Securing Motorbikes on Ferries

underwaterdog

Can someone explain how/if motorbikes are secured on ferry decks? Are they tied down somehow?

Has anyone's bike fallen over on a ferry crossing?

Pictures would be great!

Idleater

Bike on side stand (not centre stand) , ratchet straps to floor.
Very secure.

Wossack

tied down yep - typically by one of the ferry hands afaik

little bit in MCN about it

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/RidingEvents/ridingeventsresults/Touring-travel/2009/May/may0809-travel-advice-bikes-on-the-ferry/

cantdecide

They tied my bike down with a ratchet strap over the saddle. I think I'd make a point of having something to hand to cover the saddle in future because they tied all the bikes down pretty hard and I'd be afraid of damaging the seat. Don't forget to leave the bike in gear.

Max Headroom

cantdecide wrote: »

They tied my bike down with a ratchet strap over the saddle. I think I'd make a point of having something to hand to cover the saddle in future because they tied all the bikes down pretty hard and I'd be afraid of damaging the seat. Don't forget to leave the bike in gear.

Ditto.bring an old towel/t cloth ...some guys just put their gloves on the saddle.....
The guys might seem rough...but then again ,so is the Irish sea....;)

KTRIC

They usually supply huge blocks of foam to put on the bike. I tied down a 250 kilo bike before without any issues on very rough sea. The bike was a bit upset after 17 hours but a good blast sorted that.

Cienciano

I was going across from Larne before and a few bikers warned me about the spanish guys working on the ship, they were rough and tore a guys saddle (ohhh matron!)
And they were right, the local guys were on the ship on the way over and they put down bits of carpet on the saddle before the cargo straps. But on the way back it was the spanish lads. No carpet and the straps were far far tighter. I put my gloves under the strap when I saw how tight it was and they were having a fit because it was slowing them down by 3 seconds :rolleyes:

The Don

Idleater wrote: »

Bike on side stand (not centre stand) , ratchet straps to floor.
Very secure.

I think it depends on the ferry and the tie down area. If it's going to be tied to a railing then they'll get you to use the side stand as the bike will be closer to the railing and more secure that way.

If it's just being lashed to the deck (always wanted to say that ) with the ratchet straps hooked into the deck on either side then they'll get you to use a centre stand (if you have one). If they use the centre stand they'll tie it so tight that the front wheel will raise and it'll be down on the back wheel.

Either way, have her in gear!

cantdecide wrote: »

They tied my bike down with a ratchet strap over the saddle. I think I'd make a point of having something to hand to cover the saddle in future because they tied all the bikes down pretty hard and I'd be afraid of damaging the seat. Don't forget to leave the bike in gear.

Yeah this is a good tip! Some ferry's have their own rags but safer to bring one yourself. As has been said, they tie them down hard.

Del2005

Went to France on Brittany Ferries and they had 2 wires that all the bikes where racketed down to by the staff, who used padding on the seats. Came back on Irish Ferries and you had to tie your own bike down to anchor points on the deck, but there was plenty of padding for the seats and chocks to secure your bike, I had both sides of my wheels chocked and stuck a few more chocks under the sump. Bike didn't budge either way and coming back was a bit choppy.

IIRC it's safer on the side stand as you've 3 points of contact, on the centre stand you only have 2 points of contact.

MrPudding

Del2005 wrote: »

Went to France on Brittany Ferries and they had 2 wires that all the bikes where racketed down to by the staff, who used padding on the seats. Came back on Irish Ferries and you had to tie your own bike down to anchor points on the deck, but there was plenty of padding for the seats and chocks to secure your bike, I had both sides of my wheels chocked and stuck a few more chocks under the sump. Bike didn't budge either way and coming back was a bit choppy.

IIRC it's safer on the side stand as you've 3 points of contact, on the centre stand you only have 2 points of contact.

I think I was asked once to put it on the centre stand. Any time I have travelled they have provided padding.

Slightly off topic, but I have used the Eurotunnel about a dozen times and the last time, August past, the guy asked me to put the bike on the centre stand. First time that had happened. Did not like it... It did not fall over, but it did rock a little too much for my liking.

MrP

Wossack

believe the sidestand is safer - triangular 3 point contact, as Del says - and as you can ratchet down against both the front and rear suspension (though dont over-do it), its better at absorbing motion vs the fixed centerstand point

Cienciano

Sidestand definitelty makes more sense. And plenty of bikes don't have centre stand, so you need a system that can hold a bike on the side stand.
They do it so tight you can see the suspension compressing right in.

KamiKazi

Pull up with the D rings on either side of you lined up to the middle of the seat, put it on the sidestand in gear, get some of the foam KTRIC mentioned to protect the seat and let one of the lads tie it down. Seemples.

kaimera

Meh,

Sit on the bike on the ferry crossing; be ready to go as the ramp is dropping

Bosh

Side stand, in gear, padding under strap.

If enough surplus left on strap use it to tie on front brake.

Trick is to get balance between strap tight enough to secure bike & not being too tight & damage paint/seat/seals etc.

Del2005

MrPudding wrote: »

I think I was asked once to put it on the centre stand. Any time I have travelled they have provided padding.

Slightly off topic, but I have used the Eurotunnel about a dozen times and the last time, August past, the guy asked me to put the bike on the centre stand. First time that had happened. Did not like it... It did not fall over, but it did rock a little too much for my liking.

MrP

Is it tied down on the train? But if it rocks on a train I wouldn't like to see it in rough seas. Two points of contact can never be as safe/secure as three.

mox54

Between uk and Ireland I strap the bike down in gear on centre stand, zzr600's, bike didn't budge an inch!.

thecivvie

Travelled last summer to the uk, both trips, side stand, strapped by Irish Ferries staff who used old carpet. Left in gear, never moved. 4 other bikes along side mine, all side stand

MrPudding

Del2005 wrote: »

Is it tied down on the train? But if it rocks on a train I wouldn't like to see it in rough seas. Two points of contact can never be as safe/secure as three.

No, they did not tie it down. There is a surprising amount of swaying on the train.

Personally I would agree that sidestand in first gear is by far the safest option. That trip to France was nerve wrecking.

MrP

underwaterdog

FYI

I received this email in reply to the same question to P & O Ferries:

Irish Sea

Conventional Ferry: Straps (tightened with a ratchet) are provided.

Express: Straps (tightened with a ratchet) are provided.



Note: During times with high volumes of motorbikes, they are secured against frames.

North Sea

Passengers are responsible for securing their own bikes and webbing straps (tightened with ratchets) are not provided.



Rope lashings (ratchets not fitted) are checked regularly.

Short Sea

In order to secure motorbikes during the crossing we provide ropes (occasionally straps), but expect motorcyclists to be responsible for final security. Our staff will assist, but customers are required to ensure themselves of security.



If we can help you with anything else, please don't hesitate to contact us at the address below or by email at the following address: customer.services@poferries.com.



Regards





Ruth Phoenix

Customer Services

YCHGTBOY

Personally I don't like the idea of using the sidestand, its not designed to take that kind of strain and not for prolonged ferry crossings. Its about time they started to use some sort of wheel clamps

Hotblack Desiato

They tried wheel clamps on Eurotunnel at first. They found it too hard to design one that fitted all bikes and didn't damage fairings or brake discs.* Eurotunnel is OK with no clamp, bike on side stand and in gear, but the one time I used it after they did away with the wheel clamps, I took one of the ratchet straps I had for luggage and secured the bike to the handrail with it, just enough to stop any swaying. For my own peace of mind - it probably wasn't necessary.

Sidestand is fine for ferries (much better than centre stand anyway) and if the bike is tied down enough to stop it swaying then the sidestand won't be under too much load. No need to go crazy tightening the straps, I'd rather do it myself than have some guy off the ferry company do it.


* Bit weird, but the original idea with bikes on Eurotunnel was that the bikes would be left unattended and the riders/pillions would go to the trucker's compartment on the train for the duration of the journey. That idea didn't last long.