Installing & Testing the Kuryakyn Tie Down Bracket for 2018+ Goldwing by Max McAllister of Traxxion

Available on Amazon:
amzn.to/2SmH6It
or at www.traxxion.com

[@geojourneys1147]

think people...IF he had an agenda or was out to trash KA, he wouldve never put this video up. He hypothesized, he tested and he presented the fact that he was wrong. some of you guys need a long ride on your bikes to clear the hate from your souls

[@Traxxion]

You sir, get to have your post pinned to the top of the comments!

[@AJTStuff]

I agree. I'm an aerospace engineer and I love that he had a concern, tested it, and found it good to go. Too many people just run with opinion, it's nice to see actual testing. Great stuff!

[@ParsaHooshmand-b4q]

I positively am amazed you are doing this while watching the video !

[@Traxxion]

There's a lot more where that came from on this channel!

[@ParsaHooshmand-b4q]

​@@Traxxion Try to watch them all every day!

[@SUGARDADDie74145]

Thanks for taking the time to test this product. I have this bracket installed on my bike, and used them to tie down my bike last week for a trip to Panama City Beach, and they worked great for me. I also checked, and it appears I installed the u-bolt above the nub on the back of the casting, so I guess a little lucky there.

[@alp3781]

I have the same kit and no issues. Very well made !!!! Tried it one time and was perfect. Simple to install, the tie down straps do not get in to anything on the bike. You do not need to over kill those 2 nuts. Snag/tight is good enough. The locations of the strap is a very good point and thank you. I am going to check it again tonight. I highly recommend this kit.

[@prestonallyn2502]

Good to know. I like my Goldstrike tie downs.

[@jamzholm]

Great test. Glad you spent the money to save others from having to!

[@Red66gp]

Love the channel. Thank you for testing all of these products. It would be nice if they included a torque spec. People will be using alot longer tools than you just used to be able to get up inside the fairing and that will result in more torque being applied unexpectedly. Fingers crossed, because it looks like a good product.

[@dabike]

Kind of funny timing. I just finished installing my Goldstrike Tie Down Brackets only to come in and see this video. Based on what I saw, glad I went with Goldstrike. But still appreciate your video & investment.

[@javig5045]

Max how about using nylon eye loops in conjunction with the nylon tiedown, you think it would also distort the casting as well?

[@Traxxion]

No, straps could never hurt the casting.

[@javig5045]

@@Traxxion Thank you

[@frankward8003]

I use Never Seize compound on stainless bolts..if you don't, stainless steel bolts threads nearly always gull and seize..and then you have to cut the bolt.

[@todpetteys7659]

Lace two tie down straps through each other around the housing and hook ratcheting tie down to each end and tighten them down. Should be the same concept without damaging your motorcycle.

[@CutriProductions]

That's the smart way! Same on the rear tire each side, and you're done. One caveat, should definitely have the front tire into a trailer flip up wheel chock to stabilize the Goldwing first.

[@chriscaliente5033]

Very good video max!

[@Traxxion]

Thanks!

[@ellobo1326]

Thanks for the information. I would go with the Goldstrike. But the manufacturer should at least grind a recess in the inside center of the u bolt to evenly distribute the pressure. Of course one could do that themselves, but shouldn’t have to.

[@moorgoon]

Aren’t the tie down brackets by GoldStrike the best idea so far?

[@Traxxion]

Honestly, this is better if you had to choose one over the other. This puts the anchor point higher on the bike, resulting in a better angle for holding the bike. But I highly recommend using both brands, as it takes less than 5 minutes to tie your bike down and have redundant straps in case one fails.

[@Belloc]

Interesting video, thanks. Doesn't the OM suggest using the crash bars front and back as tie-down points?

[@Traxxion]

Sure, if you are know how to, and are willing to disassemble your bike to get to the crash bars... or try and get a tow truck driver to do that while its pouring rain, or you have to lay on burning hot pavement.

[@Belloc]

@@Traxxion Ha, fair enough

[@Traxxion]

@@Belloc BTW... no wrecker driver on Earth is going to take parts off of your motorcycle to be able to tow it. You would have to have the tools and the know-how to prep the bike for a wrecker. This bracket or the ones from Goldstrike are a no brainer.

[@Belloc]

@@Traxxion Thanks for the clarification, Max. I really hadn't looked into it beyond reading the OM. I was under the impression that it was just a couple of screws to remove the engine covers in the front and a plastic tab or two for those black covers in back, and I figured I'd have to do it anyway, since most guys towing it would probably attach something to the front fork or handlebar unless I was there to tell them otherwise. I just got this bike and am actually in the process of putting together the road toolkit, so was considering this exact question. Your videos are a fantastic resource btw, so thank you for the time you put into them, and all the knowledge and info you share in them.

[@Traxxion]

@@Belloc I'm glad they help! You are right it isn't much stuff to get the covers off, but when your bike is broken down and you are hot, tired, cold, wet, or otherwise probably not at the happiest moment of your life, then you might not want to be fiddling around in the dark with black screws when you could have just put something on your bike for $50 you could forget about and use when you need it most!

[@mineaim7066]

Ooooh whats that I see there on the left side of the bench, Max? :D

[@Traxxion]

New billet triple clamp sets being assembled at the press.

[@todpetteys7659]

Max you are very correct with this Kuryakyn tie down assembly. That spindle housing casting is a already weak point of the front wheel. I would not feel comfortable with damaging or distorting casting in any way. In October I hit a wild hog on my 2 month old Goldwing. It actually snapped off the very top/neck of the housing at the tapered in portion of it causing the spindle and lower fork assembly to drop out of the housing. This obviously caused the wheel to travel back and hit the engine....and I was finishing my trip in a medivac helicopter. Beware of installing this tie down on the spindle housing.

[@wadeblake3451]

Good to know. Thanks for sharing. Damn pigs!

[@RobertCrawford5017]

Thanks, Max.

[@marklloyd4153]

I really enjoyed this video . The expense and effort u put into these videos for us is impressive. Who makes the best device for Goldwings to tie down in your opinion?

[@Traxxion]

I like them both (Goldstrike and Kuryakyn) and I recommend you put both on your bike. They are inexpensive, and it makes tying the bike down take only a couple of minutes and even the dumbest tow truck driver won't tear up your bike.

[@nokiddingobama]

I would be worried about that tie down holding up a 900 lb bike while in a bouncy trailer. I have the gold strike and it is super solid. I would be very much against mounting to that steering tube. Thanks for the great video as always.

[@Traxxion]

I actually recommend both sets of tie downs these days. It gives even the dumbest tow truck driver two points per side to tie to quickly. That UBolt is 1/2" solid stainless steel... it could pick up 9,000 pounds, so no worries!

[@nokiddingobama]

Makes sense. Thanks again for all the great videos and products.

[@ghostrider564]

Max have you or any of your customers had any issues getting items from Kuryakyn as they are now owned by another company

[@Traxxion]

Not any better or worse... I haven't heard anything particular.

[@mpchag]

Max how do you feel about the heli handlebars

[@Traxxion]

I have a set installed on our big 2021 Project bike, but won't be able to adjust and ride with them for several more weeks. I'll probably do something on them at that time.

[@mpchag]

Looking forward to it

[@pidjones]

Try Neolube on stainless threads. A coloidal suspension of graphite in isopropyl. Use by direction and stop galling of SS threads. But don't spill it! Stains permanently.

[@Traxxion]

That sounds interesting.

[@nickfunkenhauser3071]

I work with stainless for a living. We always grease our hardware, especially nylox nuts.

[@Traxxion]

Good to know!

[@nickfunkenhauser3071]

I just installed that bracket. I double checked where my u bolt was in relation to that button. It seems to sit just above it. The u bolt is fairly straight. I wonder if Kuryakyn modified the bolt holes?

[@Traxxion]

@@nickfunkenhauser3071 no, it's just open to a bit of installer interpretation as to the placement.

[@johnnyayala1011]

I’ll keep my Goldstrike tie downs.

[@ipostuplenie]

Nice job! 💪👍

[@genequies8731]

Good video, talked me out of K tie downs. You mentioned something about accusing you of being a capitalist. Me also. Going with Goldstrike.

[@ebshakethecrowd1]

Cool!

[@genequies8731]

I'm a Capitalist too, but not willing to put it on your bike, then I'm going to GoldStrike and Cruiseman. Thnx

[@Traxxion]

I don't understand your comment.

[@gilbrunet3253]

Truly not your best video. I felt that you were trying to bad mouth Kuryakyn before even testing. I truly believe that not too many people would try to over tighten like you did. I agree that some Kuryakyn products are below my standards, but not all of them.

[@kylepayne9657]

But initially when he had it over the ‘button’ on the rear of the casting he wasn’t cranking on the nuts. The nuts were only snug and the inside diameter measurement moved inward (bad) by .20 (twenty thousandths).

[@axelzanelli1348]

Great evaluation, not such a great product!

[@Traxxion]

I think it's OK, I will add it to my bike for demo purposes!

[@josephintagliata4072]

Max, while I agree with your evaluation about the product (not bad if installed perfectly), I definitely see room for improvement on your measuring technique with the “snap gage” and your extremely poor video production. I am left to simply trust what you are saying since you don’t show any of the measurements or the technique you use to set the snap gage. I was a very experienced machinist and have personally witnessed people using poor technique with the snap gage and have wildly varying measurements. I have been left with little confidence that your results were correct after watching several of your videos. You always seem to approach the company products with the attitude that the parts are no good and you can prove it...except the proof is often simply taking your word for it. I wish your video techniques gave clear evidence that your results are correct.

[@Traxxion]

"Machinists" and "Engineers"... always valuable "contributors". I own a multi-million dollar factory that builds EXTREME precision hydraulic damping products with bore and OD tolerances of +/-.0005" (AFTER coatings)....and have been in business for 23 years. How do you think I got that way? Because I don't know how to use a common snap gauge? A child can be taught to use a snap gauge, it's not a black art. Your evaluation of my technique while watching a video is more ridiculous, than what you imagine is my improper use of a silly tool. You can't see in the bore I was measuring, nor did you need to. The results I was trying to find could have been obtained with the NAKED EYE or a TAPE MEASURE. It doesn't require a machinist to find an aluminum casting being damaged by a bad product design. I only used finer measuring instruments in case the change was very small. It turns out it was ZERO. The premise of this video was that I believed this product would damage the bike. I discovered that it does NOT damage the bike if installed in the way I prescribed. And yet, you "have little confidence that my results were correct after watching my videos"???? So you think it DOES damage the bike? What are you saying? What's more pathetic is you are suggesting I am doing something dishonest. I bought a $350 casting, bought the product, and tested the product, found it to be good and safe, and I did that for FREE to the Goldwing community. You don't like my video production quality? Do you want your money back? Didn't get what you paid for? If you don't like the way I use a snap gauge or the quality of my videos, go find a channel for snap gauge experts that also have professional film producers making their videos. Or better yet, do a better job and post a video here on KZbin. I'm happy with my contribution.

[@rogersemple4105]

Thanks Max for all of us who installed the Rivco Fog lights who cannot use their Goldstrike product without modification.I dont dread the modification but I finally have the Fog lights aimed so Im not blinding oncoming traffic.Ill be buying the Kuriyakin product thanks to your excellent video@@Traxxion