| Author | Message | ||
     Lowflyer |
Are there any tricks to loading a Uly into the back of my pickup? I have never trucked a bike anywhere. I am taking it in for its 5k service tomorrow morning and I just bought a tri-fold loading ramp. I rode it up the ramp standing on the pegs, but immediately afterward felt like this was probably not the safest thing to do.  I know it's too late to ask, but is that generally how it is done? Also, how tight should I make the straps? I have the front straps attached low on the bars and the back straps attached to the bottom of the grab handles. Right now they are tight enough to compress the front suspension probably about half way and maybe 1/2" on the rear. | ||
| Brad1445 |
I have traveled with my Buell twice in the truck and do dirt bikes an average of twice a week. I think driving it in is the easiest and have never had a problem. I'm lazy and only use two straps up front, I know that is not the recommended method but again I have never had any trouble doing it. I'm always afraid of over compressing the suspension so I only use enough pull to take the bounce out and nothing more. Everything I have said I'm sure I will be spanked for because so many people here do things by the book. But for the record I never check tire pressures, oil levels etc and average 40,000 Bike miles a year.I own 7 bikes right now, I never break them in and could not give a rats ass what type oil is in them. I'm like the skinny guy that can eat anything and never gain weight but its bikes for me, I do everything to destroy my bikes and they never fail me. Pisses the anal folks off | ||
| Lowflyer |
So, it sounds like I can loosen the straps a bit, and I should be good to go. | ||
| Debueller |
I always ride my bikes into the back of a truck. The only time I was burned was when the punkey 2X12 broke on the way up. It hurt. Just make sure you have a good ramp and it won't slip off the tailgate. Too much speed is no good also. I seen a guy go too fast into the back of his truck and he ended up on the ground in front of his truck. Alcohol was involved and about 100 people at a party witnessed it. It was halarious. He was completly uninjured but embarrased. Motorcycles are mean't to be ridden, not pushed. | ||
| Seanp |
I trucked my old bike a few times, most notably from LA to GA when I moved there. I had a ramp that I used to ride the bike up, and was very careful about it. Debueller's right - ride it up the ramp; don't push it. I also used 4 straps to strap it down, and got it pretty tight. I never had any issues with it over about 2000 total bed-ridden miles. And it never felt like the suspension was screwed up or anything after I took it off the truck. | ||
| Fastfxrs |
Crank those straps down. There's nothing worse than nervously watching your bike wiggle around in the rearview when you should really be watching the road. I've passed more than one truck with its precious cargo laying against the pickup box. I'd be willing to bet he was afraid to "compress the suspension" to far. How do you think they ship new bikes? Its not like your going to leave your bike strapped down for a week. It will be fine. | ||
| Mikej |
Use back straps on the rear of the bike too. I was hauling a dirt bike once with just front straps, went over a RR track, and watched in the rear view mirror as the bike did a stoppie in the bed of the truck as the truck bounced over the tracks. | ||
| Lowflyer |
Well, I made it to work this morning with the bike in the back. I have the front straps compressing the suspension about an inch and the back straps holding the rear down about 1/2". It seemed to hold together fine with no movement. My 6.5' bed is absolutely the perfect size for this bike. | ||
| Bake |
My dirtbike goes in and out of my truck atleast once dailey, I ride up the ramp. Make sure you have a straight approach and a well fastened ramp with a shallow slope! Also warm up the motor!!! When loading my good streetbikes I usually back up to a bank if there is noone around to help. If there is no bank nearby I get friends to help push it up. It just isn't worth the risk for my streetbikes! My dirtbikes get 1 set of ties that go from the handlebars forward to good eyebolts mounted in the box, usually I have a ball to throw between the front fender and tire to stop from hammering out the forkseals. Put bike in 1st gear. The streetbikes get 2 sets of holddowns, one from the handlebars leading forward and one set from high on the frame at the rear leading forward.Bikes go in 1st gear. | ||
| Lowflyer |
I have a sloped driveway so I parked the truck in the street and laid the ramp out against the driveway to shallow it out. I did okay, but it was a bit unnerving so my plan for next time is to look for a way to shallow the ramp even further. It isn't likely that I will ever have help loading. | ||
| Debueller |
One more bit of advise from someone who has crashed on the way up. (see earlier post) Take a few seconds and wear your helmet. | ||
| Jim_sb |
For my dirt bike I use 4 straps (2 each end). I picked up some nice straps at Cycle Gear that have 2 loops and a hook for the front - allows me to avoid having hooks on the handlebars plus I can get the strap in a better location. I also use a fiberglass support between the front tire and the front fender. I'm told that with lots of towing you can blow out your front fork seals - this way there isn't any pressure on the seals. But if you're just hauling a Uly a modest distance to a dealership every now and then it shouldn't be an issue. I'll haul my dirt bike 4 hours to the desert at least once a month. Regards, Jim in Santa Barbara | ||
| Thunderbox |
When I picked up my Uly the service manager asked me if I wanted the original Buell straps that came with the bike. Of course I said yes and I have a set of nice Buell straps. | ||
| Jim_sb |
One more thing, many ramps I see are only rated for 600 pounds. If I rode up a Uly it would definitely be over that! I haven't trucked my Uly and hope I never have to, but if I do I'll most likely walk it up a ramp using engine power and the clutch. Regards, Jim in Santa Barbara | ||
| Lowflyer |
My ramp is rated for 1500 lbs. I will be trying the walking method when I load it up again, just because riding it didn't feel very safe. | ||
| Homer |
I bought one of these and highly recommend them (http://www.baxleycompanies.com/Sportchock.html). I now have a 5x8 trailer and use it with that as well, but it also works well in the garage where I just ride my Aprilia up on it and get off. It works with the Uly as well but you still need tie downs - it just sure makes it much easier and more secure. I use one of the straps that go across the handlbars and then have looks to put tie downs on. I then use another strap through the rear wheel. I'll second the recommendation not to use too steep of an incline. The one time I tried to load my Ape in the back of my pickup I stalled it just as I got the front wheel on the tailgate. It started sliding back down the ramp very quickly and I ended up dumping it at the bottom of the ramp. Another expensive lesson learned the hard way. | ||
| Solarbri |
Hey Lowflyer and all, I load mine into a fairly tall 4x4 (Dodge 2500 short bed) with an 8' folding ramp and usually a fairly icy/snowy/muddy start, and I've found gassing it fairly good to have a wee bit of momentum when on the way up the ramp is good.\c Coming down the ramp is way more scary!!! I've found that sitting on the bike with the rear brake covered, and only my left foot down to balance is my favorite... though I'm still experimenting a bit. How do you guys back your bike off your truck? | ||
| Lowflyer |
Well, my first trucking-the-Uly adventure went without a hitch - bada-bing! I backed it down the ramp standing on the left side covering the front brake. I found backing off the ramp to be way less scary than riding it up the ramp. The next time, I plan to gas it up the ramp standing off to the side. Oh, and I am using the tri-folding ramp from Harbor Freight. It is a good ramp, but could stand to be a bit longer for my truck. I now have Scorpion Syncs and will have a 200+mile ride report after tomorrow. Although, I never had a problem with the Dunlops except for premature wear. | ||
| Seanp |
Lowflyer - 6.5" bed - Dakota? And if so, were you able to fit it in straight and put the tailgate up? That makes things so much nicer... And, you won't have this problem with the Uly, but for anyone else, if you have too much of an angle between the bed and the ramp, you can get the bottom of your fairing stuck on the ramp. That happened to me when I took my bike off once. The bottom fairing got stuck on the middle of the ramp. Luckily, I had the motorcycle running, and was astride it, so I was able to let the clutch out and roll it forward so the plastic didn't break. But it could have been much worse if I wasn't astride it and if it weren't running. Just a thought... | ||
| Brad1445 |
I also have a 5.5 food bed, short bed F150. The bike will sit straight with tailgate up. I had the bottom of my Ducati scrape while going in but the Uly's extra clearance seems to help a lot I think those of you that ride the bike down are brave as all get out. I have to walk it out of the truck. | ||
| Lowflyer |
I have a short bed '04 F150 Heritage Edition. It fits with about an inch to spare with the tailgate up. No clearance issues with my ramp setup. | ||
| Seanp |
That's good to know. My Dakota has a 6.5' bed, and I hate having to put the bike kitty-corner. (Edited because no, I don't have a 6.5 INCH bed on my truck...) (Message edited by SeanP on April 02, 2006) | ||
| Marijane0569 |
Personally I drive a towtruck for a living, when I tie a bike down I use a length of 4x4 in front of the front wheel and four straps per bike( two front two back). I also compress the front supension as far as I can. I have yet to have fork seals give out. And no these are not P.O.S. bikes, the last two were a '06 gsxr(two weeks old and already a rear flat), and a '03 aprilia( fuel leak). Thank God I ride a Buell. |
