All the bikes on the IOM ferry for the TT use the side stand, and also side stand used every trip I have been on - on the centre stand the bike will rock and therefore at some point it will only have two small points of contact and the bike could rotate. That said they use some rope ties too.
Side or centre stand ?
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Berkshire_Mike
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Side stand for me, Bike in gear, one strap at the front, one at the back firmly tight but not squashing the bike down and one over top to stop the bike going over from the side stand over the vertical and falling over. It's worked this way for me a number of years, I think the centre stand has too many movement possibilities, -
My main concern is not so much my bike but others adjacent toppling onto it, - hasn't happened yet -
Heard of a terrible accident where a UK guy skidded on the wet deck, absolute nightmare, came off and broke his femur, he begged the ferry guys to take him to the UK but they wouldn't (not truly surprised it's a serious and potentially fatal injury) and he spent an age in a French hospital ... Not fun, take care when parking bikes on a ferry.
My main concern is not so much my bike but others adjacent toppling onto it, - hasn't happened yet -
Heard of a terrible accident where a UK guy skidded on the wet deck, absolute nightmare, came off and broke his femur, he begged the ferry guys to take him to the UK but they wouldn't (not truly surprised it's a serious and potentially fatal injury) and he spent an age in a French hospital ... Not fun, take care when parking bikes on a ferry.
arrybash
Registered user
Been on Brittany Ferries loads of times. They always insist the bikes are parked on the side stand then they put a thick cushion on the seat and lash the bike down over the cushion with heavy duty ratchet straps.
There is no great load on the side stand as the suspension compresses and the load is taken this way.
I have been on the Santander ferry with some 500 other bikes never had a problem or seen a problem.
Chris
There is no great load on the side stand as the suspension compresses and the load is taken this way.
I have been on the Santander ferry with some 500 other bikes never had a problem or seen a problem.
Chris
beware LD lines, who instead of a cushion, sometimes use a thick piece of rubber to "protect" the saddle.
as the ratchet strap is tightened it moves, the rubber grips the saddle and tries to rip the seat covering. luckily my sargent was only distorted, and it shrank back to normal when it got hot. i thought there was considerable potential for damage.
not likely to be a problem for me, as i felt LD were fairly poor, and will happily pay the extra to go with brittany in future.
as the ratchet strap is tightened it moves, the rubber grips the saddle and tries to rip the seat covering. luckily my sargent was only distorted, and it shrank back to normal when it got hot. i thought there was considerable potential for damage.
not likely to be a problem for me, as i felt LD were fairly poor, and will happily pay the extra to go with brittany in future.
While the centre stand is undoubtedly stronger than the side stand, it simply isn't necessary - particularly if you have heavy luggage - on a regular Dover-Calais, Newhaven-Dieppe or Portsmouth-Le Havre/Cherbourg ferry. All of the boats serving these routes are equipped with modern stabilisers and the ferry companies provide adequate ratchet straps. So (providing you follow the directions of the deck hands), bikes are unlikely to be damaged during these relatively short crossings.
Deleted account 230818001
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Thanks everyone,
Great feedback, I now have a better idea of what to expect and what to do when I embark.
Great feedback, I now have a better idea of what to expect and what to do when I embark.
Mutley
Registered user
Thanks everyone,
Great feedback, I now have a better idea of what to expect and what to do when I embark.
I'm not sure why, nothing was said in this thread that hasn't been discussed a thousand times before
Never mind eh? Thanks for your great contribution
I'm not sure why, nothing was said in this thread that hasn't been discussed a thousand times before
Never mind eh? Thanks for your great contribution
.........and your contribution above added what exactly
I find it's best to lay it down, on it's side....nowhere to fall over then
Boxer engines have sticky out bits, specially designed for it
Boxer engines have sticky out bits, specially designed for it
I find it's best to lay it down, on it's side....nowhere to fall over then
Boxer engines have sticky out bits, specially designed for it
They spin round like that quite well, especially when the engine is running (from my experience)
Yeah, like the deckhands who wanted to ratchet my VFR down by the rear brake pipe
If you look at all the points of contact between the bike and the deck as a triangle then the further the Centre of Gravity is from the edges of that triangle the better because the bike is stable until the CoG moves outside the triangle, after which it decides to lie down. Generally, the bigger the triangle, the better.
If you put the bike on the centre stand the CoG is very close to the stand and pitching movements of the ship are very likely to cause the bike to shift and topple. However, putting the bike on the side stand is much more stable because the of the big triangle formed by the front and rear tyres and the stand, it takes a lot to shift the CoG outside of that triangle. However, please bear in mind that pulling too tight on the ratchet straps can bend the side stand, so don't do them up too tight and making sure that the bike can't roll forwards is even better.
If the seas are moderate, then the sidestand is better. For really nasty weather, the centre stand is probably better if you can really wedge the bike with a chock under the front wheel and other bracing to stop it shifting, but TBH, that's the point where I'm just glad to have head protectors, ali panniers and barkbusters and to let nature take its course
Deleted account 230818001
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I'm not sure why, nothing was said in this thread that hasn't been discussed a thousand times before
Never mind eh? Thanks for your great contribution
Yeah, it amazes me why some people feel the need to comment, if there was nothing more to say why did you have to say nothing?
If I see a thread on here that I can't contribute to, I just pass it by no matter how bored I am or how superior I need to feel!
I wasn't doing you any harm but you couldn't resist a crass comment, could you? There are tossers and there are right tossers.
Look at all of the responses from genuinely helpful forum members, that's what this forum is supposed to be about.
Mutley
Registered user
Yeah, it amazes me why some people feel the need to comment, if there was nothing more to say why did you have to say nothing?
If I see a thread on here that I can't contribute to, I just pass it by no matter how bored I am or how superior I need to feel!
I wasn't doing you any harm but you couldn't resist a crass comment, could you? There are tossers and there are right tossers.
Look at all of the responses from genuinely helpful forum members, that's what this forum is supposed to be about.
At least i didn't just point you at the 'Search' function
Just to throw another spanner in the works, all the ferries here in Guernsey that travel from uk and to france have the front wheel locked in a contraption, this way not stands are used at all. they also strap the andle bars to the deck, this way the bike cannot fall over, it cannot roll forward off a stand and its solid as a rock.
spike
spike
I have traveled on many ferries, cross channel, aberdeen Lerwick, inter island (if its rough they tell you to stay with it, to hold it up), Belfast, liverpool etc ect, I just park how and where the staff tell me, put the bike on whatever stand they tell me and walk away and leave them to it
. Never had a problem, they know what they are doing and have secured thousands of bikes in their time, its their job! Many ferries have different systems, some secure to side rails, some to cables on the floor, some to floor rings, wheel clamps etc, they know whats best for their system, main or side stand (assuming you have both) If you stand over them you will probably never be 100% happy with what they do, for me, my advice is dump the bike and walk away and leave it to them.
. Never had a problem, they know what they are doing and have secured thousands of bikes in their time, its their job! Many ferries have different systems, some secure to side rails, some to cables on the floor, some to floor rings, wheel clamps etc, they know whats best for their system, main or side stand (assuming you have both) If you stand over them you will probably never be 100% happy with what they do, for me, my advice is dump the bike and walk away and leave it to them.
I have traveled on many ferries, cross channel, aberdeen Lerwick, inter island (if its rough they tell you to stay with it, to hold it up), Belfast, liverpool etc ect, I just park how and where the staff tell me, put the bike on whatever stand they tell me and walk away and leave them to it
+1
...and then IF it gets damaged, and i've never had one damaged yet, it's 100% their responsibility
Always used to watch them on condor ferries before they got the wheel clamp devices as they have had many bikes fall over through not being tied down properly or bent a side stand through not pulling the rear suspension down as they use the rachet straps.
spike
spike
I have used Ferries from Ireland to GB on numerous occassions and have alway used the side stand with no issues.
I have been told that the Stena crews have been trained to tie down bikes and found them very helpful.
I was advised that if I tie the bike down and it falls - my fault no compo, if the deck crew ties down the bike and it falls their fault and compo.
I would be happy if somebody could confirm or deny this...
Thanks
DC
I have been told that the Stena crews have been trained to tie down bikes and found them very helpful.
I was advised that if I tie the bike down and it falls - my fault no compo, if the deck crew ties down the bike and it falls their fault and compo.
I would be happy if somebody could confirm or deny this...
Thanks
DC
This usually depends on the terms of the particular ferry line.
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