Advice for long distance motorcyle haul.

Put a piece of plywood in the back for the bike to sit on and distribute the rear weight and spread your straps out. Screw a couple of pieces of wood along the plywood for wheel channels if you want to get fancy- or just do it the easy way and use a trailer. Of course I'm a glutton for punishment and used to carry my DRZ400 on a hitch hauler (you need upgraded suspension for this). My V-Strom occasionally got trailered because I have a camper shell on the back.

ETA- I have a set of these wheel chocks for my trailer (the trailer is set up so I can configure it for one or two bikes): http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200409163_200409163.
Harbor Freight sells what looks to be the same thing for less:

 

I don't use those eyelets to tie down the bike, I use the bed anchors for that. The eyelets really just hold the chock in place when it's empty (and make it easy to carry with one finger). They don't really serve any other purpose. The chock provides lateral and vertical stabilizing, the bike itself is secured to the truck's anchors.

 

I prefer this Harbour fright wheel chock(I have both btw) It costs way less, and allows for a better mounting. I mounted it to a piece of wood, cut to fit the front dimensions of the bed. In the pic below, it is built for my old Honda Ridgeline, but I have the same thing to fit at the front of a LB Tacoma bed. It is notched to tuck infront of the wheel wells.



I use the truck mounting locations for my straps. When I am driving around at my destination it can stay in the bed without being messed with as it blends in with the black paint.

 

so @HawkShot99 you prefer the top one? or the one you pictured?

I would think the top one would be better for holding the front wheel and being more stable

 

The cheap one I have mounted to the wood in my post. The fancier one, doesnt have a easy way of securing it in the bed of the truck.

 

YES

 

I have hauled bikes. A LOT. All types, in all types of trucks and trailers. Keep it simple, don't overthink it.....DO NOT compress the front forks too much, it won't help like you think....and can do damage. Strap each handle bar being very mindful of cables and wires, lock the lines, if its a long trip with a heavy bike, use a slightly looser secondary strap as back up on each side. Bike in gear, sidestand down regardless of the fact it isn't touching (trust me, it saved my bike many years ago when something else idiotic happened). single strap the rear wheel, looped around rim, strap ends to both sides of truck rear tiedowns. CHECK YOUR LOAD.....better to be safe than sorry.

Enjoy! fun bike you got there!

 

I see two posts mentioning these

so here is the third


http://www.canyondancer.com/


a canyon dancer with forks compressed a bit, [and maybe front wheel chock]

and then some small strap to keep the rear wheel from hopping up is all that is needed

 

canyon dancer. Ever wonder whose kid comes up with some of these names?

 

Thanks for all the advice folks. The trip was a success!

Bike was rock solid...used a wheel chock and 8 ratchet straps - 4 primary and 4 backups. The bike's rear wheel didn't sit on the tailgate either...