10 Easy Steps To Tie Down A Motocycle on a Truck Bed

Truck beds offer numerous benefits! You can easily transport your Motorcycle by carefully strapping it on a truck bed.

However, you need to practice this task with utmost caution since bikes are vulnerable and could be damaged by a bad tie down.

Furthermore, when you tie down a motorcycle appropriately in a truck bed, you’ll be able to avoid accidents on the roads.

If you are interested in knowing how to tie down a Motorcycle on a truck, you came to the right place!

We’ll explain in detail how to carry out this task, allowing you to conduct it securely and in a straightforward manner. Without further ado, let’s dive in.

How To Tie Down A Motorcycle On A Truck Bed

Since this process can be complicated, you can call a friend to assist you. Here’s what you need:

• Wheel chock
• Ramps
• Tie down straps

Follow these steps to safely tie down a Motorcycle:

1. Prepare A Position To Place The Motorcycle

Begin by attaching a wheel chock at the end of your truck’s bed. It’s advisable to place it at the centre. Wheel chocks are vital appliances since they allow your motorcycle’s tire to remain secure whether you are traveling or not.

Check whether your truck bed has attachment holes to place the wheel chock. If not, you can simply install the wheel chock temporarily to guarantee safe travel.

You can purchase wheel chocks at local automotive stores. Without a doubt, they are great investments and would allow you to safely travel while preserving your motorbike.

2. Use a Ramp To Load The Motorcycle To The Truck Bed

Remove the tailgate of the Pickup truck if your motorbike is heavy. Place a ramp diagonally on the further end of the truck bed and connect it to the floor. Proceed to load the motorcycle into the truck bed by rolling it slowly.

During this time, use your strength to avoid slip ups since the motorcycle may tip over, causing irreversible damage. You can ask for help to avoid making mistakes.

Lastly, don’t use wooden planks since they are not strong enough to support the weight of the motorbike.

3. Place The Front Wheel In The Wheel Chock

Continue rolling the bike and place the front wheel in the wheel chock. Once the front wheel is secured in the wheel chock, you’ll hear a click. That sound will determine whether the bike is in an accurate position.

Don’t lay down the kickstand. Instead, let it remain in a raised position. Or perhaps you can lower it temporarily until you start tying the bike on the truck bed.

4. Ensure The Front Wheel Is Secure On The Wheel Chock

You can ask for assistance while doing this part of the job. Ask your partner to hold the bike straight. You can also tell him or her to sit on the bike to ensure it remains upright without leaning towards the other side.

If you are tying the bike on your own, you can let the bike remain tilted temporarily as you assemble everything you’ll need to tie down the bike on the truck bed.

5. Tie the straps on the truck bed

The most secure way to tie a bike is by using tie down straps. Avoid using regular ropes since they are not secure and you might end up causing more harm than good.

Check whether your truck bed has hooks or loops to tie the straps. Place the bike in an upright position, tie the end of a strap on the truck bed and ensure it’s completely secure.

6. Tie a strap on one of the suspension tubes

Check whether your truck bed has an attachment where you can tie the straps.

Start tying the strap on the same side you already did. Tie around the tube and around the rubbery parts of the shock absorber not directly.

7. Attach the strap ropes to the Motorcycle

Tie ropes on the strap and loop them around the front tire of the motorbike. Once the rope is tight, you can proceed to the next step.

This part can be tricky. Therefore, you can use a helping hand. You can tell your partner to sit on the bike to guarantee you tie the straps securely. Also it allows you to do the job easily since you won’t have to pull the strap towards one side.

8. Complete the above process on the other side of the front wheel

Once you have securely tied down one side of the motorbike, you can proceed to do the same thing on the other side as well. Tie the other side tightly around the rubbery parts of the shock absorber.

Next, ensure the motorbike is equally tied down and one side is not leaning. The bike should be in an upright position.

9. Tie the straps on the rear tie as well

Once you are done tying down the front wheel, you can proceed to tie the rear tire as well. Check to see whether the truck bed has hooks or holes to loop the straps after tying them around the rear tire.

Secure the straps and ensure you have tied them tightly to avoid unfortunate situations and damages.

Ensure you tie the straps around the rear tire and not on any spokes whatsoever.

10. Attach the strap on a ratchet strap

Tie the strap on the other sides of the truck bed on both sides. Ensure it’s entirely tight.

Lastly, you can tie down any loose straps to ensure they don’t flail. Avoiding this step can ruin your motorbike especially if you drive at high speeds. You can either loop them on the trailer or tie a knot.

Note: As you drive, it’s important to keep an eye on the motorbike and the straps to avoid future problems. Once you notice a strap is loose, you can simply pull up, tighten it and continue with your journey.

Tips You Can Use While Tying Down Your Motorbike

Below are a few tips to keep in mind when strapping down your motorbike on a truck bed.

• Avoid using regular ropes to tie your motorbike since they are not strong enough and you won’t be able to tie your motorbike tightly. Instead, it’s best to purchase high-quality straps from any automotive store. You can choose between ratchet straps or cam straps
• Before you place your bike in the truck bed, to ensure it remains in an upright position, set the Motorcycle's parking brakes. On the other hand if your bike is manual, just put the truck into gear.
• Depending on your bike’s weight, you can remove the tailgate to prevent damage whatsoever. For instance, if your bike weighs 400 lbs, it’s best to remove the tailgate. Before commencing this process, you need to ensure your truck bed’s tailgate can support your bike’s weight.
• Use a good ramp when loading the bike into the truck bed. You can purchase steel ramps for as little as $50 so be on the lookout for offers at your local hardware store.
• When tying the bike down, ensure you are securing it from all forces to prevent drawbacks.
• Regardless of the fact that it’s important to tighten your straps, don’t overdo it by overtightening. Since the bike will be moving, the straps might break loose.
• Once you have completed the process, double check everything to ensure you did the right thing. If you forgot to do a few things, you can go back and do them correctly.
• You can look into appliances that will make your work easier such as wheel chocks and Canyon dancer bar harness to ensure the process runs smoothly. You can also ask your family or friends for help.

Is a Wheel Chock necessary?

Well, wheel chocks are recommended since they make the process easier and secure your motorbike. Experts strongly advise against tying a motorbike without a wheel chock.

Furthermore, wheel chocks offer various benefits. For instance, they ensure your bike doesn’t move as the truck moves. It’s one of the tools that safeguard your motorbike, preventing damage.

To avoid problems that would need repairs that are more expensive than wheel chocks, it’s best to invest in the appliance. The last thing you need is straps breaking while you are driving!

Conclusion

Tying a bike on a truck bed is a process that needs utmost caution to prevent damage. Use our steps and tips to safely tie down a motorbike on your truck bed.