Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Need a trailering crash course

I have never put a bike on a trailer before, but need to do it for the first time this afternoon. I have a trailer rented from U-Haul...they said it's for motorcycle. It has a small V in the front wall of the trailer that is supposed to help hold the front wheel straight. I have about four sets of straps, half of them the ratchet-type and the others just regular straps. I have about a two-hour drive, and I'm way more nervous about this than I've ever been about riding anywhere. It's not my Speedmaster; the bike I'm going to be hauling has some plastic fairing stuff on the front. I'm not sure yet where I'll be able to attach the straps to the front. Any last-minute pointers will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Will

i trailer mine maybe 4-5 times a year with a basic flat trailer with no front wheel chock using 3 straps for a 2.5 hour ride up the pa turnpike with no problems at all really.

I usually attach my straps to the handlbars or around the risers, the higher the better but its not necessary...

stick the bike on the trailer and get the straps up on the the handle bars or wherever a good spot would be, im not sure what your bike looks like...snug them up a bit evenly so the bikes straight up, and then while pushing the bike downward to compress the shocks tighten the straps.

I dont have the ratchet kind i have the slip straps, but what you wanna make sure is that you have the front tire pushed up firm into the front chock and the straps are pulling the front suspension down as much as possible, you dont have to over do it or anything.

the way this works is the bike cant lean left or right because each strap is holding it to its own side.

Its up to you if you wanna put straps to hold down the back, i dont usually. I even sometimes bounce the trailer so hard that it knocks the rear end out a bit to the left or right and its fine cause that front wheel is perfectly straight and tight with the 2 straps.

If you do use the rear straps, use the same method, make sure the shocks are compressed down so its giving upward resistance to the straps to keep them very tight.

I usually do 90mph with the trailer on the back with not one worry, so if youre more careful than me you'll definately be fine.

just keep checking in that mirror and make sure the bikes straight and the front wheel is straight.

I don't know much about this, but you can search the web....most people suggest ratcheting tie-downs...how about checking this out:

Trailer info 1
Trailer info 2

Hope this helps...

What they said, and, it helps to loop one of the shorter staps thru the front wheel and tie it to the chock/trailer to prevent fore and aft rocking.

When you strap the front down be sure to compress the forks enough that you won't get any bounce out of the front end going down the road. The farther apart you can get the straps the better. Tom puts his on his risers because he has drag bars so no other place really to grab it,if you have bars similar to an America hook at the first bend after the risers. It can't slip up or outward there. Ratchet both sides down evenly so the bike stands up straight. If you have a sissy bar to hook to run one from each side to the trailer (or similar attaching point if no sissy bar). Those should either go out at a right angle to the bike or pull backwards some. This will keep the back end from moving and make it much less likely anything will come loose.

He won't need that strap, the trailer has a chock.

I too have rented a motorcycle trailer from U-Haul for 14.95 per day (what a bargain) to transport my newly purchased bike. I will say this much, the motorcycle trailer that they are going to rent you pulls like a dream. I pulled my bike from West TN all the way home to Louisville, KY and the bike did not sway at all. I just read everyone's advice post...all good ideas. After we strapped down the front and rear on my bike we also ran a tension strap over the seat. Utilized a folded bath towel on the seat to keep the strap from marking up the seat. I also recommend using some cheap little shop cloths under the straps that goes over you bars so you do not scuff up your bars. Good Luck.

personally i like to strap above the bottom tree. strapping the handlebars was always ok for my moto-x bike but with the weight of this bike and the way it tends to shake when straped to the bars, i think straping above the tree works better and you dont run the risk of hurting the bars. but i think that works best with the rachet type straps, if you use the other type you can lean the bike a little one way with the strap on and then when you lean it the other way it will compress the forks enough to where it should almost be right to affix the other strap and your done.

Will,
As you may recall I shamefully trailered to GA this year....being new to the whole "trailering your bike" thing (that was only the second time I have ever trailered) but you can learn from my mistakes and sucesses.

First BE SURE YOUR FRONT WHEEL CAN NOT MOVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE...if your front wheel can move it will (but it sounds like this trailer of yours has a wheel chock) mine DID not...I don't wish to revisit the consequences of my mistake...

Second...
Strap on the triple trees (either upper or lower) NOT the handle bars...position your bike in the chock then put the side stand down...gently lower the bike onto the stand...checking the wheel for binding and such...connect the strap to your baby on the left (drivers side) and just pull the strap tight-ish (a little sag is ok) no need to be tight or rachet it up (OH GET GOOD STRAPS) the $$$ diff is 20 or so dollars between cheap crap and pretty decent...spend it! now why you sit upon your baby (still on the side stand) have a friend place the right side strap in position (old rags, leather scraps, or whatever between straps and ANYTHING they touch) now while pushing forward into the chock...straighten up the bike...and cinch up the right side strap...this should bring the compression of your forks to within an inch or so of where you want to be...if your front chock is a good one the rear straps are almost un needed...(but I used them just because) ...no need to super compress the rear at all ...in fact I went over the swing arm and let the rear suspention do it's job...when the Shriners ship their bikes they use a locking front chock (very slick) and they strap the front wheel (no fork compression at all) then they strap to the side of the trailer (to keep the lean out) no rear strap the bike rides on its suspention as it was meant to do...they trailer 15 bikes in a semi across country useing this system and have never had an issue...good luck (it's a short hop just take it easy)

I'd suggest leaving the bike in neutral for the entire trip

Don't wanna load & unload those tranny bearings and little bitty internal parts & pieces going down the road and over bumps and the like.

A big thank you for all the suggestions for trailering. The bike and I made it here without any problems a couple of hours ago. I watched the rear view mirror more than I watched the road in front of me, but trailer and straps worked perfectly. Thanks again everybody.

Will

Agree with all of the recommendations from RobBA05........he just articulated the process much better then I had. Congratualations on the trailering experience. I agree........I watched what the bike was doing much closer then I watched the road in front of me.

Rob, been strapping by the handle bars for 25+ years and have never had any damage or 1 slip and is more stable than hooking to risers or trees.

Do it like brokenfixed suggests and you'll be fine.