Transporting an 1100g in a 6' pickup bed

[Buffalo Bill]

I think if you just had one friend to help, you'd be ok.
Me, I bought this just for bikes and it's way easier, plus I use it for hauling lumber, sheetrock, whatever :

[thebusdweller]

Nice looking rig, Bill!

[Dogma]

Jim (who bought that Triumph) decided to rent a trailer, after years of owning one. He was downsizing his living situation, and didn't want to keep, store, register, etc. anymore for the one or two uses per year.

I wouldn't want to load/unload a bike into your truck by myself, because of height. Well, your yard presents some opportunities to help with that, IIRC. If you have Missouri in mind, I don't remember any convenient embankments at the hotel, though there will be willing help if you have good ramps.

I just remembered my tow vehicle needs an oil change and leak assessment. *sigh*. Something else to get done this week. I'd offer you a spot on my trailer, but I've seen 2 bikes on a Harbor Freight trailer, and it scared me, the way it creaked and flexed.

[Gorminrider]

...of course, just putting a sheet of thick plywood in the truck-bed would keep the load off the tailgate...

I Don't know where the wheel wells are in this PU, but is there any chance of loading it in diagonally? ie: onto a narrow plywood pallet and then turned.

[Joe Garfield]

Actually Jim's Triumph is what drove in the back of my truck from VT to OH. And diagonal is what I did - I might have been able to even shut the gate with that one, can't remember.

I am/was thinking about a HF trailer - is it working out OK? If the dedicated single bike trailers weren't $1000+ it would be an easier decision.

I try a set of ramps and see what I think.

[Dogma]

The HF trailer works pretty well for hauling a bike or other things, but I wouldn't recommend keeping it outside. I don't think the paint is durable enough. You'd be better off renting a trailer occasionally, than letting the HF trailer rust. Even as cheap as they are.

[Wingsconsin]

This worked

http://theusatrailerstore.com/ace-si...FQSqaQodkRkIaw

10 years ago I sold a GL1200 to a guy from South Carolina.
He came and picked it up on Christmas day using a single rail folding trailer.
The 1200 was 750 lbs easy ...It worked perfectly..

[sinkankan]

Here's a simple conversion of a 6ft x 4ft garden trailer which handles my GS850, there's a couple of inches clearance for the tailgate. I added a chequer plate fill in panel to the front, chopped a 14" section out the front bulkhead and made a couple of guides so it slides back in. The wheel stop was from a local auto store for $90 and bolted straight on, and I added eye hoops to secure the straps.
before this I had to load the bike on diagonally and couldn't close the gate. Pretty simple conversion and only took a weekend to do, for some one mechanically minded.

[geol]

Didn't the OP say that the problem was storing a trailer? Here is one that solves that problem:

http://www.discountramps.com/motorcycle-transporter/p/QCF-PAC-MC/

[BurntKittyForge]

I've always used variation of the one mentioned ,: back the p/u truck to a hill and place the ramps on the hill.
Making sure there'll be enough room for rolling the bike. Last time my ramps were longer than truck bed even and I used a curb w/ grass to unload. (Alone. F-150 4x4).

One time I was loading my old Softail harley-davidson into my 7 foot bed ford ranger (previous truck).
Luckily a buddy helped because one of the tail-gate cables snapped (w/ me half way up ramp) the other cable was missing...Dangerous...My advice, always check the cable condition (two that help secure tailgate).

Then once we loaded it, the mini-truck springs were so weak, the bed started this sway that turned into a oscillation rythmic thing with me standing in truck-bed! ...it was crazy! Drove OK though. (about 90 miles).

I ALWAYS remove the seat OR place a thick rolled up towel or pad between the seat and strap.
The seat can get messed up permanently.

ALSO: Very careful how strap goes near the handle bars, the strap (or driving w/ strap motion ,whichever) can bend the handlebars permanently !

I often see folks hauling bikes with the straps in such manner and have learned better from my own experience.

I needed to get MC license again recently and chose NOT to rent a tiny bike to take test on because of possibility of damage hauling in Pick-up. I've hauled few MC's in few trucks over the years, no major problems, but my own MC/truck.

Oh, The straps can dent the truck IF placed certain ways as well (My truck it's a non-issue)..
The strap anchor posts (In stores) that go in the holes in top of truckbed are probably sufficient and shouldn't cause damage IMO.

!@#M! CK Yes it's friday, too tired for eve. ride and wifey at workey...thinky needy GF !
AND less physical job ! TMI...

[Coinneach]

I just back my 1993 Ford Ranger against a hill, drop the bed door and roll the bike on. Most times I need to use a small board if the hill isn't steep enough.

[gregp]

$15 to rent a good heavy duty motorcycle trailer from uhaul (6 hour rental). you could rent a trailer 60 times for under $1000...and don't need to store it.

[posplayr]

Blue-sky but How about: attach the bike to a pallet. Drag the pallet into the truck. A "pallet" opens up a lot of design opportunities but the main thing is, with the centre of gravity well inside the pickup box, a wheel "over" the tailgate won't matter because the tailgate won't be supporting it- the pallet will.

Dragging the pallet into the truck is a single-handed idea...winch, come-along, block and tackle but the interesting bit will be dealing with the last foot, where the come-along is...so, route the hauling part through a snatch block so you can get the pallet all the way in.

That is a great idea.

[gordinho80]

I've had my GS1100 in the 6' bed of my truck a few times already. I've also had multiple bikes in the bed. Rear tire sits on the tailgate but it's not terrible. Like everyone has already said, loading by yourself is a big no no. The lower the truck, the easier. Also a good ramp goes a long way.

[Gorminrider]

Originally Posted by Gorminrider

Blue-sky but How about: attach the bike to a pallet. Drag the pallet into the truck. A "pallet" opens up a lot of design opportunities but the main thing is, with the centre of gravity well inside the pickup box, a wheel "over" the tailgate won't matter because the tailgate won't be supporting it- the pallet will.

Dragging the pallet into the truck is a single-handed idea...winch, come-along, block and tackle but the interesting bit will be dealing with the last foot, where the come-along is...so, route the hauling part through a snatch block so you can get the pallet all the way in.

That is a great idea.

Haha..thanks for saying so but I've never DONE it...but I do think the pallet is the crux of it...no need for tailgate worries..and the last bit moving pallet to the back -could be done with levers to just jack it the last way in.. dispensing with anything too complicated...maybe levers could entirely replace the comealong too by placing wedge stoppers or pins on a ramp while levers repositioned...
I wish I had a pickup just so I could try it :-). If I had a bike in a basement I would try it this way.
Getting people to help can be good but can be also be a disaster too when they can't follow instructions or try to take charge when incompetent...