hauling a rocket via pickup?

[sonny]

Never used but if the bike breaks down i can be rescued.

 

[elcanaco]

Never used but if the bike breaks down i can be rescued.

As Mike said (Navigator) I’ve loaded/unloaded 3 HD baggers, Gold Wings, Triumphs (Rocket and Explorer) and other bikes I can’t remember into the back of my short box, 1/2 ton extended cab Silverado MANY times, and transported them thousands of miles in the truck bed. The ramp, and elevation difference between tailgate and ground is what makes things easy or hairy! I have the 8ft Black Widow 3 piece arched ramp and because it is 38” wide, my feet are always in contact with the outer ramps. Well maybe except for a split second near the bottom of the ramp. My pickup has a fairly low tailgate but I always find a place to load/unload where the bike is facing downhill when it enters/exits the ramp and the truck is facing uphill (not over exaggerated). It is ALWAYS (for me at least) more comfortable going into the truck than out of it! The folded ramps fit beside the bike in the box and I’ve unloaded at many places and destinations. Fairly easy after you get over the fear factor!

 

[DodahMan]

Not an issue. That is a Ram 1500 3.0 Diesel, it is rated at 1,880# payload and rear axle is rated at 3900#. That set up has gone to Michigan twice, Florida once a few shorter trips with no issues. If your running a 3/4 or 1 ton even easier. It's almost as fast to put bike in bed of truck as it is to put on a trailer, with out hassle of trailer.

My 7.3 yields 550 ft/lb of torque at 1800 rpm. It can haul anything but getting the monster rocket onto the bed is a tall order.

 

[DodahMan]

As Mike said (Navigator) I’ve loaded/unloaded 3 HD baggers, Gold Wings, Triumphs (Rocket and Explorer) and other bikes I can’t remember into the back of my short box, 1/2 ton extended cab Silverado MANY times, and transported them thousands of miles in the truck bed. The ramp, and elevation difference between tailgate and ground is what makes things easy or hairy! I have the 8ft Black Widow 3 piece arched ramp and because it is 38” wide, my feet are always in contact with the outer ramps. Well maybe except for a split second near the bottom of the ramp. My pickup has a fairly low tailgate but I always find a place to load/unload where the bike is facing downhill when it enters/exits the ramp and the truck is facing uphill (not over exaggerated). It is ALWAYS (for me at least) more comfortable going into the truck than out of it! The folded ramps fit beside the bike in the box and I’ve unloaded at many places and destinations. Fairly easy after you get over the fear factor!

You gotta have help. What happens if the rear wheel starts spinning? So you hit the brake but because the tires are wet, she starts slipping backwards down the ramp, what then?
IMHO, this is the stuff of horror movies. I had my GS1150 fall on me full force back in 1988 but I was a young man then. Today that would kill me.

 

[sonny]

Wow. Dodahman do you fly cargo or passengers? Just curious and if passenger what airline?

 

[DodahMan]

It's a Mountain Master ( Motorcycle Loader ). Loads/unloads using an ATV winch. It is Easley removable if you need to use the full bed. He makes sizes to fit all bed lengths.

I like it! Because I live in one of "those" POA communities, I can't keep a trailer behind my house. My truck is a heavy hauler but a 7 ft bed means the rear shell of my monster R3T will be sitting atop the tailgate. I balked. Rented a uhaul utility trailer but when I showed up today, no trailer. All they had was a 5x8 enclosed so I rented that. Strapped the monster in and STILL could not close the door. Four 3000lb rated straps four mor 1000lb rated straps and I pray she stays put for my 350 mile run. This is one big azz motorcycle.

 

[sonny]

Please explain what a POA communities is? Keep it simple just a dumb Okie living out in the sticks.

 

[DodahMan]

dodah man I used to carry my bike on my f150 7 foot box for that I had a ramp made out of steel in two parts 5 feet long each the (longer the better ) and 36 inch wide plus a winch mounted on a rail snucked between the rear window and the front of the box and naturally a remote control I rode the bike kept the bike in gear and held the clutch pulled in just in case if something goes wrong you let go lever bike does not go back down and you grab both hand grip and plant your feet flat on the ramp ( never had that happen to me in about 12 ups and down ) . if you want to see the ramp setup go to "castanet kelowna " in truck ramp for sale you will see clearly what it looks like the whole thing is feasible but require time patience and good preparation

You engineered it well! I have not had time to do much of anything but because I was worried about the tailgate, I just rented a uhaul trailer. I need to come up with a system though because I will need to do this again this spring.

 

[sonny]

Slick.

 

[DodahMan]

I have a 7.3 F250 pickup.
It's a steep ride up ramps to the bed for the 700+ lb. rocket.
Get the uhaul and a bike stand plus tie downs and save yourself some scary grief ;-)

I did. Still had some snow in the bed of the truck, hills around here still muddy and wet. The good fellas at the Triumph dealership here in NOVA promised to help but I was worried about the tailgate and realized that my tailgate needed the solid steel bar reinforcements, nowhere to get them. I could not find a utility type motorcycle trailer anywhere up here. Closest one 150 miles away. Rented a 5x8 enclosed trailer and still could not get the door down. She is strapped down good though and ready to roll southbound 350 miles tomorrow AM as soon as the coffee is brewed. Sometimes ya just got to say, "DAYUMM, I am going to go,the safe route".