Author Topic: Transporting via Uhaul. Suggestions? (Read 2216 times)

Derek B. · « **on:** December 07, 2006, 08:15:31 PM »

Hey Y'all
I'm moving from Portland, Or to southern California in January, and intend to take my CB350f with me. I'll be renting a Uhaul cube-van and towing my little Ranger pickup behind that. Any tips for making sure a bike doesn't tip over during transport? I was thinking of parking the bike facing from corner-to-corner on a standard-sized pallet in the Uhaul with screws in the pallet for ratcheting tie-downs. Any tips/suggestions?

Thanks
-D.

HondaMan · « **Reply #1 on:** December 07, 2006, 08:34:33 PM »

This is just me, but...

I'd ratchet down the bike in the back of the pickup and store the other stuff in the trailer.

brimar6 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 07, 2006, 08:55:05 PM »

I second that!!

kghost · « **Reply #3 on:** December 07, 2006, 10:16:13 PM »

Third.

Plus don't tell U-haul as its prohibited in the rental contract. Something about a vehicle with gas, oil, and battery inclosed in there that makes them nervous

Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er · « **Reply #4 on:** December 07, 2006, 10:46:06 PM »

4th that idea!.

Just be sure to compress the front end as far as possible to prevent it from bouncing around and throwing off the straps.
Should you still consider using the UHaul I'm sure it would have a wooden floor that you could attach wheel chocks to &/or screw in large eye bolts for the straps. I'm sure UHaul wouldn't mind

For extra insurance you could use spare car/truck tires (no wheels) for bumpers like you would with a boat.

Rsnip988 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 07, 2006, 11:17:39 PM »

I fifth the bike in the truck idea, full compression before ratcheting is the key

RKS

Raul CB750K1 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 07, 2006, 11:55:25 PM »

If you are transporting your mattress too, put it in the side of the truck, lean the bike against it and strap the bike to the wall not the floor. If you don't want to use your mattress you can always buy some foam or "white cork".

Raul

Rsnip988 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 08, 2006, 12:11:29 AM »

haha

make a bike sandwich between the boxspring and matredss

not a bad idea though, I'd still roll with the truck idea

RKS

kghost · « **Reply #8 on:** December 08, 2006, 01:49:03 AM »

Don't know that I would FULLY compress those forks / shocks.

But I would preload them about half the travel.

Trick is to get it to ride on its suspension without bouncing all over or throwing a strap.

tsflstb · « **Reply #9 on:** December 08, 2006, 05:39:00 AM »

Yeah, don't ratchet the front down completely. You may blow out your fork seals if you drive cross country like that...don't ask me how I know.

Rsnip988 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 08, 2006, 06:36:08 AM »

excellent points, I am going to replace my fork seals anyway so i didnt think of that...

RKS

csendker · « **Reply #11 on:** December 08, 2006, 07:14:35 AM »

I trailered mine twice; once when I bought it and once when I broke it (actually ran out of gas, forgot to turn on the petcock and didn't figure it out 'till I got it home, duh

). I put it on the centerstand, compressed the front forks but not to their limit and synched down the back end to keep it from bouncing around. Use the real ratcheting tie-downs, the 'slider' types will slip badly. If it's secured properly, I don't think you'll need to set it at an angle - mine was parallel with the trailer and was OK.

Rushoid · « **Reply #12 on:** December 08, 2006, 07:27:14 AM »

When I bought my bike, I had to transport it about 120 miles in my truck. I loaded the front, but only about 1/2 way. Same with the back. I also had ratchet straps wrapped around the frame (front and back) and anchored on both sides. Then I tied one around the back tire to keep it from rolling (left it in neutral) and had the front tire wedged into the corner of the bed. I had a total of 8 anchor points and the bike didn't budge. And my truck bounces a lot.

My point is: There's no such thing as too many straps.

oldbiker · « **Reply #13 on:** December 08, 2006, 07:50:04 AM »

A small point, but it is also worth putting a rubber band on the front brake lever to hold on the front brake.

petersan · « **Reply #14 on:** December 08, 2006, 07:54:53 AM »

Maybe I'm an idiot - well, scratch that. I know I'm an idiot. But I transported 3 bikes in one 24' box truck when I moved across country. I don't have a truck and didn't want to also rent a trailer. But I emptied the tanks, disconnected batteries and parked them facing the front of the truck. Using only two tie downs per bike, I left the bike on the side stand (I think it's better - gives you a larger 'footprint' compared to the center stand), and with one strap on each side of the handle bars - I secured by partially compressing the front fork with the tie downs connected to the rings supplied inside the truck. I was certain those things were not going to move an inch. PLUS then I packed my stuff around them, fully covering the bikes - there was no chance they could go down. After a few thousand miles, they all arrived unharmed and unscratched.

crazypj · « **Reply #15 on:** December 08, 2006, 08:25:02 AM »

Take off the mirrors, your going long distance.
If you have time, the indicator stalks and direction indicators (maybe even clutch lever, the brake gets tied to bar)
Then pack stuff all around it.
Cover bike with an old sheet or blanket then it cant fall over even if it wants to

PJ

csendker · « **Reply #16 on:** December 08, 2006, 08:56:25 AM »

If it's going in with all your stuff, you may want to put a tarp or something under/around it to catch any drips of oil or whatever. I could never pack my mattresses or stuff around mine because they'd come out smelling of gas and oil.

Derek B. · « **Reply #17 on:** December 08, 2006, 03:43:25 PM »

Wow. Thanks for the suggestions, y'all. I thought I'd only get a bite or two on this post. I'd have to take the canopy off of the truck to put the bike back there, and I figured it'd be easier to just roll the bike up into the uhaul. I'm trying to set myself up so I can do as much loading/unloading by myself as possible since the only large piece of furniture I have is a couch (but tons of extra 350f stuff and music equipment).

I had to move the bike several times in my old van, and had it tip over once...spilled gas all over, broke the #1 sparkplug and boot, broke the left-side mirror, and bent the left-side brake lever. I like the "bike sandwich" idea. I was already thinking I'd remove the tank to at least negate that possibility of spillage.

Gordon · « **Reply #18 on:** December 08, 2006, 03:50:27 PM »

Quote from: petersan on December 08, 2006, 07:54:53 AM

Maybe I'm an idiot - well, scratch that. I know I'm an idiot. But I transported 3 bikes in one 24' box truck when I moved across country. I don't have a truck and didn't want to also rent a trailer. But I emptied the tanks, disconnected batteries and parked them facing the front of the truck. Using only two tie downs per bike, I left the bike on the side stand (I think it's better - gives you a larger 'footprint' compared to the center stand), and with one strap on each side of the handle bars - I secured by partially compressing the front fork with the tie downs connected to the rings supplied inside the truck. I was certain those things were not going to move an inch. PLUS then I packed my stuff around them, fully covering the bikes - there was no chance they could go down. After a few thousand miles, they all arrived unharmed and unscratched.

Sounds pretty much exactly like what I did. Moved two bikes from Austin, TX to Oregon, and one bike from Oregon to Denver in this way with no problems.

News:

Author Topic: Transporting via Uhaul. Suggestions? (Read 2216 times)

Derek B.

brimar6

Derek B.