smashweights Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 (edited) I'm heading out to KC in the next few weeks to pick up my new-to-me Monster and was hoping for some smart tips for bringing it back 600 miles safely and without damaging it. Truck is a Dodge Dakota w/ 5' bed, so likely to be tailgate down with at least part of the wheel on the gate based on my measurements. Should I get a cover to keep road debris from knicking it up? Recommend picking up a wheel chock? I have a plethora of tie downs available, so any tips on properly securing it and possibly securing the cover? You guys have been very helpful so far in this process! Edited November 12, 2012 by smashweights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadyone Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Buy some canyon dancer bar straps they hook on your bars and cover your grips and have D rings to attach too. Then just hook in your bed tiedown spots in the front corner. Make sure you cinch it down so you only have a few inches of fork travel. I've drove a over a thousand miles like this and never had a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smashweights Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I've read a few articles mentioning those, what's the advantage though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowdog Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 (edited) I have a couple pairs of Canyon Dancers you can borrow if you're close to Columbus and dont want to buy. I would not transport without them! Edited November 12, 2012 by bowdog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standout Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 mainly ease of use. instead of looking for a way to tie down your bike without rubbing the straps against painted surfaces u have one and its attached to a place thats designed to hold weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHill Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 if you have fairings, they have the advantage of easy attachment points without a chance of damaging anything from stress or straps flapping.Without fairings, I don't really see a point to them when you can loop over the lower triple clamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conn-e-rot Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 rent a uhaul trailer out there to bring it back inI have a canyon dancer some where I'll sell for $20 I think I used it once Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Copeland Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I would not recommend using any type of cover during transport,it will likely do more damage than good ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smashweights Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I would not recommend using any type of cover during transport,it will likely do more damage than good !Interesting, good to know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonik Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 Make sure the front tire is against the bed, and that it is secured is such a way that it cannot turn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conn-e-rot Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I would not recommend using any type of cover during transport,it will likely do more damage than good !No cover unless you buy one of the transport covers and they are pretty pricey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 yeah, a cover will rub paint off the bike the same way straps will.The hard-cup canyon dancers seem to be really good. They eliminate all the potential issues I can think of with the older models.The only thing I would add is some redundant straps on the rear wheel. Loop the strap around the top of the rear wheel and then through itself. one to each side of the truck. That should hold the bike up if one of the front straps lets go. At least long enough for you to pull over and fix it. Don't cinch that down too tightly, as you'll squish the tire, but make them snug.I wouldn't transport that far without a wheel chock, but if you don't already have one, just find a piece of plywood and cut it to the width of your truck bed. Then install (or make) a wheel chock on the plywood. The weight of the front wheel will keep it in place, and the plywood being the width of the bed will keep it from sliding side-to-side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadyone Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 yeah, a cover will rub paint off the bike the same way straps will.The hard-cup canyon dancers seem to be really good. They eliminate all the potential issues I can think of with the older models.The only thing I would add is some redundant straps on the rear wheel. Loop the strap around the top of the rear wheel and then through itself. one to each side of the truck. That should hold the bike up if one of the front straps lets go. At least long enough for you to pull over and fix it. Don't cinch that down too tightly, as you'll squish the tire, but make them snug.I wouldn't transport that far without a wheel chock, but if you don't already have one, just find a piece of plywood and cut it to the width of your truck bed. Then install (or make) a wheel chock on the plywood. The weight of the front wheel will keep it in place, and the plywood being the width of the bed will keep it from sliding side-to-side.You can use a similar trick that was mentioned here for the rear wheel on the front wheel too. this will keep the tire from turning one way or the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 (edited) Make sure the front tire is against the bed, and that it is secured is such a way that it cannot turn.This ^^^ or tie the bike in diagonally with the wheel stuffed in the L or R corner of the bed. Depending on wheelbase, you might even be able to get the tailgate up and latched this way. Every bike is different when it comes to tie-down points. The more Tupperware they've got on 'em, the more difficult it is to find a place to hook to without tearing sh-t up. I'm guessing a Monster shouldn't be too bad.I like to use these http://www.bikebandit.com/steadymate-soft-loops and hook 'em around the lower triple clamp so the tie-downs don't put any stress on the bars and controls. If you've got a clear shot, you can loop 'em around the handlebars as well. Edited November 12, 2012 by Bubba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted November 12, 2012 Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 I have never liked putting the front wheel in the corner of the bed, because it moves the tie-down points so close to the wheel.Remember, the objective is to keep the bike from falling left or right - that is best accomplished by having tie-down points as far from the bike as possible. In a perfect world, they would be well wider than the bed of the truck...the closer the tie-down points get to the front wheel, the more they pull down rather than side-to-side. shoving the front wheel in the corner makes this worse, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smashweights Posted November 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKlVC-pfbC0Is this basically the technique you all are recommending? Do you really only secure the front of the bike like that? I figured there'd be something on the rear and mid section of the bike as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiomike Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 We used to just mount a piece of channel iron to a piece of plywood that fit snugly in the bed. Roll the bike up into the channel and strap it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smashweights Posted November 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 I would take that video with a giant grain of salt.Right, I'm just curious for more specifics of tie down in a truck bed. So soft strap/canyon dancer the handlebars and tie down wide, check. Should any other points be tied down? I do not have a wheel chock currently, will having one that is not mounted to the bed of the truck really impact transportation much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imprez55 Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 A cover is the worst thing you can do to it. The wind will whip it back and forth and eventually scratch the paint. You are planning to ride it more than 600 miles, it would be no different in the bed of a truck (actually a little better since the cab will deflect a lot of debris). I have seen people use this type of wheel chock that is not anchored to anything, but I don't know how much I would personally trust it. Like IP said, renting a trailer isn't that bad. You can arrange a pickup with a uhaul close to the bike and bring it one way back to Ohio for $14.95 (at least that's what it has always cost me). Like redkow said, tie downs are meant to keep the bike from going side to side, so keep the points wide and a little forward. I also like redkow's idea of a quick and dirty wheel chock. I have never hauled a bike in a pickup bed so I can't speak for the effectiveness of it, but I sure like the security of a wheel chock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smashweights Posted November 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 Thing is I've never driven with a trailer and don't know how comfortable I am messing with that. Wouldn't that also put the bike right in the crosshairs of every pebble the truck kicks up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conn-e-rot Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 (edited) The canyon dancer will hold front wheel straight you could always make a simple chock out of 2x4's just anything to hold the wheel. I always strapped the rear around frame if you can on each side or around the rear peg mounts or swingarm just something to keep rear from shifting I know a lot of guys say you don't need it but the extra piece of mind is nice. You might want to have a way to lock the bike to the truck bed also if you will be staying in a hotel. Edited November 13, 2012 by conn-e-rot spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smashweights Posted November 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 The canyon dancer will hold front wheel straight you could always make a simple chaulk out of 2x4's just anything to hold the wheel. I always strapped the rear around frame if you can on each side or around the rear peg mounts or swingarm just something to keep rear from shifting I know a lot of guys say you don't need it but the extra piece of mind is nice. You might want to have a way to lock the bike to the truck bed also if you will be staying in a hotel.If the canyon dancer setup keeps the wheel straight, what is the use of the chock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conn-e-rot Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 I never used a chock just strapped it down with canyon dancer the canyon dancer is on the bars if the bars can't turn wheel can't turn but if you feel better with a chock then simple enough to make something out of wood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smashweights Posted November 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 (edited) I figured on doing something like thishttp://www.discountramps.com/articles/motorcycle-tie-down.htmuse soft straps on each side of the handlebars and the one on each of the passenger peg mounts Edited November 13, 2012 by smashweights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHill Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 You dakota have the tie down points in the bottom of the bed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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