Plymouth-Santander Ferry , Avoid being loaded on the bottom deck?

[AndyB]

Those freshly painted floors are a particular bugger if you decide to be clever and fire off a kill switch backfire to make everyone jump and the bike goes sideways nearly depositing you on the floor :pinch:

[Nigel]

Those freshly painted floors are a particular bugger if you decide to be clever and fire off a kill switch backfire to make everyone jump and the bike goes sideways nearly depositing you on the floor :pinch:

:laugh: :laugh:

[92kk k100lt 193214]

Presumably if your bike has crash bars you could use the one on the left for the strap and avoid going over the seat.

I don't have them but its a very good reason for having them fitted. Unfortunately on the K100 I think the crash bar configuration may not be ideal for tie down. Very little frame on them.

[ollydog]

My main concern with the Pont Aven is the crew tying down a light bike with a 3" car/lorry ratchet strap,my seat and friends have been wrecked by over zealous use of the straps)even with the foam pad on) I have offered to do it myself but they do not listen.

I had an issue on this subject and they are indeed quite brutal. I have come across quite a few instances of broken side stands and broken seats but they do seem to pay up for the damage.

I have a preference for Irish Ferries here for the reason they will let you tie your bike down [they have loads of straps, carpet protectors, chocks etc], you can even use your own straps which I do and then come check it. I have always used main or centre stand because if you tie the bike a certain way as in both sides pulled down with straps actually attached to the bike it will stay upright if there's a problem. If it's ratcheted hard down to the left on side stand and it breaks under their excess loading it will go over, everything goes slack and it will slide around the deck.

If you are going on ferries its really worth working out how you would tie the bike down with straps actually attached to the frame rather than simply over the seat. Do this whether you are on main or side stand, you then don't need a huge pressure on the side stand to keep everything in place. Even taking a seat off and attaching to frame tubes and really makes a difference and it may be the only way to do it. A small strap on the front brake to keep it on, a taut strap from the stand to front wheel to make sure it can't bounce/roll forward off the stand, left in gear, high up weight like panniers taken off [I leave mine beside the bike tied on with a wire type bicycle lock that's also used for tying helmet on when I am out and about].

After my last experience on Brittany Ferries I decided next time the side stand will not be operational.

that's the reason i never use a center stand, if tied from both side and you lose a side the bike will always go over, like its balancing on a knife edge. i always ty my own down or wait till they do it if they insist.

on the center stand i have had cars nudge the bike and its stayed up if on the center it would go down. suspension bridges are tied from two side, lose one and it collapses.

steve

[92kk k100lt 193214]

Ah yes I do agree and you are correct.

But I never rely on a single tie, have a set of 4 and use 2 each side plus one across the top. Very important to make sure if you do get a nudge that the bike doesn't come off whichever stand its on.

[nuttynick]

I used the Port Avon in April on my way to Morocco. Once the guy had wandered off I undid the strap, repositioned it, and re tightened it myself. It was down so tight the first time I was fearful of the sidestand snapping or cracking its mounting on the crankcases! I also use an elastic band on the front brake lever just to apply enough pressure to grip the disc and stop any movement back and forth.

[92kk k100lt 193214]

If I end up parked on side stand I always put in 1st and then roll forward to take up the transmission slack, then a tie on the front brake plus chicks under the wheels. Should stop any possibility of forward movement that might roll it off the stand.

[-Ralph-]

chicks under the wheels

Now that's just animal cruelty

[waynecoluk]

chicks under the wheels

Now that's just animal cruelty

My wife would be pretty pissed if i left her to stablise the wheels for the whole journey....