Best tie -down points for back of trailered Commando?

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I have been threading a nylon strap ( "soft-tie") through the upper shock mount/ frame with difficulty. Always loosens up at least once early in a trip as the strap tightens into the crevices. Looking for an better way . Wonder if a special flat hook could be made for the seat mount stud? What do others do?
Doug
 
I use those same points and I tension it so the shocks are well compressed so if the straps loosen the shocks just lengthen a bit. I also put a 3rd single strap from one side to the other over the seat.
 
I have only ever tied the back wheel from side to side to stop the bike moving around. Never had any problems with just the front tied off.
 
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Whats wrong with ridding thats what they are made for but if you need to trailer your bike starp or rope around each side of the swing arm works good its only to stop the rear from moving side ways and a decent set of mtorcycle tie downs for the front not the cheap ones as I nearly lost my new dirt bike from a cheap motorcycle tie downs, I now also have 2 short ropes with a hook on one end that I also put on in case the tie down fails, my mates think its over kill but a bike falling out of a trailer at highway speed from a broken tie down, just imagine the damage.

Ashley
 
I use a timber frame in the base of the trailer to locate the tyre's contact points then use ratchet straps from the wheel "tops" to each side of the trailer - maybe same as T.H.
My (strange?) logic is it allows the bike suspension free to do what it does best.
Cheers
Rob
 
What's a "trailered Commando' ?
Hey, somebody was going to say it!
L.O.L.
 
What's a "trailered Commando' ?
Hey, somebody was going to say it!
L.O.L.

I'm showing my freshly restored Commando at the Classic Bike Show at the Bath & West show ground come February.
My friend has volunteered to trailer it there for me.
Last year I showed my Trident, and I rode it there.
The temperature was 0°C/32°F, and I froze.
I live out in the sticks (AKA boondocks), and the country roads are full of mud and cow crap.
When we got there, we had to wash all the crap off it with cold water from an outside tap.
Then it needed a damned good polishing.
Given the choice, I know what I'd prefer...
 
I wrap the strap [ not the hook ] around the rear loop just behind the shock mount . One either side or one long one right through .
 
I hauled the SS clone to Barber and Daytona (October) this year. It's much easier on the tie-downs than the ZX-14, which weighs 150 lbs more. I use an old Canyon dancer and Ancra Reds at the front and some soft ties and Ancra Blues in the rear. IIRC, I slipped the soft ties around the rear loop AHEAD of the shock mounts because I've heard the loop is a bit flimsy when stressed. The Ancras are friction ties and won't pull as hard as ratchet straps. I check for looseness at pit stops, but no problems. I don't even use rear tie-downs for shorter trips when hauling is necessary (Like a breakdown, WHOEVER HEARD OF THAT?)
 
I agree that you tie the front down securely and then you just have to keep the rear from moving side to side. In this case the angle of the front tie downs is critical as you have to have some force down and not too much forward, or the bike could come up in a panic stop. For our race trailer we had a carpeted floor and did not secure the rear at all. They did not move. Some will say that binding the forks down tight is bad for the springs. Again, for our race bikes we used a block between the front wheel and the lower triple clamp. This is difficult with a commando because you could dent the fender. Some extremists will argue that tieing the front down tight is also bad for the wheel bearings. One thing that I will recommend is attaching a rubber bunge sideways midway on the tie down so that if the tie down were to loosen the bunge will keep some tension on it and it can not unhook. This even allows you to not have the tiedowns tight like a banjo string.
I do understand that you would want to trailer to a show. I was just trying to be funny.
We always said that trailers were for race bikes and ________ ( that bike that people trailer a lot).
You probably have seen the T shirt or bumper sticker "I rode my bike to trailer week".
Good luck at the show.
 
Soft ties looped around the rear frame loop, compressing the suspension about 2"

Also, I use a bit of electrical tape to close off the hook (on ALL bike tie downs) so, if you hit the Mother of all suspension bottoming bumps, they can't go loose for a second and unhook. 44 years and not a single bit of tie down drama yet.
 
Yes, they do unhook. Ever since a near disaster I've zip tied the hooks to the soft ties and trailer loops, and keep a pair of dikes in the tie down bag.
 
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Seven "p's" of trucking.... "Proper Prior Planning Prevents a Piss Poor Performance" :p
 
we've always just put two straps on the handlebars and something to stop the back end moving about, never had a bike fall off yet
 
Better tie down is front wheel and loose-ish straps to keep upright and rear from bouncing about. Risk of only front wheel is loss of air taking out tension, so best tie is robust fixed wheel clamp. Unloaded there more motion than expected if seated so takes pretty good suspension compression to avoid slackening. Compressed suspension often claimed to blow fork seals to leak afterwards and may or may not be why 2nd combat, dry at pick up site was oily on arrival and weeped to ride. Don't understand how if riding compresses more but that's common warning.

If can strap mostly horizontal each side and prevent movement forward/back plus tie down w/o compression just to hold from bouncing off tire contact would be a good way.

i often just wrap around stanchions above lower yoke or thru bar mounts at front and over seat in back, if just shorter journey and checking at intervals as guarantee bad juju for long hauls or one good bounce at hwy speed. Long haul both tires racket compressed down, yoke straps and rear around tops of shocks plus side motion straps if not enough bungees.

When loading solo I use HD long bungees to hold vertical hands off while attaching tie down & leave bungees on to back up straps lossening and when un strapping stays balanced.
 
I use soft straps and then cut the original hooks off the tire downs ( the hook not the strap) and use carbineers with a 450lb load limit in place of the hooks. Tractor Supply has them. They can't pop off like the hooked ones can.

John in Texas
 
Good thinking - I like it.
(Although if you google "carabiners" you'll get more appropriate results.)
 
I've been riding and racing both off road and track motorcycles for the last 50 years. Most of my bikes were hauled ether in a trailer or in the back of a pickup. Thousands of miles of trouble free transporting with never an issue. Because of this life long experience I looked at this thread knowing that there was going to be nothing of value to be gained. Well guess what? NOrtOnelectric (John in Texas) just slapped me off of my stool with his use of carabiners. I'll be doing his mod this week. Great great idea. Old dogs can learn new tricks. Kinda pissed though that I didn't think of it. Thanks again.
 
I didn't think of it, got the idea from a friend whom I'm sure got the idea from another friend.
John in Texas
 
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