Hey gang,

I was wondering if anyone has done this...

Purchased a hitch mount mc carrier.
Transported my bike about 75 miles for the first time yesterday.  All worked out fine, but one thing I'd like to change is that I had to strap the back of the bike down by the rear fender (before anyone freaks out, I plan to paint it in the winter anyway and it didn't get scratched anyway).  The tops of the shock towers do not work b/c the straps end up sliding down.

As you can see the swingarm is just too low for the ratchet straps that I have.  Anyone have any better ideas?  Or better yet a picture of the last time you trailered your bike?

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1398339308

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1467002690

How about something like this
http://kyaracing.com.au/Images/Bike%20Pics/Road/IMG_6662.jpg
There's other versions available. some soft webbing ones. I havent used one bet they seem to work. Otherwise, try strapping it from the bottom of the rim instead.

my better idea,75mi.,RIDE IT!

JP,just messin' with you. Ican understand wanting to take a bike with you on an extended trip etc. but I've got a lot of Harley guys up here in snow country that load their bikes on trailers to go to bike week in Daytona and I have to tease them about their 'trailer queens" they had three nice ones in a covered trailer last trip,until one got loose! it wasn't pretty! at least you can keep an eye on yours.If I were you I'd just strap the rear rim to the carrier and let the shocks move,they only compress about 1/2-3/4 of an inch when you sit on the bike ,there not going to move much hitting bumps in the road. the excess strap can be cut off and the raw end melt with a bic lighter to keep from fraying.

To trailer or ride to your destination.....that is most certainly a "personal" decision.

I trailer my bike the 5 hour trip to the rides in NC.  I don't enjoy the ride on the interstate, or sitting in traffic jams in Knoxville when it is 90 degrees, and my bike is not really set up for hauling the camping gear.  Most often I don't get to leave until after an evening meeting, and my drive begins at dark and continues until 2 AM.  I much prefer to haul my bike on the trailer, my camping gear in the car, and spend the interstate time in my car with the AC on and the CD player going.  Once I get to the riding area.....I will ride as many miles in a day as daylight will allow!

I have hauled bikes for thousands of miles, and I did learn that when you hit a really big bump, the bike suspension can compress and the strap hooks can come out of the eyelets/loops on the trailer.  Some tie down straps have snaps or keepers that prevent this....but mine do not, and not all hooks are the same:



I have tried to find a way to make my hooks with keepers that would prevent them from dropping out....and for a while I just used masking tape to close off the open end, and I had to re-tape it every time I use the hooks.  I think I have come up with a better fix.  I cut a piece of rubber tube and slid it over the hook:


Then after you have attached the hook to the eyelet on the trailer - you just slip the rubber tube through the ring on the hook where the strap attaches.


Since I have started using these modified hooks......I no longer have to worry about the strap coming unhooked.

No, I don't put a chock in the front forks as my fender is not stock, and is a lot of work to remove, and there is no place to install any kind of chock to keep the forks from compressing a bit more.  I do pull the bike down pretty snug against the fork springs and the bike doesn't move during normal bumps - but every once in a while you hit a genorumous pothole and the bike can bounce down a bit.  When I hauled my ST1100 I made a small foam block that I put under the frame to help reduce the bouncing, and it did help.

JPSavage wrote on 07/11/16 at 12:21:43:


We got twins!