A Quick Guide to Carrying your Cycle on a Motorcycle!

Wondering about carrying cycle on a motorcycle? This quick guide will tell you how easy it is to do and why you shouldn’t!

Using this method, I carried my cycle on my motorcycle for around 1500 km. And with that confidence I can say, that it is a setup which can easily go around the country!

Firstly, Why!?

Why would you want to do something like this? Well, I had to do it because of the pandemic. Buses and trains were not operational between my hometown of Kanpur and Dehradun. The only transport available was my motorcycle.

And thus, this idea was born…

Why should you do something so stupid? I don’t know, you figure that out!

The How To!

If you are now satisfied with the above lengthy explanation of why you should do silly things like this. Then read on…

Step 1: Say a little prayer before you start. In fact, I strongly advise to say a little prayer many times during the ride. You know, just.

Step 2: Repeat step 1. A little extra blessings from the almighty cannot really be a bad thing now, can it?

Step 3: Find a place of work which is properly ventilated, clutter free and devoid of human presence.

Step 4: Collect all your bicycle tools along with your bike at your workstation. Also switch off phone, very useful.

Step 5: Start with the basics. Things you regularly need to dismantle for packing your bike. This list includes, all accessories, like lights, cycle computer, bottles.

Step 6: Remove all the easily removable things like: handlebar, seat post, wheels, QR skewers, pedals.

Step 7: Open front and rear brake cables. And rear derailleur cable. Front derailleur cable can be left untouched. Cannot be done on a bike with hydraulic disc brakes.

Step 8: You need to dismantle the fork of the bike. Simple enough it is, once you know how. Watch this video for help.

Step 9: Now that the bike is dismantled to just the frame and crank, you are ready to roll! Pack up the frame, fork in bubble wrap or something similar to cushion it.

Step 10: Place the frame on the rear saddle of your bike. The top tube should be behind the motorcycle rider, while the crank should be facing backward. You don’t want the crank to be piercing your arse in the event of a crash!

Step 11: Place the fork between the gap in the rear triangle of the bicycle frame. Tie the frame and fork to the motorcycle, on all the usual mountain points. It varies as per motorcycle model, so you need to do a bit of experimentation.

Step 12: Once the frame is secure, tie the wheels on the frame. Place it on either end, a little bit will stick out on either side. While there will be a bit of overlap in the middle.

Step 13: Tie the handlebar on top of the wheel, so that it doesn’t protrude any farther.

Step 14: Use a mixture of nylon cord, resuable zip ties and bungee cord to secure everything. The nylon and zip ties fasten everything into place securely, so that it doesn’t move at all. The bungee cord absorbs the minor movement and shock, so that your cycle doesn’t take the shock.

Step 15: Tie bright coloured ribbon at either extreme of the bike. This helps with increasing visibility for other road users when moving in slow city traffic. Remember they don’t expect an ultra-wide motorcycle near them.

Step 16: Say another prayer! And leave……….

Step Extra: Oh and don’t forget to pack the seat post and other small bits and bobs in your bag. Else it will be very painful to ride your cycle without a saddle when you reach your destination! Pack everything that you remove from the bike in the same order that you remove it. Label it if you feel the need. Also carry all the tools you used to dismantle the bike. You will need it to assemble the bike at your destination.

How I Rode!

What kind of riding I managed to do with my cycle tied up.

Urban riding: It was a bit tricky, as it was important to keep checking whether there is sufficient space for manoeuvring. I reminded myself that I am driving a small hatchback car and not riding a motorcycle. That helped negotiating tight traffic.

Highway riding: I rode on 8-lane highways at constant 120 kmph with no problem.

State highway: Two lane undivided highways required the most amount of concentration.

Horrible stretches of road: Some really bad stretches, where I was riding 50% slower than what I would have ridden on an unladen motorcycle.

Off Roading: Finally, with enough experience and confidence. I on multiple occasions got off the asphalt to take the mud shoulder. Jumping and bouncing along without worry. Knowing that my cycle isn’t going to get damaged.

Advantages:

The advantage of this setup is that you don’t need to depend on anyone else. You are completely in control. You can go literally wherever you want.

It saves time from riding your cycle on boring straight flat highways. You can spend those extra days riding in scenic mountains or other lovely places.

It is cheaper than flights or car travel.

Disadvantages:

You need to be a reasonably capable home mechanic. You cannot dismantle and assemble your bike without proper knowhow. It also takes a good few hours to do all of this mechanic work.

You will need to park your motorcycle at your destination in a safe location. Best is to find a friend who can assist. Do this in advance.

It is more expensive than travelling by bus or train with your bike.

You cannot take a pillion along!

You will be forced to start and end your ride at the same place. Since you have to get your bike. By using public transport you can avoid this dilemma.

You SURELY DON’T want to try this with a carbon bike!

This setup makes sense only if you are travelling LONG distances. It is pointless if travelling within the city.

Cannot be used with hydraulic disc brake bikes. Since the brake hose cannot be disconnected.

If after all this you are still planning to go ahead with this travel setup, do so at your own risk! It is not for the faint hearted!

You can also check out ‘How To Transport Your Bike By Other Means!‘.