Best Motorcycle Tie Down Straps: Keep Your Bike Secure

When we evaluated the couple dozen motorcycle tie down straps available, we considered the range of motorcycles, their weight, their height, and transport methods our readers use. One set of straps may be overkill for someone who has a dirtbike while not being enough for someone with a Harley-Davidson bagger. We started with the baseline criteria like strap type, material, and attachment method. Then we refined our choices based on the additional features each tie down set has, such as coated hooks, quick-release buttons, extra-wide strap, included handlebar loops, and weight ratings. We then selected based on our decades of riding and transporting motorcycles and other powersports and equipment experience. 

Our top pick for the best motorcycle tie down strap is the Rhino USA Ratchet Straps Motorcycle Tie Down Kit. It’s the gold standard of motorcycle tie down straps with plenty of nice-to-have features. If you’re looking for value, then the Trackside 8-Piece set won’t let you down, so long as you're dealing with a lighter machine.

Cam buckle straps are a basic type of motorcycle tie down that relies on a basic tensioning system. They tend to be more affordable and easy to use for most motorcycle tie down setups, but they do have some limitations in terms of the amount of tension they can safely hold before breaking.

Often more expensive but also more useful than cam buckles, ratchet straps use a ratcheting device to coil up the strap. This provides extra tension without having them rely on the sheer strength that cam buckles require to get the strap secure. Most ratchet straps are more efficient and quicker to set up because of this design.

The hook is the main part that actually connects the tie downs to the bike and trailer. Since direct contact is made, the design of the hook is important to avoid scratches or other surface damage while the strap is in use. Rubber-coated hooks are the most popular type to avoid this type of damage. There are two main hook types, S-hooks and double J-hooks. Open S-hooks with a 45-degree angle are easy to hook onto your bike and work better when transporting your bike on a truck. However, closed and 90-degree hooks are considered more secure and are better when your bike is on a trailer.

The main bulk of a tie down comes in the form of the strap. Coming in different lengths, different strap materials are often used to hold different weights. It’s important to get the right length of strap to make sure you have enough to work with when securing your motorcycle to your trailer. Nylon is the most popular strap material because it’s more affordable. However, it isn’t as durable as polyester. While they require a higher upfront cost, polyester straps are sure to stay strong even when exposed to harsh weather and UV rays. They are also less susceptible to stretching like nylon.

A tie down strap won’t work unless there is some way to actually tension it. The tensioner is where cam buckle or ratchet designs are used. The basic buckle relies on physical strength, while the ratchet holds the tension with each turn for a more complete hold.

The strap needs to be long enough to bridge the distance between a part of the motorcycle and the trailer. Extra length is also usually required to have enough for securing the strap through tension. Most straps are two to eight feet in length, but longer versions are also available for larger trailers. That doesn't mean the longest possible option isn’t always the best choice. Transporting your bike on a small trailer or truck bed means you don’t need extremely long straps. If the straps are too long, you need to tie them to contain them from whipping around in the wind while driving. A wider strap is also an important feature to look for because it gives you better tension and is more durable.

It’s important to stay within a strap’s weight limit for safe use; otherwise, the tie down may break or otherwise fail during transport. There’s a difference between load capacity and breaking strength. Load capacity is the safe operating weight limit, while breaking strength is the point at which the straps will break. You should never use the breaking point limit as the weight capacity limit for strapping down your bike.

While prices can vary, you can generally expect to pay $30-$50 on ratchet straps for your motorcycle. As per usual, quality, piece count, and type are all going to influence the price. However, there's really no need to spend much more than that to get a reliable product. You can save money and go cheaper, but that usually means you're taking a gamble on quality. Ratchet straps aren't that expensive, so you might as well spend the extra few bucks on something you can safely rely on.

As with something you do for decades upon decades, you pick up a few tips and tricks along the way in terms of selecting the right product, and/or using it. That’s the case with us and motorcycle tie down straps. To help you bridge the information gap, here’s a selection of what we’ve learned along the way.

You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.

A: Basically, you connect one end to the bike and the other to an anchor point on a trailer. Then tighten the strap until there is good tension. For a complete explanation, check out our guide on how to properly transport your motorcycle.

A: You need enough to keep the bike properly balanced and immobilized. Some owners feel that two in the front are enough. However, most people use four: two in the front and two in the back.

A: As long as the vehicle’s weight is below the maximum weight capacity of the straps, yes.

A: You might hear tie down straps called ratchet straps, lashing straps, or simply tie downs.