Loading a bike into a pickup (got me a new toy)

I also welded up a piece of metal with a tounge that screwed to the end of the 2x. That made the wood sit flush with the tailgate. The headers like to grab the wood when loading with the 2x on the topside of the tailgate.

8" I-beam is heavy stuff. Minimum weight (depending on flange size ) will start at 10lbs/ft and just go up, to 67 lbs/ft. You're looking at 80lbs minimum for an 8ft piece.

I purchased these from Kragen Auto. It comes with (2) so I have both a short ramp and a long ramp, depends on the need.



Only $29.95 (wood not included).:S

Royal1MC wrote:

I purchased these from Kragen Auto. It comes with (2) so I have both a short ramp and a long ramp, depends on the need.

Only $29.95 (wood not included).:S

Those look like they would work well.

After spending months reading all the threads on this site in the projects section, I was convinced I was the only guy on here that's not a metal fabricator.

Hell yeah man, thats a good lookin bike, for 2 k id say i would definetly get it.
good score!

Be careful with the fold up ramps. I had one that I used for a long time. Then one day I bought a 83 Goldwing and that was the end of the ramp. I got it on the trailer fine but on the way off the ramp hinge tore off the ramp and the Goldwing came down in a hurry. Luckily it came down on the wheels and I was able to keep it upright.. barely. Sure scared the piss out of me. After that I bought some better ramps and have not had a problem.

Just my two cents worth....

First off, beautiful KZ there, gorgeous paint job!

With that in mind, do yourself a HUGE favor, rent a small U-haul trailer with ramp.... They're not that expensive and you will have plenty of tie down (ratching type) areas to secure that old girl for the drive home...

Hell, you already spent $2k, what's another $50 for the trailer rental.... Oh that's right, Piece of Mind!

OMR

Old Man Rock wrote:

Just my two cents worth....

First off, beautiful KZ there, gorgeous paint job!

With that in mind, do yourself a HUGE favor, rent a small U-haul trailer with ramp.... They're not that expensive and you will have plenty of tie down (ratching type) areas to secure that old girl for the drive home...

Hell, you already spent $2k, what's another $50 for the trailer rental.... Oh that's right, Piece of Mind!

OMR

I believe this is what I'm going to do. I was supposed to get the bike last Saturday but things didn't work out. I'm going to go this Saturday. I checked U-Haul and it's $24.95 a day. Sucks I have to tow the trailer both ways because they told me I have to bring the trailer back to the store I got it from, but Oh well.

Very nice bike and a great deal. I am looking forward to more pictures. Any local bike shop near where you are picking up the bike would have a ramp you could use. Even a Harley Dealer would let you use a ramp....Russ

I would agree with the trailer idea. In fact, I bought a 2nd hand, but never used, Harbor Freight 4ftx8ft trailer for $400 - it already had a deck installed. I bought a HF wheel chock, HF ramps and installed tie-down eyes. It works like a charm and tows very easily behind my Nissan Frontier! It will be used to take the KZ to the MotoGP a week from Thursday!

I use 2- 2X12's with the aluminum ramp adapters. I put one on the center of the tailgate and use the other one on the left side of the tailgate. Then I start the bike and put in gear and let the bikes motor walk it up the center ramp while I walk up the other ramp. It's spooky the first time, but works very well.

i always just back a truck into a slopped gutter and roll the bike up to the tail gatefrom the other slope(driveway ect)....then two guys lift the forks and front holding a handle grip and a fork bottom tube....two guys it wheighs nothing.....then i put the guy in bed to steer and keep it from tipping and i grab the rear wheel in gear and lift it right down at the contact patch...as soon as the rear leaves the ground it rolls on the front wheel and i walk it up in with a little lift to clear the pipes at the tail gate..it really is easy and does not wheigh what you might think it would.....oh yeah....never neeeded a ramp ,and i can put a bike in bed in 1 minute with another guy.....and my back can be a drag some days too.....ramps....sissy boys.....:woohoo:

and for tie downs i use some woven bark that can be found in the ditch by the roadside....:laugh: