Fork compression and trailering your bike.
Novice
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 23
Likes: 4
From: pa
I to have the Condor pitstop, great wheel chock. Unfortunately I have to trailer my ultraclassic each time I ride. Gravel driveway half mile all up hill. Not worth getting hurt so I trailer and park at the bottom. There is a video on you tube about the pitstop. Instructions are to strap on the rear engine bars to pull the bike into the wheel chock. Buy yourself a soft set of choker straps to wrap around the rear bars.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 817
Likes: 26
From: PA
Hitting a bump in the road which could compress the forks causing slack in the straps and bike becoming unsecured to the trailer is the main cause of bikes getting loose IMO.
My suggestions:
1 secure the front tire by either using a wheel chock or screwing a couple 2x4 on top of each other to each side of the front tire so no side to side kick out.
2. The front tire should be pulled forward against the trailer rail or in a wheel chock that keeps the bike from moving forward in transit.
3. Tie the front of the bike down using soft ties around each handle bar, drawing it forward using good ratchet straps.
4. duct tape the ratcheting mechanisms closed ( I have seen them open up during transport) and put duct tape around the strap hooks at each end to make sure if there is slack in the tie down during transport, the hooks remain connected to the trailer eye hooks or whatever they are fastened to.
5 the rear of bike is strapped from somewhere low to a location forward on the trailer to draw it forward also. Could wrap the straps through the rear wheel depending on the wheel.
5. *** put bungy cords around each strap so that if there is any flex in the strap the bungy will keep it taught. Got that idea from another post on this forum. It's an important step rarely used.
Do these steps and the front forks just need some tension on them but not a lot to ensure no issues with the transport or the damage to the bike from the tie downs.
My suggestions:
1 secure the front tire by either using a wheel chock or screwing a couple 2x4 on top of each other to each side of the front tire so no side to side kick out.
2. The front tire should be pulled forward against the trailer rail or in a wheel chock that keeps the bike from moving forward in transit.
3. Tie the front of the bike down using soft ties around each handle bar, drawing it forward using good ratchet straps.
4. duct tape the ratcheting mechanisms closed ( I have seen them open up during transport) and put duct tape around the strap hooks at each end to make sure if there is slack in the tie down during transport, the hooks remain connected to the trailer eye hooks or whatever they are fastened to.
5 the rear of bike is strapped from somewhere low to a location forward on the trailer to draw it forward also. Could wrap the straps through the rear wheel depending on the wheel.
5. *** put bungy cords around each strap so that if there is any flex in the strap the bungy will keep it taught. Got that idea from another post on this forum. It's an important step rarely used.
Do these steps and the front forks just need some tension on them but not a lot to ensure no issues with the transport or the damage to the bike from the tie downs.
Last edited by beammeup; Sep 1, 2016 at 07:39 AM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 39
From: Everywhere
Originally Posted by beammeup
3. Tie the front of the bike down using soft ties around each handle bar, drawing it forward using good ratchet straps.
Soft ties around the lower forks above the fender mount. No compression occurs when tightening straps or when hitting bumps.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 1,128
From:
Rather than using duct/duck tape consider the use of Velcro style tape.
It is sold as a roll from Harbor Freight for about $7 USA dollars.
It is basically a roll of hook and loop that is reusable and you avoid all the sticky goo mess of real tape.
One roll is enough for 4 straps and you will have some left over.
It is sold as a roll from Harbor Freight for about $7 USA dollars.
It is basically a roll of hook and loop that is reusable and you avoid all the sticky goo mess of real tape.
One roll is enough for 4 straps and you will have some left over.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 817
Likes: 26
From: PA
Rather than using duct/duck tape consider the use of Velcro style tape.
It is sold as a roll from Harbor Freight for about $7 USA dollars.
It is basically a roll of hook and loop that is reusable and you avoid all the sticky goo mess of real tape.
One roll is enough for 4 straps and you will have some left over.
It is sold as a roll from Harbor Freight for about $7 USA dollars.
It is basically a roll of hook and loop that is reusable and you avoid all the sticky goo mess of real tape.
One roll is enough for 4 straps and you will have some left over.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 440
Likes: 13
I used a 4x4 with 2x4 legs under the frame once for a Fat Boy, and then strapped the bike in-place as usual. My traveling partner and enclosed trailer owner forgot to look under my bike when doing periodic checks. The 4x4 eventually shimmied out from under the frame rail on one side, resulting in slack straps. My bike fell over onto his in the trailer. My handlebars gouged his Deuce dash and then worked down onto his tank. Bent handlebars on my bike...new dash and tank for his.... cost ~$1,300 in repairs + one friendship...
Be sure to use a couple of screws to fasten those 4x4s/6x6s to the deck to prevent movement out from under the bike frame.
Now, I just use a good front wheel-chock in my pick-up bed, and attach ratchet tie-down straps to the junction of the top of the crash bars and front frame downtubes (looped around both were they cross). I attach 2 straps on each side at these locations (one for back-up if the other fails). Then 2 more straps (one each side) to the rear swing-arm. I compress the front forks about 20%. Never had a problem doing it this way in the back of my pick-up.
Be sure to use a couple of screws to fasten those 4x4s/6x6s to the deck to prevent movement out from under the bike frame.
Now, I just use a good front wheel-chock in my pick-up bed, and attach ratchet tie-down straps to the junction of the top of the crash bars and front frame downtubes (looped around both were they cross). I attach 2 straps on each side at these locations (one for back-up if the other fails). Then 2 more straps (one each side) to the rear swing-arm. I compress the front forks about 20%. Never had a problem doing it this way in the back of my pick-up.
Banned
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Straight Jacket Memories and Sedative Highs
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Road Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,170
Likes: 14
From: washington dc
I do what the OP does: wheel chok and attach soft-ties to the sliders above the fender mounts, plus a few at the rear. I do not compress the suspension (kills seals and bike B]will[/B] bounce loose) and would not use the rubber mounted, thin-tube handle bars for anything but riding.
Re OP's method, There's too much lateral pull at the sliders, in my view. I'd attach the tie-down much closer to the wheel so as to not pull the forks apart.
Eventually I'm going to try a biker bar. However, I cannot imagine relying on a single attachment so I'd probably use 2, if there's room. Do those things muck up the frame paint?
________________________
September. Crap.
Re OP's method, There's too much lateral pull at the sliders, in my view. I'd attach the tie-down much closer to the wheel so as to not pull the forks apart.
Eventually I'm going to try a biker bar. However, I cannot imagine relying on a single attachment so I'd probably use 2, if there's room. Do those things muck up the frame paint?
________________________
September. Crap.