A Practical Guide to Motorcycle Wheel Chocks

Redline Engineering has been a supplier of equipment for your garage, race shop, race trailer, and more since 2002. They offer a full line of car lifts. Shop and compare the major brands at http://www.redlinestands.com

Today’s options for bike stability have come a long way from the old block of wood.

It’s time to buy a wheel chock. Your team at Redline Engineering is here to help you decide what kind of clamp will best suit your needs. Wheel chocks can range anywhere from twenty to three hundred dollars, knowing the differences will help you get the right tool to fit your job.

There are two main types of clamps. The most popular style features a rocking cradle, found on chocks like the Condor PS1500 and Titan Bulldog MotoCradle. Rocking cradle wheel chocks allow the rider to roll his motorcycle into the chock at which point the chock will hold the motorcycle upright with no help needed from the rider. Adversely, simple round tubing chocks have no moving parts and will do nothing to hold the bike upright. These round tubing chocks only keep the front wheel secured from moving forward or side to side.

Standard Wheel Chocks
Entry level, standard wheel chocks feature no moving parts and will not hold a motorcycle upright unassisted. If you attempt to do so you’ll be calling a buddy to help pick up your freshly scratched machine off the ground. These standard wheel stops are used to keep the front tire from rolling forward and are designed to be permanently mounted to a trailer floor.

There are Two Main Types of Tire Clamps, Standard & Rocking Cradle

Rocking Cradle Wheel Chocks
There are several different varieties of rocking cradle devices, all of which can be seen at www.RedlineStands.com. These models are our favorite hands-down. Titan sells the only narrowing cradle chock on the market. This is a fantastic feature because it allows you to ride the bike into the stand while it simultaneously grabs the front tire by squeezing the pads of the cradle together as it rocks forward. All other models found on the market work in this same fashion but without a cradle that narrows during operation.

Several of these units can be permanently mounted or left free standing. If you purchase a trailer only style chock, which features no stabilizer bar, it must be rigid mounted to your trailer floor to avoid your motorcycle falling over. Some chocks are only designed for permanent mount and don’t have a bar to support rocking from side to side.
If you decide to mount your chock to your trailer floor, select manufacturers offer quick detach kits that allow fairly easy un-mounting and mounting. These detach kits work well for the money at about $25.00 and provide the ability to remove the device from your trailer floor in seconds.

If you are using your chock for different kinds of bikes (i.e. a motorcycle repair shop) you may want to invest in a stand that is completely adjustable to house any and all different types of front wheels. All chocks adjust to an extent. Some models, like the Pit Posse Motorsports chock, feature a cradle that adjusts front to rear as well as up and down, providing extra adjustability for the perfect fit.

The last thing to consider, when buying a motorcycle chock, is the width of your front tire? If you ride a chopper with a skinny front wheel you’ll need a chopper cradle attachment. Different companies offer different solutions. Condor sells a separate cradle that mounts into the existing PS1500 frame. Titan offers thick pads that slide over the fingers of the existing cradle. Either solution allows the fixture to properly clamp onto the narrow front tire for a more secure fit.
You have now been equipped with the knowledge to accurately gauge the type of chock you need and you also have some brands to research. RedlineStands.com is at the top of the list when it comes to being able to shop and compare all the different styles side by side. We offer the brands Condor, Titan, Pit Posse, K&L Supply, Redline Engineering, Pit Pal, and Drop Tail.