Really stupid tie down question!

[magicmonkey]

Please excuse the huge amount of stupid I'm going to display here!

I'm off on the ferry tomorrow, heading to the south island for weekend on the bike. So, I got some tie downs from Welly motorcycles and I haven't a bloody clue how to use them! I thought they were standard ratchet types when I bought them but only unpacked them this morning and found they look like this:

http://motocrossactionmag.com/Media/News/gOcycra_tie_downs_HR.jpg

could someone patient please tell me how they're meant to be used as the instructions on the box are useless and I'm having a really blonde day!

[Rosie]

Please excuse the huge amount of stupid I'm going to display here!

I'm off on the ferry tomorrow, heading to the south island for weekend on the bike. So, I got some tie downs from Welly motorcycles and I haven't a bloody clue how to use them! I thought they were standard ratchet types when I bought them but only unpacked them this morning and found they look like this:

http://motocrossactionmag.com/Media/News/gOcycra_tie_downs_HR.jpg

could someone patient please tell me how they're meant to be used as the instructions on the box are useless and I'm having a really blonde day!

Wrap the red bits over your handlebars, and fasten the loop on the end of the red bit to the black hook.
Put a block, or wheel chock in front of your front tyre. Leave the bike in gear.
Hook the silver carabiner to the hooks on the deck of the ferry, and reposition the tie downs on the handlebars so they aren't going to rub on any part of the bike when tightened up.
Tighten the two tie downs up alternately to compress the suspension down, and push the front wheel against the wheel chock. You want the same tension on each, so the bike is sitting upright.
Leave your sidestand down. Even though it will now be floating in mid air.

[magicmonkey]

Thing is, these tie down's dont have ratchets on them, just a sliding attachment so I can't see how it's going to get any tighter than finger tight. I could get it there but is that really going to be enough to hold it?

I'm assuming that the suspension needs to be quite compressed so that it's not bouncing around so much the hooks come undone but it's something I've never done before so that could well be a brain fart!

[vifferman]

The friction of the sliderthing should hold it tight. You use the springs in the bike's supension to provide the tension. If you're worried it's not secure enough, you can tie the end of the strap that you've pulled through the slider into a knot around the strap.

Practice before you go - see if you can tie the bike to something.
Oh - and take a pair of disposable gloves and a plastic bag. The straps often get all wet'n'salty, and it's a bugger having to put damp, salty paws into your bike gloves. Put the straps into the bag to keep their salty awfulness off whatever they're sharing luggage space with.

[Crisis management]

Thing is, these tie down's dont have ratchets on them, just a sliding attachment so I can't see how it's going to get any tighter than finger tight. I could get it there but is that really going to be enough to hold it?


You have the best sort there are, the ratchet type are not particularly good....just pull the free end of the tie down strap, it will run through the locking mechanism thingie and you will easily have enough tension on the tie down to compress the front suspension completely.
I use these all the time on the trail bike and have been known to get the trailer (& bike) airborne on gravel roads so they are well up to the task.
Have a practice tonight, wrap the tie down around a bit of fencing and practise tightening and loosening the straps.


If your not sure about using them, lie the bike on its side and slide it tightly under the front of a near by truck on the ferry, that should hold it. :mellow:

[magicmonkey]

so, another question, for those of you who don't mind my continuing blonde streak, should I be attaching these to the centre of the handlebars (I think I mean the tripple clamp, still getting up to speed with the terms) or onto the actual handlebars themselves?

Also, when it's under the truck, shoud I use the left ot the right side?

[nadroj]

Flash some leg! I'm sure a seaman will help you.....

[magicmonkey]

Flash some leg! I'm sure a seaman will help you.....

yeah, I'm not too sure I want to be stuck on a boat with seamen all over me!

[Ronin]

yeah, I'm not too sure I want to be stuck on a boat with seamen all over me!

must.... not..... post.............

[Flip]

Rum, bum and accordion is the merchant navys verson of wine, women and song.

after connecting both hook ends you pull hard the loose end of the strap. The strap will slip through the buckle and the tiedown will tighten. To release push the button on the buckle.

[awa355]

Please excuse the huge amount of stupid I'm going to display here!

I'm off on the ferry tomorrow, heading to the south island for weekend on the bike. So, I got some tie downs from Welly motorcycles and I haven't a bloody clue how to use them! I thought they were standard ratchet types when I bought them but only unpacked them this morning and found they look like this:

http://motocrossactionmag.com/Media/News/gOcycra_tie_downs_HR.jpg

could someone patient please tell me how they're meant to be used as the instructions on the box are useless and I'm having a really blonde day!

These things are bloody useless. they slip when a load is on them. Get a ratchet type of tie down.

[Coldrider]

You never know what state of repair the ferry tie downs are in, I always take my own, and I use the ferry alot.

[PrincessBandit]

Flash some leg! I'm sure a seaman will help you.....

I had a lecturer at uni with that surname..... titter titter....

oh, and just to stay on topic, we used the loop type tie downs which go over each handle bar and then pull against each other as you tighten them. Fantastic and would recommend them to anyone.

[CookMySock]

These things are bloody useless. they slip when a load is on them. Get a ratchet type of tie down.I don't like the look of them either, but I am told they are very good.

MM, tieing a bike down is easy when you have seen it done. Not so easy to learn it over the internet.

For myself ;

Nose the front wheel firmly into the wheel holder thingy, so the bike cant roll forward. Put the stand down and hop off the bike.

Attach the left tiedown to the bars and the tiedown point on the floor, and leave it sort of floppy and slack. Don't pull it tight.

Attach the right tiedown to the bars and the tiedown point on the floor, and carefully start to tension just this side slowly. The bike will start to tip upwards toward the balance point, lifting the stand off the floor.

There should be enough free LEFT tiedown so the bike can tip upwards onto the balance point. If there isn't, then free the right one, and let a little of the left one out.

Gently tighten them both evenly with the bike on its' balance point. Don't try to tighten against the stand - you will break it. If you tighten both of them a LOT you will compress the bike suspension until the stand contacts the floor again - this is not too critical.

Probably you dont need extra tie downs on the rear. If on a trailer, then you should.

Be careful, and take your time, and call someone if you get stuck.

Steve

[wbks]

Please excuse the huge amount of stupid I'm going to display here!

I'm off on the ferry tomorrow, heading to the south island for weekend on the bike. So, I got some tie downs from Welly motorcycles and I haven't a bloody clue how to use them! I thought they were standard ratchet types when I bought them but only unpacked them this morning and found they look like this:

http://motocrossactionmag.com/Media/News/gOcycra_tie_downs_HR.jpg

could someone patient please tell me how they're meant to be used as the instructions on the box are useless and I'm having a really blonde day!I hate to jump on something like this, but weren't you insinuating that I was stupid a week or two back?

[magicmonkey]

I hate to jump on something like this, but weren't you insinuating that I was stupid a week or two back?

heh, may well have been but I'm sure I was only kidding; the only person I remember laughing at on here is Dean ;)

Got back from south island quite some time ago now, tie downs worked fine and were mush better than the ratchet ones (which got locked and were a real hassle to get off)

[wbks]

heh, may well have been but I'm sure I was only kidding; the only person I remember laughing at on here is Dean ;)

Got back from south island quite some time ago now, tie downs worked fine and were mush better than the ratchet ones (which got locked and were a real hassle to get off)One piece of advice, though... Seeing as those kind grip with "teeth" make sure you look after them... Birds nests while you're trying to pull a bike down isn't fun... And don't drop them, have collected three of those bastards out on the road lately, usually in the middle of a corner:mad:

[cave weta]

156066

If you can see through the mud - this is how you do it!
And dont listen to the plonkers who tell you that the ratchet ones are the best. They are for general purpose, they are too long and messy for bikes. the cam grip ones like this are designed for the job. I transport bikes on a daily basis and they never move - if you do it right.

[magicmonkey]

One piece of advice, though... Seeing as those kind grip with "teeth" make sure you look after them... Birds nests while you're trying to pull a bike down isn't fun... And don't drop them, have collected three of those bastards out on the road lately, usually in the middle of a corner:mad:

ouch!! Still, saves you having to buy them I suppose :whistle:

[wbks]

ouch!! Still, saves you having to buy them I suppose :whistle:Yea, just have to buy parts for the car/bike instead:(
And when it's not that, it's a trailer falling apart in front of me... Makes you glad to ride a nimble bike!!!


156066

If you can see through the mud - this is how you do it!
And dont listen to the plonkers who tell you that the ratchet ones are the best. They are for general purpose, they are too long and messy for bikes. the cam grip ones like this are designed for the job. I transport bikes on a daily basis and they never move - if you do it right.I've never heard of them "slipping" unless the tiedowns are so old the spring is slack, but I doubt many get to that point. Plus, the ratchet ones scratch the hell out of tripple clamps and frames!

[magicmonkey]

Yea, just have to buy parts for the car/bike instead:(
And when it's not that, it's a trailer falling apart in front of me... Makes you glad to ride a nimble bike!!!

Nah, I'm on a GN, it's marginally more nimble than a horse and cart though

[wbks]

Nah, I'm on a GN, it's marginally more nimble than a horse and cart thoughlol as long as it's nimble enough to weave between a wooden/steel framed trailer gate and a bucket full of home DIY tools it's good enough

[magicmonkey]

lol as long as it's nimble enough to weave between a wooden/steel framed trailer gate and a bucket full of home DIY tools it's good enough

:shit: you should have rode up the trailer knight rider style and knocked on their back window, that would have shat them up!

[wbks]

:shit: you should have rode up the trailer knight rider style and knocked on their back window, that would have shat them up!
Well they didn't exactly intend for it to happen and it didn't cause any problems so no foul... Literally about 5 mins after this down the road I also had some dude pull out to pass the car in front of them while I was already passing them... I think it was a sign, because until that I had said a few times "people on this site must talk some shit for the most part, I haven't had a bad experience with traffic in memory...". Either that or someone from KB put a contract on me, because trailers dumping their shit in front of me and cars trying to force me into the ditch all within 5 mins isn't my regular sunday ride:lol:

[MD]

If you are using the InterIslander then you wont need to take your own. I crossed for the Burt Munro thingie and wasted valuable bike storage space carting my own tie-downs all over the South Island. The InterIslander had new clean self clamping style ropes and get this - front wheel stands. Similar in look to those Ventura front wheel clamps that grip the front tyre as the bike rolls into the clamp.

Trouble was the new stands were built by someone who has never been near a motorcycle and failed basic physics, especially the subject on gravity. At first clance they looked cool. But despite looking secured to the floor they were in fact, not welded or bolted down. Mistake One. The base plate that should be wide enough to hold a free standing bike from toppling sideways was narrower than the winner of Ethiopia's Weight Watcher of the year award. Not noticing this was mistake Two. So I pushed my front tyre into the groove, stepped off my bike feeling very lucky to have come across one of these new stands, and at my leisure I will now "just walk away" and tie some ropes to secure bike.

Lucky I have lightening fast reflexes. Faster than a falling bike it turns out. Yep, bike fell over taking the flash new stand with it. I caught it just in time. But I had to ask another Rider to hold my bike upright until I attached the new ropes provided. Seconds after doing so I turn to see another Rider happily stepping off his bike as it ..fell over completely.

He used other words to describe the new wheel stands that I wont repeat on here until after 8pm, in case children are still up.

[FROSTY]

word of warning--as per above piss easy to use but do tie off the ends

[Coldrider]

When I went to the burt on the interislander, the way down, both clamps the ratchets were broken (kaitaki), and loaned one to a biker beside me, on the way back I was parked out in the open beside the trucks in the middle of nowhere. (arahura) I was glad I took my own tiedowns.

[Ocean1]

on the way back I was parked out in the open beside the trucks in the middle of nowhere. (arahura) I was glad I took my own tiedowns.

Me too. Had to tie down to a cable they'd (belatedly) strung over the deck. No problem there, although it pays to wait around until everyone's tight because the cable can end up a foot or more off the deck.

The idiot marshalling the bikes insisted we park rear on to the cable, with absolutely nothing to tie the front to. I ignored him, turning front on to the cable. Idiot had quite a bit to say about this, I just ignored him some more.

You do see some surprising ways to secure bikes on the ferries. :eek5:

[Coldrider]

I prefer to tie down to a rubberised chock, rather than the wire rope.