I have a job coming up in Florida and want to bring the bike with me. I have too many tools and materials not to bring my truck. I am new to the trailering thing but have searched it on this site. I have purchased the soft ties etc. It seems that this forum is split as to where the tie should be (below the fork shocks or on the bars). My question is, will the soft ties scratch or dull the chrome. As you know, the lower fork legs are chrome on a Deuce. I really do not want to mess them up.

Thanks,
Jeremy

 

I always tie at the bars, but to each his own.

 

I tie around the frame at the top by the neck, and pull down tight to compress the front forks. I also tie the rear down.

 

I tie from the bars,I also tie the rear down,havent had any scratches yet.

 

I would NEVER use the handlebars. You can loosen them up by putting too much pressure on the washers that compress the rubber gromets and bending them. You can't say "I'm carefull and don't tighten them too much", it's when you hit that big bump that they bend.
Use the lower fork triple clamp as a monting point for your soft hooks, just loop the hooks through and put the tie down hook through both loops instead of making a knot.

DC.

 

your nto worried about the bars as much as your steering bearings and cups. When you tie at the bars most people think your just compressing the forks. When your compressing the forks its pulling the top of the bike forward and to your anchor points.

To fix this tie to the forks or where an engine guard mounts around the frame. This will pull straight down and not hurt your steering bearings

 

How ever it is tied down the point is pull the bike into the wheel chock. The ride in and step off wheel chocks make it much easier and they don't chew up the tires like a Pingel's do but they are expensive. Worth money though if you trailor a lot. I use one made by Condor. Works good and is easy to install.



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Soft ties won't damage your chrome or your painted frame. Again, these guys are right...don't tie-off on the handlebar. Come off the frame, passenger peg brackets, triple tree. You do NOT have to compress the front forks as long as your work is tight. Stop every so often and perform an inspection.

 

I use soft ties around the forks just above the lower triple clamp. This doesn't put any stress on the steering bearings. Have the straps pull as much in line with the forks as possible, but make sure you don't compress the forks all the way though.(pulling the tire into the chock) Having the straps pull more down instead of in line with the forks will be hard on the fork seals.

 

Don't have rubber gromets on a R/K only thing I have to make sure of is not to over compress my forks, I only compress enough to keep tension on the the straps about 1 inch of compression seems to be perfect .