Proper strapping for bike hauling

[timmcnamee]

Gents, I'm going to be buying a utility type trailer soon, but for now I'm going to be moving my bike around in the back of my truck.

I'm wondering how you all tie yours down....handle bars? Or is there somewhere easier on the ft end?

Does everyone use the ratchet straps? It's what I've always used.

Any pics or pointers would be helpful.

I tried searching but the app hasn't worked for searching in a long time....but that's another thread.


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[z064life]

canyon dancer on the clipons

from there you can use rachet straps or just pull type. Just make sure you don't over do it if you use rachet

[Devil1]

There are 3 main ways to strap down your bike.

1. Using "Canyon Dancers".
https://www.denniskirk.com/407255.sk...FUjZQgoduxYAgw
This is the method I currently use and also use another set of straps on the passenger pegs.

2. A "Pit Bull Trailer restraint. I used these when I had my enclosed trailer. These are the shit. I used them in conjunction with the cheap harbor freight roll in wheel chock.

http://www.pit-bull.com/trailer-restraint-types.shtml

http://www.harborfreight.com/motorcy...ock-96349.html



3. A condor trailer chock
http://store.condor-lift.com/

[timmcnamee]

Originally Posted by Devil1

There are 3 main ways to strap down your bike.

1. Using "Canyon Dancers".
https://www.denniskirk.com/407255.sk...FUjZQgoduxYAgw
This is the method I currently use and also use another set of straps on the passenger pegs.

2. A "Pit Bull Trailer restraint. I used these when I had my enclosed trailer. These are the shit. I used them in conjunction with the cheap harbor freight roll in wheel chock.

http://www.pit-bull.com/trailer-restraint-types.shtml

http://www.harborfreight.com/motorcy...ock-96349.html



3. A condor trailer chock
http://store.condor-lift.com/

I like the Canyon Dancer route. Did you purchase yours from the establishment on the link you posted? Does it come with the main cross strap and the individual handlebar straps?


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[z064life]

Originally Posted by timmcnamee

I like the Canyon Dancer route. Did you purchase yours from the establishment on the link you posted? Does it come with the main cross strap and the individual handlebar straps?


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its all 1 strap/set...they don't seperate apart..right pulls left and left pulls right one

[Devil1]

Originally Posted by timmcnamee

I like the Canyon Dancer route. Did you purchase yours from the establishment on the link you posted? Does it come with the main cross strap and the individual handlebar straps?


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No I didn't. I just picked them up a motorcycle shop. Most places that sell accessories should have them.

[shane125l]

I heard that the canyon dancer has screwed up people throttle tubes. I just wrap a rachet strap around the fork and triple clamp


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[timmcnamee]

Devil, or z06, have either of you used or heard anything about the canyon dancer 2?


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[timmcnamee]

Also, thanks for the help thus far.


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[Devil1]

Originally Posted by shane125l

I heard that the canyon dancer has screwed up people throttle tubes. I just wrap a rachet strap around the fork and triple clamp


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Never heard that. I've heard of grips getting torn. But now there is a 2nd gen that has plastic tubes that go over the grips. I myself have snapped a clip on with one. My own fault. WAY OVER TIGHTENED IT.

[Devil1]

Originally Posted by timmcnamee

Devil, or z06, have either of you used or heard anything about the canyon dancer 2? Attachment 480305


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Yeah that's the 2nd gen. Better style. Get that one.

[TheForumGay]

I have the 2nd gens. They work freaking awesome

[z064life]

Originally Posted by timmcnamee

Devil, or z06, have either of you used or heard anything about the canyon dancer 2? Attachment 480305


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I have the 2nd gen for mine, buddies have the 1st gen....both work

[TheBFA]

Originally Posted by shane125l

I heard that the canyon dancer has screwed up people throttle tubes. I just wrap a rachet strap around the fork and triple clamp


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They have definitely messed up my grips on long trips, but I used renthal grips and change them often so it never bothered me that much. If the actual throttle tubes are getting messed up, I think the person is tightening the straps way too much. It's good to be snug, but I don't ever bottom out the suspension. You definitely don't have to tighten so much if you use a chock or anything to keep the front tire from slipping out.

[TheBFA]

Oh and just for everyone's knowledge, 6"x 1" channel iron is PERFECT for the front tires. I had two pieces a little longer than a foot welded together at about a 135 deg angle, and bolted it to the floor of my trailer. It hugs the tire so perfect without hitting the rim that the bike can stand on it's own just with the front tire in it. 8" is perfect for a 190/50 tire, and probably anything near there for just an alignment track for the rear tire to keep it from sliding sideways.

[greenstreak9205]

Outta curiousity, you have pics of that set up BFA?

[TheBFA]

Originally Posted by greenstreak9205

Outta curiousity, you have pics of that set up BFA?

I wish I did! I thought I had posted them on here before and have searched to show other people my setup but I can never find them. It was on a $230 Harbor Freight trailer, and that thing was worth WAY more than I paid for it. Not that it's a good idea or that I'm bragging, but I had it up to 125mph behind my Magnum with my R1 on it and it tracked beautifully no matter what speed I was going and never had any wiggle behind me.

My set up was pretty sick I think and I try to tell whoever I can about it cause it worked great for not a lot of money. So I got the cheap trailer, but made sure I got the 12 inch rims, not the smaller ones. I put 3/4" plywood cut into two pieces because it was a folding trailer, but because the plywood was so thick, it didn't stay folded naturally so I just used one of the motorcycle straps around the rear tie down points to hold it together and it would stand upright on its own and was able to be pushed around the garage on the casters.

For the tie down points: The frame is good enough to hold itself and the weight of the bike sturdy but not for screwing anchor points directly to, and I didn't really want to put my anchor points into the plywood. So I got some small scrap pieces of 1/4" steel and drilled a hole through it and used them as backing plates for big eye bolts that mounted horizontally from the side of the frame. They were basically just big thick square washers to stiffen that point. Because they were on the side of the frame, they were spread pretty far apart which is best. I would say the straps were at about a 45 deg angle.

For the chocks, it was just as I said where the front was 6 inch channel welded up at an angle, and the rear was just a flat piece of 8 inch channel. All the corners were rounded off on a bench grinder and I used rattle can primer and rustoleum paint. Because my trailer was foldable, I wanted them easily removable without the use of tools. I drilled 4 holes in the base of each and also through the plywood where they would be mounted, and used some flat head pins the exact size of the holes I drilled (I think 1/2 inch) and the pins had holes down the length of the pin to insert a large cotter pin. I used a small ammo can to keep all the bits in when they weren't installed and I kept a small hammer in there to knock the pins in and out because they were a nice tight fit. So they were basically secured kind of the same way hood pins work on cars.

For the ramp, I bought a $20 aluminum ramp end kit that was designed to go on the end of a piece of a 2x8 board, and I installed it on the board and drilled the small holes in the plywood deck for the little anchor pins for the top of the ramp. Then I used two strips of skateboard-like grip tape down the center of the board and made sure the strips went around the ends of the board and screwed the ends in just so they wouldn't peel up. The trailer came with brackets to insert 2x4s on the sides, which I didn't use, except for the front of the trailer. I cut two pieces of 2x4 about a 18" long, and attached them with bolts through the ramp so that they were sticking out sideways. When I was not using the ramp, I would just insert it into the brackets in the front and basically made it a front wall of the trailer/ rock deflector.

On the tongue I screwed a piece of plywood and cut the edges off to follow the angle of the tongue so that I could mount stuff to it like the spare tire and my little ammo box.

The coolest thing and I think everyone should do if they have a wooden trailer deck is to get pronged tee nuts



I got two different sizes and placed them in multiple locations on the decking. You just drill a hole, and hammer these in from underneath, and then you can screw in machine thread eye bolts where ever you want, and just unscrew them when you don't need them. They are perfect for a flat trailer when you want to be able to carry more stuff on it. I have strapped down 3 ton jacks, tool boxes, bicycles, coolers, tent bags and lots of other stuff. If you have a drill and a few extra, you can just make a new mounting point whenever you want if you have some weird shaped thing you need to strap down.

I really wish I had some pics of my set up. I know I took some but I can't find anywhere where I posted them.

Bottom line is, the Harbor Freight trailer is VERY good for the money and extremely versatile. I have seen much more expensive trailers that can't do anything but tow a motorcycle. I didn't want to get into the explanation cause this is long enough, but I did carry two bikes after adding a piece of angle iron across the undercarriage of the trailer to mount some anchor points wider than the width of the frame and towed them from SC to OK. Oh it was only a 4x8 trailer too. And one more thing, it's kind of hard to reverse with a flat trailer cause you can't see it when it's straight behind you and you don't have anything on it, but the cool thing is, you can fold the back of the trailer over the front, and the axle is right there, and it's light enough to pick up by the axle and pull it around to where you need it when you fcuk up haha. Well, it's light enough if you are a 250lbs BFA.

[pritch84]

I use the 60 dollar wheel chalk from harbor freight. Throw it in the back roll the bike on and strap it down the chalk holds the bike upright right now I'm using it out back to park my bike in drive on and walk away

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[Stonewall]

I used Canyon Dancers when I brought the bike home from the dealer. They worked great! Hard part was getting the damn bike out of the back of the truck by myself

[WestSide_'10R1]

Originally Posted by Devil1

There are 3 main ways to strap down your bike.

1. Using "Canyon Dancers".
https://www.denniskirk.com/407255.sk...FUjZQgoduxYAgw
This is the method I currently use and also use another set of straps on the passenger pegs.

2. A "Pit Bull Trailer restraint. I used these when I had my enclosed trailer. These are the shit. I used them in conjunction with the cheap harbor freight roll in wheel chock.

http://www.pit-bull.com/trailer-restraint-types.shtml

http://www.harborfreight.com/motorcy...ock-96349.html



3. A condor trailer chock
http://store.condor-lift.com/

very nice setup..pitbull is surely the best way to go, not the cheapest...by the way what size trailer is that in the pic?