Tieing down motorcycles

I own dirt and street bikes, and I was wondering if the bed rails and moveable cleats work well for tieing down bikes. It looks like the load limit for the rails and cleats is 220 lbs, and I would have to imagine that a tied down bike will put a load on them that is close to, or over that when driving down a bumpy road.
I am also a bit leary of bending the tailgate while loading them.
Are there folks here who have experience with tieing down bikes in their Tacoma's?

 

I tie my sport bike to the rails when I have to move it (not often).

You can also get D rings and install them at the front bed bolts...Gives you another option.

There was a guy around here a while back that made an insert out of board and a tire chock to hold bikes...

 

Go to a junk yard and get these out of a chevy blazer or similar for about a $1 each and put them on the four bolts in floor of your bed. They fold down when not in use and take up no space.

 

Thanks, Guys! The little "C" rings look like the way to go. I presume that those bed bolts go right into the frame, so there are no worries there. It was also reassuring to hear that you can just use the bed rails and cleats. The only sport bike we own is a little Ninja 250, but my DR650 might pull a little harder on the rails/cleats.
Have you guys had any issues with the tailgate being damaged upon loading your bikes?
Back in 2000, I had a brand new Tacoma 2wd (totalled within 3k miles), and the first time I attempted to load my CR250 into it, I pushed the bike up the ramp, and stepped up onto the tailgate, and it dented in from the weight of my body! I am hoping that these newer plastic skinned tailgates are a bit more stout...
How about the front bed wall? Does it bend out and make contact with the cab, like most truck beds do? I was kind of hoping that, if I used the cleats, I could position them so that there is minimal forward tension on the bike...

 

If you are hauling one bike, the best way to tie it down is to nose the front wheel into the front corner of the box and put the rear tire towards the opposite corner. Put the tie downs from the handlebars to the rails, as you normally would. Now add a third tie down from the handlebar to the back d-ring on the side that the front tire is angled into. This third tie down will prevent the bike from moving anywhere and you put virtually no tension on all the tie downs. You won't compress the forks and won't bend the headboard. You also can shut the tail gate so you gear doesn't fall out.As I said the tie downs can be just tightened minimally. I have done this for years and it is by far the best way to transport my dirt bike. I have had no problem with bending my tailgate on my 2010 Tacoma, but I place the ramp off to one side when loading as I heard that these tailgates are weak. If it's two bikes, load them parallel to each other and angle the tires so that they meet in the center of the headboard. Strap them down so that they lean out and the handlebars don't touch each other. You would only use two tie downs per bike and the tailgate would stay open. Again, the tie downs don't have to be cranked down. Try the one bike method, you'll be amazed how well it works. I was when I was shown how to do it.

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/motorcycles/120955-loading-motorcycle-dcsb-pics.html
I use D-rings that I added to the front. I don't trust the plastic rings on the bed rail. There's also another metal piece that mounts in the front corner and uses both the front and the side rail. I think JP Metalfab makes it but don't quote me on the name. I've found that the front wall has more give than other trucks I've owned, which is why I used the wheel chock.

I haven't had an issue with the tailgate bending but if your worried about it, use a piece of plywood that goes the length of the bed and tailgate for support. It'll spread the weight across the tailgate rather than the point load you get with the single tire.

 

yea definitely get some d rings and mount them to the frame bolts. I paid a few bucks each for mine

http://www.trailer-parts-forless.com/trailerparts_forless/10090016.html

http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j275/piercedtiger/?action=view&current=DSCF0739.jpg

 

found a picture ......

 

another thing you can get are these tie downs that bolt to the tie down rails in the corners. I got a set and I like 'em.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/product-reviews/69666-hook-ups-dirtbike-solution.html

I also have D-rings on the frame bolts... you can't have too many tie down options can ya?

 

Very interesting! Thank You for the tips! Nice WR, Bendawg! I was very interested to see that your forks are not collapsed at all.....
At 50 years old, I am happy to say that I can still learn new things...
My main dirt ride is an '04 Dual Sported KDX200, my current street bike is the DR650, and the "communal" bike is the Ninjette - ridden by my daughter, myself, and hopefully, by my wife this year. I also have an '07 Kodiak 450 that I am sure will find its way into the truck soon....

 

Tinker, those are very nice! I may make up a set, since I manage a small machine shop.... I also like the chock bar shown in that thread, but I do not like the 2x4 used to shim it out and mount it.
Tieing the bikes down "straight" is more attractive to me, since getting them out would be less of an issue, but the minimal loading of the forks in the angled configuration is attractive as well.

 

i use the d-rings. they're much sturdier than the bed rail hooks.

 

My son and I just hauled a Ducati 749 from Chicago to WV using a stock Tacoma access with 6 foot bed. It would have been nice to have the forwrd D rings but we had some pretty nice straps on the front that locked onto the handlebars and two ratchet straps that locked into the mid and back of the bike. It didn't move an inch in high winds. We could not close the back though but it worked fine.

I have ordered some extra d rings for the next time we haul it.

T

 

I built something like this for my KTM 525, TTR90 and CRF50

 

very nice

 

Here's my homemade version. Crappy cell phone pics. I made it fit under the stock rail so that the shear vertical load would be distributed instead of focused at the T-nuts. Coated with POR15, then Rustoleum bed liner.

 

^^ wow i like that!! and you can still use the bed rails. man i wish i had a welder!

 

These are what I use. Happy with them so far after about a year
http://www.jpmetalfab.com/products.html

 

yeah I haul my crf 250 around everywhere and I can defiantly see the negtive camber of the tailgate increasing. not cool!! Although, not too bad yet I was trippin as to whether it was just my eyes or for real.. I really noticed when I put the camper back on and shut the rear hatch.. it wouldn't align perfectly because the curve.. just a little push on the tailgate and it seems to slightly "pop" in enough to shut my hatch.. oh well.. the "board" ideas running longways sounds good, just don't want the bike to slip any direction while enroute!