Just to point out the obvious, but tie down straps and ratchet straps are two different animals.
True, but two different animals that are often used for the same purpose.......... ![Grin ;D](http://forums.sohc4.net/Smileys/default/grin.gif)
You are correct, but. You can use a ratchet strap for anything a tie down strap will do, but you can't use a tie down strap for everything a ratchet strap will do.
One of my favorite "other" use for a tie down strap,(actually 2), is when I need to remove the front wheel or even the forks.
I have 2 eye bolts in the ceiling of my garage above my lift table.
I put the bike on the table and lift it up to a comfortable working height and hook a tie down strap to each bolt and each end of the handle bars and snug them up.
Then I lower the table a little bit until the front tire is free from the table surface.
When finished with the work I just raise the table back up and unhook the straps.
So I guess they would actually be "tie up" starps then.