Tying the FJR down.

[sparky3008]

Are front wheel chocks good enough to eleminate the need to compress the forks? I personally don't care for keeping the forks compressed for an extended period of time if I don't have to. (Of course, I care even less for having to repair my bike if it tips over while I driving down the road.)
It seems that I read an ad for a front wheel chock that claimed you could use it for trailering all by itself. Not really what I plan on doing but it would be nice it they are strong enough to rely on for the majority of securing the bike in place.

They may be talking about hitch attachments that the front wheel goes in and you "tow" the bike. Personally I never liked it but doesn't mean it wouldn't work.

The chock keeps the front wheel from turning. If the wheel turns then the bike has the ability to fall to one side because that means one of the straps now becomes loose. With my dirt bike you could really crank on the straps because of the suspension travel and I never had a problem but with street bikes the chock always made it easier.

 

[tyronewildman]

A tite strap to hold the front wheeel steady, soft ties from the bottom tree, Canyon Dancers with almost no pressure on their tie downs, and tie downs near the rear for me. Works for a Wing on down. Trick is almost no pressure on Canyon Dancers, enough pressure on fork tie downs to compress forks an inch or so, & little pressure on rear tie downs. U just gotta use something to keep the tie down hooks (& trailer chain hooks) from comming unhooked, on the loose side in a turn, when the bike is leaning. Some folks use tape over the hook ends but I made locking straps out of 1" sections of a bike tube (holes in each end for hooks) & it works for me. Later,,, De

 

[jestal]

del

 

[odot]

You clowns need to stop trailering your scoots and start riding them instead....you are giving us a bad name and bringing yourselves onto the same level as all the rubs out there that trailer their bikes to rallys.

:bleh:

 

[meosborn]

I've never used a wheel chock on a bike, but even if the front wheel is locked in, the *** end could hop around, couldn't it?

That is why I was talking about just using a wheel chock majoring of the securing, not all of it. I definitely would have some straps on the back and probably something on the front as well. What I won't be doing is running straps that put pressure on the fairing. Even if I have to removed the fairings and haul them separate from the bike.

You clowns need to stop trailering your scoots and start riding them instead....you are giving us a bad name and bringing yourselves onto the same level as all the rubs out there that trailer their bikes to rallys.

Well smartguy, let me know how to tow 2,000 lbs with the FJR and that might be the option.

I have seen several bikes tip over on trailers due to the bike swaying and inducing a tiny bit of slack in a tiedown, the hook unhooking itself due to gravity when there is slack in the tiedown and the bike crashing down on the other side when it sways back the other way. Been there, done that.

Me too, luckily it was a YZ490 and was pretty used to falling down. The dent that it put in the bed rail of my brand new truck wasn't nice though.

 

[jestal]

del

 

[FJRottie]

Jestal is right about the wood at the forward wall of a truck bed. I've seen dented truck beds and cab walls.

This is called shoring.

The exact thickness of shoring will spread the load out that much on either side of your tire and decreases the p.s.i against the forward wall of your truck.

I've also seen snapped handlebars. Use strong points on your bike back and front (i.e. the triple tree). If you use a chock the front wheel will not move anyway.

Tyronewildman hit it on the head. CDs put on with slight pressure.

Compressing the suspension is good. If you don't compress you will get oscillation and the bike can hop or lose open hook ends. (snap hooks are great).

Prepare for the worst. You can exceed 1.5 Gs in a panic situation in a vehicle.

 

[jestal]

del

 

[sparky3008]

Don't get truck owners started on the thin *** metal they use now a days.

I own a 03 Dodge and it is absolutely the worse but even Ford has gotten thinner over the years.

I have small finger dents on my truck from just leaning on it aggressively.

Of course my truck is 7000lbs and all of this thin metal is to save weight but I would rather have fiberglass than this junk metal...