Hi guys,
Ive had 2 bikes before and know how to ride but both of them were bought local. Im looking into getting a bike about 2hrs away and id be picking it up in a truck. Just wondering if there is anything I should know about loading and strapping a bike down for a drive.
Make sure you have good straps. I had one let go with my 58. They don’t make shit like they used to, it dented my truck and did nothing to the tank on the bike.
A big key is securing the ramp to the truck. I used to use a ratchet strap around the top rung of the ramp and tighten it against one the forward anchor points in the bed. Other than the ramp kicking out people usually fail because they don’t realize how heavy the bike is going to get pushing it up a 35+ degree ramp (it pushes so easy on level ground duh), or the fact that once it’s mostly in the truck and they’re still on the ground it’s too tall to balance. If you can find a small hill where you can get the truck lower than where the ramp starts it makes a huge difference.
I did it years ago… Agree with the small hill or retaining wall if possible, makes things 100X easier.
I did 4 ratchet straps; 2 on the handlebars, 2 on the rear part of the frame; enough force to compress the suspension just a little bit, but not bottom it out. Drive for 10-15 mins, then check the straps, and you should be good to go.
get a wheel chuck bolt it to a piece of plywood. Place it center of truck. then use good straps and go around the triple tree. Whatever you do don’t use those fucking bar straps. I had one destroy a throttle and moved my clip-on. Then throw one around the sub frame and strap it down… good to go. I have been up and down the east coast doing track days and moving and i never had any problems.
In the first vid… Wtf did he think was going to happen even if the bike stayed on the ramp? Was he going to leap into the truck? Wtf. no way that was gonna work.
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