Transporting bike on paddock stand in a van

Hi all.

I'm going to look at an SV tomorrow afternoon and i'm taking a small van which has 3 ground anchorage points down each side, and i'm also taking a mates paddock stand.

If I buy the bike, then I was thinking of leaving the bike on the stand whilst on the 250mile journey back and using loads of ratchett straps to secure the bike and the stand to the ground anchorage points.

Someone mentioned to me earlier today that the paddock stand (cheap £20 universal model) may not be able to withstand the weight for that much time (probably 4-5 hours or so) and could end up damaging the bike or make the bike unstable in the back.

Does anyone have any ecperience of using paddock stands on long journeys?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'm picking the bike up at about 4pm tomorrow (Friday).

Thanks.
K

[dirtydog]

ive always just left it on the side stand and used ratchet straps to secure it. never had a problem doing it like that

Thanks dirtydog.

Wouldn't wanna bust my mate's stand (mic_hull...cheers mate...I promise i'll bring it back in one piece! ) so sidestand it is.

K

As dirty dog said, do what they do on the ferrys, sidestand down, leave it in gear, and then tie the bike down, 'should' be fine

Marshall

Cheers Marshall.

My Dad's got a load of old sofa cushions to pack the van out with, 'just in case'!!!

loading the bike with a paddock stand is fine. Just put the bike right at the front up against the bulkhead and strtap the front down then just use a couple of straps at the back to stop the stand sliding from side to side

Yeah, I also got mine home just on the side stand.

We used ratchet-straps galore (including one holding the front brake lever on), and it never moved an inch in 80 miles.

I also cable tie the brakes.

not been funny but can't you ride it home?

Wicked! Got it 250 miles home in 3h40m......didn't budge a milimetre!

I kept it on the paddock stand, cable-tied the front brake and used 5 cheap 1" ratchet straps.

Here's how I had the straps, in case it helps anyone in the future (this van had 3 anchorage points down each side):

One going from a rear anchorage point, through one side of the paddock stand, up through the rear wheel, then back down through the paddock stand to the other rear anchorage point.

One going across the bike between the 2 middle anchorage points.

One going from one of the front anchorage points, under the break lever but over the handlebar, over the top then down the other side, over the handlebar and under the clutch lever (this stopped the straps touching the fairings at all), then down to the other front anchorage point.

Two going diagonally across between the rear four anchorage points.

BTW...the van was a Nissan Primastar....I reccomend this to anyone wishing to transport a bike.....it's the perfect size, does 45mpg and it doesn't roll around like a boat like most vans do...very impressed! (Also it easily does 100mph...not that i'd know! :P LOL)


This is the baby...isn't she a honey!



To 'thebasket' ....I don't turn 25 until Thursday so I want to wait until then before insuring it. I'm gonna be away all next week and was too impatient to wait until the week after! Also, this is my first bike...I only passed my test last week, so I didn't fancy a 250mile ride (at least 180miles of that on the A1) as my debut ride!!!!

It was dive_boy's before, and very well looked after I have to say. Thanks for all your help Paul.

Kx