1" ratchet straps on crash bars

[Cajunrider]

I'll be trailering the Nomad to Eureka Springs next week. I installed the chock on the trailer and she will ride there very nicely. To those of you that have trailered your Nomad, will the 4 nylon 1" ratchet straps marr the chrome finish on the crash bars? If you think so, I will cut pieces of foam pipe insulation to wrap around the bars where the straps will contact them. I plan on having one on each bar with 2 going to the front corners of the trailer and 2 going toward the back corners. I will leave it in 1st gear and pull the straps pretty tight to keep it from wanting to move forward and backward and from swinging side to side. It shouldn't load the shocks as the straps will be pulling parallel to the floor of the trailer. It's a 6x12 trailer so there will be plenty of room for the ice chests.

[dougster]

Mitch, I trailered my bike (don't want to say that too loud!) to Colorado three summers ago. I used ratchet straps, and to the crash bars. As long as it is the fabric of the strap that is on the bars, I don't think it should mar them. Didn't mar mine. But I also padded them in some places, as I remember.

I also screwed some wood in front and in back of the tires to keep it from rocking forward or back. I put eye-bolts through the floor of the trailer as my anchors. I think (as I recall) you want your straps as close to a 45 degree angle as possible, though, for the most stability.

Have a great trip. I was really wanting to be there for that rally, but I will be re-roofing my son-in-law's house instead. Say hi to everyone.

[Cajunrider]

Thanks for the feedback Doug. Wish you could join us. Maybe next go round. Take care.

[oldbikers]

Mitch all of my straps have a coating on the hooks I use 1" on my lift but on the trailer I use 2" last year I was helping a friend bring his bike home and a 1" strap broke and the bike fell over but I don't know how good the strap was I have some from Harbor Freight that are crap. As far as strapping the bike down the people I bought my chock from recommend using 2 straps from the rear crash bars to the front which will keep the bike in the chock but I always put one to each side just for good measure.

[MAS Tequila]

You really need to strap from above the triple tree and take at least an inch or more of the front suspension travel down. When I trailered mine (moving to FL from NC and after losing my trans in Myrtle Beach) I had one 1" strap on each side of the lower part of the handlebar, one on each crash bar both front and rear.

They didn't mar the finish and the bike didn't move even at 80 mph on the freeway through a rough patch.

MT

[poppy]

Originally Posted by MAS Tequila

You really need to strap from above the triple tree and take at least an inch or more of the front suspension travel down. When I trailered mine (moving to FL from NC and after losing my trans in Myrtle Beach) I had one 1" strap on each side of the lower part of the handlebar, one on each crash bar both front and rear.

They didn't mar the finish and the bike didn't move even at 80 mph on the freeway through a rough patch.

MT

Excellent advice! On my Hayabusa I also use small straps that have a loop on each end. I wrap that around whatever and then tie down via that. No metal or coated hooks, just material....On the Nomad, i do use the coated hooks as described above and the work great. Enjoy your trip!

[jandreu]

You do need to load the suspension. If you hit some rough road the bike will bounce and if the suspension is not loaded the wheels can slip sideways. I always screw a 2X4 block to the floor of the trailer on each side of the wheels to be sure they do not slip sideways. As you are using a wheel chock blocking the rear wheel will work just fine.

[macmac]

Duct tape the lower hooks to what ever eyebolts are on the trailer. The lowers are more likely to come off.

I might be nuts but when I trailered the bike in Arkansas, I used 8 1" strapes. I figured if one broke the other would take it.

Lock the bike to the trailer with more than 2 locks.

I use a straps sewn to be 2 loops, made to wrap around crome, so no hooks are all that close to the bike.

I cross the rear straps, in other words the strap the grabs the right side sissy bar goes to the left of the trailer, and the left to the right. I use 4 of these, one at each point.

My enclosed trailer has a wood floor, and being the way I am I like to screw a short stub of 2x4 on each side or the rear tire. You could leave it a bit loose, and just leave it there.

[ringadingh]

Four straps should do it, but Id hook them at the handlebars as mentioned, at least at the front of the bike. It will hold secure a lot better if you it there.The rear two straps should be ok to hook at the crash bar.

[lw]

I use tie-down loops around the handlebars at the tree and strap to eyebolts through the deck boards forward of the front wheel and put a little load on the suspension.

Since my buddy cancelled out coming to the rally with us I am hearing stirrings of trailering Lucille at least part way up/back from the peanut gallery. :-/

I see that HF has a better wheel chock than mine on sale this weekend, so if there is one at my local store I may send my bride or dear baby daughter to pick one up.

[cyclecat]

We've trailered our Nomads everywhere, for years, due to the arthritis in my arms that allows me to only ride a couple of hundred miles a day; we wouldn't get anywhere if we rode on holidays.

If you are worried about the strap marking the bars, definitely put something on the bars. I made leather sleeves that we slip over the front straps and the leather grips the engine guard, since we tie onto the top, and the leather prevents the strap from slipping sideways on the bar. We don't put anything on the back straps, since we tie onto the bottom of the rear bag guard, and we have never marked the bars.

Straps onto the engine guards and rear bag guards will hold the Nomad in place. We have e-track down the middle and the sides of the trailer and then we can put the tie loops wherever we need them. Put the front wheel in the chock and tie it to the chock with an extra strap, or a 2x4 screwed on either side and behind for extra security will hold it. We put the ratchet hook and the strap hook into the tie loop, wrap the strap around the top of the engine guard, right up against the bracket, back into the ratchet and tighten away. Wrap the back strap around the bottom of the rear bag guards the same way and tighten them down good. If you tighten properly, the shocks will be loaded, the back more than the front, so if you stop overnight, I would suggest you loosen the straps just enough to let the shocks loose but still hold the Nomad secure.

We stop periodically and check the straps, especially if we hit rough roads, since you are trailering a big, heavy cruiser and if it falls over, it is really sucks to get back on it's wheels.

[nomad561]

I have the extra long straps so I can run the straps back to the floor anchors. No hooks on the bike at all.

[sharps45100]

I have trailered my nomad many times and I use a chock. I use the straps that you can put the hook thru a loop so no metal is touching chrome. I also put my bike in neutral so that way there is no stress put on tranny. I never had any problems doing it that way. I tie down using the rear crash guards and in front i use the handle bars.

[kawgirl]

I have short straps that have loops on each end. Feed that onto the lower part of the handlebars on each side then the tie down strap hook grabs onto the loop that hangs down. A strap on each of the rear crash bars. Trailered mine to NJ this way and it was fine.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Mitch I would just ride it to the rally. But if you have to trailer it I would put soft cloths like polishing cloths under the straps just to be on the safe side. Although the straps shouldn't do any damage.