Tying down bike question

[Son of Pappy]

2 pages of how to tie down a C14!  I could've had my canyon dancers on and off and been to the track and back 6 times

Track?  You've had the 14 on the track, bags and all?   I ride mine there, never, ever seen the inside of a trailer   I can understand a trailer for logistical reasons, but drag a bike to a ride?  Seems wrong.  Tell ya what Steve, if you beg I will send ya an elk hoof if that will help ya out

[stevewfl]

Shouldn't you be off talking with your imaginary female- dealer friends or rubbing your fob or something....

 

Brian

Yes, and send hoof!  I'll see her next time i go in for minor warranty work on this magical extended warranty 

Track?  You've had the 14 on the track, bags and all?   I ride mine there, never, ever seen the inside of a trailer   I can understand a trailer for logistical reasons, but drag a bike to a ride?  Seems wrong.  Tell ya what Steve, if you beg I will send ya an elk hoof if that will help ya out

I think I said I "could've" been at the track 6 times or such....    time representation....  not laming my bike to a track.  In all seriousness for quite some time I've wanted to throw my C14 on the track to get pics with the bags in a turn but have always taken a different bike instead.

Although i still used the right solution, canyon dancers 

[maxtog]

I searched and came up dry.

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=12141.0
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=4375.0
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=414.0
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=9551

20 seconds

No guaranteeing any answers there, but NEVER the handlebars.

[stevewfl]

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=12141.0
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=4375.0
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=414.0
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=9551

20 seconds

No guaranteeing any answers there, but NEVER the handlebars.

Unless one is about the herd mentality of internet chatter/forums.  My stealership ONLY uses the handlebars with canyon dancers  to haul C14's (and any other bike) on their trailer, and according to them thousands of miles of C14 transport no drama =)

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14/71/993/4142/ITEM/Canyon-Dancer-Bar-Harness.aspx

[maxtog]

Unless one is about the herd mentality of internet chatter/forums.  My stealership ONLY uses the handlebars with canyon dancers  to haul C14's (and any other bike) on their trailer, and according to them thousands of miles of C14 transport no drama =)

My stealership delivered mine using ties to the head/tubes not the handlebars.  Just going by what they did, what my friend (who is into this stuff) said, and what I have seen said on the forums... that using the handlebars is not the "correct" (or perhaps "best") way to tie down a heavy bike with cast aluminum bars.

I just checked both the owner's manual and service manual and neither had anything to say about it, surprisingly (unless I just couldn't find it and it is in there).

[stevewfl]

Its all good anyway    Plus, a fresh FOB battery and we'll not need to haul 'em

[B.D.F.]

Just to add a different sort of fuel to the fire, it is probably 'best' not to strap any motorcycle down using the handlebars whether they are aluminum or steel, cast or drawn and bent. Let's be honest, the triple clamp is far, far more rugged than the ends of the handlebars and much less likely to be damaged. So I think I will stick with my earlier posts but expand them to include all motorcycles: if there is time and resources available, I would use some part of the frame or major suspension part to anchor the bike to the floor of the trailer. If not, the bike must be towed and Canyon Dancers are what is available, I would use them on any motorcycle that I know of with a degree of reason which we should all use all the time anyway.

Or maybe just put a couple of really big rocks in the saddlebags and leave the bike on the sidestand. 

Finally, no one has yet discussed whether the straps holding the bike down should be synthetic or not....

Brian

[Son of Pappy]

Hemp Brian, hemp

[Daytona_Mike]

 I have  Canyon dancers and although very convenient  they are not my preferred choice.
Never use Canyon Dancers on C10  Heli Bars. You will strip out the ridges locking the shafts to the clamps rendering your  Heli Bars useless. I know this because it happened to me.
On long distances like  trips on the Auto Train which I do every year   (850mi each way). Do not use Canyon Dancers  They will make a mess of your Murphs grips or ruin foam grips. I know this too from experience.
I  prefer strapping from the lower triple tree  as suggested above and I go from the left fork towards the right and vice versa  so that the straps  cross each  other.. This method prevents the straps from rubbing on the faring.
I also cable tie each hook so they cannot disconnect on a heavy bump or heavy braking.
On short trips and on ferry rides Canyon Dancers are convenient for sure but not the best way to secure the bike on long trips.

[Barry]

And just to keep it going....

IF you improperly use canyon dancers, you can deform the grip material, if you have heated grips this can destory the wires inside the grips.  I've personally seen extremely distorted grips due to canyon dancers improperly used.

That said, the lower triples, and some parts of the frame are rock solid.  I also have used the rear handrails and top case mount.  Works like a champ.

Barry

[gPink]

The plastic rear handrails as a tie down point?

[maxtog]

The plastic rear handrails as a tie down point?

??

The rear handrails are aluminum.

[gPink]

??

The rear handrails are aluminum.

??

[B.D.F.]

Maybe but if so then the aluminum in those rails is made from plastic. A long- chain polymer specifically. Dark gray, almost black and amazingly tough butt they are plastic.

They could be used to tie the bike down but if you put a strap across them and it is on the tight side the paint will wear off. I carried my briefcase by using a bungee cord wound around those rails and not only did the paint wear through but the rails actually have shallow grooves worn into them.

Brian

??

The rear handrails are aluminum.

[gPink]

Max, you gone out to check? 

[Son of Pappy]

??

The rear handrails are aluminum.

What year bike are you refering to?  It will help those looking to help

[ZG]

??

The rear handrails are aluminum.

Nope, they're plastic.

[stevewfl]

Plastic to match the cracker jack box Kawasaki decals that are plastic too 

[maxtog]

Maybe but if so then the aluminum in those rails is made from plastic.

Max, you gone out to check? 

What???  They are plastic??? Really? OMG... I thought they were aluminum!!!  Yikes!

Wait- I know why I thought they were aluminum, they *WERE* black painted aluminum on my previous bike, a ZRX.  Sorry....

[Pokey]

Hard to believe it, but my C14 is going to be trailered down to Deals Gap "long story", and we are using canyon dancers. They are not tied down very tight because the front wheels are in chocks, and we will use soft ties for the back. My friend uses nothing but canyon dancers, and he never has had an issue, of course he probably puts them on correctly too.  The next trip in 3 weeks will be all riding, no trailers this time.