Are you looking for the safest, most secure way to transport your two-wheeled pride and joy from point A to point B? Whether it’s just down the block or to a dirt bike track, there are lots of decisions to consider when transporting your dirt bike. In this blog post, we’ll break down how to transport a dirt bike to get it safely from one place to another, so that all you need to worry about is finding fun new places to explore!
What You’ll Need
Before we understand how to transport a dirt bike, let’s see what equipment you need to make the process safe for you, your bikes and other road users.
Tie Down Straps
The first essential step for how to transport a dirt bike is having tie down straps. Tie down straps are crucial to keep the dirt bike tied down and secure while you transport them. We recommend choosing tie down straps that are good quality, have adequate working load limits, break strength and come from reputable brands.
Loading Ramp
Use ramps to load your bikes onto a ute or dirt bike trailer
To get your bike onto your chosen mode of transport, you will need to have loading ramps to get them on. You can make your own from wood, or buy ones that come as one piece ramps, or more convenient folding or telescoping ramps that pack up into smaller packages.
Wheel Chocks
Wheel chocks are also a great piece of equipment to secure the dirt bike on your trip, and prevent it from moving around. By securing onto the front wheel, these keep your bike from tipping side to side and keep it from sliding back and forth. When buying a wheel chock, look for ones designed for dirt bikes that also fit onto your front wheel.
How to Transport a Dirt Bike
Loading Your Dirt Bike
The first step to know how to transport a dirt bike is that loading it onto any form of transport is unsafe with only one person. There is a major risk that your dirt bike could topple off to one side and fall from the ramp, possibly taking you with it in the process. The extra help of a second person makes the process safer and easier not only with the risk of toppling the bike, but also with making sure that it doesn’t hit anything else during loading.
Enclosed Trailer/Box Trailer
Box trailers with integrated loading ramps give you ultimate convenience
An enclosed trailer or box trailer are our perfect solution for how to transport a dirt bike. Versatile and durable for carrying your bike and gear to where you want to go, they come with multiple features that make transport safe and easy.
This includes multiple tie down mounts and rails, strong and stable surfaces, drop down and closable gates, and many high quality box trailers even come with integrated loading ramps for easy loading of your bikes. You can fit your trailer with wheel chocks to keep your dirt bikes secure in combination with tie down straps.
Before going ahead and getting a box trailer, you need to first find out what the towing capacity of your car is. After that, calculate the amount of weight you want to tow. This includes the weight of the trailer itself added with how much your dirt bikes weigh. And finally, you will need to have a tow hook to attach your trailer onto.
Ute/Pickup Truck
These are another great option if you’ve got a ute or pickup truck that comes with a large truck bed and an engine powerful enough to tow your bikes. With the right ute or truck, this also becomes the most affordable way to transport your dirt bikes from place to place.
The hardest parts of using a ute or pickup truck is making sure that your dirt bikes can be secured onto the tray or truck bed. Look at your truck bed for mounting points and rails. If your bikes cannot be secured down, or lean over to the side, don’t risk carrying them like that and find an alternative.
Before You Set Off
Box Trailers
Check your trailer’s brake lights and gates before heading onto the road
If you’re using a box trailer, check that the trailer and its connectors are secure, so that the brakes and lights are functional. And on the topic of lights, check that the brake lights, indicators and reverse lights are working to avoid any trouble with the law. Getting stopped and fined for a broken taillight is not only annoying, but costly, with fines of over $100. This is easier to check with one person in the car and another person outside looking a the lights.
Also check that the trailer gates can close properly and stay closed with pressure put onto them. With the gate closed, push and pull them to see if they fail and fly open. Old or poor quality box trailers deteriorate faster, and their gates can fail more easily.
We recommend not using a box trailer that can’t stay closed. This increases the risk of your dirt bikes falling out and getting damaged or causing accidents during transportation.
Ute/Pickup Truck
When you carry dirt bikes on your ute or pickup truck, make the usual checks before you set off like how you would with a normal car. This includes checking your brakes, lights, and if your other gear is secured. Like a trailer, check that the rear gate stays closed when force is applied to it by pushing and pulling it. And another often overlooked factor is making sure your tyres are in good condition and not cracking or bald.
Start Transporting Your Dirt Bikes Today!
If you’re looking for a how to transport a dirt bike, there’s no better way than to use a box trailer or a ute/pickup truck. And if you’ve decided on getting a box trailer, look no further than King Kong Trailers. With box trailers in all shapes and sizes, premium construction, and great customer service, we’re the best place to get a trailer to use as your dirt bike carrier. Head over to our website and check out our range of amazing trailers today!