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How do I secure my R1100RT on a trailer

R

rbeddy

Guest
I need help in knowing how to strap down or secure my R1100RT on a custom motorcycle trailer that I have. I have never done it on this bike before and I want to do it right and not loose it. When I look at my bike, I don't see the proper places to secure it with straps. Can someone help that has done it before?
 
strapdown motorcycle

I always remove or raise seat and loop soft ties to upper frame then ratcheting tie downs to lugs.
then soft ties arround upper fork tube and tie down to lugs in front of motorcycle.

i am going to invest in a locking wheel chocks sooon.
 
Soft ties,YEP!

Me too. Soft ties are found at any good dirt bike,etc. shop. Many street bike dealers are carrying them now, too. Easy to get around tighter frame spots for attaching the bigger tie down hooks. Around fork legs, too as said already. The bigger KLT's,RT's don't have any accessable handlebar tiedown connection, so the legs are best. Randy13233
 
On telelever equipped bikes I always put a soft tie on each fork slider just above the fender (cross brace) - then tie downs from the soft ties to a tie down point forward and sideways from the attachment on the bike.

This holds the wheel and fork sliders down tight - the front of the bike is free to ride on its own suspension from the telelever arm up.

At the rear, if possible (like on a rail trailer) I tie the wheel down tight to the rail.

On my floored trailers I have U bolts through the floor so I can tie the rear tire/wheel down.

If you compress either the front or rear suspension then tape across the hooks so they can't become disconnected when the bike bounces and briefly slackens the tie downs.
 
BMW tie down

Perform a Google search using 'BMW tiedown2' as the search terms. This will take you to a very informative .pdf file that completely describes how to tie a telelever bike to a trailer. It also points out what not to do.

Good luck,

Peterh
 
That is an excellent article, except for one small defect.

The author describes rocking the bike first to one side and then the other while tightening the front tie downs until the suspension is compressed. BUT, the tie downs are located on the fork sliders at the fork bridge which is below the shock (strut). This will compress the tire but not the suspension - not one bit. Pulling on the fork bridge, pulling on the telelever arm, pulling on the botttom of the shock won't compress it. Sorry, BMW.

This is the way I do it - but don't expect the suspension to compress. It won't. The bike just rides on its front suspension with the wheel and fork sliders held firmly in place.
 
What a great forum!
I was out in the garage this morning practicing tying down my RT for a combo Auto Train/bike ride to the MOA rally that a group of us from the BMW Riders of Tampa Bay are doing. I'd read the article that Paul referred to and also articles recommending against using the Canyon Dancer tie down strap. So, not knowing how careful the Auto Train guys would be, I thought I'd better be ready to do it myself. (I'll let them tie Rich Edward's bike down first.)

So when I signed on and found a thread dealing with the exact same thing, I just marveled at the timely usefulness of this forum.

I took some photos to post and ask you folks to take a look and comment. I avoided the brake lines but there is a joint connected to the rt. fork that the strap contacts. You think it will be okay?

If there are any experienced Auto Train users out there, please step up and comment on the tie down service.
 

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Rear tie down

I tie the front down as in Jeff Dean's photo, then I take the side panels off my RT and tie down the rear with soft loops like those mentioned previously in this thread. I leave the side panels in the tow vehicle while in transit.

I "murphy-proof" this setup by redundancy: after the 4 straps are secure, I add another tie-down thru each soft loop, and use the same 4 anchor points on the trailer. I have done that ever since a strap broke and made my heart race when I noticed it in the mirror!

Yeah, 8 straps are a lot, but I feel better at 70 mph....
 

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Thanks Thanks Thanks

Thank you all for so much good info - You're the best. :heart
 
when the bike is tied down, hook together each pair (L&R) of straps with a bungee cord - so if a strap comes loose, it will not pop out of where it is hooked.
 
i don't use straps with hooks......hooks are THE weak link. Use longer straps doubled back (through the soft straps) to the ratchet. Says i
 
Hmm?

So both hooks are on the same attachment point? I don't understand where you gain an advantage, but am willing to learn if you're willing to explain...

BTW, I just bought another pair of soft loops for more options while strappin'er onto the trailer (even tho I may not trailer it this year...)

I like the idea of bungee cords between the L & R tie-downs, tho. When the suspension compresses, the 'cords will take up any slack from the bumps.
 
Yeah, baby!

Duh... I feel like an idiot after seeing your explanation. Hmm, what a great tip!

Thanks, Boofer- you d'man!
 
canyon dancer

I bought one and used it both ways on one trip. Hmm, funny- my right grip's heat output has never been the same since!

I should sell it. I like Boofer's improvement to my current method, but don't remember the reason I heard about not using the 'dancer.

I like GeoffMiller's post in this recent thread http://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?t=10715&highlight=canyon+dancer
he talks about tying the rims down so as to not need as much compression on the front forks.

Here's a link to A&S Cycles 'tie-down' page. I printed it after my experience with the Canyon dancer, and keep it with my Pingel wheel chock.
http://www.ascycles.com/pdf/Tiedown2.pdf
 
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Real Key is choice of Trailer & Equipment

After futzing around with canyon dancers, complex strappage (my homage to AB) and other fiddleDEdiddly nonsense, I wised up - got rid of my Buster/MCN article "approved" trailer and bought a Baxley. (confidential to Buster M - Vic played you like a violin)

No ft straps/ties at all. Only two from rear angled down and forward. Bike can be ridden onto trailer. Sits firmly. MUCH less movement than a spider webbish, Rube Goldberg contraptions one usually sees. No need for Canyon Dancers or rachet straps - both too very easy paths to motorcycle HELL. Can load and unload safely by myself.

We trailer our bikes (BMW R100RT - monolever & Honda ST11) 14-16 times/year from home to our Fortress of Solitude hidden in the N GA mountains in an area unknown to all but about 650,000 from S. FL (god bless every single slow driving, wobbling, weaving one of them). On our 5 yr of trailering - 3 with the Bax.

Yup, its the trailer - not the strappage.

As for Mr. Dean (great website, thanks!) and his enclosed trailers - you need a pretty stout tow vehicle for those. On the other hand, you can't beat the security. I only have to tow my bikes 2.5 hours each way. If you have or need an enclosed trailer, Baxley & Condor make nice chocks. MCN must be slipping. Recent review of both showed Bax as non-adjustible for ft tire size. They reviewed the Sport Chock which is a dedicated sport bike chock for a specific tire size instead of the Std fully adjustible model.

Has anyone else noticed the typos, logical inconsistencies and outright wierdness at MCN lately?
 
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