Strapping down 2 bikes on flatbed trailer??

[talber8]

Anyone have suggestions for strapping down two bikes on a 5x9 trailer (u-haul)? The trailer only has 4 tie downs. i'm not sure if the straps will be blocked by the opposite bike either. is there any trick involoved?

Also, where do you tie down the rear if you do not have passenger pegs on? I used the plate that extends the passenger pegs to account for the high exhaust (1/4" aluminum) but it bent a little, so I don't think that's a great idea.

[kz2zx]

What's the floor of the trailer made of?

Lagscrew or sheet-metal-self-tapping-screw down d-rings. Use the rider's rearsets to anchor the rear of the bikes.

[talber8]

the flooring is actually made of solid, ribbed sheet metal. And its a rental so I don't believe that altering it is possible. Althoguh the back gate is a mesh, maybe I could utilize that by putting a ring in the center, bottom.

Thanks for the tip on using the rearsets.

[kz2zx]

Originally Posted by talber8

the flooring is actually made of solid, ribbed sheet metal. And its a rental so I don't believe that altering it is possible. Althoguh the back gate is a mesh, maybe I could utilize that by putting a ring in the center, bottom.

Thanks for the tip on using the rearsets.

The floor's sixteen gauge or heavier diamond-plate steel? So, use self-tapping screws (tek screws or reamer screws) and a drill with a nut-driver bit. Just pull them back out before you return the trailer.

Don't use the expanded-metal gate, or you'll fuck it up when you hit a bump and pull your screw-eye and washers through it.

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

Below are 2 photo's of how I have the 2 bikes still strapped in my trailer after driving 550 miles last night (I got back to Northern Illinois at 3am this morning from racing at Heartland Park Raceway in Topeka, Kansas).

Both bikes are on rear stands, on my 750 I have soft ties around the swing arm braces and straps going out to the E-track in the floor on each side of the bike, my freinds SV650 has the straps going around the tire and back in the original direction they came from. In my experience both of these methods have worked great and I have yet to loose a bike either way, both methods secure the bike in position really well.

If you can find a point to attach the rear tire straps to the rear or sides of the trailer (like the frame or edge of the floor if strong enough) you could probably do something similar to one of these set-up's - even without the rear stand under the bike during transport. You have to have alot of faith in the construction of your rear stand and spools if you transport a bike on the stand, we mainly do it because each of us can be strapping down our bikes without needing the other to hold the bike - same when removing the straps.

[talber8]

So not sure this is the best way but this is how we did it:

We put the bikes staggered facing opposite ways. One front wheel against the front, and one against the tail gate. We tied the fronts down and then the outside of the rears by the passenger pegs.

Then we took another strap and tied the rear wheels to the side rails with only light pressure to help insure the bikes wouldn't bounce into each other.

This all seemed to actually work quite well even if not ideal. The weight may have been slightly off-center (a little forward biased) but with not using chocks having the front wheels held against a surface really helped.

We drove about 250 miles total, including through the not so lovely roads of Jersey City and New York City with seemingly no incident.

Attached is a photo

[Philbie]

Originally Posted by talber8

So not sure this is the best way but this is how we did it:

Did they (one, the other, or both) fall over?

Yes? You did it wrong.
No? You did just fine.

[kz2zx]

Originally Posted by Philbie

Did they (one, the other, or both) fall over?

Yes? You did it wrong.
No? You did just fine.

Did you get around the track without falling over? No? You did it wrong.

Yes? You did just fine.