Best way to haul motorcycle 500 miles back home?

^thats not true at all. I've hauled a bike under just such circumstances from Oklahoma to phoenix with no wrecked bike. 6 inch, short bed, no problems at all.

 

^^This. I would ride it home, but if you can't/won't, just put it in the bed and be done with it. If you are worried about dropping the bike in the truck, get a couple friends to help you hold it upright in the bed while you load and secure it. With practice/experience it's a one man job.. but can be tricky if you are nervous.

 

you ride it back, you know, the reason why you bought it

 

Put it in the bed. You're going to get sucky mileage hauling even a small open trailer. Just get some good ramps or go to a loading dock somewhere. A 6" lifted Tacoma isn't so high that you should be afraid to load a bike into it.

 

Reserve a trailer where the bike is and then tow it back no sense towing an empty trailer be sure you have a pretty good drop on your draw bar the trailers were not designed for lifted trucks.

 

This is when my drop comes handy

Used to put my CBR in the bed with no effort at all hehehehe

 

If he is not well practiced at riding a bike up into the bed of a truck, what I say is very true.

 

Rent a compact fuel efficient car one way and drive the bike home. 500 mile on a crotch rocket with stock seat is gonna suck but if you stop every 100 or so and do a bunch of squats you should do fine. Probably would be cheaper than renting a trailer and burning all that gas.

 

The sport bike will high center if don't have a long ass ramp. Like 15 feet plus and those are unhandy as hell. If you get a small motorcycle trailer and put the bike in the middle you will be fine. It shouldn't get chipped up. Your gonna chip it up riding anyway.

Or you could find a ditch or loading dock at both places to help get it in the bed.

Good luck

 

Disclaimer: I have no idea how experienced of a rider you are. That being said. Unless you are conditioned to riding sport bikes for very long rides like that you will hate it within 60 miles. Your wrists, elbows and lower back will be killing you. Then your neck will get tired from the lack of windshield and full face helmet. Then there's the weather. You have no where to carry rain or cold weather gear. If this is your first sport bike trailer it. They suck for long trips.

Also look into having it shipped. Should be around $500. You'll spend that in fuel trailer and hotel.

 

Well you don't 'ride a sport bike up' into your truck, you push it up!

 

You have a pickup... with a bed... use it

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/motorcycles/120955-loading-motorcycle-dcsb-pics.html

Back the truck up to a ditch or loading dock to help with loading/unloading, get a good set of straps and also one of those sport bike tie down straps for the front clips. You will also need floor mounted d-rings in the front of your bad (don't use the plastic side rails).

 

I agree. Assuming the worst and best case scenario is realistic. However, properly planned he should have zero issues.

 

If you do use a trailer than try to rent it where you are picking up your bike and just do a "one-way" rental with it.

 

Hey Guys,

Thanks for all of this input. Let me give a bit more info now that some good points are being stated.

1) This is not my first bike, but I agree with the few people who said riding 500 miles would be misery. I think it would be also. Riding it home would be my last resort (flying up there etc).

2) I tried loading a bike up to the bed via a ramp once about 10 yrs ago (same height truck) and i fell on my ass and broke my bike and pride. So that's a no.

3) The reason why I am taking an empty trailer up there is because the one I have on reserve (here) is $15 /day , making it $30 for the two days I need it. However, if i just wanted to do a one way trailer and get it there, it is a $120 minimum....

4) I don't know what kind of help I will have available when I get home. I think with the bike trailer, the ramp is so low that I can probably do it solo.

5) The bike I am getting is a CBR 1000RR , so I hope that fits the UHUAL bike trailer of 7.8 feet (it should, i believe).

 

This, I believe, is the trailer I am getting....



The bike shop told me, under no circumstance, would they recommend covering it up with a tarp or bike cover. They said it would certainly tear the paint up.

 

I used the u-haul trailer to haul my hog from va beach to buffalo, about 600 miles.
had no problems. covering it would mess up the paint and chrome.

 

Trailer sounds like a good idea. A motorcycle ramp can cost about $50 to $200 so if this is a once in awhile thing it would make sense.

 

Get on the bike and ride.

 

They are correct on that. Do not put a cover on the bike when it's on a trailer or in the back of the truck. If flaps in the wind and can chaff the paint.