just got back from my daytona trip and now i have some questions...

for those that trailer do you
-keep the kick stand down?
-keep the bike in gear when sinched down?
-do you strap it down all the way, or give just a bit of play?

 

The first thing I bought was Baxley chocks. You drive the bike in and it holds the bike upright while you strap down each side. You don't have to compress the front end or use straps in the front. But make sure you use heavy good quality straps on the sides. Condor makes a similiar chock but I found the Baxley's to be superior.
If you dont have this type of chock you really need to compress the front end which I think is hard on the suspension. I also leave the bike in gear. I do not put down the side stand. Again, it is hard to beat Baxley chocks.

 

When you do tie down the front end DO NOT compress
the front all the way, give it some room to take the bumps.
If you go tight you have a chance of blowing a seal.

 

When I trailer I put the kick stand up, I leave it in gear. When it comes to strapping down the front it gets tricky. If you compress the shocks to much, you can ruin the fork seals and lose fork oil. I was told tostrap the front wheel so the front shock doesn't compress at all.[/align][/align]I just haven't figured out how to do it on my trailer.[/align]

 

No, no and no/yes.

I see no reason to have the kickstand down or to have it in gear while it is securely held in place. As for strapping it down all the way, I take it that you compress all the suspension. I don't compress the suspension at all. I strap off on the front forks where the fender is attatched and pull forward and down into my chock. I strap off on my passenger footboard brackets with the pressure again pulling forward and down. I let the bike ride its own suspension.







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Ditto, SOOS Been there, done that.