Announcement

**Scott Underwood** · 09-29-2002, 01:43 AM

Putting the bike in a truck bed is easiest for hauling - no trailer to drag around. Loading will probably be easier onto a trailer because it will be lower to the ground - loading into a truck bed can be real hairy, especially if you have to stop while going up the ramp and the closest place to put your feet on the ground is 2 or 3 feet below the ramp deck. Storage of the trailer is another concern. Although, when combined with your truck bed, you can also use the trailer to haul lots of other stuff. You can hook a trailer up to any vehichle that has a hitch.

These are a few of the variables. Who else wants to chime in?

FWIW, I have a trailer.

**Sidecarmikel** · 09-29-2002, 08:50 AM

Trailer or Truck?

If you go with a truck, use 2 ramps. One for you and one for the bike. It's still a pain but can be done. Given the choices, I prefer a trailer, if you have room to store it when it's not in use. Of course, my prefered means of travel is a sidecar. Stability and lots of room. In 10 to 15 minutes I can be back on 2 wheels if I so desire. Check out http://www.dauntlessmotors.com/

**Jerry** · 09-29-2002, 09:42 AM

Having used both truck and trailer, must say I prefer a trailer. Easier to load. Bike on truck raises center of gravity, and makes the truck handle differently, at least on the Toyotas I have owned. Full size may not be as affected. (Currently running a log-bed Toyota 4x4 pickup.) Can move the bike with either my Toyota or the Jeep Cherokee, both have hitches, so a trailer is a bit more flexible. The newer single-rail designes take up little space for storage, tip them up on end and lean them against a building.

Drawbacks are license (if required, is $139.00 for permanent plate here in AZ.) more over-all length (makes parking a little more difficult) extra maintenance (wheel bearing packing, wiring, lights...) and initial cost. Plus, bikes tend to get dirtier in transit on a trailer unless you also get a good cover or add a 'splash shield' to the front of the trailer.

I think a truck is good for smaller, lighter dirt bikes or atvs, but when you are taling about a 600+ pound cruiser, a trailer's advantages start outweighing the disadvantages.

My trailer stable includes:
14 foot dual-axle flatbed with electric brakes and ramp (landscape trailer)
4x6 utlity trailer with 4 foot sides, torsion axle suspension
snowmobile trailer (with Yamaha snowmobile, of course!)
motorcycle cargo trailer (pull behind the XJ)

I use the snowmobile trailer to transport the bike, if needed.

**dasuchbe** · 09-29-2002, 02:18 PM

Has anyone custom built a trailer to haul motorcycles on? I would think that if you made it just to haul it on that might be cheaper.

A friend recommended converting a small boat trailer.

**Jerry** · 09-30-2002, 09:17 AM

I built the little trailer that I pull behind the XJ, and learned a few things.

First, building your own is not going to save a lot of money if you have time to watch sale ads. By the time you buy tires, wheels, axle, hubs, lights, wiring, and springs you will find a used trailer fo sale for less money. Check some of the prices on ebay under motorcycle trailers. You can save money over the cost of a new trailer, but given time you will find a used one at a reasonable price. Some folks in snowbelt states (like I was) use modified snowmobile trailers. Mine is a single-snowmobile, (aka 1-up) tilt-bed design that I bought for $125.00.

Used boat trailers don't work well as motorcycle trailers. They are designed for boats that have most of the weight at the rear, and bikes put more weight up front. This can be compensated for, but takes some experimentation and a moveable weight. (You end up with to much weight on the tongue with the bike.)

Many of the trailer kits sold at local building supply or hardware stores can easily be converted by the addition of a wheel channel and extra tie-down points. Price is $150 - $175 range, or wait for a sale. You can get a new useable trailer for less than $200.00.

**jgalle** · 09-30-2002, 09:55 AM

I am looking forward to getting a trailer. I can get one from Home Depot when I am ready, no push to buy like in the ads. Brand New, 3 year warranty, etc. $500. I will watch for a sale or something, and then I will get one. I was not in a hurry, just thought It would be nice to have just in case.

Thanks to all for the help...

Also, Sidecarmikel,

I think I will stay away form the truck ramps. The idea of making it halfway, and then choking, and letting off the gas to fall sideways on my bike is not a very good picture. A 4-6 foot fall would do some damage to the bike, not to mention the body

**Dragonrider** · 09-30-2002, 10:09 AM

On the truck loading:

Never drive it. Push it up the ramp. Make sure the ramp cannot slide off the tailgate.

The second ramp suggested above was so that you could walk up while pushing. . . . will work in a pinch, but it also needs to be attatched so it cannot slide off the tailgate. Better to have a couple helpers.

All the bikes I have seen dropped/damaged while truck loading was because they had the bike running (either tried to ride it up, or walk beside it and lost the clutch), or were dropped when the ramp slid off the truck.

**sksxs1100** · 09-30-2002, 05:30 PM

i have seen a guy try to take his own head off riding his bike into the back of his van to haul it home after the races... he left in the back of an ambulance...lol

**kenkrieger** · 10-01-2002, 04:46 AM

Yaya, go for the trailor,man. I have the large family as well and the trailor was what got me to XSEast2001,would have rather rode,but didn't want to deprive the two older kids of the White Mountains,and they loved it, my daughter rode with me and my son had a great time with Deb's son. as well as all the XSsessives.

**sixtysix** · 10-01-2002, 11:53 AM

I have done the back of the truck thing and for a bike as heavy as an XS, it SUCKS!

I bought a trailer two years ago for the XS rally in Nova Scotia, my wife had just started riding and was not up for a 3000mile bike trip. So we had to have a trailer for two bikes. I bought a Yacht Club brand trailer for $1100, all metal with a fold down ramp that allows for drive on capability. I also mounted a pop-chock in the center so I can just take one bike if needed. Sorry i don't have a better picture but there it is waiting for the ferry in Maine to NS.

A bike trailer is now a necessity for me (since I am always dragging home some non-running XS)

**Sidecarmikel** · 10-01-2002, 07:18 PM

Also, Sidecarmikel,

I think I will stay away form the truck ramps. The idea of making it halfway, and then choking, and letting off the gas to fall sideways on my bike is not a very good picture. A 4-6 foot fall would do some damage to the bike, not to mention the body

[/B][/QUOTE]

No! No! No! I would never ride a bike up a ramp. I push it up but I use 2 ramps instead of trying to climb up while supporting the bike. While a mechanic at a local bike shop, I saw a lot of people do stupid things loading and unloading. Most of them buy one 2 ft. wide ramp and try to share it with the bike, or they set a milk crate or something behind the truck and use it as a step for themselves while supporting the bike on the ramp. I use two aluminum motorcycle ramps, one for the bike and one, next to it, for me. Sorry for the confusion. (But my vote goes for a trailer if I'm hauling anything heavier than my TransAlp). BTW one guy up here bolted a 8 ft. length of channel iron to a 2 wheeled car dolly and hauls his Harley all over the country with it.

**Mike Hart** · 10-01-2002, 07:41 PM

multitasking trailers....

At the Big Island 2002 rally, we saw a guy riding a BMW bike hauling his boat (yes, small one) on a trailer behind the bike. I wondered if he then could put the bike in the boat to get to the next island to haul the boat agn behind the bike. Now, add a third vehicle to the equation.... aw, fuggedaboudit, the bike ain't pulling a truck and a boat. Darn.

**Ken Talbot** · 10-01-2002, 09:49 PM

Truck loading experience

One of the funniest things I ever saw was the day my buddy Dave tried to load another buddy's Honda 90 into the back of a pick-up truck.

Dave didn't want Russ, the owner of the Honda, to do the loading because Russ was way too uncoordinated and would screw up for sure. I couldn't do it because I was still limping around with a big bandage on my right knee from the gash I acquired a week or so earlier when I piled my Ducati 250 into a telephone pole. I had been trying to catch up to another buddy, Steve, who was pulling away on his Yamaha 250. I had stayed close to him till about 80 mph, but having my sister on the back seat wasn't helping at all. Steve couldn't load the bike because he was too busy trying to make a move on Russ' younger cousin Joanne who happened to be visiting that summer. Joanne was obviously busy, and I don't recall if she knew how to ride anyway. So, that left Dave to do the loading.

Of course, that little Honda 90 had the big trail sprocket on the back. If you ever drove one of these, you'll remember that they were quite capable of pulling wheelies if you wanted.

That afternoon, Dave hadn't really wanted to pull a wheelie. I think he got a bit spooked when he thought he was going to power out half way up the single plank we were using for a ramp. It was truly an amazing sight. That little Honda's front wheel continued from the top of the plank at pretty much the same angle it had been following all the way up the plank. I'm not sure what came over Dave, but to this day, I think we went for the front brake because his right toe was jammed under the rear brake pedal. By the time the front wheel got to the other end of the box, it was at just the perfect height to nail the rear window. I gotta hand it to Dave, he couldn't have got closer to the exact dead centre of that window if he had been trying.

There it was - that beautiful wrap-around back window of Dave's 1960 Ford, reduced to about a million or so pieces with nothing bigger than about a quarter of an inch. There we were - Russ, me, Steve, and Joanne, tears in our eyes and all laughing so hard we could hardly breathe. And there was Dave - lying there in the back of the truck, kind of half on/half under that little Honda.

After all these years, I can't even remember why we were going to load that Honda into the truck. What I do remember is picking glass out of the cab of that truck all summer long.

Back to topic - I use planks and a pick-up truck all the time, but I never try to drive a bike up a plank.

**johnstewart** · 10-02-2002, 02:32 PM

Re: Trailer or Truck?

Originally posted by Sidecarmikel
Check out http://www.dauntlessmotors.com/

1980 XS1100 soon to have Dnepr sidecar
1980 XS850/Dnepr sidecar
1989 TransAlp

Mike - I'm sorta looking for a sidecar (I've got a dog that loves hanging her head out the window; I think she'd like it).

15 minutes? I thought it would be more difficult.

Also, I see you mention Dnepr sidecars, but found none on that link you sent. Any more info on those?

Any pics?

thanks!

Announcement

Trailer or Truck Loading?

Trailer or Truck Loading?

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment