Transport question - Ducati Monster Forums: Ducati Monster Motorcycle Forum

tndrpngn · 04-28-2008, 11:36 AM

Hey all...I am taking my bike up to Ducpond on Thursday to finally get my Termis put on (thanks for your input Vuu, went with the kit) and am afraid that if I ride it, it will take longer to start the work. So here is the question...I have a large pick-up truck and straps, but no ramp...any ideas on where to find one large enough for me to ride it up...I will be loading it myself.
Thanks!!!
Chuck
Oh...not sure if it matters...it is an s4r.

tndrpngn · 04-28-2008, 11:38 AM

That is thanks Yuu...not Vuu...oops

kc4ag · 04-28-2008, 12:04 PM

You can usually find ramps at Home Depot and the like. They're not too expensive and can just be stored strapped into the back of your pick up bed. If your truck is too tall even with the ramp, as is the case with Stillie's Ram 1500, just back it up to a hill so the bike is a bit higher than the ground that your tires are on, and that makes it easier. Even a curb can work in a pinch.

tndrpngn · 04-28-2008, 12:10 PM

Very good...I was wondering if I could use the terrain to help with the physics of it all (I too have a Ram 1500 with 20in. tires). I will run by Home Depot today and see what they have...
Thanks
Chuck

kc4ag · 04-28-2008, 12:23 PM

Chuck, that's the same setup Stefan has. Even with a relatively short ramp (probably intended for mowers and such), he has always been able to find places to load and unload.

What we do at the house is we ride the bike up the steps to the front porch, then lay the ramp flat from the front porch to the truck. That makes it really easy.

2vtwin · 04-28-2008, 12:25 PM

I have drive-up ramps, they are the real kind. Where are you located? - Gene

tndrpngn · 04-28-2008, 01:05 PM

I live in Woodbridge (Lake Ridge)...little bit of a hike out to Ducpond, but worth it. Do you think if I ride it out there, it will cool in about an hour or so? I have never transported a bike befor so I am somewhat anxious about the whole process anyway.
Emily, I have a porch but, it wouldn't work in this case...I would have to find terrain elevation somewhere...I can just see it now...halfway up the truck and stuck, that would suck and be my luck...didn't really intend for all of that to ryme...

Old_Ducker · 04-28-2008, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tndrpngn

Hey all...I am taking my bike up to Ducpond on Thursday to finally get my Termis put on (thanks for your input Vuu, went with the kit) and am afraid that if I ride it, it will take longer to start the work. So here is the question...I have a large pick-up truck and straps, but no ramp...any ideas on where to find one large enough for me to ride it up...I will be loading it myself.
Thanks!!!
Chuck
Oh...not sure if it matters...it is an s4r.

I would not recommend riding the bike up into the bed of the pickup. If you are going to load it yourself without any help, I would suggest that you use two ramps, and that you get the longest possible ramps you can find. I would also suggest that you position the truck so that the back end is pointing downhill and your ramps and bike are on higher ground than the rear wheels of your truck. Use one ramp for the bike and ne ramp for you and walk the bike up into the truck. I usually have the bike running and in first gear and use the clutch friction zone to assist in going up the ramps. Strangely enough, unloading is harder than loading, both because you are going backwards but also because you have to bump the rear wheel of the bike up over the lip of the ramp before you can get rolling.

It's REAL easy to drop a bike doing this, especially if you are not used to doing it. If you can get someone to help, especially the first couple of times, it's well worth doing!

If you are unloading, be sure that your ramp is secured to the truck so that neither of your bike's wheels, hitting it, can knock it off the edge of your tailgate!

Tim

tndrpngn · 04-28-2008, 01:37 PM

Solid information...Thanks! I think that weather permitting, I will ride it out. Proper risk analysis shows that that is probably the safer and smarter thing to do.
Is a trailer easier...say for example one you can rent or eventually buy? I have never had to transport any of my bikes before...the shops were always local. But Gene sold me on Ducpond on my first trip there.

Old_Ducker · 04-28-2008, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tndrpngn

Solid information...Thanks! I think that weather permitting, I will ride it out. Proper risk analysis shows that that is probably the safer and smarter thing to do.
Is a trailer easier...say for example one you can rent or eventually buy? I have never had to transport any of my bikes before...the shops were always local. But Gene sold me on Ducpond on my first trip there.

Trailers are *much* easier for loading and unloading motorcycles. That said, I carry everything from 360 pound racebikes to my 800+ pound Harley bagger in the back of my Chevy Silverado, and I load and unload them all the time, often by myself. I have two lightweight, 8-foot, aluminum ramps, and I use a tie-down strap to secure the bike ramp to the center of the tailgate, then place the "human" bike ramp on the left of the center ramp, and the bike goes up under its own power, and backs down using the front brake to control speed. It takes practice and more practice to be able to do it proficiently and safely, though.

+1 on Duc Pond Motosports. They are the B.E.S.T. !!!! (Plus, they sponsor my race team!)

Tim