Short beds and dirtbikes.

First time poster here. Just picked up my MT 2019 sport Tacoma Saturday. So far its a fun little truck to drive. Came out of a 16 xlt f150 and so far am happy. I miss some things about my ford but the tacoma has some options it didnt. Anyway, to the point, How are you guys hauling 2 dirtbikes in your bed with a bed extender. Ive seen pictures of an AmpResearch bed extender that would work but it doesnt appear that they ever made them for the 3rd gens and dont make them at all anymore. They do make one that kicks out in the middle but id doesnt look like it would work with 2 bikes. Just curious what everyone is using as a bed extender and 2 bikes in a short bed. Thanks for any help, ideas or pics on your set up.
https://www.autoanything.com/hitch-bed-accessories/amp-research-bedxtender-hd-moto

 

I'd use a trailer. Even with a bigger truck everything is easier with a trailer.

 

Just don’t use the bed extender with bikes. The standard kind are a pain in the ass with bikes anyway. The only ones that work well with bikes are the kind that double as a ramp, and that’s only because you have a great place to store them, not for the “bed extender” capability’s. but they won’t work on a Tacoma.

 

Trailer - Use the truck bed for the accessories you'll want with you.

 

I posted this in another older thread. But here it is again. Using a ready ramp I bought in 2007. If you got real dirt bikes the ramp wont sit flush on the bed but it works.






And yes, I was super surprised I fit 3 in there.

 

Never had one and never needed one.

 

Even with the long bed the tail gate doesn't go up.

When I drive the team to the races. I haul a trailer .

 

FYI Amp research extended do fit.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/amp-research-max-bed-extdr-will-it-fit.522437/

 

Couldn't you get the tailgate up if you moved the front tire over to one of the corners and swung the rear tire around so that the frame sat at an angle? That used to work with my 1st gen, but it wasn't a composite bed, so not sure how close the dimensions between 1st & 3rd gen 6' beds are.

 

Yes that works with 1 bike, but not two.

 

Well, yeah. I was commenting on the picture showing one bike in the bed and the tailgate down. With one bike in that 6' bed, the tailgate could be up. That's all I was getting at.

 

How hard was it to load that third bike backwards? Always been curious.

2nd gen short bed owner, but i dont use a bed extender. Wouldnt fit on the tailgate anyways. My bike wouldnt clear it, then i offset the 2nd bike back to have handlebar clearance when i load two. Both bikes goes up against the wheel wells.

I keep fuel, tools, and cooler in between the bikes and ratchet strap between the tailgate hooks to keep stuff in.

I also have a harbor freight trailer which i got tired of using tbh. Its easy to load and leaves the truck bed empty for gear though if you need to. But dragging around from behind the garage sucks, i got worse gas mileage, and i couldnt keep an eye on anything since the tongue is short (fixed by rearview camera anytime). I bolted one of these chocks in my truck bed for the second bike instead of having to shove stuff in front of the wheel to offset it.

Few different pictures:

Chock i use in the bed now:


Two supermotos:
Old yz250f:
New yz450f:

 

Very true, I load mine and leave the tailgate down. I guess it’s personal preference. I usually only have my bike and ramp in the back if it’s just me.

 

@Sacrifice

I used the typical tie downs through the front bars but had to find the straightest (not so straight) path from the bars down through both wheels (off the other bikes) and then to the rear tie down point in the truck bed. ***So pretend that the bike is mounted to the front but you just gotta navigate through the other bikes rear wheels and forks if necessary...

I also tied down both pegs to the front tie down points of the truck, this helps keep bikes rear wheels toward the front of the truck. Then for extra security because the front wheel is NOT very stable (could turn side to side), you'll see a camo strap tied through the FRONT wheel to the rear tie down points of truck. All those combined made it 1.5 hours in LA traffic and then 1 mile up a rutted dirt fire road to where we unloaded.

It def took time to load it initially....

By the way its awesome to see your guys bikes in the back! I miss my 6 foot bed access cab but, I got a family now....

 

Thanks for the replies guys. Looks like a ready ramp is my answer. I just wasnt sure if it was going to go far enough back to clear the tires of the bike and i wasnt willing to spend the money to find out it wouldnt work.
I have a trailer but do not want to pull it everywhere. I travel long distances to run national enduros and would like to be able to put 2 bikes and gear in the bed and not have to worry about anything falling out.

 

Post a picture when you can. Im curious how much itll hang off when the two bikes are offset so handlebars arent clashing. Im pretty sure itd be hanging off at least 4-6inches on my truck, wish i had grabbed a picture the other weekend.

My experience though is 2 bikes are pretty tight spacing in the middle that stuff doesnt really shift. If you have a bed mat they definitely wont. I like being able to slide stuff in&out though

 

Never used one ... Gear in the truck, fuel can, ramp and cooler in the bed with a tie down running through them. Nothing's going anywhere

 

I put mine in the bed but thinking about getting a carrier that goes in the tow hitch...not sure if they are any good but they also make a two bike carrier as well.

 

Ive had a hitch carrier before. Honestly it was annoying to load since the bike wants to fall on the tailgate or off on top of you. Then add in certain road conditions that are rythmic and the rear end of the truck just kept bouncing up and down continously. Wasnt my cup of tea. Used it twice and then got rid of it. I do have higher strength leaf springs as well.

 

Kind of hard to see in this picture thanks to the shade... bikes are loaded with front wheels angled, centerline of rear rims are about 3" onto the tailgate and the trailing edge of the rear tires are about in line with (or slightly forward of) the edge of the tailgate...



Maybe OP can respond to your pic request with a better shot.