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I need to buy another trailer, but for the time being, I have a small single axle, single bike trailer I pull occasionally. I spent all afternoon yesterday pulling, checking, and re-packing bearings and installing Bearing Buddies. I put on two new 8 ply trailer tires and a spare a few months ago after having two blowouts on a 400 mile trip. Obviously I don't trailer much. We can have another convo on using a 4 ply car tire and being a dumb *** and not checking for dry rot on another thread.
Since I was riding dirt bikes 4 decades ago, I have always tied to the handle bars. I currently don't have an option to get some of the cool strapless systems. Eventually that will be a probability when trailer prices drop.
I would like to see some options with ratcheted tie downs, other than using the handle bars. I really don't like compressing the shocks, or tweaking the handle bars. Pics if ya got 'em. Both of my bikes have front crash bars.
I have a small 4x8 trailer for emergencies that has a wheel chock mounted in the front. For Softails I usually put the front tire in the chock and use soft wraps to go around the triple tree on each side to each side of the trailer. I also tie the front tire into the chock to keep it from backing out and use a strap wrapped around the back tire to each side of the trailer to keep it from moving side to side if it hits a big bump. I hauled a Sportster project bike from Louisiana to Michigan that way and never had an issue.
For touring bikes I do the same thing but I use the soft wraps around the crash bar since I have an RG and can't wrap around the forks.
This, wrap the straps around the lower legs above the fender bolt lugs. Super sturdy, but lets the suspension move with the road. I always put rear straps from the frame down to the truck, good insurance if one in the front breaks. Soft cover on the straps to avoid any unwanted scratches.
You can do it all with straps if you really have too.
A chock of some kind makes things a lot easier and can be found very reasonably priced as a rule.
The way Architect showed is how I do it
Soft ties and good straps are the way to go
High quality ratchet straps, with a safety latch at the connection points (they will keep the strap from becoming unhooked if they go slack momentarily).
[QUOTE=Architect;20168552]This, wrap the straps around the lower legs above the fender bolt lugs. Super sturdy, but lets the suspension move with the road. I always put rear straps from the frame down to the truck, good insurance if one in the front breaks. Soft cover on the straps to avoid any unwanted scratches.
this is the only way to go. Let the bikes suspension work freely. Bottom of the shocks on Dynas and Touring bikes,and swingarm on Softail s in the rear.
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How Do You Tie Her Down?
