UKH

Hi, so I've bought a new bike which fits very snug under my bed in the van. If I strap the front forks down about 30mm (thought I could do this between headstock and around bottom of the form)to allow easier access/egress and storage could this potentially damage the forks if held under slight compression for extended periods. Thanks for looking

Guess I'm the expert on this! Currently I transport my enduro's in the back of a Ford Galaxy, I can ram three, 450, 200 and 125 KTM's in. But I've been building and transporting the things for 40 years and death to them is not compressed enough, if they move just slightly they do it all the time in the same spot and take the seals out. Either you strap the bike down onto a block under the frame or pull it down like mad, half the fork travel is good.

If it's close on headroom like on mine we pull the front wheel out and replace it with a small plastic trolley wheel to make loading easier then crank the forks down hard. The springs don't care about the preload, I don't take the clutch and valve springs out either.

Alternatively just pull the fork legs out, I once transported my 490 Yamaha to Wales in the back of a Renault 4 like this.

There are also fork savers, effectively a lump of plastic which goes between the front tyre and under the triple crown, shit with road bikes though!

I've had loads of people say it makes it more likely to trash the oil seals in the forks but I'd say it depends how long for probably. I've done thousands of miles with bikes in the back of vans with the front forks compressed a bit when strapped down and never had a problem.

Obviously anecdotal though and that's with trail bikes with long travel suspension that sags about that much when I get on anyway. I have had problems with the back end being light and trying to skip around over bumps because the fronts loaded though.

I did see a guy knock up a front spindle so he could use a wheelbarrow wheel in the front to clear the navigation tower of a rally bike in his van though 

You really want to pull them down at least past where they normally are when riding, that's where the most wear will be in the tubes so the most chance of leaking as well. Kinda depends on the bike and suspension cost though, a set of White Power or Ohlins finest is going to be the thick end of 4 grand, the junk on a XL 250 a bit cheaper so you want to reduce the wear as much as possible if it's something good.

Thanks for the input there. I like the look of the forksaver aswell. Might try and make something that fits alright

We used to have a galaxy 2007, I really can't imagine how you did that! I need a photo...! 🙂

Never took one but I'll be loading again in a couple of weeks so will then. The bikes are really only 30cm wide without the handlebars and maybe the radiator shrouds which are flexible anyway, it's all easy to take apart anyway. The choice is driving 1000km at 80, using about 3l/100km more fuel and paying more toll/ferry costs towing a trailer or half an hour more packing them in.

Got to get all the spare tyres, camping gear, riding gear, toolboxes and all the normal junk as well in as well but then it's with the roof box installed!

I look forward to it! I've got a Suzuki DR 350 and once managed to get in into our Berlingo... but three in the Galaxy is going some!