Sort of Different Tie Down Question

[doubletee]

I've read everything I can find here about trailering and the proper tie down methods, including RJ's advice. However, we're coming across Lake Michigan on the Lake Express in a couple of weeks. There will be no available front wheel chock to my knowledge.

How does the lack of a front wheel chock change the tie down procedure, if at all? I planned to use RJ's method, but that will leave the front wheel free to turn (left/right) during the trip across the lake. Advice/experience solicited and welcome.

[doubletee]

This is just a regular ferry, right? If seas are to be calm, just put it in gear, use chocks on the front wheel if they have them, leave it on the side stand, and enjoy your trip.

It's a "high speed" ferry that reportedly can get quite rough, depending upon the weather/lake conditions at the time. They do not provide chocks, only tie downs. Leaving it on the side stand and not tied down is not a risk I'm willing to take.

[Gryphon Rider]

I just did a little research, found my advice didn't apply to this ferry, and deleted my post.  Tie around the forks above the lower triple tree in front, and to either the saddlebag crash guards or the bottom ends of the shocks. Don't have the tie downs pull the bike hard against the side stand.

[IamGCW]

Tape the straps hooks closed.  Turn off the fuel selector. 

Gil

[Ricky-D]

It's a simple thing to tie the bike down for the ferry.

A couple of ropes to tie the engine guards to the deck.

Keep the bike on the side stand.

Use a rope to wrap around the front hand brake lever

to keep the brake applied and the front wheel from turning.

Good enough for a gale.

***

[fudgie]

My hd bud just went accross lake mich afew days ago on a ferry. He said they did provide straps. From my knowlege he did not use any and just left it ont he sidestand.
I would run a strap from each bar down to the anchor points. Strap by the handle bar clamp. on my tourer i strap under the saddle bag on the oem gaurd. Not sure about ur standard.

[doubletee]

My hd bud just went accross lake mich afew days ago on a ferry. He said they did provide straps. From my knowlege he did not use any and just left it ont he sidestand.
I would run a strap from each bar down to the anchor points. Strap by the handle bar clamp. on my tourer i strap under the saddle bag on the oem gaurd. Not sure about ur standard.

From pictures I saw on the ferry's website, it looks like all bikes are left on their sidestands. It's against my better judgement after all I've read about bending frames when leaving the kickstand down, but the ride must not be as volatile as on a trailer.. I think I'm going to strap to the engine guard in the front, and to the lower shock mounts in the rear, depending upon the angles. Not sure how that will play with the saddle bags and exhaust. Might have to find a frame point in back of the side panels instead. I have soft ties for the bike that the straps hook to, so I shouldn't risk any paint damage.

[R J]

The 3 times I went across the Ferry they gave us a 6" wide strap and said to place it across the seat and hook each end in the rail on the floor.

My front wheel was always in the rail between the 2 strap anchor points.  So it couldn't move.

Fist time I went across, I stood up above and watched MGM all the way across.

Never moved.

1 thing to remember, is SHUT OFF the petcock.    The ferry did a bunch of bouncing up and down on my last ride.   Several of the bikes with me on that trip all had hydro lock.     Got to the other side, unstrapped mine, unstrapped the trailer, turned the gas on and popped the starter,  MGM fired and off we went to find out that I could not ride my bike into the park for the night.    They wanted me to park outside the gate, unhook the camping trailer and PULL it by hand into the camp site.

Well, you have seen some of my posts so you know where I told him to shove that deal.    Rode on into town, and was getting gas and still bitching with my daughter about their little rule.

LEO was filling his Cruiser and told me to follow him when he was done.    He took me to the City Park, found me a electrical cord for juice and we slept in the Park all night and no one bothered us.

Couple of little old ladies saw my daughter and her long hair the next morning and offered to put her hair in a braid for me.     I was getting pretty good at it, but told her to go ahead while I loaded up.

Then we walked across the street to the eatin joint for breakfast and somebody paid our bill, so I just doubled her tip.    Nice little town.

[Pete]

When no front wheel chock.

Tie the straps at 45 degree angles from the center line of the bike, left and right. in front of the bike.
Tie the rear also at 45 degree angles from the center of the bike, left and right to the rear of the bike.

When done properly you will have 4 straps at 90 degrees to each other and will not need the side stand or anything else.

[R J]

When no front wheel chock.

Tie the straps at 45 degree angles from the center line of the bike, left and right. in front of the bike.
Tie the rear also at 45 degree angles from the center of the bike, left and right to the rear of the bike.

When done properly you will have 4 straps at 90 degrees to each other and will not need the side stand or anything else.

That is good and dandy Pete, BUT, on the ferry you do not have that much room to spread yur tie downs out.

[gordonv]

On our Coastal Ferries here in BC, they supply large wooden wedges to place under the frame, which you place on the other side of the bike from the stand.

This way the bike doesn't rock from side-to-side.

I don't remember what the inland ferries do, but then we are standing on the same deck with them, able to keep an eye on them if there is any trouble on the water.

[Ricky-D]

My experience with ferries is pretty extensive and I can assure motorcyclists

that in general, the ferries are a very stable and steady platform that

provide a non-eventful and quiet passage for you and the bike.

I mean, who is going to take a ferry when there is a gale blowing?

And finally, the ferries on Lake Michigan are better compared to ships, the

high speed cats are very smooth, while the ten to thirty vehicle carrying

ferries such as on the St Laurence Seaway or the Outer Banks wont operate

in dangerous conditions.

***

[MarkT]

My hd bud just went accross lake mich afew days ago on a ferry. He said they did provide straps. From my knowlege he did not use any and just left it ont he sidestand.
I would run a strap from each bar down to the anchor points. Strap by the handle bar clamp. on my tourer i strap under the saddle bag on the oem gaurd. Not sure about ur standard.

From pictures I saw on the ferry's website, it looks like all bikes are left on their sidestands. It's against my better judgement after all I've read about bending frames when leaving the kickstand down, but the ride must not be as volatile as on a trailer.. I think I'm going to strap to the engine guard in the front, and to the lower shock mounts in the rear, depending upon the angles. Not sure how that will play with the saddle bags and exhaust. Might have to find a frame point in back of the side panels instead. I have soft ties for the bike that the straps hook to, so I shouldn't risk any paint damage.

I was travelling on I-80 in a cage a few years ago when at a gas stop there was a guy in a van pulling an open trailer with the frame bars a foot or so above the deck.  Had stuff on it, lawn mower, usual garage type stuff, and his harley leaning on the sidestand and one tiedown strap pulling against the sidestand. Like he just drove it on the trailer and parked it like he was in a parking spot - no regard for any braking/turning/acceleration forces other than the single strap. Must have just departed - told the wife, either we skeddadle out of here so we're ahead of him, or let him leave first - if so, and he's going our way, betcha lunch we see him on the side of the road.  Like to say I was right but he must have gone the other way, or not noticed when his harley fell over.  Not the sharpest tool in the shed.  But then he did have a harley...

Had a vacation years ago, up Door county, and the ferry to Washington Island, on the Wing.  Didn't see any tiedowns, stayed close to the bike just in case.  There was a swell going on, slight roll to the crossing but pretty mild.  No chance the bike was going over.  I think I used the center stand anyway - a bit more solid than the sidestand.  A long crossing, like across the lake, I would for sure want to secure it better.  Probably happy with ratchet straps on the crash bars, if tiedowns available for that.

Tieing down for serious forces - like on the trailer - minimum of 4 straps, 6 for a long haul.  No single point of failure.  Lower triple tree, and rear shock mounts to sides and back, first 4 pulling against a front chock which is welded to the trailer frame, and pulled hard enough to compress the shocks an inch or so.  The bike isn't coming off even if the trailer flips over.