[Old Dog]

Anyone haul their VN750 in a pickup with the standard 6'-6" bed...???
If so what kind of setup or how do you haul your bike, streaight w/tailgate down, corner to corner, or how...???
Any special way or thoughts on loading or unloading, special fix on a ramp, suggestions...???
Just traded my van for a Silverado Ext. cab pickup and need any advice on hauling the bike, loading and unloading whatever...
Thanks and have a good one...Old Dog...

 

[Chappy]

Corner to corner in a small bed, i have tied mine off in all 4 corners with ratcheting straps before. They say to keep the stand in the up position and lets the straps do the holding. Will the tailgate go up??
I am not an exspert soooooooooooo, i am probably telling you wrong , old dog.

 

[antiq]

I always try to back the truck to a hill and use a 2x12 as a ramp. Corner to corner sidestand down. Minimum 3 good ratchet straps. Two in front tight enough to compress the fork an inch or so. One on the back as tight as it takes to keep it stable. I shake the bike to see if it moves.

 

[Scootergptx]

Picked mine up in my Ranger. Corner to corner, 2 straps in front, one across the back (through the luggage rack) just to keep it from sliding. Have a bifold ramp for the atv's and used that. Strapped the ramp to the clear side in the bed. Had to leave the tailgate down. Ramp fits, but the bike hung over the gate just a bit. Didn't have any problems, and went through a big thunderstorm on the way back.

 

[thom1]

My 750 in my 2000 silverado sb

corner to corner with ratchet straps and I can't shut the tailgate

 

[AJCruzin]

When I picked up my baby, I used my wife's F150 and the bed still wasn't quite long enough. I just ran her straight up the bed, rathet strapped from each side and one through the rear tire to keep the ass end from hopping. I usually compress the front about half way down the range of travel.

 

[stvnsn78]

I drive a Dakota Quad Cab with a 5' 7'' bed, plus gate. One dealer recommended corner to corner and another recommended straight. I like straight and straight up with no stand and with four ratchet straps to the bed corners. I leave the gate down with a chock behind the rear wheel. I sit on the bike to compress slightly the suspension when tightning but leave some bounce in the bike. You can reach the straps if you attach them to the bed and then put them on the top of the bed sides. Bike is very secure and never leans in turns. Straps are always tight. Some riders put tape on the hand brake to compress the brake lever so you have one brake on. It is in low gear, too. I back up across the sidewalk to the hill at the side of the yard to load and then back up to a terrace at the other end of the trip. I can load it alone and I'm over 70. I've used borrowed ramps twice with help but don't like that much.

 

[Old Dog]

I drive a Dakota Quad Cab with a 5' 7'' bed, plus gate. One dealer recommended corner to corner and another recommended straight. I like straight and straight up with no stand and with four ratchet straps to the bed corners. I leave the gate down with a chock behind the rear wheel. I sit on the bike to compress slightly the suspension when tightning but leave some bounce in the bike. You can reach the straps if you attach them to the bed and then put them on the top of the bed sides. Bike is very secure and never leans in turns. Straps are always tight. Some riders put tape on the hand brake to compress the brake lever so you have one brake on. It is in low gear, too. I back up across the sidewalk to the hill at the side of the yard to load and then back up to a terrace at the other end of the trip. I can load it alone and I'm over 70. I've used borrowed ramps twice with help but don't like that much.

Thats kinda the way I am hoping to get it to work... My bed is 6'-6" and the way I measured the rear tire foot print will be almost on the bed, so no tail gate up unless corner to corner... I have though been thinking about putting a tire stand in front, also my son has a ramp I may try...
BTW-I know what you mean by the over 70, that goes here too...lol...
Thanks and have a good one...Old Dog...

 

[99vulcan750]

i have a ford ranger with the 7' bed. the bike doesn't quite fit... I put the tail gate up most of the way then secure it with a ratchet tie down. I then take two tie downs and hook em to the handle bars and tighten down the front end. to load, I took a 2"x10" that's 7-8' long, and then a treated 2x6 that's a foot longer and centered it on the bottom of the 2x10. on the top of the 2x10 I split a 2x4 and made rails for the edges.. solves the risk of going over the edge..

i wanna get a fold up ramp, but they cost $$$... so, the scrap wood approach works for now...
still takes 2 people to load as I don't feel comfortable drivign my bike up that angle...

 

[Old Dog]

i wanna get a fold up ramp, but they cost $$$... so, the scrap wood approach works for now...
still takes 2 people to load as I don't feel comfortable drivign my bike up that angle...

The fold up ramp is what I think my son has to load his RK with to trailer...
He may trailer it once a year, and I probably won't haul mine more than twice a year... I should be able to use his fold up ramp...:rockon:...
He tried to get me to use his trailer when I needed to trailer or haul but it is pretty big and is an enclosed trailer too, which I really don't care to pull that much...
A lot of good tips and advice here, thanks a lot folks...
Have a good one...Old Dog...

 

[LibertyPilot]

I haul a trailor made for motorcycles. I bought this thing online that fits over the handlebars and you slide the ratchet straps through. I used one strap through the bars in front and compressed the forks about 1 1/2 inches. I used another strap in the back over the seat where the sissy bar starts. I put a folded blanket over the seat first so the strap didn't cut in then cranked the strap till it was taught. I drove 100 miles through a really nasty storm and she didn't budge...