Strapping down an st1300 on a trailer.

I am taking the family camping in my rv and I wish to take along my st. I have a kendon motorcycle trailer but have never straped it on.

Q Has any one come up with a good attachment point front and rear to strap to the trailer? I see either the front fork stem or the front crash bars. But the rear I am not sure.

Gary

SACRILIDGE!!!

(Front crash bars)

Kempo-STer said:

SACRILIDGE!!!

(Front crash bars)

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I know! I know! but unless I can carry three people, two dogs, food , camping equipment ect ect on the back of my bike I would have to leave it at home. Since we are going to Yosemite for a week I feel I can slip off and get some good riding thru the hills there.

Gary.

I trailer my ST1300 anytime I want to take my bike a long distance and the boss (wife) is going with me.

I use the tipover wings for the front (covers removed) and use the small straps with loops on each end through the "Step" that the pegs are on.

View attachment 31126 View attachment 31127

Ignore those that harrass you about trailering and just do it, it's more important to make the family happy (mostly the boss), while you're still able to enjoy your bike once you get there! :

I recently had my steed transported on the Amtrak Auto train on my way to Niagara Falls from Miami, Florida. Under your supervision, you first bring your front tire to a chok similar to a "Condor" brand, where it's very secure. Then, using soft ties, they wrap around the front fork stem, but not too much pressure is applied though, to make sure you don't pop the front fork seals. Finally, using soft ties, they secure the rear tires, that are then strapped down. Good Luck.

SupraSabre said:

I trailer my ST1300 anytime I want to take my bike a long distance and the boss (wife) is going with me.

I use the tipover wings for the front (covers removed) and use the small straps with loops on each end through the "Step" that the pegs are on.

View attachment 31126 View attachment 31127

Ignore those that harrass you about trailering and just do it, it's more important to make the family happy (mostly the boss), while you're still able to enjoy your bike once you get there! :

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That is what I am talking about! Wife is happy, I am happy it is win, win, senario.

Gary

cmguerrero said:

I recently had my steed transported on the Amtrak Auto train on my way to Niagara Falls from Miami, Florida. Under your supervision, you first bring your front tire to a chok similar to a "Condor" brand, where it's very secure. Then, using soft ties, they wrap around the front fork stem, but not too much pressure is applied though, to make sure you don't pop the front fork seals. Finally, using soft ties, they secure the rear tires, that are then strapped down. Good Luck.

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The trailer I am going to use has a nice locking chock on the front tire.

The front fork stem is very tight and could damage brake lines or fork seals.

I like the idea of the crash bars but I do not know how well the crash bars are attached. They look strong.


Gary

Just towed mine 800 mile round trip. Shoulda taken PIX...

First point is the tip over bars at 45 angle toward front of trailer. Make sure to use ratchet straps and wrap the straps through the openings on the bars. Don't just use the hooks as they might pop loose. I hook the hooks together to make a big loop. The set I have has a hook on the end with an opening just above the hook. If you put the hook of one through the opening of the other and vice versa, then you have a much more secure connection.

Then for added protection, I loop another set of ratchet straps around the top of the triple tree angled to each side so as not to touch the plastic anywhere. Same drill with the hooks. I don't actually let the hooks touch any part of the bike, just the straps. That way you don't scratch anything, and the hooks interlock.

Then I used another ratchet strap to go through the rear rim and slightly forward to anchor the rear down just in case.

Like I said, 800 plus miles doing about 70-80 mph on some mighty bumpy interstate with no problems other than some bug spatter on the windshield.

roadriderg said:

The trailer I am going to use has a nice locking chock on the front tire.

The front fork stem is very tight and could damage brake lines or fork seals.

I like the idea of the crash bars but I do not know how well the crash bars are attached. They look strong.


Gary

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roadriderg said:

The trailer I am going to use has a nice locking chock on the front tire.

The front fork stem is very tight and could damage brake lines or fork seals.

I like the idea of the crash bars but I do not know how well the crash bars are attached. They look strong.


Gary

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Believe me, they are very strong. After tieing my bike down, I push and pull it very hard to make sure nothing is coming loose. I've trailered my bike about 5 or 6 different times and have never had a problem with how I tied it down.

Before I bought the St, I had a V65 Sabre and before that a V45 Sabre. All were transported pretty much the same way. And all did fine, even after 500 mile trips!

:tat1:

SupraSabre said:

Believe me, they are very strong. After tieing my bike down, I push and pull it very hard to make sure nothing is coming loose. I've trailered my bike about 5 or 6 different times and have never had a problem with how I tied it down.

Before I bought the St, I had a V65 Sabre and before that a V45 Sabre. All were transported pretty much the same way. And all did fine, even after 500 mile trips!

:tat1:

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Thanks I appreciate the help.

The only bike I have trailered before was my Roadstar. It is built like a tank and is heavy like one too. Never had a problem with transporting the roady!

St is a little different as it is covered in expensive plastic!! Don't want to scratch my baby. My wife does like to take short jaunts on the bike Yosemite is great for that.

Gary

Pick up a set of "Canyon Dancers". It's a strap system that goes around the handlebars and hangs a set of loops to the outside. You can hook your tie downs through those. I have transported alot of bikes and this has been the best way I've found to date. One word of caution, no matter how you tie down, if you are compressing the suspension with whatever tie down methods you use, make sure you do not overly compress the suspension. This especially important with the front. I had a customer pick up his bike after having fork seals done. Upon tieing down the bike, he had compressed the suspension all the way and blew both fork seals right there in the parking lot.

SoloTotoCoyote said:

Pick up a set of "Canyon Dancers". It's a strap system that goes around the handlebars and hangs a set of loops to the outside. You can hook your tie downs through those. I have transported alot of bikes and this has been the best way I've found to date. One word of caution, no matter how you tie down, if you are compressing the suspension with whatever tie down methods you use, make sure you do not overly compress the suspension. This especially important with the front. I had a customer pick up his bike after having fork seals done. Upon tieing down the bike, he had compressed the suspension all the way and blew both fork seals right there in the parking lot.

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Now that is good info! But how much is too much? I was thinking of compressing about an 1".

Gary

one of these days i hope to get this for my trailer...when i do carry my bike

http://www.wheeldock.com/

tsp

TxStPilot said:

one of these days i hope to get this for my trailer...when i do carry my bike

http://www.wheeldock.com/

tsp

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That is very similar to the lock that is on my kendon trailer.

Gary

I compress mine about 75% as per KenDon folding trailer recommendations. Just don't want to bottom out, but not too ridgid so the bike can move about a little and ride on the forks a bit.

Too much slack and it will dance around too much.

YMMV, and others may have different opinions.

roadriderg said:

Now that is good info! But how much is too much? I was thinking of compressing about an 1".

Gary

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Just read that you have a KenDon trailer. I have a chinese [sorry] knockoff and I had to take the flipover wheel chock off completely because it hit the front lower air scoop when I ratcheted down the straps.

Works just as good without it.

I just pull up on the trailer with it tilted a little tiny bit downhill. Then I lower the kickstand to steady up the bike.

Then I attach the strap on the kickstand side and snug it up. Then I attach the other side and start taking out the slack from one side to the next.

Then up with the kickstand and ready to go.

Be sure and put the stand back down when unloading and release the ratchet on the opposite side so the bike lays over on the stand again.

Oh yeah, best to lower the shield and remove the bags when loading. It is a little squirrely when you first pop onto the trailer from the ramp.

Very, VERY good idea to have another person help you steady the bike.

Trailering your bike is a disease we can help you overcome. Just call 1-800-scared2ride for your free consultation.
I truly understand making "The Boss" happy,Thats why I got my wife her own bike and now we go camping together with just the bikes. (no Kids)

roadriderg said:

Now that is good info! But how much is too much? I was thinking of compressing about an 1".

Gary

Click to expand...

Just thinking of it in my head, I would say not more than 50%. But it's best to use your own judgment. Once it's tied down, try rocking the bike back and forth (side to side) and see if it moves around too much. When I tie a bike down, I strap at the Canyon Dancers with a forward/out/down method. (The straps pull forward, away from the bike, and down.) This will pull the wheel into the chock. I then strap around the rear end usually around the frame somewhere. When I tie at the rear, I try to go straight out from the sides as much as possible. I try not to have the rear ties pulling too much backwards or they end up working against the front straps by pulling the wheel out of the chock. A little backward pull is ok, but once again, use your best judgment. I take a single strap and wrap it around the inside of the front wheel and around the chock. This is more of a piece of mind thing for me as it means that the front wheel isn't going to turn at all. The front chocks usually won't allow the front wheel to turn but....better safe then sorry. When you leave on your trip, pull over about 5-10 miles down the road and recheck the straps. After that, just check it at every gas stop or, if you're staying at a motel, check it before leaving.
As far as what style of tie-downs to use, for the front end use ratchet style. While the quick straps (the ones you just yank and they lock) are ok, some of them have been known to slip. So it's best to avoid using them on the front. Try to avoid the cheap 1" strap versions and use a 2" if possible. Ideally, I would tell you to use ratchet style all the way around. However, you can use the quick style for the rear and around the front wheel.

Hope this helps.

I noticed you're in Huntington Beach......if you want, one of these days we can arrange to meet up and I can help show you how to strap it down.

With my locking front wheel chock I run the tie downs up from under the front cowl over the lower triple clamps and back down to the hook. Don't use any other tie downs and the bike stays on straight.