There are three ways to move your motorcycle: have it shipped to your destination, drive
it to your destination or move it in a pickup truck or trailer. While having it shipped via a
motorcycle transport company (via a crate) seems like it would be less trouble, it can also be
costly. At the same time, driving it your new location can be counterproductive, especially if you are trying to move your household across the country.
Therefore, we will concentrate on how to transport your motorcycle yourself. If you are a
motorcycle enthusiast, you may have an idea of the dynamics behind this solution. However, for the sake of clarity, we will assume you no nothing about motorcycle transport and give you the full outline here.
What You Will Need
Vehicle (truck), trailer or motorcycle carrier
Tie-down straps
Ramps
How to Tie Down Your Motorcycle Properly
The key to properly tying down your motorcycle to make it totally secure so that it is not
going to bang about as you move. The key to this is to know the appropriate tie-down points.
Basically, the tie-down points should be at a 45-degree angle from the bike to the floor (bed of truck or trailer). This action will secure that the bike is tied down and forward within the tow vehicle itself.
There are two types of tie-down straps: cam buckles or rachets.
A cam buckle has three processes: threading the buckle, securing the cargo and loosening
your load after at the end of your journey. A cam buckle does not have a built-in
mechanism as does a rachet. Rather, the security is accomplished by the use of hand
strength (i.e., physical force). A plus in using a cam buckle is that it won’t damage
sensitive surfaces with the mechanisms that are attached to the ratchet. See this Youtube
to see how to feed a cam buckle:
How to Use a Cam Buckle Tie Down Strap [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWPqj-
Yc-2c]
Rachets
A rachet strap has the following parts within its mechanism: the mechanical parts and the
strap itself. The mechanical parts consist of a lever (also known as the “release catch” and
is used to open/close the rachet) and a mandrel (which is the slot at the bottom of the
rachet which holds the length of the strap). Here is a video about using a rachet strap:
How to Use a Rachet Strap [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TDTbXVqNFo].
As you can see, the difference in a cam buckle and a rachet is the amount of physical
force you will need to tie down your motorcycle.
With all the above-information regarding the use of the cam buckle, the fact is the rachet
is a more secure device when attempting to secure a heavy load such as a motorcycle, especially if it is going to be on the back of a fast moving open-bed truck.
How to Strap Down a Motorcycle:
As stated above, your tie-down points should be at a 45-degree angle from the bike to the
truck bed. All agree that your motorcycle should be tied down using the truck frame or a solidly mounted part of the truck frame. This is done by using two tie-down points in the front and two on the side. Six if you wish (an additional two in the back), but four points are adequate. The following video will demonstrate the proper way to tie-down a motorcycle: How to Properly Tie
Down a Motorcycle [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nReiOLQqlOM]
Call Missy Donaghy with Interiors for Seniors for a FREE consultation 321-279-3301.
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