Motorcycle on a trailer

Patrick

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
I have a flat, 6x8 trailer which is getting a new deck. My brother uses it for his motorcycle, I move equipment around with it. It has a heavy frame, in a different life it had a diesel generator and light stanchion.

He has a front wheel chock. There were tie downs at the corners, but this didn't seem optimal.

How should this be set up? What about the weight distribution of a motorcycle over the axle?

IMG_5605.jpeg

The chock blocked pulling in farther.
That machine is 1500lbs

IMG_5526.jpeg
 
Wheel chock is key. You want tie downs on the handlebars, slightly wider than the bar width, pulling forwards and down. You want to compress the forks some.
But the main "down" should be on the footpegs or peg mounts, again slightly apart and forward, compressing the suspension (a goodly amount) and tensioning the whole system. This is assuming something like a heavier streetbike. I use one bar of E-Track screwed down perpendicular to the bike, slightly forwards of where the center of the bike is, I'm also using a general 5 or 6 by 8 flat trailer. Of course you can use whatever tie down setup works but the E-track is nice for different loads. I can take a picture of my setup tomorrow.

Edit: for the trailer you could have a narrow-ish ramp of wood down the center for the tires, and a couple tie down hooks or mounts on the most forward cross bar would be fine. But you'll need to figure a chock or stop on the front tire. Unless you want to borrow mine. No guarantees on electric working, been sitting a while!
 
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If the trailer’s 500lb and the bike is 500lb add them up then divide by 10. So 100lbs is your target tongue weight. Chock the trailer so it won’t roll. Support the tongue and the back of the trailer frame so the tongue stays mostly horizontal at ball height. Move the bike up and back on the trailer (mostly up) until you measure 100lbs tongue weight on a bathroom scale placed under the ball mount. That’s your tie down spot.
Then, what @extremedave said.
 
w_b said:
If the trailer’s 500lb and the bike is 500lb add them up then divide by 10. So 100lbs is your target tongue weight. Chock the trailer so it won’t roll. Support the tongue and the back of the trailer frame so the tongue stays mostly horizontal at ball height. Move the bike up and back on the trailer (mostly up) until you measure 100lbs tongue weight on a bathroom scale placed under the ball mount. That’s your tie down spot.
Then, what @extremedave said.
Click to expand...

A 6x8 with a bigger bike might not give you much fore/aft space to play with. Although if you don't have a gate it does give you some extra room to adjust. I was probably always a little tongue heavy but the whole rig isn't that much overall so...yeah.
 
Thank you.

It is a Yamaha V Star 1100
Weighs in around 650, maybe a bit more with the sadddlebags.
It is a full 8' long tip to tail -
the chock was as far forward as possible, but it could move back a bit if needed.
I'll mess with the position.

There is a lot going on with this bike - the handlebars look to have some clearing.
Not a lot around the pegs.

Crappy pic, it is wedged in my barn.

IMG_5607.jpeg
 
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Patrick said:
Thank you.

It is a Yamaha V Star 1100
Weighs in around 650, maybe a bit more with the sadddlebags.
It is a full 8' long tip to tail -
the chock was as far forward as possible, but it could move back a bit if needed.
I'll mess with the position.

There is a lot going on with this bike - the handlebars look to have some clearing.
Not a lot around the pegs.

Crappy pic, it is wedged in my barn.

View attachment 226811
Click to expand...
Maybe if you pop the seat off you can grab some frame underneath, or there might be exposed frame under the exhaust, maybe the passenger pegs? A bike that heavy you really want something meaty and as close to the middle as you can.

These are really handy, I have a few you can borrow if you don't have.
ratchetstrap.com

SOFT LOOP HANDLEBAR TIE DOWN STRAPS (2) 12" & (2) 18"

HEAVY DUTY SOFT LOOP TIE DOWNS - Having a 1,500 lb. working load limit. 18,000 lb. breaking strength. Excellent Soft Loop Handlebar Tie Down Straps.
ratchetstrap.com ratchetstrap.com
 
extremedave said:
These are really handy, I have a few you can borrow if you don't have.
ratchetstrap.com

SOFT LOOP HANDLEBAR TIE DOWN STRAPS (2) 12" & (2) 18"

HEAVY DUTY SOFT LOOP TIE DOWNS - Having a 1,500 lb. working load limit. 18,000 lb. breaking strength. Excellent Soft Loop Handlebar Tie Down Straps.
ratchetstrap.com ratchetstrap.com
Click to expand...

have a couple, and some other weird ones that do the same thing - good lead on that one, wouldn't have thought of it.
 
I've looked at these for putting mtbs inside my Ford Transit. Wonder if you could mount something like this on the trailer? Some images with examples of how to tie down big bikes. Not cheap. But maybe you could DIY something similar.
boltiton.com

The #1 Tool-Free Motorcycle and Bicycle Tie Down System Since 2006

Bolt It On manufactures tool free motorcycle and bicycle tie-down systems for transporting motorcycles and bicycles safely and securely, in your van, toy hauler, truck, enclosed cargo/utility or flatbed trailer. No drilling required. • Fits Trailers, Toyhaulers & Vans. • Proudly Made in U.S.A. •...
boltiton.com boltiton.com
 
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there are a bunch of e-track systems - which is interesting cause it can add D rings.
a couple of different cross sections of e-track would make for a few good tie-down points.
 
Patrick said:
Thank you.

It is a Yamaha V Star 1100
Weighs in around 650, maybe a bit more with the sadddlebags.
Click to expand...
WTF? How is that even possible.

My car weighs less than 4x that amount with an enclosed cabin with seating for 5, seatbelts, airbags, twice the wheels and they're steel, suspension components, etc.
 
Santapez said:
WTF? How is that even possible.

My car weighs less than 4x that amount with an enclosed cabin with seating for 5, seatbelts, airbags, twice the wheels and they're steel, suspension components, etc.
Click to expand...

it is a cruiser fit out as a touring bike

motor bigger than your car ? 😀
 
Patrick said:
it is a cruiser fit out as a touring bike

motor bigger than your car ? 😀
Click to expand...
Less than half the HP but 66% of the displacement!

Maybe the Engine has an iron block?

Just seems to me 650lbs would be annoying to deal with.
 
Patrick said:
I have a flat, 6x8 trailer which is getting a new deck. My brother uses it for his motorcycle, I move equipment around with it. It has a heavy frame, in a different life it had a diesel generator and light stanchion.

He has a front wheel chock. There were tie downs at the corners, but this didn't seem optimal.

How should this be set up? What about the weight distribution of a motorcycle over the axle?

View attachment 226799

The chock blocked pulling in farther.
That machine is 1500lbs

View attachment 226800
Click to expand...
What type of motorcycle?
 
Santapez said:
Less than half the HP but 66% of the displacement!

Maybe the Engine has an iron block?

Just seems to me 650lbs would be annoying to deal with.
Click to expand...

Over 500 pounds and you start to notice, but cruisers not so much. They are really low. The lower the center of mass, the lighter it feels. You should see how some cops throw Harley Road Kings around in the agility comps they have.
 
Dave Taylor said:
What type of motorcycle?
Click to expand...

both trailer fenders need some welding work -

they are large - 36"x20"x10"

the missing material upper right, lead to the weight of the fender on the bend.
fix the separation and add some material to screw though....

1699548578550.png

Might be cheaper to buy new, but they are heavy enough to stand on, and aren't too bent up from running into stuff.
 
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