it's not fun loading/unloading from the truck by urself man. i'd say u might end up dropping it eventualy. the trailer will give you more room anyway.

if you can find a spot to load/unload with the truck, like a ditch/hill, then i'd save the money and use the truck.

 

My only thing would be that its a pretty steep incline to be pushing a sportbike up on a ramp into the bed of your truck by yourself. I've seen people almost lose it and drop their bike because they couldn't get it all the way up by themselves....where a small 2 place trailer won't be nearly as steep to push a bike up....they just require you to balance it while you get it tied down.
I'd go with the trailer personally.

 

lusone: i use my truck and if i cant get a convenient slope it can be tough and two bikes in one bed...u r asking to scratch one of them IMO

 

if i got a trailer, my plan would be to find something with a wooden deck so i could mount some wheel guides or chocks to the deck to aid in the security of the bike and in the stability of it while i attach the tiedowns

 

I sold my 4x4 and got a 2wd truck because I almost dropped the bike unloading it from the 4x4 after a track day. 2wd is much easier to handle the loading and unloading by yourself. If I still had the 4x4, i would definitely be looking for a trailer. Main drawback to the trailer is you are limited to 55mph on the freeways, at least here in CA. With the bike in the bed of a truck, you obviously don't have that concern.

Another option would be to sell the truck and look for a large van to handle the hauling duties. Keeps the bike under cover when hauling or parked somewhere, along with all you gear being inside away from prying eyes, thieves and inclement weather.

 

Main drawback to the trailer is you are limited to 55mph on the freeways, at least here in CA. With the bike in the bed of a truck, you obviously don't have that concern.

the 55 mph thing applies to any truck with a trailer? thought that was only large trucks/semi's. how strict are they on enforcing that?

i'm always getting passed by trucks pulling trailers every time i've gone to cali, so i know alot of people don't really follow it...but man, that would kinda suck....

selling the truck isn't really an option right now.

other thought with the trailer is that there is a possiability that i may pick up an old jeep/truck/ect. for doing some off road wheeling late this summer or early fall, so if i had something that was the right size to fit a small car on, that would be nice as well, that way if i wanted to take a wheeling trip somewhere....

 

Yeah a van would be great. If money wasnt a problem i would get one of those Dodge sprinters and have a trackday van all decked out with tools, bed, equip....Ahhh who wants to sponsor me?

 

That Sprinter is exactly what I was thinking of

If I didn't have to worry about hauling the kid around, that is probably what I would have looked for after selling the old truck.

 

Yeah they are great. Did you know they are a copy of the mercedes sprinter u get in Europe? Not sure about the powerplant but the Body is an exact copy ( probably dodge own mercedes or vice versa). And the cops do enforce that 55 mph trailer rule, even with regular trucks...

 

I have an f-350 dually so the ass end is real high. I actually bottom the lowers out getting it in the bed. I would look into a small rail trailer for ease sake. You don't need a freind or anyone to help you if there is no one around. Should effect mileage that much, altho I haven't never drivin anything but a big diesel and I don't feel small trailers behind me.

 

I think 55MPH doesn't apply for small trucks and trailers, I forget the unloaded weight limits. However, I tow a total GVW of 22K and I'll do 70 on the highway all the time. I am in Ohio tho.. haha.

 

If you can afford the trailer I would do that... Make it a lot easier to load and unload, and dont have to worry about dropping the bike..

 

I prefer the truck over using a small trailer - if one of the trailer tires blows, you will have serious problems. See if there's a warehouse nearby with a loading dock that can be accessed via a ramp and load your bike there (ask permission).

Another way - since you've got a 4x4, put it in 2wd, bury the rear end to get the bed closer to the ground, and then load up. secure the bike, then use 4wd to unstick (you have to do this near pavement to get a streetbike in, but this is how I used to load quads all the time...).

 

can i have some of your money?

trailer is gonna be easier as far as loading and unloading but they're a pain in the ass in parkin lots and stuff. I use the back of my truck but because its a little higher than a regular 2WD i pretty much always back up in a ditch or a hill. I got a quad ramp that goes all the way across the tailgate so i can put my feet down, but if im not on a hill the bike bottoms out. My friend has a curved ramp for his dirt bike but its really narrow but it works well if you dont have a ditch.

 

i've been tossing this same idea around myself. i only have one bike, and i would only need to tow/haul it a few times a year. i've got a 1500 silverado 4x4, so the weight isn't a deal but i can't see myself backing that thing down the ramp by myself. i've almost talked my dad into spliting a 4x8 trailer and just getting it when i need it.

 

My brother does a lot of motocross so I borrowed his hitch carrier to bring the bike home the day I bought it. Maybe one of these is worth the investment for ya?

 

i've seen these around before but i've always thought it looked a little unstable. but it looks like it's holding up ok

 

if your just getting a quad, they are easy to load in a truck with no ramps. pick up the frt put the tires on tailgate, grab the back pick up and push in. i did this for yrs with my quad. even did it a couple times with my streetbike but you need 2 big strong guys.

 

Go with the trailer. It is much easier for loading and unloading and from what you posted you will be doing a lot of both.

 

i've thought about doing the sportbike in the bed of the truck and picking up one of those hitch mounts for the dirt bike. i'm not sure how safe i'd feel with my street bike on it though, wouldn't that put it over the max hitch tounge weight?

i've been searching for someone who makes a folding curved ramp but have yet to find one that is both folding and curved. i figure that if i end up finding one and it's narrow, i'll just end up getting a couple so i've got places for my feet. i'd even consider an ATV ramp.

as for trailers, i found one in vegas, three place bike trailer, alread has the metal tire guides and wheel chocks up front plus plenty of tie down spots. nice little set up. wants something like $1200 for it. it's nice, but if i could save myself $800-900 by getting a couple ramps and a hitch carrier....?? we'll see....

 

A hitch's tongue weight rating varies widely, depending on the hitch class, and the vehicle to which it's attached. Our Silverado 2500HD has an aftermarket Putnam XDR hitch, with a tongue rating of 1600 lbs, so it would hold TWO sportbikes, lol. The "hitch" (pun in tended) is that those hitch carriers are usually rated at 500 lbs MAXIMUM or so. We have one that we use all the time for the dirt bike, and we've never had a problem with it (220 lbs or so).
A ramp wil lbe your best bet; if you can't find one that will meet your needs at this site, then you never will - we have two sets from them & they're high quality, competitively priced units.

http://www.atvramps.com/?gclid=CMTApeOX9pECFQoWgQodBGfiog

Take a look at the full-width tri-fold models...

 

i have a full width bi-fold. its nice and stable and I just ride the bike up and sit on it and back it back down. But you need a hill/ditch to do that.

I'm about to load up the bike in an hour for the FL trip tomorrow

 

I've got you answer. I just bought a ramp from discountramps.com to do the same thing your looking to accomplish. I bought the Black Widow ramp. This ramp will allow you to lad and unload your bikes on your own with no one else's help.

 

i can do the same with my $120 ramp as you can with that $350-450 ramp.....

 

$1000 for a trailer...??...Tractor Supply has a 4x8 steel trailer, 1500# rating for $300. add a deck of your choice and a wheel chock...$375 and you're all set.

In and out of a pick up blows. A good set of ramps is worthit in those cases...but if you get a wet day they can be risky.

I saw a guy with a wheel chock in the back of his honda minivan....a 749 rolled right in...haha. I'm going to have to measure my bike and see if it will fit.

 

$1000 for a trailer...??...Tractor Supply has a 4x8 steel trailer, 1500# rating for $300. add a deck of your choice and a wheel chock...$375 and you're all set.

.

I will have to look into this.. Freakin Lowes(I work here, just until May when I graduate) wants 499 for a 4X8!!!!

 

this is how i load mine. I turn the truck around going up the hill to get the bike off.

 

this is how i load mine. I turn the truck around going up the hill to get the bike off.

i like the straps idea. im always scared the ramps will fall off. thats a great idea.

 

hes also talking about getting a jeep...or other 4x4.

get a 18' car hauler. easy loading for the bikes, and quads. and ive seen them for $1500 or so.

i hauled my bike in the bed of the truck. not cool loading or unloading. and we bottomed out on the ramp during loading...

i use a 8x10 flat deck. my carhauler is like 25'..its a bit much for 1 single bike...

 

I was one of those guys that nearly dropped my beloved bike while unloading it one time. I was unloading it and for whatever reason (girls in bathing suits were watching from their apartment balcony) I felt like I didn't need any help. As I was rolling the bike down the ramp the back tire started to come off the ramp and I still had like 2 feet left to go. As I tried to correct the angle I lost control and the bike began to severely lean towards me. My first thought was to get out of the way and just get the insurance number ready, but the ego kicked in and there I was standing firm holding up a bike that was in full lean on a ramp... and getting heavier by the second. I heard one of the girls ask, “Are you okay?" Like the Macho man and idiot I am... I simply replied, "Oh yea, I'm fine...I'm just checking the gauges." Muscle failure was kicking in...I had to do something. I took a deep breath and just forced and willed the bike back up to the riding position and quickly rolled it down the ramp.

Aside from the adventure...I now use a small step ladder in addition to my ramp. I guess its time to invest in one of those folding ramps that is wide enough to ride the bike up into the bed.

Oh and one more thing...its probably not a good idea to load or unload your bike, by yourself, if you are tired or not ready to give the job your full attention. just my 2 cents.

 

I really prefer using a trailer to using a truck bed. While the truck bed works, it's a PITA to load into and unload from, definitely not a one person job. I've got a small trailer that had three rails on it, but the rails were only 5" wide (big enough for my old FZR, but too narrow for the more modern rear wheels), so I'm in the process of cutting off the rails and putting a flat bed on it and installing removable wheel chocks. Having a trailer is fantastic, and so long as you know how to drive with one in tow and properly reverse with it, it's not too much of a problem to park, even in a crowded parking lot. Of course, this is relative to the size of the trailer, as a shorter trailer will be easier to fit into spaces, but will also be much more erratic while backing up, and is generally less stable.

 

Just put in the bed like I do with my truck!!!

Yeah right!!!! I trailer mine cuz I dont have a choice!!!

 

Just put in the bed like I do with my truck!!!

My point exactly!!!!! I put mine in my Dodge Ram as well!!!!! I love to look through the rear window and see the headlights of my bike.