Great idea with the painters tape and zip ties. If you plan on trailering often, you might consider the following as a substitute for the zip ties.

 

I use the Uhaul MC trailer all the time to move non running bikes. When I lived in the mountains I had a HF 4x8 utility trailer with a MCK2 chock rail to get my bikes off the mountain during the "snow" months so I could ride.

 

VERY COMPLETE, thank you. I have an 08 Road King and the front tank mount is a closed eye and uses bolts. I assume on newer bikes the tank has open eyes so a std can be used. That would certainly be easier than trying to hold the tank in just the right spot so the bolt can be started. Then the new tie down eyes require going back to a bolt. Guess nothing is as easy as it looks like it should be,

 

I have seen this advice time and again, but in almost 50 years of riding and wrenching and hauling motorcycles I have never heard of a problem with handlebars, except on the internet.

Use straps that have the spring safety latch on them so the s hook can`t fall out of whatever it is hooked onto (hint: you aren`t going to find them at wal mart or harbor freight), Rhino and Power Tye both make great straps (made in USA).

https://www.rhinousainc.com/products...t-tie-down-kit



Don`t spend 70 bucks on these from Yaffee (at that price they must be made out of Kryptonite), you can get the same thing on ebay for about 12 bucks, they come with grade 8 hardware in the correct length.

 

Did you ever look at them side by side? I have. Yaffe's are laser cut with radius edging, followed by flawless powdercoating. The 12 buck version is just that, 12 bucks worth.

 

I went to rent a U-Haul trailer once. All was good till I told them I had a Ford Explorer (Sport Trac). Said they don;t rent to people who tow with Ford Explorers. Turns out a past lawsuit that started when a guy flipped a U-Haul trailer and some deaths were involved. Started with the first lawsuit against Firesone 721 tires, and guess what kind of vehicle they were on! Yep Ford Explorer. Don't know if that is still happening. Just some info, but not BS. I went to another supplier for trailer.

 

The ford Explorer issue was with Firestone tires, but they were not 721 tires. IIRC, Ford was calling for a pressure that Firestone said was too low.

I don`t think 721`s have been around since the late `70s (there was a big issue with those failing also).

It`s a chunk of steel that you install when you are going to trailer the bike, takes 30 seconds to remove or install, I wouldn`t care if they were painted orange.

 

Mine came with longer bolts like the next poster showed. I don’t know that they are better, but they are just the right length for the Yaffe product.

I REALLY like that product by the way ... it is the only solution that completely cleared my forks, crash bars, etc. and is essentially invisible when I’m not towing. After the 1700 mile or so trip they did not loosen at all.

s.l.

 

Thanks!