I need some advise....I have a trailer (friends) that does not have wheel chocks and I cant put any in.....should I use this trailer or not...and if I use this trailer has anyone ever towed a big bike without a wheel chock? if so how? The trip will be about 800 miles. Thanks

 

Does your trailer have sides? The first time I had to pick up a disabled bike, I just took two 2x4's lengthwise, one on each side of the tire, with two more nailed crosswise to them...one in front of the front tire, and one in the rear, cut to fit between the trailer sides. It worked fine.

Don't trust one set of straps. Always use two sets. They are known to slip or break.

 

Could you purchase a couple of those plastic wedges? and then along with what ever the tie down arrangement should do the trick. When you take the ferry to Nova Scotia they have a scary set up for bikes but it works. You park your bike,throw a tie down over the seat and thats it! However I always grab 4 of those plastic triangle wheel chocks and it works well. Its been tested on some really agitated and rough waters. A bike or 2 has gone down for not putting in the chocks.

 

if it's an open trailer, all you need to do is pull the bike up against the front rail and use a rachet strap through the wheel and the rail. that will hold it in place. of course, use straps on the front forks and be careful of the fairings and lines. a strap from one side through the rear tire and fastened off to the other side will keep the rearend in place.

 

Once you have the front wheel up gainst the front rail of the trailer you will have to figure out a way to prevent the wheel from turning left or right which will loosen the tie downs and cause the bike to lay over... I thinkMNGPRIDER has a good ideal try that should not cost much... Double up the rachet ties in the front I use four and two in the back.. This link will give you some pointers. If you buy a chock I use a Condor you dont need to bolt them down if your just borrowing the trailer...But it will cost you come bucks... But you can use it in the garage or back of a truck....Good thing to have around...

http://www.chariot-trailer.com/index...&Itemid=43

 

It's a little tricky but if you use two sets of tie downs and strap the rear of the bike to the front of the trailer and the front of the bike to the rear of the trailer then take another set and strap the front end straight down it shouldn't move you will have to inch it tighter from rear to front and back again.

 

I was at a rally this weekend and saw a bike being trailered in. The bike was laying in the side rails obviously not properly secured. Since it was a Kawasaki may no big deal, but if it were mine it would be devestating. Consideringwhatever the damage would be, I'm sure the cost of a wheelchoke is much less than the repairs would be, even chipped paint. My 2 cents.

 

i come from northern manitoba and towed many bikes down hundreds of miles of the worst roads in canada, all with out a chock. including sportsters roadglides , street glides and a 8 second drag bike
we put wood under frame 4x4 and shim up to just under frame ..or what ever you need ,,,hold bike uprite . two straps on front of bike forward to botom of trailor and two on rear of bike to back bottom of tralior (ratchet straps) then ratchet straps till bike is solid .....the bikeWILL NOT move , does not have a chance to bounce or move back and forth ..last year towed 3 bikes and one drag bike in one tralior to sturgis from thompson this way and no movment on any bike at all.2500miles ( i know i traliored to sturgis , buti had a drag bike to haul . thats my ecxuse )

 

Someone got killed at Daytona this year when he had to stop suddenly and his bike launched off of the trailer and crashed through the back of his pickup cab....................