One way to tie a Busa down in trailer with no spring loading.

[mike1180]

The challenge was to secure a busa with the minimum (or none) load on the suspension.
I have trailered bikes all my life and don’t believe in compressing the springs at all. I feel it takes some of the life out of the springs, and contributes to premature sag.
I have a trailer that I built 20 years ago with a 4000 pound axle with brakes and extremely strong, and I just can’t part with it.
I used this and had to get a ramp to fit it and be able to store in it when traveling.
The mounts consisted of:
- Baxley Sport Chock in the trailer position and with the safety lock on.
- hooks flush mounted in the trailer floor
- 3 rods, each through the front axle, rear axle and swingarm (this one on the swingarm is just for safety, as when it is depressed it does compress the springs.) These rods can be 5/8 inch redirod, or as 2 of mine, aluminum stock cut down to fit.
With the 5/8 redirod on the front axle, the nut fits right into the axle on the one side.
I put the rear of the bike on a rear stand, and that gave it a lot more stability and took the load off the tire. I tied the rear stand down to the trailer, and then a loop for the tie down to fit in, and then another rope to tie the rear stand down further.
It all works good and I thought I would share as there may be some ideas someone could use.

 

[Evil_keeps_me_young]

 

[mike1180]

Here is a better pic of the front redi rod:

 

[slngshott]

How do you slide a bar through the bake axle with cotter pins through for safety? Do you not use any on you axle nut?

 

[mike1180]

How do you slide a bar through the bake axle with cotter pins through for safety? Do you not use any on you axle nut?

I have one of the clips that I use on the axle rods and put that in when it comes down off the trailer. Works great, easier and quicker than a cotter pin.

 

[chrisjp]

not a bad idea

 

[Busa1166]

Nice That bikes look real clean i hope you were taking her some place to get dirty

 

[outlawbusa]

Very unique idea. Thanks for sharing~!~

 

[suzuki4life]

I like the idea of strapping it into the chock...that right there is probably good enough to hold the bike in reality.

The rear....ever consider making new brackets for your rear stand so it can somehow bolt onto the new axle point?

If you did that and made your tie downs a bit stronger (I don't like rope...bolts would be miles ahead)...I would say your setup is near bullet proof.

 

[mike1180]

I like the idea of strapping it into the chock...that right there is probably good enough to hold the bike in reality.

The rear....ever consider making new brackets for your rear stand so it can somehow bolt onto the new axle point?

If you did that and made your tie downs a bit stronger (I don't like rope...bolts would be miles ahead)...I would say your setup is near bullet proof.

That is the next mod this winter.
The rear stand will use the rod that goes through the rear axle, as the hinge point.

 

[Greenbean]

Thats using your melon!

I likey that.

 

[TheAtomicAss]

You do realize that compressing a spring does not affect it's life, if you're not over-compressing it, right? What kills springs is use. As in the forks and swingarm moving up and down. ???

 

[mike1180]

You do realize that compressing a spring does not affect it's life, if you're not over-compressing it, right? What kills springs is use. As in the forks and swingarm moving up and down. ???

We differ on that point.
ie:
It is in the instructions of every torque wrench to move the load to "zero" after each use and not store it with a load on it, as it will weaken the springs and make the readings inaccurate.
I figure that theory goes for the springs in my suspension too.
When you put a load on the suspension when tieing it down, that same load can be duplicated from a bump, but the bump is only for a second, and the tieing down is for hours or even days.
Hey JMO

 

[KappaSigBusa]

great ideas!!

 

[BillD]

nice idea, , just seems like an awful lot of work, I just usually use a canyon dancer and two tie downs, and maybe two at the back for bouce, nothing gets touched and it works perfectly

 

[TheAtomicAss]

We differ on that point.
ie:
It is in the instructions of every torque wrench to move the load to "zero" after each use and not store it with a load on it, as it will weaken the springs and make the readings inaccurate.
I figure that theory goes for the springs in my suspension too.
When you put a load on the suspension when tieing it down, that same load can be duplicated from a bump, but the bump is only for a second, and the tieing down is for hours or even days.
Hey JMO

I find after about 100 or so uses my torque wrenches read low on calibration. I've turned torque wrenches back, and I've left them up, and they still calibrate the same, depending on how much they've been used.

Opinion is good, but metallurgy is very much a science.

 

[mike1180]

Opinion is good, but metallurgy is very much a science.

That's why the instructions are to take the load off the spring, when not in use.

 

[BA BUSA]

It would be safer without the rear stand.

 

[dangerous dave]

i dont see how strapping your bike down for a trip is any worse on your springs than riding it.

 

[berryman]

You can ruin fork seals if you put to much of a load on your forks while transporting a bike. I've seen guys just keep on yanking on those straps...