Securing a motorcycle to a trailer or the back of your pickup truck is vital if you want to transport it safely. Without being properly secured, a bike can rattle around in the back and even fall out. In the worst-case scenarios, this can cause accidents or injuries.
Most motorcycle tie-down tutorials will recommend using at least one chock. Wheel chocks are small wedges that you fit underneath the wheels of your bike, so it doesn’t move back and forth.
But what if you don’t have a wheel chock on hand or don’t have the budget to purchase new ones? You can tie a motorcycle down on your trailer without a chock, but you have to follow a specific process to guarantee safety.
Tying Down A Motorcycle Safely
Remember: Ensuring that your motorcycle’s tires remain in place is vital when tying down a motorcycle safely without chocks.
Before you begin tying your motorcycle down, try to find an improvised chock that you can use instead of the real thing. A piece of wood, a brick, or a suitably shaped piece of plastic can effectively accomplish this goal - which is better than completely foregoing the use of any chock.
However, remember to keep your motorcycle’s size and weight in mind. Heavier motorcycles have more momentum to bring to a stop. Also, bear in mind; the more fragile chock replacement pieces might not do the job for bigger bikes.
As for securing and tying down your bike without a chock, follow this process for the best results:
- Apply soft straps to your motorcycle, securing the ends to the sides of your trailer or the fixtures on your truck bed.
- Loop each soft strap to a ratchet strap.
- Then, compress your shocks a bit — this will prevent the straps from disengaging if you drive on a bumpy road.
- Be sure to pick your anchor points carefully. For the optimal results, use two straps at the front, two at the back, and one on each side.
- You can also wrap some soft straps around the bases of both the left and right handlebars.
- Make sure that there isn’t any slack in the straps. Tighten them repeatedly until your bike stands perfectly still, even if you throw your entire weight behind it.
- Before taking your bike on an extended trip, drive your truck around the block a few times to test the setup.
That's it! As you can see, tying down your motorcycle on a trailer without a chock is possible. However, the straps must be ultra-secure and very tight to ensure safe transportation.
Should You Tie Down A Motorcycle Without A Chock?
It is strongly advised to avoid tying down a motorcycle without a chock if it can be avoided. Whenever possible, either get a wheel chock or a replacement material. Tying down your bike should accomplish a fine job of preventing movement while you drive around, but a chock is always a prudent safety measure.
Regardless, make sure that you invest in high-quality straps and hooks for your motorcycle. The last thing you want is one of the straps breaking while you are on the freeway.
