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Tie Down Straps?

18K views 39 replies 25 participants last post by  DarR 
#1 ·
I need a solution for tying down the front of my PP to my trailer, with the hand guards my Cycle Cynch will obviously not work on the grips. What have you Multi owner's used for tie downs? I was thinking of using a soft tie extension around the grips and then regular tie down straps.

First time trailering this motorcycle and I don't really want to have a failure or learn a lesson the hard way. So if those of you who have trailered your Multi what are you using? Also I need to replace all of my tie down straps what brand or type seems to be working well for you?

Thanks,
 
#2 ·
Never trailered a multi, but I have trailered a GT, 999, Panigale, and a BMW R9T.

First thing I'd recommend is some soft hook extensions like this http://a.co/1KyW3SA for the handle bar.

I use ancra straps. Some folks like the cam lock, some like the ratchet (I use both). The benefit of the cam lock is that they can release gradually. The down side is they are a little harder to tension. Do you have a wheel chock on your trailer? That's prob the #1 thing safety & security wise.
 
#3 ·
Slowdive,

Thanks for your response, exactly what I was thinking I needed to do. I have Ancra original tie down straps and I use Ancra extensions when trailering my ST3S. My trailer is a Yacht Club three place trailer with trays that are angled at the front which help hold and center the wheel.

I may try the Ancra gradual release tie downs. I was not sure of the brand name of the tie down straps I have so I appreciated you giving me the Amazon link which showed the ones I have now.
 
#5 · (Edited)
#11 ·
Does anyone know if you have to turn on the multi while tying down if it has dss?

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DSS does need to be turned on while tying down. Went on a trip with a buddy who has a MS with DSS and he always made sure to have the ignition on while we were cinching the bike down.

Like everyone else here, soft ties around the lower triple was the way to tie down the front end on his bike. I use Baxley roll in chocks in my truck bed or Condor e-track roll in chocks on my trailer to minimize the amount of pressure needed to tie the front end down. Pitbull trailer restraints are the best system I've seen for easy secure low pressure tie down, but the system is too bike specific to make sense if you need to haul allot of different bikes.
 
#8 ·
I had someone make me some tire rails out of angle iron that I bolted to the floor of my trailer. I attach a strap to each side of the mulit's frame that run to eyelets I put on the trailer side rails. Both wheels are held firmly in place with rubber straps secured to eyelets on the floor of the trailer. It takes me about two minutes to secure any bike to my trailer, with minimal load on the suspension. I rarely trailer bikes, but if one does, it makes sense to have a good setup and not just wing it.
 
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#36 ·
I'm working on something like that right now.

I want to be able to trailer it myself, safely, in under a minute.
I have a front wheel chock bolted to the trailer now, but I'm looking for a way to secure the rear wheel.

I was thinking about something like two huge door hinges that I could have welded to the trailer floor. The hinges fold up and I could place a bolt through them at the upper rear and it would basically keep the rear tire from moving back and forth, and although the bolt would just be to keep the hinges upright, it could prevent rearward movement (although that's not really it's function.

I can't seem to find a hinge large enough, so I'm looking for other ways to make something similar.
 
#13 ·
I've hauled mine a few times (about 100 or so miles each way) and have never turned it on except when I rode it up the trailer ramp into my condor. I then shut it off and started tying things down.


I use canyon dancers to tie mine down (the ones I specifically use have cups that fit over the ends of the bars so it may not work for you but you mentioned tie straps around the grips) and I put a second set through either the foot pegs or the support bracket for the top case.
 
#17 ·
As said..
1. Ratched tiedowns over the bottom triple tree and forward/out to side so it clears bodywork. Compress forks about halfway. No need to turn DSS on, the flow is very very slow during tiedown and nothing needs to move. Dont adjust springrate.
2. From the rear passenger footpegs or subframe back, down and out to sides for stability. Compress rear suspension about 1/3 of remaining travel. No need to adjust springrate or turn on DSS. As before the cpemreesion speed is extremly low, so nothing is affected.
3. Safety! - If using an open trailer, Use a single ratchetstrap from the rearwheel straight back. If your in a collision, this will keep the bike from flying forward.

Check
1. Key in pocket
2. Gear in NEUTRAL
3. A rubberband/similar around the frontbrake -> throttle grip is a very effective parking brake.
 
#23 ·
As said..
1. Ratched tiedowns over the bottom triple tree and forward/out to side so it clears bodywork. Compress forks about halfway. No need to turn DSS on, the flow is very very slow during tiedown and nothing needs to move. Dont adjust springrate.
2. From the rear passenger footpegs or subframe back, down and out to sides for stability. Compress rear suspension about 1/3 of remaining travel. No need to adjust springrate or turn on DSS. As before the cpemreesion speed is extremly low, so nothing is affected.
3. Safety! - If using an open trailer, Use a single ratchetstrap from the rearwheel straight back. If your in a collision, this will keep the bike from flying forward.
I've been towing motorcycles in my truck for almost 20 years, including attending 100+ track days back when I was working as an on-track instructor. My suggestions would be:

1) Ratcheting tie-down straps aren't necessary. All they do is allow you to compress the forks more that necessary. You can get all the compression you need using regular non-ratcheting straps which are cheaper, easier to use, and don't release suddenly when you unload.

2) You want all of your tie-down straps pulling in the same direction. That direction should be toward the front of your vehicle or into your wheel chock. If you have your straps pulling in different directions, say two pulling toward the front and two pulling toward the rear, and one of the straps loosens then the bike can become unstable very quickly. If, say, one of your front straps gets loose then the two straps pulling rearward can overwhelm the remaining front strap compromising the stability of the bike. Don't ask me know I know this... With all straps pulling in the same direction, the rear straps act as a redundant back-up for the front straps: even if both front straps were to fail, the bike would still be rock solid!

3) I don't think this is necessary, but if it makes you feel better there's no harm... provided the rear wheel "keeper" strap isn't actively pulling on the bike.

4) Unless you fully compress all of the springs, which I don't recommend, you can still get some movement or swaying if you hit large bumps at high speed. When I'm transporting two or more bikes, especially expensive Italian bikes, I run a light-duty kayak strap perpendicular to the bike and around a movable anchor to prevent either bike from swaying inward and potentially making contact with the other bike.

According to the odometer on my truck, this strategy has worked well for over 40,000 miles of towing without damaging a single bike...
 
#19 ·
If you have a small not wide covered trailer (Lucky You!) Put the front loops on the forks before you load the bike [Careful not to wrap any cables wires] Difficult to get in there without turning the handle bars if already loaded....

Buy rated loops/chockers with the intent that that one choker may incur all the weight force of the bike if things get hairy on the road... Then good insurance will take over.
Be smart and pull over after a few miles bumps and check your rigging,
Circle your "rig" Like professional Truckers , looking for all to be hooked up and proper for the road.
I went for hours without hooking up the trailer lights, must have peeved off some people I sharing the road with.
 
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#20 ·
All good info here.

+1 on the soft-tie loops. Pit-Bull Trailer Restraint is the business if you really want to get serious.
 
#21 ·
I'm not so sure about the pit bull. I've hit some pretty big bumps with the trailer and it's right off the ground. How does the pitbull stop the bike from bouncing? I've seen an enclosed trailer on it's side sloping down from the road, harley strapped down inside almost upsidedown but completely unscathed. The pitbull would not secure any bike under similar circumstances.
The pitbull seems to me to be an overly complex contraption that barely does the job.
 
#25 ·
Local system in S.A.

I use a locally developed system by Stander Customs here in South Africa. Best ever! you can't get a better system - see attached pics and info ...
 

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#27 ·
Funny (true) anecdote:

A few months ago I was at a stoplight behind a pickup truck with two young guys in it and two sportbikes in the back. I could see the bikes were secured with about 50 cargo straps going in all directions. The reason I remember this incident is because as I sat there, I had this weird premonition that something stupid was going to happen when they took off. So the light changed, and the truck pulled out to turn left. Sure enough, about mid turn I watched as a cargo strap or two flew loose, and both bikes dominoed over quite abruptly. One of the bike's mirrors went flying off to the side of the road. The truck quickly pulled off into a parking lot to the right, and I watched the bikes slide around banging into each other, and threaten to fall over in the other direction, with maybe a lucky strap or two on that side still holding them. Fortunately, no more parts flew out. I thought about pulling in behind them to see if I could help, then thought WTF, dumbasses.

I think most anyone towing a bike thinks their method of securing it works best for them. I do agree with fubar929, in that straps pulling both fore and aft are unnecessary. After a few popped seals and loosening tie down straps, I've long since quit using any of the gizmos that that attach to the handlebars, triples, or forks.

I do think that mechanisms that lock the wheels to the trailer bed work well, whether purchased, or in my case, angle iron rails I had made that solidly secure the wheels to the trailer floor. With my setup I've driven with no straps at all on bikes, and had no troubles. For longer trips, I use a cargo strap from either side of the bike frame to eyelets on the trailer sidewalls, but they really are just for my piece of mind. I've used this setup for quite a few years, and have surprised a few service techs when I can unload my bike in about a minute from start to finish. I know us tough long distance multi riders rarely trailer our bikes, but when we do, it's always best to have a solid, easy to use system, and not just wing it.

My 0.02
 
#28 ·
This is probably overkill, but I would rather be safe than sorry. And more often than not, in my world shit happens so redundancy is a good idea.

I bought a Baxley Sport Chock, a Cyclecynch2 and locking tie downs (https://www.amazon.com/Keeper-05723-Heavy-Duty-Motorcycle-Down/dp/B000H6QWWC/ref=zg_tr_346826011_2), along with 4 soft ties.

I read somewhere that locking straps are the best b/c it prevents the hook bouncing out in case of a BIG bump. Again probably overkill, but hey it's $25.

I'm planning on the Harbor Freight folding trailer $220 and I'm done!
 
#30 ·
Obviously everyone has their preference as to the best setup, sort of like an oil thread ?, however a couple of observations based on almost 40 years of experience, a lot of which was while working in dealerships and participating in racing.

1. I used to use cam buckle tie downs until I saw a fairly new Ancra break at the cam buckle, I know it's not common but all it takes is once to ruin your day and the cam buckle is made of cast metal that isn't the best quality. I have used many ratchet style straps with success but for the last several years have been using Powertye 2" ratchets with latch hooks ? 2" BIG DADDY'S :: 2" x 6ft RATCHET TIE-DOWNS, SECURE HOOKS (pair) - POWERTYE AMERICAN MADE TIE-DOWNS AND ACCESSORIES, yes its overkill but compared to the cost of my Ducati it's cheap insurance. If you don't over tighten the straps there isn't an issue with smoothly releasing the ratchet straps, especially with the ratchet on the Powertye straps.
2. I agree with having all four of the straps pulling the bike forward into the wheel chock, it keeps the rear of the bike from moving around and the bike is very secure.
3. I use a Baxley sport chock for the front wheel, it makes the bike easy to load and when I get to the track I take it out and use it in the pits. When I had my 1098 I only used rear straps pulling the bike into the Baxley, it worked great even towing over some rough roads the bike never came loose, with the Multistrada I use front and rear straps as its got a lot more front suspension travel and I'm not comfortable with not having front straps.
4. I've used a Cycle Cinch without any problems whatsoever, I highly recommend it if you don't have hand guards that interfere.
 

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#32 · (Edited)
Since we're posting pics, here's one of my setup. It shows the rails I have bolted to the trailer floor. In front, the rails are welded at 90 deg and bolted to the front wall of the trailer. Both wheels are held firmly in place by heavy duty bungies through eyelets, the front wheel being secured both to the floor and the front wall. The bikes literally cannot move or separate from the trailer unless the bungies break, or the wheels come off...

Both bikes are secured with no straps at all but I did put a couple straps on them for piece of mind, as we were traveling from NC to Barber, Ala., for a weekend track school. That's my ancient little cbr, and my buddy's 748, and my 1/5 r/c bikes that I used to race. The little bikes were a big hit at Barber, btw.
 

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#33 ·
#34 · (Edited)
Regardless of the type of hardware you use, there's two takeaways from this thread that should be observed:
1) all straps should be pulling forward (to a fixed stop) for redundancy
2) bike should be anchored by its unsprung parts to provide constant tension on the straps
 
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