Really stupid tie down question!

[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

[cave weta]

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

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

[wbks]

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

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!!!

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 though

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

[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

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

[wbks]

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

[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:Me]

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.

[Coldrider]

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