Towing on a trailer - strap locations?

Just put the bike on a Kendon trailer for the first time, and was looking for appropriate locations to tie it down. On the front I put the hooks around the bottom part of the handlebar, and was able to route things to not touch wiring or too much of the plastics. On the rear it was more of a challenge, as the bike is all the way on the right side of the trailer. I hooked around the rear passenger peg mount, but it interferes quite a bit with the front rider footpeg, for the standard Kendon tie-down point on the right. On the back left, I can use that same passenger peg, and there is no interference getting it to the trailer tiedown.

Anyone have different suggestions that worked better for them?

 

I just picked up a few more sets of ratcheting straps. I had about half and half before, they are easier to snug up, as long as you're careful not to overtighten them. I bought two things that I'll probably have to return, called suspension savers or something like that. It's a plastic piece that goes between the fender and the front tire, so you tighten down to that and the front suspension can't compress anymore. It says that it works on 125's, 250's, 500's, etc. But I think they need to be full-fledged dirtbikes with 11"+ suspension travel, as these don't fit between the fender and the tire on a CRF250L. They also didn't fit on my wife's TT-R125LE, as that has even a little less clearance.

 

On the rear- what ever you do, DON'T attach the tie downs to the subframe or any part attached to the subframe. The rear of the bike bounces as your going down the road. With the tie downs attached to the subframe you can bend the subframe as the bike bounces back up. Been there, ain't pretty.
What I do on the rear is loop the free tie down end around the wheel just above the swingarm, then hook the free end to another tie down attached to the other side. If your loading more than one bike- after you loop the first wheel, loop the second bike's wheel with the same tie down, then the third etc. After you get all the play outta the tie downs and pull them tight, the rear wheel(s) should be snug as a bug.

Those plastic crosses are garbage. They pop out while on the road, leaving your scoot flopping in the breeze. I used to bungee them in place, but finally said enough.

 

Interesting! That is good info. I've always strapped streetbikes down via the rear passenger pegs (and usually canyon dancers up front), but they have much less suspension travel to worry about. My old trailer had no suspension, so it relied on the bike suspension and give in the tires. This new one has decent suspension, so the bikes should be subject to less shocks and bouncing than they would have otherwise. I'm trying to picture how to have the tiedowns stay in place while just looped around the wheel, but I think I get it.

Good info on the plastic crosses as well, I wish I had spoken to you earlier!

 

Sorry, I should of been a little more specific.
Looking from the ass end, rear wheels of 3 bikes..
I showed the wrap around at the rear end of the tire as an example of how it works, but the wrap around should be at the front of the tire (towards the shock) to work. The straps rest on the swingarm(s)
Basically what your doing is tying all the rear wheels together and anchoring them down. Play with it, all trailers & different bike combos take their own unique setup...

 

Ah - got it! It might take some tweaking, as the rear wheel of the 50 is quite far from the rear wheel of the CRF, but I'll play with it in the morning.

 

Yeah, what to do with a little bike takes some thinking.. Have you considered stuffing it in backwards? That way the handlebars won't dig into the sides of the bigger bikes.

 

It worked OK facing forward; the handlebars are far enough apart that there is some clearance. I think I need just one more set of ratcheting straps for the rear of the tiny bike (holding the swingarm down), and then it's about as rocksolid as it can be.

 

for front end, I use manracks tiedown points installed lower triple clamp bolt area ill try to take pictures soon, keeps handlebars free from dings , possible pinched wires easier to get to etc. My 2 cents worth!

 

Those do look useful! I find that the straps seem pretty clear all the way from the handlebars down to the tiedown points, but these would likely be even more foolproof.