Advice for GSA on a trailer
- Thread starter SkyeRider
- Start date
I'd use the center stand.
Or a bike trailer
Or a bike trailer
My twopennorth.
side stand in a van = maybe as a van is well sprung
side stand on a flat trailer = NO as they bounce like a bastard and you are liable to end up with a well fecked bike..
Best way on a flat trailer is to nail a bit of drain guttering [ or similar] to the floor.
Block at the front of it put front wheel in it. Then lash bike down front and rear about 75% of suspension travel using carabiners to make sure the poxy hooks normally fitted don't bounce out DAMHIK
I lash through the telelever , both sides and rear subrame brackets [as close to seat as poss]
Check after first couple of miles and if all is ok Jobs a good 'un
Remember, you can NEVER have to many straps..
side stand in a van = maybe as a van is well sprung
side stand on a flat trailer = NO as they bounce like a bastard and you are liable to end up with a well fecked bike..
Best way on a flat trailer is to nail a bit of drain guttering [ or similar] to the floor.
Block at the front of it put front wheel in it. Then lash bike down front and rear about 75% of suspension travel using carabiners to make sure the poxy hooks normally fitted don't bounce out DAMHIK
I lash through the telelever , both sides and rear subrame brackets [as close to seat as poss]
Check after first couple of miles and if all is ok Jobs a good 'un
Remember, you can NEVER have to many straps..
Aggy
Guest
Ask the RAC they have plenty of experience 
KevG
Registered user
No Stand!!!
Use the bikes suspension to keep the straps tight by compressing the suspension as you tighten to ratchet straps. About halfway compressed is good
Use a ratchet strap on either side of the bike
From the floor of the trailer, over the outer part of the bars (inboard of the mirrors)to the floor on the same side.
So you have two triangles,one on either side. On a long journey you can do similar to the rear of the bike for peace of mind.
Don't strap over the bike from left to right or vice versa as it does'nt work.
Nail a piece of wood to the trailer floor either side of the tyres to stop the bike slipping.
Make sure the trailer is up to the job, Tyres, Wheel Bearings ETC.
Hope this helps. Kev
Use the bikes suspension to keep the straps tight by compressing the suspension as you tighten to ratchet straps. About halfway compressed is good
Use a ratchet strap on either side of the bike
From the floor of the trailer, over the outer part of the bars (inboard of the mirrors)to the floor on the same side.
So you have two triangles,one on either side. On a long journey you can do similar to the rear of the bike for peace of mind.
Don't strap over the bike from left to right or vice versa as it does'nt work.
Nail a piece of wood to the trailer floor either side of the tyres to stop the bike slipping.
Make sure the trailer is up to the job, Tyres, Wheel Bearings ETC.
Hope this helps. Kev
Last edited:
One thing in my post that may not be clear>>
Don't use a stand, balance the bike
Don't use a stand, balance the bike
LiquidLAN
Registered user
My twopennorth.
side stand in a van = maybe as a van is well sprung
side stand on a flat trailer = NO as they bounce like a bastard and you are liable to end up with a well fecked bike..
Best way on a flat trailer is to nail a bit of drain guttering [ or similar] to the floor.
Block at the front of it put front wheel in it. Then lash bike down front and rear about 75% of suspension travel using carabiners to make sure the poxy hooks normally fitted don't bounce out DAMHIK
I lash through the telelever , both sides and rear subrame brackets [as close to seat as poss]
Check after first couple of miles and if all is ok Jobs a good 'un
Remember, you can NEVER have to many straps..
if you havent got the guttering, you could screw some lengths of 2x4 on the flatbed wheel width apart, basically if you are strapping it all down under suspension compression you want to make sure the wheels stay in a straight line and don't pop out sideways.
if you can transport it with an empty tank, maybe it's just me being over sensative, but I'm sure I could feel the difference towing mine full as opposed to empty.
straps, straps and more straps - looped ones are better than hook ended ones as they can't come undone so easy and spread the load about on the straps that way you arent putting too much pressure on any one part
remember these are heavy bikes.
edit
One thing in my post that may not be clear>>
Don't use a stand, balance the bike
I'd definately do something with 2x4s then to stop the tyres slipping out
but then I'm very much belts and braces
Montrose Sun
Registered user
Lay it down on one of its pots on a big thick cushion and then strap from various angels untill not moving.
Fanum
Toubab
DO NOT GO ONTO THE BARS!!!!!!
EDIT...with any straps I mean
EDIT...with any straps I mean
Fanum
Toubab
And then scare the crap out of yourself when you start it up and can't see anything for white smoke for a minute!!
LiquidLAN
Registered user
DO NOT GO ONTO THE BARS!!!!!!
EDIT...with any straps I mean
what? Handle bars or crash bars?
Fanum
Toubab
Handle bars.
Even if using crashbars, be careful, and go as close in to the mounting points as poss.
There shouldn't really be a need to use them though...the GS is one of the easiest bikes possible to strap down securely.
LiquidLAN
Registered user
bugger... will have to remember to stop doing that then 
I've been spreading the load between the handle-bars (as that's the widest point I could get), the rear footpegs, the bottom of the front suspension and across the rear subframe
mostly so I could find points that allowed me to secure the bike without running straps across it - seems to be ok, but wouldnt trust any one point. all that said, I'm definately happy to bow to superior knowledge and experience on this one
I've been spreading the load between the handle-bars (as that's the widest point I could get), the rear footpegs, the bottom of the front suspension and across the rear subframe
mostly so I could find points that allowed me to secure the bike without running straps across it - seems to be ok, but wouldnt trust any one point. all that said, I'm definately happy to bow to superior knowledge and experience on this one
kbada
Registered user
For what it's worth Autozug put the straps around the front suspension legs and the 'rocking and rolling' of a train over points at high speed would suggest that the system works AND it all starts with the side stand out 
Ask Wapping of this parish why you shouldn't attach tie down straps to handle bars .....
Check after first couple of miles and if all is ok Jobs a good 'un
Remember, you can NEVER have to many straps..
Bigbadbaz will agree with you 100% after his 1150GS came off a trailer in Georgia...££££££££££££££
Use RATCHET straps, not friction straps. You can get them properly tight.
Strap onto the handlebars, and you're very likely going to bend them.
If any straps are touching the bike, especially paintwork, then put a soft rag under neath to stop it chafing your paint/Ali/whatever it's touching.
You can NEVER have too many straps. OK, You CAN, but at least it'll be safer. I usually only use 3 straps.
Make sure the bike is strapped down UPRIGHT. Otherwise, if it's leaning, you'll spend the whole journey looking in your mirrors thinking "Has it moved? I'm sure it's moved. Maybe I'd better check".
I've never strapped a GS down, but on most bike i put 1 strap over the headstock to hold the bike forwards.
Then 2 straps out from the back (1 either side) approx 45 degrees from the bike. Usually on the rear subframe or rear peg hangers. These hold the bike side to side.
Drive smoothly. Don't be afraid to stop and check. I've trailered bikes for upto 700 miles with no problems.
A mate had his new (just bought it) ZXR750 fall off my trailer within 15 miles of putting it on. He was driving like an idiot, last minute braking on the bumpiest roads in the fens.
Strap onto the handlebars, and you're very likely going to bend them.
If any straps are touching the bike, especially paintwork, then put a soft rag under neath to stop it chafing your paint/Ali/whatever it's touching.
You can NEVER have too many straps. OK, You CAN, but at least it'll be safer. I usually only use 3 straps.
Make sure the bike is strapped down UPRIGHT. Otherwise, if it's leaning, you'll spend the whole journey looking in your mirrors thinking "Has it moved? I'm sure it's moved. Maybe I'd better check".
I've never strapped a GS down, but on most bike i put 1 strap over the headstock to hold the bike forwards.
Then 2 straps out from the back (1 either side) approx 45 degrees from the bike. Usually on the rear subframe or rear peg hangers. These hold the bike side to side.
Drive smoothly. Don't be afraid to stop and check. I've trailered bikes for upto 700 miles with no problems.
A mate had his new (just bought it) ZXR750 fall off my trailer within 15 miles of putting it on. He was driving like an idiot, last minute braking on the bumpiest roads in the fens.
WindyChuffer
Registered user
Do not tie down using the handlebars (they can move) or the crash bars (not designed for this).
At the front, tie off the fork crown either side. At the rear, tie off the frame - I use the frame at the pillion footpegs. No need for more than 4 straps, but must be ratchet straps.
See photo. This method has served me well for many '000 miles, some pretty bumpy.
At the front, tie off the fork crown either side. At the rear, tie off the frame - I use the frame at the pillion footpegs. No need for more than 4 straps, but must be ratchet straps.
See photo. This method has served me well for many '000 miles, some pretty bumpy.
Fanum
Toubab
I'd agree, but FFS be careful- you can get several tonnes of pull with a larger strap and I've seen them bend frames before now when someone got a bit enthusiastic (not one of our customer's bikes I hasten to add
)Ideal point of attchment is around the level of the COG of the bike, so there's even forces above and below...too low and it'll tip over with a minimal amount of stretching the straps, and too high and the wheels can slip out sideways unless they're chocked...two traps going forwards, two backwards to stop it moving in ANY direction.....4 is the absolute minimum we use, and ideally 5 or 6. (we do cross the bay of Biscay in a tub though, so we do go o.t.t as they're customer's bikes)
We also quite often tie the back of the front wheel to a frame point....I've seen a bike 'walk its way out of an otherwise secure four point strapping down as the bars got moved left and right
Carabiners or decent cable ties, as mentioned above, to secure the hooks into the tiedown points, and on a long journey (we tow for 2500 miles like this) don't pull down on suspension too much if at all (chock under bashplate) or seals will be under pressure all the time.
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