Best Motorcycle Ramps and Tie-Downs

Working load limit is not the same as break strength

Working load limit (WLL) is the most a strap should carry in use. Break strength is the load at which it fails. US federal cargo rules for commercial vehicles say the WLL of a tiedown is the lowest WLL of any of its components, including the tensioner, or of the anchor point it attaches to (49 CFR 393.108). So a strong strap on a weak hook or anchor is only as good as the hook.

Sellers quote different numbers, so compare like with like. MotoTote publishes both: the SafeLoop strap is 1,130 lb WLL and 3,400 lb breaking load, the TireSling 645 lb and 1,940 lb, and the HandleCuff 1,390 lb and 4,170 lb. That is about three to one. Ancra's Classic and Lites pages list a "rated assembly strength" of 1,200 lb and 1,000 lb but no WLL. Canyon Dancer says break testing shows its Bar Harness II withstands over 1,800 lb per side. Vortex lists "weight capacity" figures of 770 lb to 990 lb on its straps and 880 lb on its handlebar cuffs without saying whether that is a WLL.

For commercial loads, 49 CFR 393.106(d) says the combined WLL of the tiedowns must be at least half the weight of the cargo. Private haulers are not bound by it, but it gives a yardstick. A 448 lb bike needs 224 lb of aggregate WLL, which four straps rated at 645 lb clear by a wide margin. Look for straps with a stated WLL, and check them for cuts and fraying before each trip.

Ramp length and angle for lowered sportbikes

A sportbike has a long wheelbase and little ground clearance, so the sharpest point is where the ramp meets the deck. Yamaha lists the 2026 YZF-R1 with a 55.3 in wheelbase and 5.1 in of maximum ground clearance. These next figures are our own arithmetic from those two numbers, not a test, and they assume a straight ramp and a flat deck.

A 90 in ramp to a 30 in deck is about 19.5 degrees. With the bike straddling the crest, the crest sits about 4.7 in above the line between the two wheel contact points, close to the 5.1 in clearance. A 36 in deck gives about 23.6 degrees and 5.7 in, which is more than the listed clearance, so the bike would touch down without an arch or a lower deck. A 56 in ramp on a 30 in deck would be about 32 degrees.

The arch on the Haul-Master and Black Widow ramps is there to cut that crest. Black Widow says the arch gives maximum engine and tailpipe clearance. Neither Discount Ramps nor Harbor Freight publishes a loading angle or maximum height for these ramps. Discount Ramps offers a calculator that takes wheelbase, ground clearance and loading height and returns a minimum ramp length.

How to strap a bike: what makers say

These steps come from MotoTote's setup guide for its hitch carriers. For a trailer or truck bed, follow your motorcycle maker's owner's manual, which may name specific anchor points.

Attach the front straps before loading. With the bike on the carrier, clip and tighten the strap nearest the vehicle until the bike can lean and support itself, then the outside strap. Alternate until the bike is centered. MotoTote says to compress the front suspension slightly and that there is no need to bottom out the forks.

The rear strap has a different job. MotoTote says it is not meant to compress the suspension. It keeps the rear tire seated in the track so it cannot bounce, hop or shift. Stop after the first 10 to 20 miles to check that everything is still tight, and check again on long trips.

For the front attachment, MotoTote lists soft loops that wrap the handlebars, triple clamp or another sturdy part, which keep metal hooks off paint. For sportbikes with clip-ons it recommends its HandleCuff, which wraps around the grips. Canyon Dancer says its harness keeps tie-downs away from expensive paint and plastic bodywork.

Single runner, full width, and riding up

A single-runner ramp is one narrow lane for the wheel. Discount Ramps says its single-runner Black Widow ramps are not intended for riding up because they are too narrow to put your feet down, and recommends two people. Harbor Freight's FAQ for a tri-fold ramp says a vehicle should be pushed up or down while you guide it, and not ridden.

Full-width and paired ramps give the front wheel more room. Whichever you choose, fasten the top of the ramp to the vehicle with a safety strap or chain, and keep the slope as gentle as the vehicle height allows.

Do you need a wheel chock?

A chock holds the front wheel upright so the bike stands without help while you tighten straps. MotoTote's carriers have a built-in front chock. For a truck bed or trailer you add your own. Fixed chocks are bolted to the floor. The Condor Pit Stop is a folding, self-locking chock that also works as a stand and fits wheels from 80 mm to 220 mm wide, which is why it costs far more.