How To Secure a Dirt Bike in a Trailer Without Straps

When your dirt bike is in transport, your primary concern is always its safety from any physical damage during the ride. The last thing you want is to open that trailer and see your dirt bike and accessories all over the place and damaged. 

That’s why when loading your bike you try to secure it tightly as possible. And in doing so, you typically need lots of straps. But what if the straps are not available? or an even better question, what if straps aren't the best option?

To secure your dirt bike in a trailer without the use of straps, you can always rely on more effective tools such as the Lock-N-Load Pro Moto Transport System. This quick-release-style device keeps your dirt bike upright and prevents it from moving around or falling inside the trailer. 

Simply put, the Lock-N-Load Pro keeps your dirt bike locked in place so well that you don’t ever need to use straps anymore.

If you want to know more about this must-have tool just read on and we'll lay down the important details.

How Necessary Are Straps on Your Dirt Bike?

Straps are commonly used to secure dirt bikes inside trailers or in the back of trucks during transport. They are used to tie down the bike so it won’t move or fall over. 

Otherwise, you may end up with a dirt bike that sustained cosmetic damage or, even worse, internal damage deeming it unusable during competition or when you are going out trail riding.  

Of course, there’s also the possibility of the entire dirt bike causing injury to people during transport. Your bike could just fly around or get thrown out of the pickup truck if not properly secured.  

Some of the tie-down straps include locking tie-downs, ratchet tie-downs, cam-lock straps, and soft tie-down straps.

These straps are very necessary for securing your dirt bike if it’s all you have, but that doesn’t mean they are the absolute best method of locking your dirt bike in place during transit.

Pros and Cons of Using Straps on Your Dirt Bike

Straps may seem like the absolute go-to for dirt bike transit. But they also come with a set of advantages and disadvantages just like any other traditional item in the sport. 

Pros

It does the job.

Using straps to hold your dirt bike down is by far the most traditional way of doing the deed. 

You’ll notice how many riders transport their bike either through the back of their pickup truck, a trailer, or other means of carrying the dirt bike all the time using tie-down straps. 

That’s because it is the most common way of securing your dirt bike. It’s like a piece of knowledge passed down to generations of dirt bike riders. But that doesn’t make it the best knowledge.

Just because it does the job, doesn’t mean it can’t be done better. Straps can lead to scratched-up paint and plastic, blown-out fork seals, there is room for human error in not getting it tight enough every time, and just too many accidents can come from straps versus using a dedicated dirt bike transport system.

It is accessible.

In most cases, you won’t find any trouble looking for straps to purchase. They are largely available in most stores, you can probably even find some at the same place you purchase your groceries or your gasoline.

That definitely makes them more of a convenience purchase as they are readily available. They are also the cheapest option, but with a lot of things in life, you get what you pay for.

It is easy to store.

When not in use, you just fold them up and keep them in a storage box. That is very easy to say, yet most times not as easy to perform. The more likely scenario is that instead of rolling them up nicely every time, you are going to just throw them all down in one area or in a container. 

Then the next time you reach for them you find out that while you weren’t looking they decided to mingle and tangle making it a chore of having to untie them before each use.

They are multifunctional

Straps can be incredibly handy because they are a multipurpose tool. You can use them to secure loads in the back of a truck, attach a car to a flatbed trailer, pick up bedroom furniture in an enclosed trailer, or just about any type of temporary hauling scenario. 

But because they are not specific to any one application, they are not always the absolute best tool for that specific job. In the case of securing a dirt bike, they do the job, but there are definitely motocross-specific tools that do the job better.

Cons

A lot of effort usually has to go into the tie-down process.

Positioning your dirt bike inside the trailer can be easy if it already has rings and attachment points inside. 

But without them, the straps alone will not be enough to keep the dirt bike upright. You will need additional floor anchors and wheel chocks. 
If there are none of these materials, it’s impractical to use straps. You will be needing more hardware to tie the dirt bike down. 

Likewise, if you have multiple dirt bikes, you will also have to strategize how to hold them all down together without creating opportunities for potential damage. This means planning how to tie down the bike properly while saving ample space for each dirt bike.

Then there is the physical effort of having to force the front forks to compress quite a ways down as you hook your two straps onto the handlebars. If you don’t force the front end down enough and really strap it down tight, bumps in the road can cause the straps to come loose or come off entirely.

This compression force on your front forks isn’t always the best, especially for long periods of time as it can blow out your fork seals.

You may have to replace the straps every now and then.

Straps are not exactly made of the strongest materials. They can snap or get damaged easily especially if you’re not taking care of them the right way or inspecting them regularly. 

With that, you may have to buy new ones from time to time. Or else, you could find your dirt bike missing a strap in the trailer and that could be a huge risk jeopardizing your safety.

They can also just be very easy to misplace. I’m sure you’ve seen them out on the roadways after they’ve fallen off of a load and are now just sitting in the road. They can also be easy to accidentally leave in the dirt as you just didn’t notice it when you went to leave.

Earlier I mentioned that they are multifunctional which means that they might even get used in so many areas that they may not make it back to the trailer when you need them for your dirt bike. Just one more reason to get a dirtbike-specific solution.

They can come loose.

It’s common practice to check your straps after driving for a while or after transitioning from a dirt road back onto a paved road because straps can and do come loose.

The strapped load can move and shift because of the nature of how they are secured down and that releases some of the tension the strap had. Now the strap can come all the way off creating a bad situation.

How Do You Secure a Dirt Bike in a Trailer Without Straps? 

Although straps remain useful in the dirt bike universe today, you can actually live without them. 

There’s always a traditional way of doing things, but there can also be a modern and improved way as well. 

So, how do you secure a dirt bike without straps in a trailer? 

You use Risk Racing’s Lock-N-Load Pro strapless system. This tool is everything you want and everything you need for dirt bike transport. It's quick, it’s easy, and it’s safe.

You can forget about straps, floor anchors, and those other tools. Plus, loading the dirt bike in place has never been easier. And of course, the cherry on top is that you can have the peace of mind that your dirt bike is safe and secured inside the trailer. 

Key Features of the Lock-N-Load: 

Sturdy construction

The Lock-N-Load Pro is made of aluminum which holds a good reputation for durability. It is indeed strong but incredibly lightweight which means you won't be adding any unnecessary weight to your transport vehicle. 

Also, since it’s made of aluminum, you can expect to use it for a long time considering the material is built to last.

Fully adjustable

The Lock-N-Load Pro is completely adjustable in width and height. This means you can use it with the majority of dirt bikes as it has extended compatibility which is almost universal. 

Less pressure on the fork seals

One disadvantage of using straps in the trailer is that there’s always an enormous amount of pressure put on the front forks when you tie the dirt bike down. This is due to needing to cinch down the straps on the handlebars for better security. 

While necessary for that reason, this pressure can eventually cause some damage to your dirt bike. And so with the Lock-N-Load system, you don’t have to worry about that problem anymore.

The Lock-N-Load grabs the bike by its footpegs and keeps it safely in place without using excessive downward force. 

Replaceable rubberized jaw pads

The jaws used to hold down the dirt bike come with rubberized pads. These pads provide an extra cushion protecting the footpegs and their entire area from pressure. 

Plus, these rubberized jaw pads are replaceable once they are worn out. 

Easy-to-install mounting plates

To position the Lock-N-Load Pro, all you need to do is install the mounting plate to your trailer where you want the bike to sit. 

Just slide the jaws in and you’re good to go. Adjust the width of the jaws from each other horizontally to adjust to the width of your bike. And then just push the tops of the jaws down in place onto the footpegs and you’re ready to go.

Warranty

We stand behind our products. When you buy the Lock-N-Load Pro, you get a one-year warranty against any manufacturer defects.

Conclusion

Don’t have any straps around to use in your dirt bike trailer? There’s really no need to worry as long as you have the Lock-N-Load Pro. 

With this strapless dirt bike transport system, you don’t have to be stressed out about whether or not your dirt bike is safe back in the trailer. It’s sturdy, highly durable, mechanically advanced, and efficient in every way. 

So, if you want convenient and safe dirt bike transport, get yourself the Lock-N-Load Pro at Risk Racing.