Towing a bike.

[trophydave]

Say that you are out for a ride and your mates bike breaks down.You just happen to have some rope in your panniers.Whats the best way to tow them for a short distance to get them to a pub/cafe/somewhere with a mobile phone signal?
The plastic rack on the AT doesn't look strong enough.I am sure that I read something years ago about the front bike tying the rope around a rear footrest and the rear bike tying around the front footpeg.If you were being towed and you looped the rope around your handlebars wouldn't it pull the bars around and have you off?
Can't you tell that we were talking about this in the pub the other night?

[Fruit Loop]

Don't know about attachment points, but definitely use nylon (not polyester or polypropolene) rope as it is stretchy (absorbs snatching) and incredibly strong (so keep it thin - say 10mm - and get more stretchiness).

I think it sounds highly hazardous, and would rather give him a lift and come back for the bike later if poss.

Perhps best stay in the pub where you were

[j]

I towed Sean last year in Germany, only a mile on my BMW and he was on a new Yamaha tenere with the towing attachment, I was scared, so don't know really how he must have felt and there was Ice on the roads.
I think open flat roads no probs but you have to need to think carefully about leaving the bike on the side of the road.

[sean]

I towed Sean last year in Germany, only a mile on my BMW and he was on a new Yamaha tenere with the towing attachment, I was scared, so don't know really how he must have felt and there was Ice on the roads.

YOU were scared!!!!!!!!! Feck me I was terrified - Terrified you would drop the bike and then kick the crap out of me.... did you not notice I'd taken off my boots and was wearing my best running nikes.....

[davsato]

tie the rope on the towing bike as far from the back wheel as you can get it in case it snags. dont tie it to the towed bike, put two or three turns around the handlebars and the rider holds onto it. then if there are any problems he simply lets go and the bikes disconnect.

[AIRWOLF]

Wrap one end once round your right footrest and trap with your foot, . . wrap other end once round your mates left footrest and he traps with his foot.
He follows to your right, if a problem arrises just lift your foot and the rope falls free.
On braking the towed bike does the braking so as to keep the rope tight.
If you need to go round a sharp corner, release rope and set up again round corner.

Seemples.

[Graeme C]

tie the rope on the towing bike as far from the back wheel as you can get it in case it snags. dont tie it to the towed bike, put two or three turns around the handlebars and the rider holds onto it. then if there are any problems he simply lets go and the bikes disconnect.

My TA towed a knacked 600 bandit this way. WE took it really gently and slow. The down hill bits we stopped towing and I followed the bandit warning approaching cars. Not fun but leaving a bike at the road side at night can be iffy too.

[AlanH]

Done this a few times. Rope is tied to the rear footpeg of the front bike. Pass the rope between the forks and wrap a few times around the left fork leg just below the bottom yoke. DO NOT TIE IT ON! Pass the rope up from the fork leg an up onto the left grip. Hold it tight. If something nasty happens, let go of the rope and it will just harmlessly unwind rather than dragging you in a heap down the road.

Any one of the methods that doesn't involve tying them together will do the job. I just prefer this one. Actually i prefer not to do it at all 'cos it's not nice.

[jasonbc]

In my bum bag i carry a strap with a hook on each end and when it happens we just put a hook through the foot pegs, towed several times never had any drama's it mainly offroad though

[stuart]

Wrap one end once round your right footrest and trap with your foot, . . wrap other end once round your mates left footrest and he traps with his foot.
He follows to your right, if a problem arrises just lift your foot and the rope falls free.
On braking the towed bike does the braking so as to keep the rope tight.
If you need to go round a sharp corner, release rope and set up again round corner.

Seemples.

wise words indeed

the only time that I towed a bike to start it I used 4mm para cord, strong enough to tow, stretchy enough to avoid snatch but (hopefully) weak enough to snap if it all goes t1ts up