. Since I've now installed rear tipover bars, I use those instead, but the wheel always worked well. Never had an issue doing it that way.
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2012
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soCal
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'97 ST1100
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687
The important part is to compress the forks as much as possible, so they don't bounce around and create temporary slack in the tiedowns as you go over bumps. The bike will bounce around if you don't have the forks compressed sufficiently. Chock the front wheel ideally to avoid side-to-side movement, but if you don't have a chock, just put enough force into the front of the trailer with the front wheel and it should be OK. Although the only time I trailered my 1100 it was a 1 hour trip, not 8 hours. I don't have a 1300, but I suspect if you try to go from the bars you'll not find a straight line to your tiedown point without bodywork contact with the straps, which is why people go with the triple clamp access point instead. The tip over guards are OK as an additional point, but too low to use for primary stability. Two straps in front, two in back, attached to the rear grab rails, and you should be good. Pull over and check everything periodically just to be safe.

edit: to clarify on the fork compression, you want them compressed about half the available travel, not all the way compressed. If you are hand pulling on regular tie-down straps you probably won't be able to compress them full travel anyway, so that's what I meant with my original comment about compress them as much as possible. But if you're using ratchet type straps with a lot of leverage then make sure you don't compress them too far.
 
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JohnK

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Bonney Lake WA
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So I would not tie it down with any compression to the suspension. Not clear on the config of your trailer. If it has a rail/trough. That would be a plus. A chock would be a must. I have a trailer that has both. I utilize the spoke of the rims and counter oppose the tie downs to center and right size. I end up with a 5 point tie down. I have picks and have used this trailer and system on trips over 1500 miles. Can share with you

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

jfheath

John Heath
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I trailered mine around for long camping trips - we'd set up base and tour out from there. We had a foldable MotoLug trailer that would fit in the boot of a car.

The wheels sat in a small trough, so they weren't going to be slipping sideways. We never strapped it down tight to compress the suspension - all that did was put extra strain on the trailer - a serious consideration for this particular trailer as you will see from the photos. The bike is heavy enough as it is.

I would strap across the frame under the seat and had handlebar straps which were tightened only enough to stop the bike falling over. I had more secure straps hooked onto the footrest bracket, pulling the bike forward into the device which grabbed the front wheel. I also strapped the wheels down to prevent the bike from bouncing out of its 'trough'.

The straps were protected from unclipping themselves when the suspension made the straps go a bit slack, but it rode behind the car beautifully and the suspension bounce wasn't an issue. The handle bar straps were there to prevent the bike from wanting to lean one way or the other. They were tightened enough to remove any slack, and not to pull the bike down on its suspension.
 

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Joined
Sep 4, 2013
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Cleveland
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2010 ST1300
I'm with Ozzie. I drove for 6 hours with my ST in a trailer. This was when I bought it, and I was a bit obsessive. First I lashed the front wheel to the front rail of the trailer, and the rear wheel to the two side rails of the trailer. This prevented side to side movement since it was a U-haul trailer with a smooth steel floor. Then, after removing the tip over guards, I ran two ratchet straps to floor rings and tightened them until the bike came off the side stand and was upright. This also compressed the suspension somewhat. I had looped the straps around the rings and metal under the tip over guard in such a way that the straps could NOT become unhooked if the suspension compressed, leading to slack in the tie down straps.

I missed the triple tree tie down point because I've never seen an easy way to lead the straps clear of the fairing.

Have since trailered my bike 4 times for service, and now I just screw 2x4s to the wood trailer floor to prevent side to side movement. One last idea. I'm not tall. For my short trips, I put RR ties on either side of the bike and ride it up the ramp (feet on the ties) to get it on the trailer. Tie down points are the same - wheel tied to the front trailer rail, etc. For the return trip, with help, we load the bike on the trailer BACKWARDS. I throw a heavy moving tarp over the lowered windshield and strap it down over the seat and pull it tight under the handlebars. This prevents wind pressure from blowing the shield off the bike. Careful here, the object is not to damage the shield mechanism with overzealous tightening of the tarp. Wheels are chocked against side to side movement, rear wheel tied to the trailer's front rail. Tip over tie downs (plus rear tip over guard tie downs now (see Bygdawg tip over guards). When I get home, I fire up the bike and ride it off the trailer. This has worked great for me. I cannot unload the bike alone by backing it down a ramp, but riding it down is no problem at all.
 
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T_C

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Mar 8, 2012
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St. Louis, MO
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2005 St1300
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8568
I'll agree with the the triple tree and the frame behind the saddlebags. The forks straps pull the bike forward, the rear straps pull it back. I also tie my front wheel to the chock (which is bolted to the trailer) as a secondary measure.
I tried the tip over wings, but too low for my preference.

If you use the lower triple tree portion the straps will come out under the fairing and be set to tie to the front corners of the trailer and not rub on anything.
Slight compression to the suspension to stop bounce.

Do not use the handlebars! ST1300's handlebars are mounted with rubber bushings, the ST1100's are not.
 
Joined
Dec 15, 2004
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419
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Sayre, PA
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'04 ST1300
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8460
I just brought one back from 6 hours away after reading every trailering post I could find. In setting up my trailer I realized that my ST1100 had only been on the trailer once in 13 years and that was the day I brought it home. :) It did make a good stand in though for setting up anchor points.

Lash the front wheel to a hard point. If you have a store bought wheel chock, great. I screwed a couple 2x4's to the front board of the trailer and wrapped around the wheel with a ratchet strap.
Soft loops around the lower triple tree on each side with ratchet straps down at a relatively steep angle near the front wheel so that the straps clear the fender and the cowl. When you put the soft loops on make sure that you haven't wrapped them around any of the brake lines.
Pop the fin covers off each side and use the engine guards to ratchet almost straight down. These take a lot of load so make sure the anchor points are solid.
Remove the saddle bags and soft loop to the rear frame. Anchor relatively far out to clear the muffler. My anchor points were too low and too far back and the strap would have scuffed the mufflers, so we lashed to the rear wheel instead.

Lots of debate about compress or not compress. I had someone sit on it while tensioning and that seemed a good middle ground. As a belt and suspenders precaution I put zip ties at every connection point so if by chance a line went slack momentarily there was no possibility that a hook would jump off.

Kick stand up. Windshield down. Made the 6 hour trip across the mountains without a flinch. Never moved.

Side note: I followed the ideas presented here --> http://www.bikercamps.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/DIY-bike-Ramp.pdf
The ramps halves were incorporated to be the new sides of my stake-side trailer. 15 minute switchover time to unbolt the sides and set up the ramps. Worked great. Safe and secure. Had the ST1100 on and off 3 times without assistance while testing the procedure.
 
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