Securing the CT125 to a Bumper Mounted Motorcycle Carrier

[Mother Goose]

After having the CT for six months now I find my self locked in by roads that just aren't meant for a CT125 with a top speed of 55 mph (With other drivers going way over 55), so I bought a Black Widow Motorcycle carrier. It has four tie down points. I have some two inch loops which I'll attach to the handlebars and then use tie down straps to secure the front of the bike to the carrier. I have a large crate on the rear of the bike and I'm not 100% sure how to tie down the back end. Couple of questions:

- Based on your experiences, what is the best way to secure the rear of the CT125?
- Cam buckle or ratchet straps?
- Best length?
- Any brands that you'd recommend?

I enclosed a photo of my Trail with the crate attached. Please note I moved the crate to the rear of the rack so it doesn't hit me in the back while riding it. I would say there's a 3" to 4" gap now between the front of the rack and the crate.

Thanks in Advance

Mother Goose

 

[BaldRider]

Hopefully your Black Widow was welded better than mine

The one time I used mine, I tied down with these.

Amazon.com

 

[m in sc]

blue strap is to dampen any movement.. went back to hitch frame under car (not nec but helps keep it quiet)

 

[Salty Sway]

PowerTye 1" Cam Buckle With Soft Tye Tie-Downs | 7% ($2.00) Off! - RevZilla

Closeout Sale! Save 7% ($2.00) today when you shop RevZilla for your PowerTye 1" Cam Buckle With Soft Tye Tie-Downs! Free Shipping, Lowest Price Guaranteed & Top of the Line Expert Service.

www.revzilla.com

We have used ones with built in soft-hooks for decades, front set on the handlebars or around the bottom triple clamp, rack for the rear.

 

[Mother Goose]

Thanks all your replys were great, Baldrider however now has me worried about the rack I purchased. I'm guessing nothing that can't be rewelded or reenforced

 

[Kev250R]

This is a topic which has been hotly debated on this site in the past so I won't rehash that. I will say that I personally use good-quality (I'm partial to Ancra) Cam Buckle straps (with the built-in soft loop or shackle) on my bikes and ATV's regardless of if they are riding on my trailer (which due to stiff leaf springs bounces around a lot) or my Hitch Carrier. Last summer my Trail and my TW logged about 1,000 miles running back and forth to my local mountains on my Hitch carrier with cam buckles at all four corners. No problems, though it is important to slightly compress the suspension on the bike. I also tie a knot in the slack around the tight-portion of the strap for good measure, however in 25 years of hauling various off-road toys this way (except for cars) I've yet to have a problem using good-quality Cam Buckle straps.

In the end use whatever you're comfortable with. Rigging, lifting and hauling heavy, most of the time ruined things is a part of my job so I don't skimp on quality equipment (so none of the cheap straps, ratchet or otherwise from any of the big box stores) and I have a whole family of different types of straps, ropes and chains (but that's a whole different ball game) I use depending on what the need is. I'm the same way with the straps I use for my toys. In fact each bike and ATV I own has it's own dedicated set of straps which travel with them and they are replaced as-needed.

As far as Hitch carriers go, I'm partial to the one Zieman Trailers makes. It's heavy, expensive and may not be in production anymore (though it is still listed on their website). Mine has carried a 500cc Dirt Bike with no signs of stress. Whatever Carrier you use I recommend adding an LED Strip Tail/Turn light to it since often the trailights of whatever vehicle you're using may be obscured by the bike you're hauling.

 

[Mother Goose]

I received my Black Widow Carrier AMC-400-DLX that includes a front wheel chock. It has a limit of no more than 400 pounds. I ordered the aluminum one due to the fact it was a bit lighter than the all steel unit (weight is listed as 58 pounds). It went together easy enough although I did add some additional washers where the bolts rested on the aluminum ramps. The build wouldn't win any awards for welding however it feels pretty solid. The two solid braces aren't exactly square either but I think it'll work just fine for a CT125.