If you ride motorbikes, you understand the excellence and uniqueness of the vehicle. Your motorcycle is a cherished possession, and you attend to it as much as you can. So it is natural to feel worried about moving your motorcycle from one location to place. But there is no need to feel anxious about the safety of your motorcycle if you adopt an appropriate towing method.

Whether moving it across the country or into a storage, towing your bike safely begins with the right method. Following are some recommended methods for towing motorcycles:

There are 3 popular methods in towing motorcycles, all of which are safe and effective if you use the right equipment and setups. These include towing cradles, wheel lift, and the most popular flatbed towing. The method you select for your towing will depend on your preference and the towing situation.

Two Wheel or Wheel Lift Towing

Wheel lift towing is an efficient method for towing motorcycles, notably if your motorcycle is the only vehicle you intend ever tow with the tow truck. Tow dollies are basically two wheels attached to an axle and carried by a frame with a ramp. All you have to do is move your motorcycle up the ramp, make all the attachments, and you can be on the road.

Towing Cradles

Sometimes you can see vehicles dragging a smaller one behind its wheels, the towed vehicle is normally fixed to a towing cradle. For cradles towing motorcycles, they are also called motorcycle trailer hitches. Towing cradles are excellent choices for towing these two-wheeled vehicles. That is because they are easy to use, small, and inexpensive. They work fine when towing motorcycles. The front end of the motorcycle is connected to the trailer, trailer attaches to the back of a vehicle, and the back wheel is on the ground allowing the motorcycle to be towed.

Flatbed Towing

Flatbed tow trucks are the most popular option for moving vehicles. This is especially so for motorcycles that have broken down and fail to move. The ramp, or known as flatbed, situated behind the tow truck has a flat surface which is unrestricted and supported by a sturdy frame. towing straps, locks and special ropes are used to keep the bike attached to the flatbed, avoiding it from falling over. This firm setup also leaves little room for error, thereby simpler to tow other non-operational vehicles or objects. Flatbed towing service is easy to hire. You just need to hire one from a towing company, or if you want to do it yourself, you can consider renting one from a licensed tow truck rental.

Making full use of safety equipment in hauling or towing any broken down vehicles are important. Whether it is clearly broken down vehicles in accidents or moving vehicles, without safety regards, tow truck drivers may risk potential injuries. Tow truck drivers are the early responders to a scene, so they need to be prepared and ready in order to tackle the jobs that they encounter. So before any tasks, they need to have the appropriate tools and equipment at hand. Following are some of the equipment:

Checking Tow Truck and Equipment

Towing operators may need checklists for them to examine and check various parts of their tow trucks and equipment before leaving for duties. The cables of the tow trucks should be inspected to see if they are worn and need replacement if not in working condition. Headlights need to function together with the batteries to prevent possible stalling. In order to carry out hauling properly, the winch system must be in working condition too.

Knowledge in the Use of Equipment

Towing operators needs to know the abilities of their own tow trucks. Different tow truck has different specific gross vehicle weight rating which has to be recognized for safe transportation. They are categorized into three groups; light, medium or heavy duty.

Work Safety Gears

It is compulsory for a towing operator to wear a reflective vest when carrying out duty on the federal highway. The vests are divided into 3 categories, each depending on their brightness levels. Towing operators are recommended to wear reflective vests together with helmets. This is because they will use cables or wires during work, it is expected for them to put on safety gloves as well as work boots when working.

Procedures to Load

When the tow truck reaches a location, the first thing they need do is to set up a safe perimeter for loading by using reflective cones. Handles and running boards can be utilized whenever they are entering or leaving their tow trucks to avoid injury.

Tow truck driver needs to have the emergency lights or headlights turned on to caution other drivers on the road. When loading, tow truck operator needs to make sure the load is put in the right zones. For example, if towing a vehicle using a flatbed tow truck, the towed vehicle has to be loaded in the center of the platform and tied down with straps. The towed vehicle will be stably secured during the transportation.

LA Motorcycle Towing – Tel: (424) 644-6579