Trike Tie Down

[Blueribbon]

OK, just got a new trailer - flat 6 1/2 ft X 12 ft.

I've bought two different front chocks, and neither work. Both hit the ring of fire, and I'm afraid with a little road vibration, they will cut into the stanless trim ring.

Now the question is what would be the proper way to tie the trike down. Due to needing to reduce tongue weight, the trike is going to be back about 18 inches from the front of the bed. I'm going to just have a beveled 4 X 4 stop that the front wheel will rest against. Planning on leaving it in 1st gear.

My idea is:

1) two straps going forward from crash bars to forward part of trailer.

2) two straps going diagonally back to about mid-trailer from the crash bars

3) One strap, side-to-side straight through both back wheels

I have lots & lots of heavy duty tie downs and want it done right. Looking for opinions and why, if different from what I've described above.

Thanks,

 

[team5150]

This is just my opinion and it is the way I haul my trike in my trailer.

I am assuming this is a Honda Goldwing from your avatar pic.

Don't leave the bike in gear ! The small forward and back motion will move the pistons in the bores and without any oil circulating it will wear.

For the front - use small loop type straps and loop them over the lower triple tree and secure them forward. Don't over tighten them - just enough to compress the forks a little.

Do not use the crash bars they are not intended to take a forward and aft tension.

For the rear tiedowns - pull your side covers and use a loop strap through the frame and secure it to the rear.

I use an additional tiedown in the rear using the trailer hitch that is secured to anchor points at the rear corners.

Hope this helps.

 

[Bighorn]

+1 on not using the crash bars. They are are connected to the frame rails which are cast aluminum and bolted to the engine. The rocking motion of the trailer will break the rails.

Don't ask me how I know this!

The proper way is to use soft ties around the lower triple tree.

 

[1800 06 Champion Trike]

I have used my enclosed snowmobile trailer a few times.
I see you have a open trailer so I posted this in case anyone uses a enclosed trailer.

I drive it in and then put a bolt in the front and a bolt in the back of the trike.
(there are holes there for the tie down bars for the sleds)
I then put a comealong from the front bolt to the front tire and back to the bolt.
I then do the same thing to the back, hooking the comeaong to the trailer hitch.
Once that is done, I tighten both and ready to go.
I do leave it in nuetral.

 

[Blueribbon]

This is just my opinion and it is the way I haul my trike in my trailer.

For the rear tiedowns - pull your side covers and use a loop strap through the frame and secure it to the rear.

I use an additional tiedown in the rear using the trailer hitch that is secured to anchor points at the rear corners.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the comment about leaving it in gear. Didn't think of it that way.

Thanks - pulling the side covers and loop through the frame and secure to the rear - don't the fenders and tires get in the way of a tie down going back? Just don't see how?

I'll look at the trailer hitch.

What about a tie down going back diagonal from around the tire?

 

[mhgoldwing]

I would mount a wheel chock for the front wheel, then tie down as suggested above. Cross tie the rear end with rachet straps.

Agree - DO NOT LEAVE IT GEAR!

 

[rmrc51]

Bill,

I use a Condor wheel chock up front and I also put a cable lock through the front tire and around the Condor. I also use soft-ties to the lower triple tree and secure to the front floor brackets of the trailer. For the back end I run the tie downs through the rear tire rims securing both ends to the floor brackets and also run another tie down across the trailer hitch. I know,, a bit over-kill but I can say the few times that I have trailered the trike, she didn't move a inch.

And as mentioned above, do NOT leave her in gear!