Tie Down 101 by Mike Cecchini

	While hooked ties could be used in this situation, I just got all the same tie-down straps from my Harley dealer......free. Also, this is a clear enough situation that makes the case for the ratchet style tie-downs, as you can get the tension just the way you want, without a hernia. Tighten just enough to hold the bike vertical. No more. You'd be amazed just how much pressure you can exert with these ratchets.
This universal chock will fit almost any situation I can think of and they are cheap. Vertical and horizontal 2x4's will do the same for those of you on a tight budget. The only possible concern is the impact on the speedometer drive, but after using this method on over 20 different motorcycles, it never caused a problem. I like the 45 degree angle the straps make here. It's a balance between forward pull and side to side pull.
	SIDE TO SIDE: HOLDING THE BIKE VERTICAL The photo left and below show the side to side issue. Thebike is held very lightly here, actually not much more than you would hold the bike yourself. If you think about it, all you need is to hold it straight upright............no more. I have the straps around the "bow" of the 851 rear suspension, any part of the frame will do nicely, but on this bike the frame is completely covered. The higher on the bike the better. This is as low as I care to go on the side to side support.
Do NOT use the footpeg hangars on a side to side situation. I think they will break, but then again, it's your bike and you can do as you damn well please.
	In my article "Bike tie-down without damage", I described holding the top of the rear tire to balance the bike vertically. The photo (left) shows how this is achieved with a industrial strap/sling (33 inches hook to hook). You can make one with a piece of rope with loops tied at each end, but I prefer the strap since it spreads the load over a larger area. A "wrap" around the top of the rear tire was used because many of my bikes are almost totally enclosed with bodywork and I have nothing to attach to. A clean area on the wheel is a nice idea, ground-in dirt will be there forever. A soft rag (terrycloth facecloth) between the nylon strap and the paint really helps keep the wheels looking new.
The idea is to hold the bike vertically with a minimum of stress and while you'd really like to hold the bike in a central location (front to back), you can hold the bike almost anywhere, as long as you get a near horizontal line with the tie.
AT BOTTOM OF REAR TIRE: SIDE TO SIDE Also in these photos you can see how the bottom of the rear tire is held side to side. These ratchet straps are much longer than the Harleys but perform exactly the same. You can take two (2) Harley straps and put them together and get the same length and results. If you fail to do this, the bike CAN pivot from under the center axis of the bike. While this is rare, I have seen it happen. All sorts of bad things happen then.
Also these bottom straps need to be perpendicular to the wheel. If not, the wheel WILL rotate and the straps will loosen. No.........don't put the bike in gear to keep the wheel from rotating. Your transmission will not appreciate that.
	OVERALL: This can be achieved in the bed of a pick-up truck and a flatbed trailer if it has STRONG side attachment points (walls, heavy angle iron). A flatbed trailer without walls can be done this way but you MUST go higher on the attachment at the bike. Angle is critical here. The closer to horizontal with the strap, the better.
In conclusion, this is what works for me in my (pretty typical) circumstances. This will work for you in many situations ............BUT............every bike is different and every tie-down environment is different. I wanted to show you what works for me and have you adapt my ideas to your needs. When you get done, grab the handlebar and SHAKE the bike. It should NOT move front to rear. Side to side (top of bike): no more that 1/2 inch. My whole trailer shakes when I try to move my bikes. But the real beauty is that when I bounce up and down inside the trailer, the bike smoothly takes the bouncing with barely a move. The suspension moves and takes all the motion. The bike is really "free". And that, my friends, is the way it's suppose to be. My best to all of you, Mike Cecchini

"Tie Down 101" by Mike Cecchini