Lake Erie ferry crossing: Strapping down FJR

rivgar · Jul 17, 2007

I did a search and only came up with a debate whether the FJR should be strapped with side stand down or centerstand down.

I need more basic help. I have traveled many times on the Woods Hole, MA to Martha's Vineyard, MA ferry with my old GS1000, but I never was required to tie down. I guess I always crossed when the weather was good.

I have never crossed any of the Great Lakes and I do not know how rough Lake Erie gets but when I made my reservation to cross they told me I had to supply my own tie downs for the bike and I am not allowed to stay with my bike. I have two 2000 LB S-hook straps that I bought for my boat but never used. They stretch out to about 65" or so. They look like these.

Will these straps work OK? Those of you that have strapped your bike down on a ferry or on a trailer etc. Where and how do you strap it down, where do you attach the straps. I have been riding for a long time but I have never strapped a bike down, I have always ridden it where it had to go.

Thanks for your help. Pictures would be sweet!

keithaba · Jul 17, 2007

Get one of these

canyon dancer

It works great. Then you just need 3 wratches straps like the ones you pictures. One for each side, one around the rear tire to keep it from skitching out. You're bike will be fine. And if you ever need to trailer it, or put in a pickup, this setup works great.

Someone smarter than I also came up with the idea to put a pvc pipe around each grip so that the canyon dancer doesn't leave impressions in your grips. Never did anything to mine, but I have grip puppies.

cota95 · Jul 17, 2007

keithaba said:
Get one of these
canyon dancer

I

Someone smarter than I also came up with the idea to put a pvc pipe around each grip so that the canyon dancer doesn't leave impressions in your grips. Never did anything to mine, but I have grip puppies.

An old pair of grips that you have cut off work as well...

daviddowns2000 · Jul 17, 2007

Not sure how it will be on a big ferry, but I did it many times on 27' to 45' sailboats and it was often like a washing machine as you pass through the archipelago, especially passing south of Middle Bass. The Western end of Lake Erie is shallow and when the waves kick up they can get square and choppy. Personally, I wouldn't take the ferry if I couldn't keep an eye on the bike.

pmeysemb · Jul 18, 2007

Hey Riv,

I just did two crossings a few weeks ago on my 2 and 1/2 Great Lakes tour (report I am working on) and the straps you have pictured worked great. I left my FJR on the sidestand both times. Have someone give you a hand compressing the suspension if you need it. On the Chi -Cheemaun across Lake Huron, they had a bunch of ropes that bikes could use for tie down, but on the Ludington-Manitowoc I had to buy the straps from the ferry company since I didn't have any. They looked just like the ones you have pictured. Oh yeah, I just went up to the handlebars both times.

Have a great ride.

Paul

Duluth, MN

('05 FJR, 28k)

mcatrophy · Jul 20, 2007

QUOTE(rivgar @ Jul 17 2007, 07:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Will these straps work OK? Those of you that have strapped your bike down on a ferry or on a trailer etc. Where and how do you strap it down, where do you attach the straps. I have been riding for a long time but I have never strapped a bike down, I have always ridden it where it had to go.

I've travelled on a few ferries around Scottish Islands. Witout getting into the "side-stand - centre-stand" debate, the bikes are always strapped down by ferry company employees, who normally seem to know what they are doing.

Some choose centre stand, some side-stand, always in gear. I do whatever they ask (insurance if there is a problem). They always strap over the seat (they never use the handlebars) and pull down hard to compress the suspension. They angle them so that the deck ties are a foot or 18 inches from the side of the bike, and in line with where they go over the saddle.

If there's any sign of rough weather (and they do get quite a lot), they put chocks under the wheels. They've always provided straps or ropes to tie down, but the ones you picture will be fine provided you can ratchet them tight enough.

I always carry a piece of leather sheet (about 18" by 5", 3/16" thick) that I lay over the saddle to protect it from the rope/strap.

I've never heard of a single case of a bike problem under these conditions (but I did once hear of a German with his BMW who did it his own way, and his bike fell over

).

Then there are the smaller ferries ...

... where there were no straps, and we were told: "Stand by your bikes"

FredandJeannesRacer · Jul 20, 2007

Looks like a beautiful place to ride. I visited there a couple years ago, but was confined to a cage (automobile). Next time I'll ferry my FJR over. Fred

mcatrophy · Jul 20, 2007

QUOTE(FredandJeannesRacer @ Jul 20 2007, 01:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Looks like a beautiful place to ride. I visited there a couple years ago, but was confined to a cage (automobile). Next time I'll ferry my FJR over. Fred

Scotland (and many of its islands) have really great motorcycling roads.

The people are friendly, and away from the centres the roads are relatively free of traffic. However, it WILL rain for at least some of the time. (How else do you get all that green?)

I've toured in Scotland four times so far, and I'm going again next month.

I have always gone with Highland Rider. This is run by Peter, he organises tours that you'd never find on your own. He's not cheap, but takes every last hassle away, so for me it's a really relaxing holiday.

I've written up my experiences: Skye 2004, Hebrides 2005, Shetlands 2006, and (unfinished as yet) Orkneys 2007.

I have no affiliation with Highland Rider other than as a very satisfied cutomer.

Oldwin1 · Jul 23, 2007

It seems every ferry is a little different. On the ferry in Alaska the tie down locations were spaced for much larger vehicles so the Ancra type ties were to short. I used them combined with some large chains that were available. Looked pretty weird but it worked. You may want to take along something to extend your tie downs or some long ones. I never put down either stand. I use a couple of 1 inch tubular webbing loops and loop around the fork tubes so that I am not compressing the suspension in the front. I learned this from some road racers. You can blow out your fork seals squashing the forks.

Jaycen · Jul 23, 2007

keithaba said:
Get one of these
canyon dancer

It works great. Then you just need 3 wratches straps like the ones you pictures. One for each side, one around the rear tire to keep it from skitching out. You're bike will be fine. And if you ever need to trailer it, or put in a pickup, this setup works great.

Someone smarter than I also came up with the idea to put a pvc pipe around each grip so that the canyon dancer doesn't leave impressions in your grips. Never did anything to mine, but I have grip puppies.

+1 on the canyon dancer. Trailered My FJR on a landscaping trailer for 1500 miles this spring without a problem.

Lake Erie ferry crossing: Strapping down FJR

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