how to secure bike on pick up truck

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Vitek

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May 10, 2008
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Location
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
I got the nice ramp, but I need some tips how to properly secure bike on the pick up truck. It will be only an hour trip to bring the my sons yamaha R6 from dealer in US to Canada

Vitek
 
You need a channel to hold the front tire in the center of the truck bed.
A couple racheting tie down straps to go from the handle bars to the side rails of the truck, pull them tight enough to compress the suspension part way.
And ratcheting tie down straps to go from the rear end of the bike, angled forward to keep the bike from trying to move backwards, to the side rails.

(The ideal set up is to have hook eyes in the bottom of the truck bed, that will press the bike down and prevent any movement at all.)

Snug all these straps down tight, it should ride smooth as silk.

At least, that's the way I always did it.

dan
 
It's MUCH harder on a sport bike but it's doable. I made a special frame to hold my sport bike. I can put two bikes in the bed of my truck using it too.
 
when I had my bikes in the truck, I built a lil' jig to hold the front tire.

I was a cut down 2x6, then with the spare wood I made tire chocks and some wedges to stabilize. here is the ascii version:


_____<|_|>_____

The rest was just using 4 tie-downs to support the bike.
 
I am anal when it comes to securing my VMAX in route in a trailer or on the bed of a truck.

First off, dont be cheap and buy RATCHET STRAPS at Wal Mart! Unless you are willing to save 15.00 but have take the chance of your bike dumping and doing hundreds of damage.
Ratchet Straps Suck for one!! I have seen people arrive at a track and open there trailer to find a ratchet strap had let go!

Goto a motorcycle store, watersport store and buy some good qaulity tie straps these will cost you about 25.00 a pair and buy to pair.
Also you will want to buy some soft tie, these are what will go around either the hand grip or triple tree, DONT use the plastic coated hooks the hooks of the tie strap will hook through the soft tie.
I usually put the soft ties around the grip in the front.
For the rear I will usually come off the top of the shock mount.

When you pull your bike up into the back of the truck put the bike in 1st gear, and also pull the front brake lever in firmly but NOT hard and zip tie the brake lever in.
Evenely snug your tie straps down not going nuts but you want them Snug and tight. I than will take the slack and loop it through the eyelet of the hook and use a boyscout knot to ensure nothing will slip. Test by grabbing the bikes grip and shake the bike like an Ape yanking on some jail bars trying to get out, if nothing comes loose than your ready for a road trip.

I have use this method for many years including trailering a dragbike for 5 years all over the south in an enclosed Haulmark trailer and let me tell you some trips back home wernt very gentle of a ride if I was beat or didnt make the field. I have had my trailer on 2 wheels along with seeing the trailer completly bounce up off the road, and that was a 6X14 enclosed. LOL But I have never opened my trailer doors to a bike on its side...


Or you can take the easy way out and spend 10 bucks at Walmart buy ya some ratchet straps and click click click your ass away and make sure you dont take any turns to fast and baiscally drive as you have a fish tank on your front seat filled with no lid. Good luck!
 
Here's a tip a lot of people seem to miss.

Make sure the weight ratings on your straps are equal to or higher than the weight of the bike.

I always use ratchet straps on the front of the bike, not those atv pull tight straps a lot of people use.
 
thanx for all the good info here

I got few ratchet straps that should help

Vitek



Here's a tip a lot of people seem to miss.

Make sure the weight ratings on your straps are equal to or higher than the weight of the bike.

I always use ratchet straps on the front of the bike, not those atv pull tight straps a lot of people use.
 
thanx for all the good info here

I got few ratchet straps that should help

Vitek

Ratchet Straps will work... We all do things differently. Most of all get your ride home safe.. Good luck with the road trip..
 
thanx for all the good info here

I got few ratchet straps that should help

Vitek

You'll be fine Vitek, it's more common sense than anything else. Use good quality, heavy duty stuff, racheting straps, tie downs, whatever. Keep it upright, immobilize the front wheel, protect the bike from scratches, that's it.

Good luck, have a good ride, arrive safely,

dan
 
when I had my bikes in the truck, I built a lil' jig to hold the front tire.

I was a cut down 2x6, then with the spare wood I made tire chocks and some wedges to stabilize. here is the ascii version:


_____<|_|>_____

The rest was just using 4 tie-downs to support the bike.

Nice drawing KJ! That's your basic CAD, for sure. :biglaugh:

dan
 
Canyon dancer straps are the shit!! Everyone that owns a motorcycle should own one. One of the most simple and perfectly functional ideas ever.

Unless you're running Heli-Bar clip-ons which specifically says DO NOT use them...

All I use is ratchet straps to hold the vmax in. I put a board in front of the tire to keep the front of the bed from getting dented and strap it tight. I also strap the bike from the back forward to keep it as still and as one with the truck as possible. I took the Max to Topeka 7 hours this way.

This is what I use to tie down bikes with anytime we are hauling. The Big Daddy Deluxe. Not cheap but work excellent. I am a pingel dealer but haven't checked my pricing lately.

http://www.pingelonline.com/tie_downs.htm

Sean

So you have a vendor list on your site? You need one for sure... You'd sell a hell of a lot more if we all knew what you sold!

Chris
 
If I don't sell something you want just email me and i'll try to setup and get a good price for you guys. I won't always be able to be your best price as many places have different dealer levels depending on how much monthly purchases we make.

Sean
 
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