Can I lay the bike on the side for transport?

Have to transport the bike on my utility trailer but I'm afraid it tips over. Can I lay it on the side for transport? Or will it leak any fluids or will I break anything on it?

Thanks.

Drain the gas and you'll probably be alright. My bikes spent as much time on it's side as it has rubber side up, anyhow.

I would think there would be an angle you would not want to pass unless drained of gas oil and coolant.
As for what that angle would be to the respective fluid I have no idea.
Happy to contribute the useless post...

How far do you have to go?

I'd do everything possible to transport in upright position.

The vibrations and knocks to bike while on it's side would be pretty stressful. (I would think)

In the upright position the suspension and tires, even when strapped down tight, has a chance to absorb the shocks and vibrations.


If you HAVE to do it with bike on side, I'd drain every single fluid, remove the battery, and pad the underside of bike heavily.

Take pictures of what you end up doing.

I see no detrimental effects. You'll probably lose some gas if you don't drain it. The ONLY other possibility is some oil making it's way out the breather hose to the airbox, but that's located on the right side of the valve cover. Lean it on it's left side it shouldn't be an issue.

The battery is sealed (says it right in the service manual). The cooling system is sealed, so long as your rad cap is on and the drain bolt is tight.

I'd still lay it on something padded so you don't scuff stuff up, but it should be fine, really.

Of course you *can*


Enroute home from a two KLR trip to the Kootenays in 2008, ZED's rear tire refused to continue holding air about an hour & a half from home (he'd had a slow leak from a wrong sized tube issue for most of the weekend). It was beginning to rain and we had no desire to change a tube roadside (I'd also crashed & probably broken some ribs a couple of days previously, so wouldn't have been all that much help with the tire work), so, much as we hate two up, we left his bike in a rest stop and doubled home on my KLR.

After stripping off our wet gear and hitching the trailer to the car, we were about 1/2 way back to the bike when we realized that the ignition key was in ZED's wet jacket..... at home.... and of course he'd locked the bars when we left the bike.

Rather than make a late night even later, we decided to lever the bike up onto the trailer with the ramp & push it onto its side, strapping it down tightly for the trip home. A few spots on the nerf bars lost a bit of paint, but it's a battered dual-sport, who really cares

Now, having also hauled bikes in an upright position (and had one take a header off a trailer when the suspension sproinged a strap off ), I really would choose upright. Hauling a dual sport bike (with long travel suspension) on an open trailer can be made less stressful by blocking between the bottom of the triple clamp & the front wheel so that you don't have to ratchet the straps down so tightly that you risk blowing a fork seal.

Thanks for the replies. I don't wanna scuff mine up so I gathered some scrap 2x4, 2x6 and plywood and built myself some stand to put the front wheel into it so it stands right up. Still have to screw it to the trailer but it's dark outside already. Will take pics tomorrow.

You gotta be jokin'... I'm sorry... I don't get it.

My father would not only turn-over in his grave, but grab me by the throat and drag me under ground with him.

I've four-wheel'd into stuff the truck would barely make with the bikes standing up and gear, gas, equipment (Etc.) stuffed between them.

Why would anyone purposely lie their prized possession over on the side to transport it.

I guess I love my bikes more than that. I don't even want to lie them down on accident.

Yes, I crash. ...and when I do I crash hard. Not on purpose do I that's an accident.

I'm in the love your bike and it will love you back camp.

Can you... Yes. Not a problem. Go for it.

Just remember, we call it "Rubber side down" for a reason.

Well this is what I built. Should be good enough. Of course the bike gets strapped down as well.

WRXR wrote:

Well this is what I built. Should be good enough. Of course the bike gets strapped down as well.

Look like it should do the job just fine

If you add a block of wood between the top of the tire and the bottom of the triple clamp so that as you tighten down the straps on the bars it tightens in there, you'll *know* that a big bump won't loosen your straps, giving the bike a chance to escape. It may not be common, but we had it happen with a KLR. It would give a bit more peace of mind and only cost an additional 2x4.

Thats a good idea thanks!

KLRchickie wrote:

If you add a block of wood between the top of the tire and the bottom of the triple clamp so that as you tighten down the straps on the bars it tightens in there, you'll *know* that a big bump won't loosen your straps, giving the bike a chance to escape. It may not be common, but we had it happen with a KLR. It would give a bit more peace of mind and only cost an additional 2x4.

IMO, I would think that's all you would need if you do the straps correctly.

Something I do is put the bike up on the Motorsport P12 Lift Stand in the bed/trailer and strap it down with two straps in the front from the handlebars to the front corners of the bed/trailer and two straps from the rear of the seat frame to the rear corners of the bed/trailer. When I do this the bike is like a part of the truck and there is zero weight on the bikes complete suspension. I've been four wheeling many times while the bike was secured like this and have never had a problem.

Putting the bike on the stand probably wouldn't work too well if you were transporting more than one bike and I would definitely use a "fork saver"(you could probably make one our of a 2x4).

Here's a picture of one:

I like that fork saver! Let's see if I can find another piece of 2x4.

WRXR wrote:

Well this is what I built. Should be good enough. Of course the bike gets strapped down as well.

Plenty good enough.

~mike

Yup back from the trip, worked great. 2x4 fork saver was great, too.

There is NO REASON to lay the bike down on the trailer. Strap it down properly (upright) and it will stay in place no matter how long or rough the ride.

If you're (irrationally) not comfy strapping the bike down upright consider this technique.

https://wr250rforum.forumotion.com/t3013-one-minute-loading-technique

WRXR: You're equally insane. That is the most cumbersome wheel chock in history. No design awards for you my friend. Unless they have one for "least elegant".

holy overkill!

i've ordered some pitbull wheel chocks since this pic, but if you strap the bike down right, you don't even really need them


but hey, i'm just glad to see you didn't transport it on it's side

[quote="Vortac"i've ordered some pitbull wheel chocks since this pic, but if you strap the bike down right, you don't even really need them quote]

Glad you have got some chocks coming. The way you have that tied down it will stay in place---until---you lose traction at the front wheel. Wet or oil would do it then that puppy will lay down faster than a tired dog on a hot day.

Meh....I transported my FZR400 for years in the back of a pickup truck lashed down just like Votac's method.

Only difference was I also used tie-down straps on the rear too in order to keep it from bouncing up and/or sideways.

Never ever had an issue with the front moving ever.

Granted - the fzr did not have the suspension travel of the X, but it's still the same principle.

Sinched down, that front is rock solid as long as the front of the tire can't move forward.
My front anchor points were forward of the front axle so not only were the tie-downs pulling down, they were pulling forward a bit too.

Rock solid. No need for wheel chock. All depends on your set-up really.

I love WRXR's overkill. A work of art.

All that matters is that it worked. Bike and rider went and returned unharmed.
Style points are less important than functional points.

Don't disagree with the P\U info--I still carry mine that way about once a week and over some very rough roads--I too use a rear strap. I have had my KTM go down once in the P\u even with one rear and two front straps--of course it had been beaten over several miles of 4x4 rough road and when it tossed sideways the truck was moving along an embankment at about a 25-30 degree angle to miss a mud hole.
My comments were based on my previous use of a wooden floored utility trailer--I dumped a couple tied down just like this when the wood got wet and the tire makes a sideways move--down it goes. In any event I think he said he has a pingle coming and that removes the issue of lateral movement.

motokid wrote:

Meh....I transported my FZR400 for years in the back of a pickup truck lashed down just like Votac's method.

Only difference was I also used tie-down straps on the rear too in order to keep it from bouncing up and/or sideways.

Never ever had an issue with the front moving ever.

Granted - the fzr did not have the suspension travel of the X, but it's still the same principle.

Sinched down, that front is rock solid as long as the front of the tire can't move forward.
My front anchor points were forward of the front axle so not only were the tie-downs pulling down, they were pulling forward a bit too.

Rock solid. No need for wheel chock. All depends on your set-up really.

I love WRXR's overkill. A work of art.

All that matters is that it worked. Bike and rider went and returned unharmed.
Style points are less important than functional points.

:

Once had the trailer airborn - literally - and the straps held. Used four that day though as we going deep.

I'm pretty bad for over analyzing stuff but maybe you have me beat here
I have never had problems with transporting literally hundreds of bikes from PW50 to Goldwings in the past 30 years using only tie downs, you can do almost anything with 4 of them and if you have to suspend the bike you can triangulate them and put the bike anywhere you want to
Think 4 straps and 45 degree angles
The problem with a wheel chock like that it holds part of the bike solid and the rest of the bike is going to move around, the downs have a little soft motion so they are easier on things

4 will normally do the job, the original pic to me did not appear to have 4 straps as you describe. In my pickup I normally use 3 since the bike is in the short bed with the tailgate closed--it is angled between the front left corner and the right rear corner with 3 straps triangulated. Still it has been pitched over under the right set of circumstances--keep in mind that my set of circumstances is rather, umm, demanding at times. When I haul 2 bikes--tailgate down--then I four point the bikes--no chocks--but my bed is Rhino-lined and the channels in the bed act almost a good as chocks.

0007onWR wrote:

I'm pretty bad for over analyzing stuff but maybe you have me beat here
I have never had problems with transporting literally hundreds of bikes from PW50 to Goldwings in the past 30 years using only tie downs, you can do almost anything with 4 of them and if you have to suspend the bike you can triangulate them and put the bike anywhere you want to
Think 4 straps and 45 degree angles
The problem with a wheel chock like that it holds part of the bike solid and the rest of the bike is going to move around, the downs have a little soft motion so they are easier on things

Hey guys I know it looks and probably IS overkill and it's not a piece of art BUT it gives me peace of mind and that's what counts to me. It's a way more relaxed trip if I don't have to watch my rearview mirror all the time because it could tip over at any bump.

Plus it did not cost anything and I can throw it in / remove it within 5 minutes.