How can I get my 450 into my truck bed?

[matt_gs450]

Hi All,

I just sold one of my 450's and I need to get it into my Toyota truck to deliver it. The bed is just long enough to accommodate the bike with the gate closed. I'm looking for a trick that can get it into the bed without having to buy an expensive ramp. Also, renting a trailer from U-Haul is not an option because I refuse to deal with those folks.

If that's not a reasonable request (I don't want to damage the bike, the truck or myself obviously), then I'll be stuck riding the bike across a bridge and along freeways that I'd rather not. I've had these 450's for a few years now, mostly to tinker with and ride on the local two lane mountain roads. Riding on the San Mateo bridge (very windy!) and I-880 (very busy and poorly maintained) is a last resort.

Thanks for any advice.

-Matt

 

[chiphead]

Back the truck with the gate down up to a small hill then run a 2X8 from the hill directly into the bed of the truck. Using the hill compensates for the angle so if you do it right it's a straight shot into the bed.

 

[bonanzadave]

A ditch works well. Could you back the truck up to a short flight of steps ? Any access to a forklift or a bob cat ?

 

[tkent02]

A ditch works well. Could you back the truck up to a short flight of steps ? Any access to a forklift or a bob cat ?

Lift it by hand, get a friend to help lift and one in the truck bed to steady it when it's halfway up. Each end is only a couple hundred pounds.

 

[matt_gs450]

I don't have access to a forklift or bobcat. I do have a very steep driveway at my house so I think loading it won't be too difficult. I'm not sure what to expect at the address where I'm dropping it off though.

The two-man lift job may be plausible if I can trick someone into helping me. Maybe for a Big Mac or some beer (or both).

Has anyone got any additional tips for using a 2x8? Like maybe how I can secure it to the tailgate?

Thanks,
Matt

p.s. the bike I sold: http://www.stupidcatchphrase.com/cl/suzuki450l.html

 

[tkent02]

I'm not sure what to expect at the address where I'm dropping it off though.

That's his problem, as long as he pays you in full before it gets unloaded.

 

[jmanz6]

Tell the guy if he wants it to come get it. You sold him the bike not the delivery service. He can then go rent a trailer from U-Haul for $28/day and drive to you and get it. I used to load my dirtbike with help from another person until we built a ramp. When I went to pick up my 700 I rented a U-Haul and the trailer was so low that I oly needed a short 2x8 and a good running start to get it in there. When I loaded it into my nieghbors trailer for transport to the shop I used the trailer sides supported by a cinder block about 1/2 way so the weight of the bike didn't crack the wood when I had both wheels supported.

As far as attaching it to the tailgate I would unhook the tailgate stops and let the tailgate hang down. Then nail or screw a small bracket or piece of 1x1 wood to the end of the ramp. This should allow it to sit inside the little groove bewteen the tailgate and truck bed. This should be enough to keep the ramp from slipping too much and allow you to load the bike easily.

 

[GSexpress]

Find a place nearby both locations where there is a loading ramp for truck deliveries.....not 18 wheelers but a delivery truck ramp. I needed to laod a bike in Park City UT and found a liquer store that had a hydrolic ramp out back that you could adjust to the hight you needed. I just asked and they said OK. I still bought a big bottle of Tequila anyway. There are alot of other places like grocery stores commercial centers and shopping malls.:-k

 

[rudy]

I've done the two friend lift method lots of times with my XS650, XS400, MX250 dirt bike, and a friend's 750 Shadow Spirit (HEAVY FREAKIN BIKE!!!). Have done the 2x8 ramp method for all the previoius, plus my dad's 1200 Voyager, CX500 a GS750 and GS1000. Have loaded lots of stuff into trailers before as well. Haven't used the hill/step/loading dock method for a bike, but I can imagine how much easier it would make things (done it with lawn mowers before). I've even loaded my 650 into the back of a truck from the flat deck trailer hooked on the hitch (something else was going in the trailer). A little creativity goes a LONG way.

Wood is stronger than many people think. Don't be too skeerd about the board sliding around. Once the weight of the bike gets on it, it'll be good, just make sure everything is relatively flat, and not on sandy ground. You want good footing as well.

Your Toyota's bed can't be that high. Try loading into a 4x4 Ram.

Rudy

 

[elwaxoro]

As far as I can tell, this is how you get it loaded:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7jsYMrCdb8

And this is how you unload it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mnvm5HTprCg&NR=1

 

[Clone]

Lift it by hand, get a friend to help lift and one in the truck bed to steady it when it's halfway up. Each end is only a couple hundred pounds.

Jeez its a 450! What does it weigh? Like 250lbs that is less than most of the members on this board
A couple of guys could pick that puppy up, a bud and I loaded an old Kawi 750 in the back of a pickup. You can do itray:

 

[Guest]

Try this, the neighbors will love you for it...

[/IMG]

 

[jola]

I went to get my 450 with a friend in his S10. We brought some wood planks and rolled it up as much as we could on one push. Then I hit the front brake. Then I jumped onto the bed and pulled while he pushed. Worked well enough.

 

[OhioEric]

around here you can rent a motorcycle trailer for $14 a day. notched front for the wheel, a railing all around to tie off on, and a fold down 4 ft metal mesh tailgate/ loading ramp. $14. at u-haul. Ask for a motorcycle trailer.

cant beat that.

when you damage that bike f-ing with that board it'll cost way more than $14. Hell, a 2x8 eight footer is what $9 ???plus lunch or a 12 pack for the helper???

.....it's the un-loading that's the problem.

jmanz6 is right - tell him to come get it!

 

[matt_gs450]

Following up on one of the comments, I took some 2x4 and made this ramp:

I took the advice from jmanz6 about unlocking the tailgate stops and using a 1x1 block to lock it in. I bounced up and down on the middle of the ramp and it was solid... I'll post after the bike is gone to hopefully report success.

As far as saying "come get it yourself", well I made it a term of the sale that I'd deliver it. So I'm stuck with that. No big deal though, because I kind of like having an excuse to drive my old truck around.

As far as U-Haul, I've gone through too many nightmares with those guys.

As far as the weight... Close to 400 pounds dry... My back might be able to take it, but I don't want to risk another hernia (three already, enough for one lifetime I think)

Thanks for all the suggestions.

-Matt

 

[Steve]

Unless you are bow-legged enough to put your feet under the bike, that ramp is not wide enough.

At the very least, get two more 2x4 boards that are the same length, and place them away from the ramp enough that your feet can follow them up into the truck.

When my wife's 850 lost its ignitor in Colorado a few years ago, I used a 2x10 for the bike and two 2x4s for my feet to get into the back of a U-Haul van. Later, when the driveshaft on my Kaw broke, I had to take her bike out, re-engineer the hold-down system, then put both bikes into the back of the 10-foot van. Cozy, but it worked.

.

 

[jmanz6]

I remember driving my dirtbike up my ramp into my buddy's S-10 once and I nearly jumped the cab of the truck! I misjudged how much speed I needed to carry me up the ramp. It was a bit scary! We packed 2 dirtbikes in the back of his truck, man was that cozy! Had just enough room for a 5 gallon gas can and two duffle bags.

That ramp is exactly what I was talking about. That should work fine. When riding it up there be ready to grab the front brake in a hurry. You might also want to put a cinder block about half way up under the boards. 2x4's are very sturdy but they are also very cheaply made with substandard wood. I would hate to see your bike fall because there was a big knot in a couple of those boards making them weak.

 

[seuadr]

As far as the weight... Close to 400 pounds dry... -Matt

holy crap, really? that's only 100 pounds lighter than my 1100! put that thing on a diet!

 

[matt_gs450]

I tested the ramp out last night. It worked like a charm and I was able to get the bike up it myself. I parked at the bottom of my driveway to level out the ramp but I think I could get the bike up the ramp without doing that.

I also strapped the bike down and took it for a spin to make sure it would be OK back there. It was. The one thing I didn't anticipate was that the kickstand took the paint off my truck bed (duh!).

I think I may wrap the foot of the kickstand in duct tape before I make the delivery...

 

[jmanz6]

It's a good idea to put a strap across the rear tire as well. I know when I brought my GS home it bounced a little and made the front tire lean over a bit. I had the forks cranked down pretty tight too. The front didn't move at all ust the rear. When I took it to the shop I put a strap across the rear tire to hole it down and had no problems with it bouncing at all. I used to do it with my dirtbike too but that was more to help keep the gas jug and duffle bag in the back of the truck with the tailgate down.