Motorcycle in Truck bed

I already went through this thread;
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/12057-motorcycle-truck-bed.html

But I have some more questions.

I have a 2007 I4 2x4 Access Cab with the standard bed.

I may be driving out 250 miles to pick up a Buell Blast. I have a trailer but it's not yet in condition to tow with my recent rear end collision, so I am going to have to use my truck.

I saw that someone used a piece of wood to distribute the weight of the bike on the tailgate, but what about loading? Will the tailgate support ramps and a bike running up on them?

Any tips here? This will be my first bike, and my first time loading and hauling one.

 

Buell blast weights what, 400 lbs or so? Don't worry about anything, if you bend the tailgate, there is a TSB out there for bent tailgate. I used to transport my 500 lb sportster 1200 in the back of my old frontier with no problem.

Just make sure you get some good ratchet straps with some soft ties so you don't f**k up the paint.

The 2007 tailgate is weak, but the dealer won't perform the TSB unless it's damaged...and under warranty.

I've had over 300 lbs of shit on my tailgate before with no problem.

 

I use a 4x6 ft piece of plywood to ramp up. Easy with my hill, load/unload myself, though I'd recommend having a helper. Real ramps are obviously better. No issue w/ tailgate there.

I use another smaller piece under the rear tire to help distrubute weight on the tailgate. Mine early build 11/04, outta warranty, and know this is a weakness, rather avoid a bent gate.

I use a wheel clock bolted down for the front, adds a little stability. tiedowns on bars, tiedowns on back, one across rear wheel. Travels safe, travels well. Enjoy your new ride.

 

Cool... so if I bend my tailgate I can get it fixed after they replace my bumbers from the collision

Seriously though, thanks for the info.... feeling a little better about this.

 

I haul a 06 gsxr all the time with no Issues, no boards and just 2 two tiedowns up front. Make sure to compress the front forks as much as possible to keep from blowing the seals as you go down the road. Also look into a Canyon Dancer all over ebay and several online stores.

 

Made it home in one piece!

I did have some problems though.

The standard sliding tie downs seemed like they were at the point that they were ready to rip out of the rails. They held but they were bent in the rail socket at about a 20 deg angle. Kinda unnerving. The D rings in the back were fine. I wonder if those rings just provide too much of a leverage point. I'm guessing the mini tie downs would have been better.

Then the 4 pack of ratchet straps I bought at Wal-Mart on the way down introduced more fun. They are designed with handle loops and slack loops into them. This was a problem when I needed to tighten them all of the way down to span the short distance from the tie downs to the handle bars, and from the d-rings to the seat. Forget using soft straps. I had two of the ratchet straps tightened all the way to the hook.

Those are going back to Wally-World.

 

The sliding tie downs are NOT to be used in moving a motorcycle. Buy some d rings for the front of the bed from here.

 

Ouch, as I stated in the other motorcycle hauling post "Added front D rings to the bed as I would not trust the plastic movable cleats." Well, you got it home safe...

You can buy Toyotas or make your own with D-rings from Hardware store. I made mine for about $5, used a 4x5 in steel plates had sitting around the garage as the backers.

 

Noted... I probably won't haul it in my truck again anyway. I have a tilting 5x8 trailer but I was in the middle of replacing the floor in it. The treated lumber is still drying out. It needs to be sealed before I can install the floor and have the end cap welded back in, it was just bad timing.

I will probably install some recessed D-rings on the trailer floor.
http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/wescoperformance_2007_717142

I ended up having to use an old barn door as a ramp. I took off the tailgate and set one edge of the door on the bumper, and the other against the raised lip of my garage floor. Worked out pretty good.

 

I have loaded my Honda TRX450R Sport quad with a aluminum ramp and my 08 tailgate held fine.

 

This is BAD advice! You do not want to over compress your forks. For the love of god, don't tell people such things...

 

They work fine for moving motorcycles, people just don't know how much force to use on them. People seem to always want to wrench the hell out of bikes to keep them in place, when it's not needed at all...

 

1st off, wholly thread revival! This thread is from 2008 man!

^Great advice, followed by horrible adviceV

I would never trust a plastic sliding ring rated for 200 lbs to hold up a 400+ lb bike. Just a bad idea all around in my opinion.

 

I always use a canyon dancer and actual ratchet straps....entirely too big of an investment to leave to chance. And wouldn't cranking down the front CAUSE the seals to rupture?!? I was told that you want enough pressure to keep the motorcycle from bouncing itself loose but no more pressure than that..

 

Better option is to use some form of wheel chock and strap the wheel forward into the chock. Then the remaining straps are just stabilizing the bike.

For one pickup hall we just re-purposed a couple wooden boxes that sandwiched the front wheel which was strapped pulling it into the front of the bed. Bike didn't move and the forks were only lightly compressed.

 

Please, I have been hauling dirt bikes, street bikes, four wheelers, snowmobiles...in all of my trucks for the last 13 years with thousands upon thousands of miles racked up hauling. There isn't anything anyone can teach me about what to do in the back of a pick up lol

Go ahead, compress the hell out of your forks. Works wonders

And those rail sliders are stronger than you think. Also, if you set it up right there is barely any force put on them....but what do I know...

 

You aren't putting 400 pounds of load on the slider, so no worries. Granted this is if you have any idea how to strap down a motorcycle. (Not saying you personally don't)

 

Take a 400-500 lb sport bike, so on the lighter side of things as far as full sized bikes are concerned, and take a hard corner at speed, say as if pulling an evasive maneuver. Centripetal force takes over and you're no longer just dealing with just the force it takes to keep the bike upright. At that moment, I'd much rather be attached to a solid mounting point, not a plastic D-ring rated for 200 lbs straight out. Just my $0.02.

I don't know if your fork compression comment was directed at me or not but I was agreeing with you that it is a horrible idea to over compress your bike's suspension. I keep just enough preload on the suspension to keep some tension on the straps. I also use a home made chock made out of 2x4s to hold the front tire straight in the bed.