Jump to content

Hauling a bike tips?


smashweights

Recommended Posts

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 by smashweights
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 by Bubba
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 by conn-e-rot
spelling
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...