Having just posted in events and ride out section on 'is yours parked snuggly up for winter' there was some discussion about putting lashing loops by rear peg attatchments. Sinewave posted a pic of his lovely zx10r on the trailer.......the ratchet strap hooks hooked directly to the loops I used to do this untill one day I hit a brick with wheel of the trailer accidently......big pothole would do same. The jolt compressed the last bit of suspension as the bike was well ratcheted down.....this splitsecond slack in the strap caused the hook to come off the ring and the bike catapulted itself off the trailer Couldn't beleive it, beeing a builder I have had just about everything ratcheted to the back of trucks and trailers all my working life. I would hate this to happen to any of you so PLEASE use a karibener or screw up shackles between the ring and triangular loop formed by the the ratchet hook as this will not allow the hook to disenguage. Better still use climbing slings larks footed to sub frame or fork yokes. Off to shed to photo what I'm talking about. Could someone post sinewaves pic here as I dont know how, thanks
The suspension bounce can allow the hook to come free when slack With the karibener through triangular bit of hook it cant release Better still remove the hooks by unbolting them from ratchet mech to form a loop ratchet strap and use karibener and sling at both ends. Bomb proof idiot proof and easy to adjust remove and no risk of scatching and also norisk of metal on metal fatigue.
I always make a cradle at the front of the trailer to drop or roll the front wheel into. I use a short , heavy gauge ratchet strap to hold the wheel in and could possibly get away with just this method. I also have one either side, pulling down and forward on the front suspension and two at the back.!!!
+1 I use a Moto Lug trailer and do exactly the same thing. Only had one issue when the lad I was buying from let go of the bike before I'd strapped it in and it fell over wrecking the fairings! Saved me a few quid.
Restone, worry thyne self not! I'd already thought of that scenario! If you look closely you might notice that the Ratchet strap hooks are actually zippy tied at both ends so no matter now much slack is suddenly there nothing can come off. I even use a huge 750mm x 12.7mm wide Zip Tie through the front wheel and around the wheel lock hoop. That fecker could be hung upside down and it would stay put!
The cradle I made,similar to the red ones you can buy for 40quid, supports the bike vertically, so it can,t fall over while you attach t.he front straps
I use straps without hooks, so I thread the one end of the strap through the ratchet, to make a closed circuit, will get a pic up soon. It already happened to me when I was leaving a track day when my GF turned up on her bike and I ahd to put it on the trailer swell, leaving the track in the first corner, one side was lose and luckily was on the wheel case of the trailer with the rearset and I saw it straight away...... You would feel kind of stupid not falling on your trackday, but totaling your bike on the motorway on the ride home
+1 on the karabiners. I use a pair on the front so I don't need to strain the forks. A pair of regular straps through the rear subframe then adds extra security in case of failure on the fronts.
Phew Nice one......appologies I didn't spot the Zip ties in the piccy. Wasn't trying to make out u were a numpty or owt....... just well concerned......didn't want anyone to make my painfull mistake
