Triumphrat

Triple Ripple · 11-16-2009, 12:52 AM

I'm thinking about using a 1/2 ton truck to transport my Sprint on occasion instead of getting a trailer. If you have some experience or advice on this, I'd appreciate hearing of your wisdom.

Berto · 11-16-2009, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triple Ripple

I'm thinking about using a 1/2 ton truck to transport my Sprint on occasion instead of getting a trailer. If you have some experience or advice on this, I'd appreciate hearing of your wisdom.

I have done both. Now tow the trailer with the truck.

The truck has the advantage of being more compact and less of a hassle to drive. But the trailer is much easier and safer to load. It's a one-man operation, but the truck isn't always.

Get a proper ramp of some kind. Forgo the pressed-into-service 2X8, which has proven the demise of many a fine bike. When loading, find a curb, a dock or something that elevates the street end of the ramp. Makes a big difference.

Get one of these things:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=96349

Whether a trailer or a truck, they make a huge difference in stability and ease of loading. Otherwise, lock the front wheel externally somehow. Don't make the mistake of assuming tiedowns on the bars will hold it. They probably won't and you'll get to see the bike fall over in your mirror.

Other than that, it's like hauling a load of mulch.

--Paul

NEV1050 · 11-16-2009, 08:32 AM

Hi Trip Rip, i have a homemade device which holds the front wheel in place and a 8 by 2 steel C section for the rear about a foot and a half long which is bolted in place to the floor.
I use 2 tiedowns vertically from the risers to the floor and 2 horizontally from the frame to the sides of truck tray to stop it falling sideways . I use some of those sheepskin pads that the girls like to put on their seatbelts, to stop straps from rubbing on any bike bits.
Caution: do not bottom out the forks with the tiedowns as you can do damage to seals etc. give em some slack so the front has some movement hence the 4 tiedown method that i use.
If money is no object, i have seen a ramp that you park the bike on and it lifts it into truck and locks it in place . works by hydraulics but once it is mounted, your truck aint any good to carry anything else except bikes.

F4sSprintST · 11-16-2009, 08:35 AM

park the truck in a ditch so the ramp is almost level

backing it on would probably be the best, else you have some issues with the fender and the wall of the truck

definitely get one of those things that bridges the handlebars and lets you hook the tiedowns to those

oldndumb · 11-16-2009, 08:57 AM

I use the Cruiser Ramp made by Fast Masters to load and transport bikes with an F250.

http://www.cruiserlift.com/cruiserramp.html

There are similar products that appear to be copies but do not have the same degree of lateral stability as the Cruiser Ramp.

pushr0d · 11-16-2009, 05:20 PM

TR,

There are several threads on the subject, with additional info to that presented here.

I've been lusting after a "ready-ramp", which doubles as a bed extender, but they are kinda pricey.

naskie18 · 11-16-2009, 10:50 PM

I've used my midsized truck to transport bikes for about 4 years now (since I started riding), and I've had no problems with it at all. I started out using a 2x8 and that lasted about one trip before I became uncomfortable with it and got a ramp. It is much easier to load and unload bikes using that rather than the 2x8, and the ramp doesn't scare me nearly as much.

The truck shouldn't have any issues moving (or stopping) with the bike in the bed, it isn't anywhere near exceeding the payload of the truck. Heck, I've had two bikes in the back of mine

That being said, if I had the money to buy a trailer and had the space to store it, I'd definitely rather go that route, though. And it'd be an enclosed trailer, too.

While getting bikes into and out of the truck bed with the ramp isn't extremely difficult (alright, well, it wasn't originally....one of the downsides of the 7" lift is that it really made it a pain to get non-running bikes up there now), but a trailer is much easier.

glok22 · 11-17-2009, 01:22 AM

I'd love to see this thread in pictures. As it's always interesting to see how people transport their bikes. One track day I observed a guy hauling his sportbike inside a minivan. I have no idea how he got in or out. I have an S-10 with the ZR-2 package and I use two buddies and a ramp to push it up into the truck bed. Then, I have someone sit on it and balance it so I can use the tie downs. There needs to be an affordable, double wide, and foldable ramp to make the loading of bikes a little bit easier, into the beds of trucks that sit higher off the ground!

naskie18 · 11-17-2009, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glok22

I'd love to see this thread in pictures. As it's always interesting to see how people transport their bikes. One track day I observed a guy hauling his sportbike inside a minivan. I have no idea how he got in or out. I have an S-10 with the ZR-2 package and I use two buddies and a ramp to push it up into the truck bed. Then, I have someone sit on it and balance it so I can use the tie downs. There needs to be an affordable, double wide, and foldable ramp to make the loading of bikes a little bit easier, into the beds of trucks that sit higher off the ground!

A guy I work with has a Dodge Sprinter that he hauls around his bikes inside of.

Picking up my buddy's 600 Kat:

[img]

My 750 and his 600, and the ramp I have:

Those are before the lift...don't think I have any pics from after with a bike in it, I've only hauled a bike once since installing the lift, and it was that 750, which I'd sold to a buddy....man was it a pain to get that thing up there...

kubbie · 11-17-2009, 04:33 PM

I've got both, an F-150 and a trailer. By far the trailer is the easiest. Its only 12" off the ground and can be set up with wheel chokes in any configuration you wish. In my case I have a 6'X12' fully enclosed cargo trailer. I can carry 3 sportbikes, 2 facing forward and 1 backed in, or 2 choppers. The down sides are it's a little harder on my mileage and takes getting used to it being back there. But it does provide safe storage for your toys & junk.

Now putting it in the back of your truck is way cheaper and easier to store (danged HOAs), but getting the bike in there is a pain unless you have something like O&D. You need a really long ramp or a desent incline to back the truck up to because in my case its a 4' high tailgate I have to get the bike up to. My father-in-law just spent something like 2 grand on some ramp like thing, and he still has to drive the bike, a Victory Vision, up the ramp.

Whatever you do, get the wheel chok and a Canyon Dancer bar harness. If you can get chok mentioned by Berto, there is a coupon in the back of Motorcyclist magazine to get one for $29.99. It is a sickening thing to watch your freshly painted bike fall over in slow motion on to the bed rail and crushing the gas tank.

Let us know what you deside to do.