Bikes on Ferries

[Peirre]

Do the ferry Companies provide ratchet tie-downs for your bike while your on a crossing?
or should I provide a few of my industrial strength ones outa the garage?

[bunbag]

its mine as well 49, will get the beer in :)

[saxman]

Do the ferry Companies provide ratchet tie-downs for your bike while your on a crossing?

some do, some dont.

[Friar Tuck]

I'd advise taking your own and strapping it down. went over to the TT a few years back, not only do they pack them in, a lot of bikes got lovely dents in the tanks where they just pulled down hard on the ropes and either dented the tank or left lovely big scratches in the paintwork!

[Bosun]

theres usually something
an onld towel for accross the seat etc always useful

[BigBod]

P&O supply very good straps with extra padding over the seat, your bike is secured to the deck and won't go anywhere.

Sea France are ****e, just a bit of string to tie to the bulkhead ('wall' for you land lubbers!) your bike is hardly secured at all.

If you take your own tie downs and do it your self, the ferry company are not liable if your bike falls over. If they tie it down then they are liable for any damage.

P&O are usually a bit more expensive but a lot better than the Froggie one. Food is a lot better on P&O also.

[Cook1e]

I cant recommend Norfolk ferrys enough - not only does it only cost £29 for bike+2 for a 5 day France return - they look after your bike well - seat tie down - pop ya gloves under the straps if it comes close to the pain though

[BikerGran]

P&O are usually a bit more expensive but a lot better than the Froggie one. Food is a lot better on P&O also.

Funny how subjective these things are! From here, P&O are much cheaper than Brittany Ferries (french boats) but the P&O boats and food are rubbish! Spose it depends whether you want traditional english 'chips with everything' fare, and whether you'd like to find somewhere to sit that's not in a bar..

[iomrob]

P&O supply very good straps with extra padding over the seat, your bike is secured to the deck and won't go anywhere.

Sea France are ****e, just a bit of string to tie to the bulkhead ('wall' for you land lubbers!) your bike is hardly secured at all.


P&O are usually a bit more expensive but a lot better than the Froggie one. Food is a lot better on P&O also.

yeah p&o are good

sea france,,,omg , crossed, dover/calias a couple of years ago, like bigbob says, they parked me on a slope facing forward, the got a 3ft piece of rope , tied it to a bar on the wall then onto the bars :eek: , i though feck this , wandered round found some chalks, then retied the rope myself, chalked it, then tied the front brake on {but always do that when bike is in transport.

found the prices are about the same if you book early{we normally book calais dover at least 6 months before we go each year} £44 for bike and 2 this year.

[andy_k]

Went from North Shields to Ijmuiden couple of weeks ago, they provided the straps, but you had put them on yourself (fair do's its my bike). Coming back was the best, 2 dozen germans remove their straps as the boat docks and throw them on the floor between the bikes (much to our disgust) expecting to get out the front, little man from the ferry company comes down, and asks everyone to wheel bikes out backwards to turn round - hahaha that scuppered the wankers, needless to say they all got picked up and moved, don't think they wanted to slip on them and drop their BMW's................................

[El_Mick]

Irish ferries very good , ratchet straps and good anchor points and wheel chocks, self tie down.
P&O bilbao OK use rope with cushion on seat and wheel chocks, they do for you.

[Peirre]

I`m going over to N.Ireland for the Quay vipers rally from cairnryan to Lairn on Thursday afternoon :D and I`ve managed to book myself a ickle B&B (opposite the ferry terminal) in Cairnryan for the wednesday night so I can bimble onto the ferry and have a steady 60 mile ride to the rally site on thursday :D

[Sheltie]

Seeing as everywhere I go invovles a ferry journey I can answer this question. P&O was very good and so are Northlink and they tie the bike down and also put soft material(crash mats, mattresses, etc.) down the side of the bike to prevent damage. They also put chocks under the wheels to prevent any other motion.

[Friar Tuck]

I cant recommend Norfolk ferrys enough - not only does it only cost £29 for bike+2 for a 5 day France return - they look after your bike well - seat tie down - pop ya gloves under the straps if it comes close to the pain though
Fookin' ell! Them Broads boats travel well then!

[ozzybiker]

Do the ferry Companies provide ratchet tie-downs for your bike while your on a crossing?
or should I provide a few of my industrial strength ones outa the garage?

hover speed use 50mm wide tie downs iver the seat. never had a problem with damage but it's a bugger to bump start a full loaded ZZR11 on a slipery car deck. just dont do what i did and go off for a two week touer with a flat battery. it's not clever.