How to Use a Motorcycle Wheel Chock – Ultimate Guide

Here on the CitizenShipper blog, we wrote about wheel chocks and motorcycle shipping on a number of occasions. In this short guide, we’ll describe how to correctly use a motorcycle wheel chock for shipping.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves! Covering the basics first…

What’s a Motorcycle Chock?

First off, a motorcycle wheel chock is a simple device designed to secure your bike’s front wheel. This is useful both in storage and transport. And how do motorcycle chocks work? Well, there’s a number of different mechanisms, but put simply, they lock the wheel in place as it cradles in. Once push onto the chock, the wheel won’t roll forward or back on its own.

We hope that’s enough for an overview, and not too technical? And with that out of the way, here’s how you use a motorcycle wheel chock in three easy steps!

Mounting the Chock

Motorcycle wheel chocks come in many different shapes and sizes. If you’re using one for storage, it’s probably fixed permanently in place inside your garage. But if using it to transport a bike, you’ll need to mount it onto your truck bed or trailer first.

Depending on the chock model you chose, it should come with the paraphernalia and the instructions you need for the installation. Assuming you’ve got a full set of cleats and bolts, mounting it onto the floor of your trailer should be pretty self-explanatory.

But where should wheel chocks be placed? That depends on your requirements, but they’re customarily mounted as deep inside the truck bed as possible. Just make sure that the chock is positioned in between the trailer’s tiedown spots, equidistant from both if possible.

Locking in the Motorcycle

Now that your wheel chock is safely mounted, it’s time to put it to use! Assuming it’s your first time doing this, we recommend you carefully push your motorcycle onto the chock, watching as its locking mechanism secures the front wheel. If your chock comes with a stabilizing cradle, you can leave it in place and move on to the tiedown procedure. If not, you’ll need an extra pair of hands: have the aide keep the bike in place while you tie it down.

Here’s a simple video that shows a bike being pushed onto a homemade wheel chock. Notice how easily it locks into place:

If you were wondering whether a chock’s position can be adjusted after everything is in place, the answer is… possibly. (It depends on the make and model of your chock.) So how do you adjust a motorcycle wheel chock, then? Here’s a simple video illustrating just that:

Tying Everything Down Safely

And finally, the most important part. Assuming you’ve positioned your wheel chock correctly (see above), you should have at least two tiedown spots within reach. These may be part of the chock’s structure or simple eyelets on your trailer. Either way, use ratchet straps to secure your bike to both. A quick tip for beginners: don’t strap it in too tight to one side! Leave it a little loose at first, then put the second strap in place, then go back to tighten the first one. Moving back and forth between the two tiedown spots assures that the bike remains upright at all times.

Crucially, make sure that each of the front straps pulls the bike in the direction of the wheel chock! This helps reduce the tension, both on the straps and on the chock itself.

Here’s one last video tutorial, describing the tiedown procedure and how straps interact with chocks:

Stay safe, and happy shipping!

CitizenShipper

CitizenShipper is a two-sided marketplace for hard-to-ship items such as dogs, cats, motorcycles, boats, cars, and more. CitizenShipper puts you in touch with experienced, background-verified, and user-rated transporters. A quality experience — quick, safe, and affordable!