Stupid Question? Transporting Bike in Pickup

[Anonymous]

OK, don't laugh at me, please :roll: . I need to transport a bike over several hundred miles and figured I'd just strap it into the bed of my little pickup. But, being the eternal worry-wort that I am, well, I'm scared. What's the best way to secure a GS 750? I've got ratcheting tie downs, but, like I said, I'm concerned and don't want to screw up a decent bike.

Thanks! John

[Jethro]

Is it a full size truck?

If so, you should park it straight in, centered in the bed. Then use two ratchet straps (spend the $$$ on the real straps at home depot- I've broken 1000lb straps hauling my bike) to go from the handle bars (close to the forks, before it bends up) to the corners of the front of the bed. Compress the front fork about 90%. Make sure the straps can't move at all where they are attached to the bar- I use another smaller ratchet strap to go around them and the front wheel to make sure they don't slide up. Keep the bike in gear. Some people will be happy with that setup all day long, but I use another ratchet strap to loop through the rear wheel and attach to the back of the bed. This prevents the rear end from sliding left and right. Keep the bike upright, perfectly straight up, but put the kickstand down as a last ditch effort in case a strap breaks (like that would ever really help).

After you load it up and hit the road, check the straps after about 10 minutes on the road.

[MichaelHoward]

Like Jethro said strap it good with good straps. I just went to St Louis, Mo Friday and got my 1100E. I put it staright in the bed of my truck, but then picked up the rear end and caddy cornered it so I could shut the tailgate.

I stopped for the first 50 miles every 15 minutes and checked the straps, mine di not start to loosen up till about 300 miles or so, just re0tightened and came on home. Do get good straps! Expensive, but well worth the satisfaction of not having to worry so much. My .02 worth

[Anonymous]

Thanks, guys. Appreciate the feedback. So you wouldn't recommend putting it on the center stand to travel?

Unfortunately, it's not a full size truck. It's a Toyota 4x4. Six foot bed. I figured I'd have to travel with the tailgate down.

[dpep]

I always use two sets of straps. If one buckle gives way, I am still covered. Then, along each side of the bike I put somthing on the bed that would keep the bike from falling all the way over, even if everything else failed. On one side I lean my ramp which is a large home-made wooden strip two feet wide. On the other side I wedge an old tire between the bottom of the bike and the wheel well. Old tires are good for securing things in the back of a pickup.

[Jethro]

So you wouldn't recommend putting it on the center stand to travel?

Oh, no!! Don't use the center stand. You need to use the shocks to your advantage.

[dpep]

Thanks, guys. Appreciate the feedback. So you wouldn't recommend putting it on the center stand to travel?

Unfortunately, it's not a full size truck. It's a Toyota 4x4. Six foot bed. I figured I'd have to travel with the tailgate down.

Either that or angle it. If you have the tailgate down, I would consider getting one of those mesh looking gates or maybe created one of your own with some fencing. You could stretch it around the back of the bike. I am not big on leaving tailgates down. for one thing you are probably going to have a ramp of some kind, and you don't wan't it sliding out. You and always tie it in, but I just like the added security of knowing nothing's going out the back.

[Clone]

I hauled my bike in my Ranger with a short bed, and a tool box in the front. I put the bike in kitty corner and then put it on the side stand. then strapped it down: two to the front corners of the box and to the triple tree, two from the underseat hand holds to the gate latches on either side. After I got the straps as tight as I could get them, I tried to shake the bike. It would not move separate from the truck. Drove a while, stopped and tried again. still tight so I hauled it for three hours on the highway just like that.

[Anonymous]

Yes, stap it. Personally, I don't compress the front forks as much as was mentioned (90%). I go maybe 30% or so. I've had fork seals blow from too much compression. If it's strapped good, it's not going anywhere.

[Anonymous]

OK. I'm beginning to feel a little more confident about this. Still gotta come up with a decent ramp.

Thanks again guys!

[gsbill]

No kick stand...me and Don have some common ground. I also double strapped for safety. I have lots of straps. All good advice. Your biggest headache, is getting the bike in and out..Use a curb, hill or anything you can, to get your truck bed closer to the ground for easier loading.

Got any big neighbors? More hands the better!

[earlfor]

I've put my 1150 in the 6ft bed of my Isuzu. I leave the bike on the sidestand. The tailgate has to be down. I put the front tire against the cab of the truck so the bike cannot roll forward. I use two ratchet straps on each side of the bike. I run the straps from the U bolts in the front of the truck bed to the rear lower frame of the bike. Tigntening those straps keeps the bike from rolling rearward. I then run one strap from the rear U bolts in the truck bed straight over the seat of the bike and tignten that. Then I take a short length of rope and loop it around the frame and over the strap, so the strap cannot move forward or back on the seat. This way the bike is cannot roll forward or back and or change angle side to side. As a safety line, I usually tie a rope over one end of my rear bumper, run it through the rear wheel and tie the other end to rope on the other side of the bumper. Even if all 5 ratchet straps break at the same time, the bike still cannot go out the back of the truck.

Earl

[MichaelHoward]

The bed on my Dakota 4x4 is 6 ft also, I pushed the bike staright in, then picked up the rear end and caddy cornered it, tailgate shut fine.

[focus frenzy]

Yes, stap it. Personally, I don't compress the front forks as much as was mentioned (90%). I go maybe 30% or so. I've had fork seals blow from too much compression. If it's strapped good, it's not going anywhere.

on bikes with schader valves on the forks for adjusting preload, let the air out when the forks are compressed and it will prevent the seals from failing.

[crag antler]

Yes, strap it. Personally, I don't compress the front forks as much as was mentioned (90%). I go maybe 30% or so. I've had fork seals blow from too much compression. If it's strapped good, it's not going anywhere.

I go this way. I don't compress the forks 90%. Let them take up some of the motion just as the rear shocks do.

on bikes with schader valves on the forks for adjusting preload, let the air out when the forks are compressed and it will prevent the seals from failing.

Who uses air in their forks