Trailer Chock added

[sixlow]

Just before the Inzane week I found someone had backed into my trailer while in storage, Nobody fessed up so I went ahead and had a local welder straighten her out and add the front chock i had in the garage for repair/detailing, that makes loading a breeze, just tested out the fit, drove right up and locked in place, I had no worries about getting off while she sat there straight up and running. Now, strapping is not needed at all !!!  Flames !!   

[John Schmidt]

No flames, just some advice; don't drive without tiedowns. I've seen them go over set up just like you have yours, sometimes will go for long periods without a problem, then one day.....not a pretty sight. Old man experience talking.....'nuff said. 

[Grumpy]

Trailer a Valkyrie ???  that is sacrilegious.      Supposed to pull the trailer with the Valkyrie.

[Jess from VA]

No trailer experience, but it seems like if you went over a bad RR track, giant pothole, a dead-man, curb, or even a dip in the road at speed the bike could just pop up, then over.  I came that close to running into a queen mattress on the freeway (it looked cool sailing up off the truck in slow motion, then landed right in front of me).

What if you or the trailer get bumped in traffic?

What if (somehow) the bike fell off the trailer completely and other(s) were injured, and the plaintiff's attorney made a big deal of no tie downs to the jury?

I was looking for laws (not for commercail carriers), just the general public, and found this. https://www.transportation.gov/fastlane/eliminate-unsecured-loads   **

And straps take that much longer to steal the bike off the trailer.

Short hauls maybe, but for long hauls on freeways, tie downs seem like good insurance against .... bad luck.

**  (from the article)  A 2012 Government Accountability Office study mandated by Congress indicated that in 2010 unsecured loads and road debris caused 440 deaths and 10,000 injuries in more than 51,000 incidents. At the time of the study, only 15 states had laws including criminal penalties for operating with an unsecured load.

You can argue that the chock clamp secured the load, but if the bike comes out and off, it was not secured.

[_Sheffjs_]

Good trap Mike.

[Beardo]

No flames, just some advice; don't drive without tiedowns. I've seen them go over set up just like you have yours, sometimes will go for long periods without a problem, then one day.....not a pretty sight. Old man experience talking.....'nuff said. 

Have to agree. A good set up, at the minimum, I'd look for some of those straps that attach to the chock and go around the top of the tire, the kind tow truck use. That way, you aren't having to compress the forks at all and it's still held down securely.

[bassman]

Nice work....

May want to check the post by RJ in the link below....I'm sure if he were still here he would provide sage advice on the topic....

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,35715.0.html

[John Schmidt]

Good trap Mike.

Possibly, but I doubt it. Knowing Mike it more likely was an off-handed request for suggestions.

Mike, I sure like the third picture, good looking setup you have there. Re. compressing the forks a bit with a tiedown, it's not a problem and doesn't cause any. I've tied bikes down for years using the bottom tree as one attachment point, never a problem or developed a leak.

Re. RJ, we used to chat often either by phone or email and I would zing him for suggesting the use of the engine guards for an attachment point in front. Then we'd go 'round and 'round and laugh at the entire issue. My stand was always based on two things; it's too low to give good vertical stability, and I've seen them snap off flush right at the downtube. An event like that will test your religion trying to remove the broken bolt.....the bike still dumped over. I recall one InZane when he spotted me and yelled across the room..."Johnny boy, how did your bike ride tied down to the engine guards?"  So I yelled back at him...."it started to go over sideways so I move them up to the bottom tree."  Then we did the manly hug and moved on. Miss talking to that old bird, he wasn't that much older than me but I still looked up to him. One's life is a collection of experiences and learning from them. Some from your own adventures/misadventures, some from those of others. 

[Tundra]

Mike,
I like the trailer especially the size/shape with the solid steal construction and low center of gravity. Bet it tows like a charm. That chock is slick, should make loading/unloading a breeze.

I had a similar incident years ago and the "gentleman" that backed into it left a note and contact information and also actually paid for the repair We were shocked, it was the beginning of a friendship that has lasted.

[Bighead]

Trailer a Valkyrie ???  that is sacrilegious.      Supposed to pull the trailer with the Valkyrie.

I am with Bill on this one

[sixlow]

Well, thanks for the advice but honestly I wouldn't dare coast around the cul-de-sac without first getting 4 straps on her.   

[Steel cowboy]

Mike, nice set up almost like my trailer. When I built my trailer I made it low too. But if I might add a suggestion get a better ramp. My Valkyrie bent mine down like a toy and it looked like yours. I got the 2 piece ramps that fold up from H/F much sturdier and I can use them for my tractor too.

URL=http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/2001valkyrie/media/image_zpserx5gzaz.jpeg.html][/URL]

[dragonslayer]

My buddy and his wife where towing a setup just like that<of course Harley> and he looked back and bike was gone.Found it in a ditch 2 miles back,need I say more,strap in down

[Danny McMillin]

Don't fool yourself!! Tie downs forward!!!