Tie Down locations for the S10

[Rockhopper]

I've never had to trailer my bike and next week will be the first time. I'm leaving the bike in New Orleans and flying back to Los Angeles. Shipping Masters will be transporting the bike back to Los Angeles.

Can anyone share insight as to what appropriate tie down locations are? Advice seems to be all over the place, but I do think that it makes sense not to tie down at bars as they will rotate given the weight of the bike/tension.

I think the rest of the stuff is fairly standard:

- Use wheel chock
- Partially compress suspension
- Bike not on sidestand
- Pray nothing happens

Any other insight? I just want to make sure I leave clear instructions as to how to tie her down.

Thanks!!

 

[Checkswrecks]

Sounds like Shipping Masters will be the ones who need to tie down the bike, so just make sure they have good references and insurance.


Everybody seems to have a different way to tie down a bike and nearly all of them work. Mine's a bit unusual, because my pickup has tie-down rails on the bed floor. Tie the bottom of each tire to the floor and then two straps per side so the bike can't fall over. Never used a wheel chock and with straps this offers a really fast way to tie off.

 

[Don in Lodi]

What year is the bike? Don't use the bars as an anchor point on the '14+ bikes. It's rough on the rubber dampeners. Using soft tie extensions you can get a wrap around the upper forks above the triple clamp. Do you have any crash bars? I use the upper forks and my Altriders in the front, all pulling down and forward. Then take a wrap around the rear tire and hook it off in the rear to keep it from dancing side to side. The reason for at least a basic chock, two 2x4s tacked to the floor even, is to keep the bars from turning. If they turn while travelling it will change the tension on the tie downs and could cause a spill. Kick stand up before travelling. It could contact the floor when the suspension takes a hit pushing the bike to the side, or punching a hole in the floor.
You're having a shipper do it, they should have some experience. You may not even be there when they strap it down.

 

[Eville Rich]

While I've not trailered the S10, yet, I have trailered an ATV and smaller dual sport bikes. In addition to the above considerations, I've also heard you should put the transmission in neutral. I'm not sure how much this ultimately matters, but it would help avoid stressing the tranny in the event things move a bit.

Eville Rich
2016 S10

 

[dirtdigger570]

I remove the horn(one 10mm nut), and place tie downs above lower triple clamp. If there is still fairing interference, crisscross the straps. you may need to use soft ties. On rear, I use a soft tie to go around swing arm on each side, trying to use slightly forward pull. Stabilizing front wheel would be more difficult on a pallet, maybe a three sided box made of 2x4's nailed down or something like that.

dirtdigger

 

[Checkswrecks]

Maybe a more direct answer to your question is that since your bike has crash bars, have them tie LOW and close to the mounting bolts so the bars don't bend. At the rear are the tie downs beneath the grab handles.

 

[Rockhopper]

Thanks. Riding through Arizona now towards new Mexico.

So tying at lower crash bars seems to be a good answer?

I will not ship the nike nor will I be there, but I want to leave instructions as to how I want the bike tied down. You never know how much experience the trucker has.

 

[Dogdaze]

I cant load a photo of what I used, but essentially it was a hammock-strap that enclosed the 30-40% top part of the rear tyre, then attached either side of the van/trailer. This compresses the rear tyre without loading the suspension, I had it pulling towards the back and and a strap pulling the bike at the wheel forwards, then a strap either side (low) on the mounting points of the crash bars, this stopped it moving side to side and compressed the suspension ever so slightly, did not want the bike bouncing up and down over bumps. I did 1100 miles without it moving. Oh, and of the side stand too.

 

[HeliMark]

Tying down in my toy hauler, I cut and made loops out of an old tie down strap, similar to the soft tie. I loop one on each side of the lower triple and from them, use a tie down strap to the anchor point for the front. On the rear, I have several tie down straps that have the bigger hooks and hook onto the rear grab bars (on the bolt between the handle and bike). The front tire is also in a HF tire chock, which has its own straps to tie down points so I don't have to bolt it in the floor. So far about 20K miles and has not moved.

I have used the crash bars, but even though they are strong, just doesn't give me the comfort like actually tying down to the bike itself.

Mark

 

[bob dirt]

The guy that bought my Goldwing used soft ties around the lower triple clamps. That was a first for me. I've only tied down my RZR, quad, and dirt bike. I thought it was a good idea. He trailered it to San Diego.

 

[scott123007]

but I want to leave instructions as to how I want the bike tied down. You never know how much experience the trucker has.

Apparently, if they have "any" experience, they have more than you, so it might be best to let them do their job their way. If there is a problem, it's on them. If they welcome your advise, I would go with...

Here in Florida we have Auto Train which can take you and your bike from Florida to Virginia. They have as much experience as anyone and use straps through the lower triple clamps on virtually every motorcycle they transport, not the crash bars, for their main securing points. Where other straps are placed are not as important, and are mainly to keep the bike from shifting a little, but I can tell you from my own experience that this Big Pig does not move around much compared to lighter bikes. LOL

 

[Rockhopper]

Apparently, if they have "any" experience, they have more than you, so it might be best to let them do their job their way. If there is a problem, it's on them. If they welcome your advise, I would go with...

Here in Florida we have Auto Train which can take you and your bike from Florida to Virginia. They have as much experience as anyone and use straps through the lower triple clamps on virtually every motorcycle they transport, not the crash bars, for their main securing points. Where other straps are placed are not as important, and are mainly to keep the bike from shifting a little, but I can tell you from my own experience that this Big Pig does not move around much compared to lighter bikes. LOL

Good point. But that is also why I came to ask the community for advice and success stories.

Take a look at Cycle World. You would argue that they have more experience than myself in these type of things, yet they recommend leaving the bike on its side stand which to me just sounds like a bad idea...

https://www.cycleworld.com/2014/01/01/tie-down-your-motorcycle-the-right-way

 

[Dogdaze]

Good point. But that is also why I came to ask the community for advice and success stories.

Take a look at Cycle World. You would argue that they have more experience than myself in these type of things, yet they recommend leaving the bike on its side stand which to me just sounds like a bad idea...

https://www.cycleworld.com/2014/01/01/tie-down-your-motorcycle-the-right-way

Ok, it seems that they want you to use the sidestand to allow the left side to be tied down then pull the right side over using another tie-down, essentially having the bike straight without any weight on the sidestand, which is the way I set up mine, no weight on the sidestand.

 

[AVGeek]

Ok, it seems that they want you to use the sidestand to allow the left side to be tied down then pull the right side over using another tie-down, essentially having the bike straight without any weight on the sidestand, which is the way I set up mine, no weight on the sidestand.

Agreed, having the side stand down while tying off the bike is just to keep it from going over until the straps have tension. They should have added raising the side stand in the final step.

 

[Checkswrecks]

::026::
I've seen sidestands broken off!

 

[markbxr400]

I use heavy duty loop back tie downs wrapped around the fork tubes above the lower triple clamp. Kickstand up. In 1st gear. Also use a front wheel chock that is just put in the front of my truck bed, not permanently fastened down. This is simple to keep the wheel from turning to the side. Then I tie the rear with a rope from one side of the bed, tied around the rear of the back wheel, then to the other side pf the bed. I've hauled this bike 3 times from lower Alabama to Michigan and 3 times from lower Alabama to North Carolina/Tennessee over the past year. Never a hint of a problem.

 

[Rockhopper]

OK, so it seems that just above the triple clamp is also a popular location.

Thanks everyone!

Does the rear suspension need to be compressed as well? Seems like it should?

 

[AVGeek]

OK, so it seems that just above the triple clamp is also a popular location.

Thanks everyone!

Does the rear suspension need to be compressed as well? Seems like it should?

No, its been my practice to tie off the rear wheel to keep it from bouncing around, rather than tying off to the back of the bike.