Can Dirt Bike Be Tied Down Against RetraxONE MX Canister

Updated 11/07/2025 | Published 10/23/2025

Question:

Can a dirt bike be tied down against the metal canister without caving it in? In other words, can the motorcycle’s front tire be pressed into the canister with reasonable force like you would normally do to the front of the truck bed, during tie down, without damaging it? I would like a retractable cover, but would hate to remove it every time I load a dirt bike in my bed. TIA.

asked by: Chamjack

Expert Reply:

Hi Chamjack; I reached out to Retrax about this and they told me it isn't a good idea. The shrouding on the canister is very thin and is very easy to bend and cause catastrophic issues with the # RT60383. The only way to do it would be to add some kind of protective barrier between the tire and the canister.

expert reply by: Robin H

RetraxONE MX
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Chamjack

11/6/2025

Thanks for the thorough reply. I will have to go a different route now.

Robin H.

11/7/2025

@Chamjack I expect this to be an issue with any retractable cover honestly. Depending on where everything sits you may be able to install a wheel chock like # RA-17 to support the wheel without it pressing into the canister. However, that would require drilling into the bed and probably adding some reinforcement plates underneath.