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Old 05-14-2016, 07:52 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ditchrider View Post
It looks like there are several folks on this forum who take a fairly heavy motorcycle with them in the back of their truck. What kind of and what length ramp works best? Can one person push the bike up the ramp when the bike has to be loaded from a level ground position? Would a 12-volt winch be useful?
My ramp is 8', folds in half, and is designed for what I do. I drive it into the truck. It's really more of an issue backing it off. The point where the ramp touches the ground gets a bit higher than my inseam and is best done fast. If I can find a small ditch, I'll use it to avoid that.

Been riding for 45 years, with more than a quarter million miles on 2 wheels. I mitigate the risks as best I can and accept the consequences of what I do. I did downsize motorcycles a few years back because of age. The BMW is about 500#.

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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
I sold my Harley 10 years ago after purchasing my first camper. I found that both would compete against each for my time, particularly on those nice "riding days"- take the bike or go camping. I traded the Harley on my tow vehicle and never looked back, camping is way more enjoyable. If you need to sight see disconnect or take a bicycle with you.
For me, the issue is more my avatar. I only take one or the other with me and she wins most of the time.
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Old 05-14-2016, 07:58 PM   #22
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I have trucked a few Vespas around the East Coast in the back of my Tundra. It's a real pain to load with just a ramp. I use to look for made made feature to cut the angle. High curbs, landscaping walls, and even loading docks. It's no easy task. I don't ride anymore, and miss it a lot, but I'm pretty sure I'm done.
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Old 05-14-2016, 08:02 PM   #23
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One of the guys who worked for me as a 16 foot mower operator is an Iron Butt. He's about 70 now and still rides quite a bit. He is one of those thousand miles a day guys. He has a lot of experiences to relate and rides with others of his ilk. Not my idea of fun but it takes all kinds. His God given name is Douglas MacArthur and every afternoon as he clocked out, he promised to be at work the next day. You can probably guess his parting statement.
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Old 05-14-2016, 08:37 PM   #24
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I'm an Iron Butt guy too, having done the Saddlesore 1000 (1000 miles in less than 24 hours), and the Bun Burner 1500 (1500 miles in 36 hours). But I like to live with the Jimmy Buffett philosophy of "I'd rather die while I'm living, than live while I'm dead". (Really, I do love my motorcycles.) For loading and unloading I ride the bike up or down my ramp. It is 35" wide and very stable.



Next month I'll be riding my KLR650 up to Dawson City for the summer solstice... good times!
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Old 05-14-2016, 08:41 PM   #25
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That is a nice ramp, looks very stable and wide enough for your feet also.
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Old 05-14-2016, 08:51 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
That is a nice ramp, looks very stable and wide enough for your feet also.
Yes, it is. I always make sure that I have a rope or strap securing the middle of the ramp to the trailer hitch to prevent the ramp from slipping off of the tailgate. I like to go very slow and make sure my feet are helping to balance me on the ascent or descent.
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Old 05-14-2016, 09:02 PM   #27
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Old 05-14-2016, 10:30 PM   #28
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I loved my Electra Glide. But truth be told it sat too much. I also saw too many people killed or severely injured on bikes. I don't really miss it. Maybe that means I'm becoming an old fuddy duddy?
I don't know about being a fuddy duddy, but "old" is pretty average for Harley owners now.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Glennrose View Post
For loading and unloading I ride the bike up or down my ramp. It is 35" wide and very stable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
That is a nice ramp, looks very stable and wide enough for your feet also.
I had the same reaction: enough width for the feet.
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Old 05-14-2016, 11:20 PM   #29
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I kicked around a lot of ideas about how to take a motorcycle along on our vacations but couldn't come up with anything practical for us. Having to travel inside a car or truck is the only reservation I have about trading our current camper for a 19'. In good weather, I'd rather do 14 hours on the bike than 8 hours in a car. Yes, I have done it but I don't really recommend it. On the other hand I am looking forward to having solid walls, heat, and our own bathroom.

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Old 05-15-2016, 06:56 AM   #30
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motorcycles

It all has to do with age and accepting the results. Nancy and I had 15 years of large Harleys, 150K for her and 200 for me, including Key West, North East, a lot of Sturgis and many Hwy 1 trips, much of Western Colorado. When I saw we were only going 3 to 5K per year and we were in the Medicare bracket the bikes were at the next swap meet and were sold with the new couple not even starting them. A good matched pair of Heritage and Fat boy. For a ramp I used a modified U-haul to ride up onto the bed of the cab over hot rod which would draw out the cameras to catch me if I tumbled off the ramp, never happened. Now I question how many years I'll tow a trailer around the country, getting old is not fun.
Jack, little stiff from crawling around under the trailer to inspect everything.
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Old 05-15-2016, 09:40 AM   #31
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My question has been answered and I can see what kind of ramp to shop for. It sounds like many of us with a long-term infection by the wanderlust bug have found relief with both motorcycles and Escape trailers.
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Old 05-15-2016, 11:55 AM   #32
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My first m/c was a Honda 50 that I rode from Vancouver to San Francisco and back. Yup, maxed out at 32 mph, most of it on the shoulder before that was illegal.

Had lot's of bikes since. I've always used trailers with long easy grade ramps. Always had a fear of dropping the bike while using a ramp. Never happened but it was never a comfortable process for me.

Went for a long test ride on a 2016 Honda Goldwing 1800 a couple of weeks ago. I'm in love. Over 900 lbs. and it handled like a dream. Hard to reconcile that it costs as much as a 21 but what the heck, you can't take it with you.

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Old 05-15-2016, 02:28 PM   #33
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That takes me back. Husky, Bultaco, Ossa, Hercules, Penton, CZ? Trials tires, fiberglass tank, 5" of rear travel, non-leading front axle, primary kick start (find neutral), plus duct tape for a seat cover.

Now go read about it with Ed Hertfelder:

Hertfelder: Hobo Life

I remember back in Tulsa we used to say "if you only have 6 days to live, spend it riding on The John Zink Ranch. It'll seem like forever. Like riding on the moon."
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Old 05-16-2016, 10:52 AM   #34
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Ditchrider: I am late to the party. I put my KLR650 in the back of a F-150 (6.5' bed). I currently tow a Trillium, but will be towing an Escape next spring!

I have a set of long and wide ramps from Weststeel (Winnipeg). With the 4x4 truck, I find the height to be a bit much to load by myself, and I am not willing to ride up. I have dropped the bike when on the ramp, and I much prefer to not be under it. I now look for a ditch, in order to lessen the height difference between the truck bed and the ground.

I prefer riding on isolated mountain roads, so I am largely responsible for my own fate (few people around to hit me). I carry a spot messenger on my body, so I can call in the cavalry if still conscious, and my body can be found, if not.

The nice thing about my mode of driving is that the sites with good mountain riding are often the best for book docking. If I go on a long trip with the bike and trailer, the bike rarely comes off the truck ... but if I go to a destination and stay for a while, it's worth offloading.

Happy riding / camping!
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Old 05-16-2016, 05:34 PM   #35
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Ditchrider: I am late to the party. I put my KLR650 in the back of a F-150 (6.5' bed). I currently tow a Trillium, but will be towing an Escape next spring!

I have a set of long and wide ramps from Weststeel (Winnipeg). With the 4x4 truck, I find the height to be a bit much to load by myself, and I am not willing to ride up. I have dropped the bike when on the ramp, and I much prefer to not be under it. I now look for a ditch, in order to lessen the height difference between the truck bed and the ground.

I prefer riding on isolated mountain roads, so I am largely responsible for my own fate (few people around to hit me). I carry a spot messenger on my body, so I can call in the cavalry if still conscious, and my body can be found, if not.

The nice thing about my mode of driving is that the sites with good mountain riding are often the best for book docking. If I go on a long trip with the bike and trailer, the bike rarely comes off the truck ... but if I go to a destination and stay for a while, it's worth offloading.

Happy riding / camping!
I do much the same, but now days I can ride right out of the house and be in the national forest in a mile. I too use Find Me Spot since I often ride alone (Device Name=Buzzards in the Sky.) It is pretty handy in that it spits out my location via findmespot's website (ala Google Maps) every 10 minutes. My plan is to take dirt bikes or ATVs in a separate trailer and tow vehicle for trips close to home and leave them at home for longer trips. Years ago we used to use a Malcolm Smith "Theft Proof" loading ramp (7' 2X6) and an inverted milk crate as a step into the pickup bed. We also had a spotter in the bed to help out.
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Old 05-16-2016, 05:39 PM   #36
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Device Name=Buzzards in the Sky
Now that is hilarious but only if not needed!
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