After a string of cheap ’70s bikes, I bought my first decent motorcycle—a nearly-new Honda 250 dual sport. I learned a lot of lessons on that bike, and the toughest one cost me some plastics, a little pride and a fat ding in my pickup truck box. That poor Honda ended up on its side plenty of times, but it’s no fun when the ignition’s off and the incident was 100% preventable.
It’s far from the most exciting aspect of owning a bike, but sooner or later you’ll have to transport your motorcycle and there are plenty of ways to get it wrong. Whether by truck, trailer, van or hitch carrier, the basic tenants of safe passage are the same, and the investment in quality gear beats replacing parts.
Based in Hardenberg, Netherlands, AceBikes was founded in 2007 by riders who insisted on a higher standard of motorcycle transport gear. Initially a passion project, AceBikes has grown into a successful family-owned business focusing on all aspects of motorcycle handling and transport. We’ll have our hands on some of their products next month for a full review, but let’s cover the basics for now.
Cinch it Down It doesn’t take an expert to identify that the first thing you’ll need to transport your bike is a quality set of ratchet straps, but using them correctly is equal parts art and science. The key is good anchor points and just the right amount of pressure—tight enough to secure, but not so tight that your suspension weeps.
Industrious individuals are bound to have a whole bin of straps on hand, but we recommend getting a dedicated set of straps for your bike. For one, they’ll be tidy and available when you need them, but there are also loads of benefits built into bike-specific straps. AceBikes’ Ratchet Premium package, for example, has plasticized hooks, sewn-in soft straps and the right strap length—all features that make your life easier when you’re loading up.
Don’t go overboard with the size of the ratchets, but you want something that will securely handle your pride and joy. These ratchets are approved for a practical 750 daN [1,650 pounds] of pressure.
Anchor it Down Reduced to its simplest form, tying a motorcycle off requires strong anchor points and a flat surface to chock your wheel against. On the front of the bike, you’ll want to pick anchor points that pull slightly forward on the handlebars, rather than straight out. Pulling the bike forward creates three firm contact points, ensuring the motorcycle can’t rock right to left.
Use a Wheel Chock A good wheel chock is a necessity if you’re loading your motorcycle in a van or trailer, or packing multiple bikes in a tight space. The benefits are three-fold, as the chock holds the wheel in one place, reduces reliance on tie-downs for balance and provides extra stability when you’re loading and unloading.
A basic tubular wheel chock will get you by, but it’s worth investing in a higher-end chock if you want to fine-tune your setup. A chock like Acebikes’s SteadyStand Fixed has the added advantage of securing the front and back of the wheel, preventing movement in either direction. Bolt in a quality piece like this one, and you’ll be set for wheels from 10 to 19 inches and tire widths from 90 to 130 mm.
For truck beds and other situations where a bolt-in chock is impractical, the AceBikes SteadyStand provides the benefits of a bolt-in chock without drilling holes.
Secure the Rear The majority of motorcycle transport focuses on securing the front end, but there are shortcomings with this approach. The front suspension has to be compressed to keep the bike balanced, and that can damage fork seals and other components if you go beyond the normal range of travel. A fork brace can help alleviate this, but there’s more to gain by securing the rear wheel, and most transporters will insist on rear straps or a wheel strap.
Bumps and hard stops along the way can shift your bike side to side—remember, the back of the bike is already light with the front suspension compressed. If parts of your rear subframe are exposed, you can use a soft strap kit like Acebikes’ Cam Buckle Pro to even out the load by compressing the rear suspension.
That’s not always an option, as some rear subframes are concealed or otherwise not up to the task, and in that case, you’ll need a rear wheel strap like Acebikes’ TyreFix Pro. A wheel strap won’t compress the rear suspension, but it still allows you to rely less on the front straps to keep the bike planted—and it also looks damn cool.
Ramped Up Any rider with a social media account has seen the ramp fail compilation videos; it’s tragic, but you can’t look away. The ramp gets a bad wrap, but it can be used safely if you’re smart. Limit the danger level by using a high-quality ramp with a strap to keep it from sliding. The wider the ramp the better, and remember to use natural elevation to your advantage.
Photos courtesy of AceBikes | Website | Instagram
