[OhBriansZX6R]

I am taking my bike on the SS Badger (www.ssbadger.com) and they say you need 2 tiedowns.

So got the tiedowns. I called them to ask if they supply wheel chocks. The say no. So I searched the forum for transporting bikes and tying down bikes, etc. But with no wheel chock i have to put the kickstand down and secure it some how. Any ideas???

I don't want to buy a canyon dancer. but the guy at the shop recommended some extensions that i could use to tie around the lower triple clamp.

anyway. I am fucking completely clueless. anyone have ideas or even pictures that will help?

thanks in advance.


edit: also, anyone hear taken the SSBadger?

 

[jeffmorton]

I bought a set of basically nylon straps with loops on either end. All you do is loop them around each bar grip, put the hook from the tiedown through the loops and tighten it down. You shouldn't need any wheel chock or anything, it will stand up just fine. Hauled mine to the city(~400 km's) a couple of times using this method and it barely moves in the back of a pickup.

Edit...these basically

 

[jp636]

Does the ferry have anchors to attach the tie downs to?

 

[OhBriansZX6R]

yeah they have anchors. Just seems wrong to tie down a bike with the kickstand down. Thanks Jeffmorton.

 

[sneakyws6]

I would not personally use the straps around the grips like that, way too easy for them slip off while the bike is rocking and then the bike will fall over.

Invest in the canyon dancer, you will use them plenty of times. They are alot more secure in making sure the straps dont loosen up.

I for one would not want to be at the front of the ferry and then hear a crash and find my bike on its side. The straps are great for when using 4 tie downs and I use them on the rear of the bike and a canyon dancer on the front.

 

[OhBriansZX6R]

will this work?

 

[MRWGLO92]

OhBrians, that's what I do. Only thing diff is I put a microfiber cloth between straps and the bike. Otherwise, the strap/hook will rub and mark the fairings.

 

[OhBriansZX6R]

awesome. thanks

 

[Green]

You probably don't want to run the strap across your lever like that. If the lever breaks or slips, you will have instant slack and the bike will be on its side. Also, leave your kickstand up...I hauled my bike 1300 miles in the back of my truck using only four straps (two front, two back) and it was solid as a rock the whole way. Also, turn the strap upside-down (from the way it is in the picture) and put the hook attached to the buckle/clamp/grippy thingy through the anchor on the boat. This way you can sit on the bike, with as much of your weight over the front suspension as possible (to compress the forks), and pull up on the straps to tension them (instead of down like you did in the pic). You can tension both of them at the same time, and the bike will be straight up and down when you are done.

 

[sneakyws6]

yeah that was my next thing, make sure you place a towel between the ratchet and fairing otherwise you will have some nice rub marks on the bike.

 

[OhBriansZX6R]

good info Green Ranger, thanks. Maybe I'll post pics when I come back. []

 

[Leanlow]

the biek deosnt need to be on the kcikstand...i never have wheel choks wehn transporting my bike and i use either 2 or 4 tiedoesn depending what im transporting it in...just put the bike in gear and use the grips as tiedown points you wrap the let the hook hang on the front of the gri then loop the tiedown aroudn the grip then around the hook then go down to the tie down points ont he floor..ive use this in the back of my van with 2 diff bikes and it worked fine one was for a 5 and half hour trip....

 

[NinjaMike]

Whenever I trailer my bike I use 4 straps and don't chock the wheels. I run my straps down along the forks so I don't run the risk of scratching or cracking a fairing.

 

[rockstar84]

I went on the ferry across the Long Island sound to Connecticut and my bike wasn't tied down. They didn't require and I had heard from fellow riders that the bike would be fine, I kept checking on it, and the water was calm that day. I don't know much about using tie downs, but if the weather is calm you should be fine, im sure they just tell you that just to cover their own ass incase something actually happened.

 

[moxzx6]

We used canyon dancers to get my brothers bike back up to Ohio just the other day. Then used some ratchets to hold it down in the rear, attaching them to the rear peg brackets.

 

[Green]

Originally posted by OhBriansZX6R
good info Green Ranger, thanks. Maybe I'll post pics when I come back. []

Thanks. Do that...there will be others with the same questions...pics make it easier to understand.

 

[OhBriansZX6R]

The Ferry was pretty calm. I used my kickstand and the tie down extensions right where my forks hit the clamp. Worked good.
The socks are to protect the plasic []

 

[OhBriansZX6R]

 

[T_dub]

I live in Milwaukee and am dying to take that boat ride to Michigan and ride up the east coast of lake Michigan. From what I heard on another forum, this guy was in the same predicament as you are, he bought his own straps and tie-downs for the trip only to find that the boat already had 20+ tie downs available and had no problems securing his bike. Apparently, the boat wasn't completly full, and they had more than enough straps left over for him. If you're going in the off season,(which I assume this is) call ahead and see if you need them, from what I understand, they take good care of you.

 

[OhBriansZX6R]

I took the slower ferry from Ludington to Manitiwoc since my final destination was Northern Wisconsin. I haven't taken the high speed ferry but hear it is nicer.
They are pretty cool to bikers. First one on and first ones off.