Cook Strait Ferry

[Scorpygirl]

Don't use your sidestand. You risk breaking the sidestand/mounting bracket if you do.

Zorst... The Virago doesn't have a centre stand!!!! So I let her free flow between the tie downs!! :spudbn: I don't think so.

[ZorsT]

Many bikes don't have centre stands.

You need to have the tie downs tight... Its best done with two people, one to keep the bike upright while the other tightens the tie downs. If there isn't any slack, and the tiedowns aren't made from elastic, the bike shouldn't/won't move from side to side...

[k14]

Don't use your sidestand. You risk breaking the sidestand/mounting bracket if you do.

well then it must be made by suzuki. If tieing down your bike will brake the sidestand then it wasn't designed properly or made out of cardboard.

[Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)]

Definitely take your own - you do need three. Their strings are too basic - Always tie your own bike down. Once during the most horrendous storm - 5 hours in the cook strait - not fun, I was up at the bar - with the only other biker - and we heard this thunderous crash - I asked the barman what the hell was that - "Just the waves" fellow biker looked at me and we both said Christ the bikes. I knew mine was tied down very securely, however they also put more tiedowns on them as well. So bikes were well - unlike their owners, never ever upchucked before - on that trip - everyone was regurgitating! toilets flooded - jesus it was like a flamin sewer. They should never have left Picton.

[Lou Girardin]

Don't use your sidestand. You risk breaking the sidestand/mounting bracket if you do.

I doubt that, plus many bikes don't have centrestands. Then don't forget that the deck is steel and the bike will slide around on a centrestand and loosen the tie downs.
Save some grief, use 4 tiedowns and the sidestand. Then pray that the guy next to you does the same.