Thanks for the advice. I'll be picking up the trailer in a couple hours (around 5pm PST) and after I get the bike loaded, I'll post some pictures in case any of you see any flaws in what I'm doing.I use a flatbed trailer with wooden planks. I need to take a picture of the new set up but for now while I'm at work this should do...
Many people I know only tie down the fronts but I tie the rear down for piece of mind. I don't use a ratcheting system. DON'T OVERLOAD THE FRONT SUSPENSION TOO MUCH OR YOU CAN BLOW IT. The motorcycle's front shocks help keep the bike stable through travel, so you want there to be some travel in the suspension.
I usually use a big *** velcro strap to keep the front wheel attached to the motorcycle chock.
I've since then added O-screws in the wooden planks to attach the hooks more securely.
Put the peg stand UP. Don't leave it down.
I love velcro to keep the extra piece from flapping around. I used duct-tape here though because duct-tape is invincible when you don't have velcro. I'll show the set up next time I head to the dragstrip. I forget what I was using my velcro on...
Over protective friend put the duct-tape on there because he was afraid the hooks would ... unhook. Cant fault the guy. The residue was a pain in the *** though. I keep 3M adhesive remover around for a reason...@avigil - That strap works, I always used a microfiber cloth where the strap would touch the rim, so the rim doesn't scratch. Yeah, just a little compression on the front is all you need, maybe a 1/2-1" of travel from the bar ends. Kickstand up. You might want to get a used Coleman or Igloo to keep the kit in when you take the bike off the trailer, that's what I used to use.
@Panza - gaffers tape is better than duct tape because it doesn't leave a sticky residue behind
That looks great! How does it not rotate forward and back? Do you have more pictures of the tie downs? How do you get it up there? With a ramp?
How are you getting to the lower triple clamp? Poked my head in there and I see a plate with what looks like the horn blocking access.
This looks really cool. I have a Canyon Dancer II. From the pictures I see on the their website , it looks like you can also use the canyon dancer for the front. To secure the rear, did you just wrap a single ratchet around the top of the front of the rear wheel just above the swingarm? That's what it looks like from the picture.Its rock solid. You need to ensure your hitch can handle a tongue weight of 600 pounds. The carrier is a SMC 600r from discount ramps. You need to use the bolt and the stabilizer screws. To secure it you go straight up through the shock areas and hook to soft loops attached to the inner handlebars. Note that the inner handlebars are sharp edged so they can cut into your soft loops over time, especially if you wrap them over the pointy edges. I use 1000pound soft loops for extra security.
Also, make sure you don't overload the front suspension. You just need to ratchet until you eliminate all slack. Your front suspension should only compress slightly
I just ordered an SMC-600R. Should arrive on Friday. Can you share the front wheel chock hole that you adjusted it to? And any other settings that you had for adjustable parts? I figure that if it works for you, it will for me and I'd rather learn from you than through trial and error. I'm assuming that everything on the 899 is roughly the same size as the 959. It looks like getting the front wheel chock adjusted to the correct notch will be very helpful.Its rock solid. You need to ensure your hitch can handle a tongue weight of 600 pounds. The carrier is a SMC 600r from discount ramps. You need to use the bolt and the stabilizer screws. To secure it you go straight up through the shock areas and hook to soft loops attached to the inner handlebars. Note that the inner handlebars are sharp edged so they can cut into your soft loops over time, especially if you wrap them over the pointy edges. I use 1000pound soft loops for extra security.
Also, make sure you don't overload the front suspension. You just need to ratchet until you eliminate all slack. Your front suspension should only compress slightly
I saw a video on Youtube of a guy tying down a different bike and he used 2 ratchets for the front, 1 for the rear wheel, and 1 for the rider foot pegs. He just went from peg to peg going under the carrier. I'm assuming that wouldn't hurt to do. What do you think?Yes, the single ratchet strap locks the rear in place very soundly. You dont need two in the rear.
The front chock and the two front ratchet straps pulling in opposing directions lock in the front. The carrier comes with a light aluminum ramp that tucks and secures away nicely behind the bike when not being used.
The magnetic trailer light setup is about $75. I've never bought them, but I was expecting it to be a little cheaper. But it sounds like it's worth the $$. And I'd assume that you could use it with other trailers (as long as they are metal)...By the way, I bought the magnetic trailer light separately from discount ramps. I highly recommend using it.