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How easy is it to secure a bike in a pick up truck without a stand?
I'm looking to pick up a bike in maine, 5 hours from me and will be renting a truck to do so.
I have no experience with this and expect the dealership will help me load it.
Do I need a stand? should the stand be bolted?
Nope it's easy. Pull the bike in straight and use tie downs that are wrapped around the bottom triple clamp so as to not damage the plastics. Or you can put the tie down around the clip on if there is room and it won't hit the plastics. Get them snug, but don't overtighten the tie downs after the bike is secure. If you do, you run the risk of damaging the fork seals. If you wish you can also run two tie downs to the passenger peg mounts to secure it on the rear as well. Again, don't crank them down too tight.
You don't need a stand. Just put the side stand down and use ratchet straps around the steering head and subframe/footpeg brackets to compress the suspension against the side stand so it doesn't bounce around too much.
...at least, that's what I've done and I've never had an issue; I'm sure there are folks with a lot more experience and insight that will chime in!
Also depending on how long your ramps are you may need to park the truck behind a decline in the drive way. Reason for this is if you have 6 foot ramps the height can be kind of scary to load. If you park after the decline your bed will be much closer to the ground. But if yo have nice long ramps then you are golden.
Thanks guys. Huge help. I have a place to offload it at home, and will use the dealers ramps when I'm picking it up.
just get a couple of guys to lift it.....sorry, couldn't resist
:lol:
If you're purchasing a bike from the dealer, they will for sure help you load it into the truck...
Hey, Im in Danvers next town over. You can use my ramps...and I can help you unload it too. I worked at a bike shop for yeqrs and have loaded and unloaded hundreds of bikes. Let me know.
Don't use a stand NOR the side stand! I know it sounds sketchy, but living so close to Bike Week activities I can't tell you how many times I've stopped to help knuckleheads pulled over whose bikes had fallen over BECAUSE they used side stand even though they used tie-downs. Just get the thing as squared up verticle as you can and use 2 ratcheting straps up front, two in the rear and you're good. I'd be willing to wager that the stealership will help you do it properly...
Thanks! Will do.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stoneman
This would be a great help. Thanks! I'm hoping to pick it up on saturday, at the very least ill radio your knowledge.Quote:
Originally Posted by jwm2k3
Lotsa good advice here. On the tightening of straps be careful. Christian mentioned this, but it is worth repeating. You want the suspension partially, not fully compressed. Give it room to bounce with bumps without bottoming out, but put enough pressure so that the wheels aren't "bouncing around".
Get it as straight up and down as possible.
Plan a stop 10-20 minutes after leaving. Just check the straps, make sure things aren't moving around. After that you should be pretty much good to go.
Congrats on the new bike.
yer compressing springs, not oil
as you compress springs, oil moves from one side of the valves to the other just like sitting on it and riding or adjusting preload, seals are no more likley to blow than when you ride it
the only problem with compressing too much is weak tie downs or weak tie down points
Thanks guys. Will do. Appreciate all the help!
When I sold my last the buyer and 2 friends wheeled it up into the bed of a fullsize 4x4 pickup. I was shocked how easily it went in with extra hands.
Compress the forks enough so it doesn't bounce around, but do not bottom the forks out, as that will ruin the seals, as indicated.
Do not use the hooks on the tie downs, but rather pass the loops through the eye of the hook. This way the ends wont' come off as easy.
I tie off to the grips on my non-sport bike (which has bars, not clipons). Some say that's instant death by fire, but I've lived so far.
This guy has it down:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCNK-Fs4jN4
Nice VFR too...
So there is no compression of the air gap and no extra pressure when compressed? You sure?Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyO
no more than when yer riding it, and your also not hitting abrupt potholesQuote:
Originally Posted by csmutty
as I said, the biggest danger of compressing too much is breaking straps or pulling tie down hooks out of the truck bed
I always recommend sitting on bike, snug straps, get off bike
Explain the fork fluid all over the back of my truck last time I tied it down back there?Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyO
maybe you drive so badly that you scared it into pissing itself... (just kidding....;) )Quote:
Originally Posted by csmutty
Quote:
Originally Posted by nhbubba
mother f'r!!!
I've tried this many times....the moment it gets up the ramp one of 3 things have happened to me:
1.) the bike gets too much gas and shoots into the front of the bed, and crashes sideways
2.) the bike gets too much gas (or clutch popped), ramp shot out from underneath me, and crashed off the end of the bed
3.) the bike doesn't get enough momentum, stops halfway, and falls off the side and crashes
I found the best way is - bike off, have one (or two people) behind the truck push, and one person on the front steering it in.
I'm almost tempted to ride it up though...wide center ramp (tied down to the tailgate), and paddle walking it with two more ramps on the side seems most natural to me
hey I was just wondering OP how did your first bike get totaled? my friend dropped his off the ride up to the bed of a truck! and it was pretty hurt...
Quote:
Originally Posted by csmutty
you had leaky seals to begin with
This guy is good.Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyO
Note the strap holding the ramp in place. That keeps the ramp from moving on you, which is part of the battle.Quote:
Originally Posted by breakdirt916
Me, I'm such a klutz I'd trip over myself and do a face plant into the tailgate.
It helps that doode must be 7'8" or something. Stepping up into the bed of a 4WD Tundra like that.
exactly! m-f'r!!!
dirt bikes on the other hand, I'll do day and night...and ride out the truck without a ramp...and drop on purpose and just laugh when all I need is a clutch lever
My first bike fell victim to a new driver. He took a left turn about 8 feet in front of me without a blinker and then proceeded to yank the wheel right when he saw me, putting him in my lane... he hit me head on....bye bye ex500.Quote:
Originally Posted by ɹǝʍoןandɹǝʍoן
ouch, those moments always shake meQuote:
Originally Posted by Manik
yeah, trying to get back in the seat quick before it shakes me too! waited or the bones to heal... been long enough!Quote:
Originally Posted by ɹǝʍoןandɹǝʍoן
Do yourself a big favor and tie the ends of the straps to either each other or something so that on the ride home they are not whipping the crap out of your paint. Bungee cord works wonders.
http://dervish.smugmug.com/photos/658887524_TWtYw-L.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by csmutty
Stoneman is correct about not using the side stand if the bike isn't at 90 degrees the side stand will dig into the bed of the truck or trailer, ask me how I know.
Also, it is supposed to rain on Sat. when your tie-downs get wet they will stretch, stop & tighten them occasionally. Always look in your rear view mirror every 5-10 minutes to check the integrity of your tie-downs.
I don’t know if it’s been mentioned yet but I like to take a bungee cord and run it from eye to eye on the strap. This way when you go over a bump and the strap compresses the bungee still pulls on the hooks so they don’t fall out of the tie down points. I also like to take the excess strap and tie it back onto itself so if the ratchet or cam comes loose it will pull the extra strap into it so it doesn’t come completely loose (it probably doesn’t make sense explaining it but if you see it done it will). Good luck.
What time and what dealership?
tie downs that stretch when wet ? none that I have ever seenQuote:
Originally Posted by ptk-napalm
If you just have line instead of ratchet straps, learn to tie a Trucker's Hitch.
http://www.animatedknots.com/trucker...kers_hitch.jpg
If you were closer you could borrow my Condor wheel chock.
HF in Danvers has a cheaper one made from steel.
What's the point of a chock in a pickup? I never understood that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Garandman
Keeps the front wheel from turning and loosening the straps. I use a strap around the wheel and the front rail to accomplish the same thing on my trailer. It's less of an issue when you have back straps also but I still prefer a chock setup.Quote:
Originally Posted by csmutty
I've honestly never had a wheel turn on me with just using 2 straps.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurlon
I see the point...but seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. As long as your tie downs are angled forward it shouldn't be an issue?
I've actually had it happen to me a few times. My dirt bike in particular is prone to it. Every time the bike gets a chance to cycle the suspension it has an opportunity to wiggle that wheel. As the wheel starts to cant to one side the action gets stronger and stronger. Because I use a trailer without a chock, it happens quicker than in a truck thanks to the lack of suspension damping out much of that vibration.
Yeah, which is why you want to tighten straps enough to minimize that possibility when using regular S-hooks.Quote:
Originally Posted by freezinvt
I try to use hooks which have snap clips on them (clips ensure they won't come off if they get slack).
A regular chock is fairly pointless in a pickup. But a -clamping- chock (which the Condor is) allows you to more easily strap the bike solo because the chock will hold the bike upright by itself. Also adds quite a bit of stability to the point that the straps don't need to be very tight. If using a clamping chock, I just use 1 set of tie-downs. W/o a clamping chock, I use 2 sets (front & rear).Quote:
Originally Posted by csmutty