Tie-down points on a 6th gen... Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey all-

I just got back to working on my trailer, and I figured I'd better figure out tiedowns before I start drilling holes for the front wheel chock position. So I started thinking about tiedowns.... yeah... about those tiedowns....

Where the hell do I attach the ratchet straps on the bike!? I never looked before, and now I'm seeing a problem finding a good spot. On my harley I used to loop the straps around the forks up by the bars, but on a full-fairing bike (or at least on a 6th gen...) all the tupperware gets in the way! :censored::censored::censored:Where do ya'll tie off? I need to figure out my strap geometry so I can layout tiedown anchors and wheel chock position on the trailer floor.

Before anyone points out the obious: No- I cannot use the straps laterally. This enclosed trailer doesn't have strong enough walls to put anchor points up off the floor. I'd already thought about that & inspected the walls after I bought the trailer...

 

find a pair of straps with the loops on the end that attach to the end of the handle bars. along with the chock should work great.

 

Ratchet strap the bar ends??! My whole life I've always seen and heard "frame or forks". Ratchet straps exert a crapload of force, and I'm more than A LITTLE scared about what could go wrong. Is this what most 6th gen owners are doing?

 

I have a trailer with a wheel chock and use the holes on the rear peg bracket with s-hook ratchet straps. For additional safety, you can add straps to the rider footpeg bracket.

 

best picture I have



note the caynon dancers on the 750

 

Google "Canyon Dancer" and you'll see exactly what you need.

Rollin

 

Where are the straps on the front of the RWB connecting to the bike? On mine I looked at hooking to the forks above the dust boot at the fork tubes, but there are these flimsy plastic cup thingies snapped over the top of the fork tubes that won't take the pressure. I can't see where you have yours hooked up in that pic. Nice setup on your trailer though!

 

The 5th and 6th Gen both r hooked over the bottom triple clamp. Canyon dancers hold the bike well but there hell on grips.

 

I had my bike towed twice in May(for the same incident, shop was closed the first day). The tow guys used Canyon Dancer type straps.
They worked excellently. They didn't even touch the plastic. They held the bike solid.
I plan on getting a trailer soon(cuz I move so damn much) and I will have the Canyon Dancers on that trailer.

 

what Bill said ....the 2000 is his

 

+1 on Canyondancers. I've used 'em a bunch for trackdays, and they do the trick nicely and easily! One time one side DID rub on my plastics, not sure why. But, double check that and if it's rubbing put a soft cloth between the strap and your bike.

 

Buy this:

Motorcycle Stand / Wheel Chock

Bolt it to the trailer. Mount 2 tie down rings about 2 feet behind it. Roll the bike in & run 1 strap from the passenger peg to the tie down in the floor. That's it, mission complete. I've trailered my bikes from NJ to NC 7 times with only 1 strap on each passenger peg. I've never had an issue & never will.

I've said it before & I'll say it again. Don't tie down a $10000+ bike with $20 worth of straps. A roll in chock is 1000% better than the best strap set up. I use the Condor SC2000 but they are $170. The Harbor Freight one is a decent product for less than 1/2 the price.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

I use Canyon Dancers on the front of my VFR for truck or trailer use. I use homemade PVC pipe to protect the grips. I also strap to the rear sets.



I also use a Harbor Freight chock sometimes.

 

I bought this:



It seems more than adequate for the bikes I have. I'll have to reinforce the plywood decking on my trailer from underneath with some metal plate when I install it (and the tiedown anchors too) but first I needed to see what folks were doing with the straps at the bike. Now that I know I have a better idea. And BTW- I totally agree on the straps! More than once I've seen a $25K bike all over the freeway after someone slammed on thier brakes, all because the cheapskate bought the "4 for $10" strap pack at Harbor Freight!

Thanks for the input everyone. It's a big help. I do gotta admit that I'm more than a little shocked at how many of you tie off your bars with the Canyon Dancers. I'm a skeptic about hooking straps outward from hardpoints. Guess I'm afraid of bending/breaking my bars. I'd hate to have my forks compress during a hard brake and have the bars get screwed up when they unload all that energy into the straps. Just neurotically overcautious I guess!


Big3 Where did you get the tiedown points mounted on the floor of your trailer in that first pic- and how much tension will they take? They look badass!

Hey BonusVFR- That's a nice shot of Mt. Rainier! I grew up in Olympia. Kinda miss the view!

 

Yea great place!



I stopped by on the way home after a VFR tour............great to have your bride pickup you up especially with a shagged tire and fading chain. The whole truck/trailer gig helps me play and still do family things in far away places.

Both front and rear suspensions put tension on the straps so not much transfer (plus no rider on top). I sit on the bike to cinch straps...but leave travel. I would be more cautious of CDs if I had risers. I use them on all my bikes .............never an issue.

Another return home but with a better shot of the PVC protection.....and no chock. I always use at least 4 tie downs maybe six if I have the Wing.

 

I use the Condor chocks in my toy hauler. The nice thing about the Condor style chocks is that you don't have to use a ton of downward force on the tiedown straps. I use the Canyon Dancer restraints and they work very well.


I snug the bikes down with a minimum of fork compression, and the Condor keeps things from moving around. This is how it looks:

 

I can't tell if people are yah or nay on the Caynon Dancer? I have a long road trip coming up, I have a motorcycle trailer from U-haul, and 4 ratchet straps. Should I buy a Canyon Dancer or use the lower triple clamp and call it a day? I'm going 2000 miles each way.

 

I've used Canyon dancers many times with good results. The only problem I've ran into is the grips being pulled around and squished. I like them because they keep the tie downs off the paint. I've never had them cause any more problems than that. I've hauled hundreds of bikes with them when I worked for a dealer and had to transport them from our warehouse to the shop.

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Can you elaborate a little more about the grips being pulled and squished? Permanent damage? I found another similiar product called Cycle Cinch (http://www.cyclecynch.com) that seems very similar but has fabric around the handlebars instead of the 'cups' on the dancer?

 

That looks like a good product and it may work better. The problem with the c d is sometimes it puts pressure on the grips and pulls them in towards the triple. Not that big a deal, but a pain nonetheless. There is also a possibility with the cd that the switches could be damaged if you're not careful.

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