Motorcycle Trailer Ramp Help

[exalted512]

Got a 'new' home-built trailer. Back end is 19" high.

Just looking for some input on how to get my bike up there safely.

I was thinking of buying something like this:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...1&ddkey=Search

And mount a couple of 2x12s on it.

A few problems though
1. I'd rather have a wider ramp...I just dont trust myself with my bike on a 12" ramp...and I'm probably just being way to anal...but....

2. It might work if I was able to attach 2 of the 2x12s together. The cheap way would be to just screw a 2x4 to the bottom of them and done. I was also thinking about possibly putting door hinges on it so I can fold it and make it smaller.

3. Length? I'm looking to keep this as short as possible. Any idea what I could get away with? Stock height 09 zx6.

Any other ideas are welcome! I am trying to keep costs down as much as possible. But all ideas welcome, I might do something different later on.

Heres a picture of the trailer:


Thanks for the help brainstorming!
-Cody

[audiobliss]

At first I was thinking...how the crap did he bend the tailgate on the truck and get it so symmetrical?! Couldn't have backed into something to do that! Then I realized it's just from blurring the license plate, haha.

[thsmith]

2x12 cut to lenght to fit in the back of your truck. 6' should do.

BUT, why would you trailor a motorcycle unless maybe is for trips to the shop or a dirt bike?

[exalted512]

Motorcycle isnt legal to ride when its prepped for the track.
-Cody

[thsmith]

Motorcycle isnt legal to ride when its prepped for the track.
-Cody

Fair enought. 2"x12"x6' should work just fine.

[BuckeyeTim]

I have those same pieces on a pair of ramps. I used to use them to load my 4 wheeler into the back of a full size 4x4 until I slid off once when they were wet. That is twice the height of your trailer though.

If you want wider, use the 2x12's as you are thinking, but buy 3 of them. Put two of them side by side and use carriage bolts to attach the third underneath to not only make it stronger, but it will give you an almost 2' wide single ramp. As far as length, I say 8'. Only because it is just as easy to store an 8' ramp as it is a 6'...as long as trailier is at least that long.

Tim

[MillerLiteScott]

You could attach some metal lath to the boards so you do not slip when they are wet. You can buy it a HD.

[exalted512]

They sell grip tape as well...basically a roll of sand paper thats sticky on one side. I can throw that on there.

I was really hoping I could get away with 5' ramps, that way I could just buy a 2x12x10'. I'm not sure if they carry the 2x12x12'. If they do, I'll just get that.
-Cody

[dkg999]

Go to a farm store and get a pair of aluminum ramps, less than $100, the ones I have can be fastened together to make a double wide ramp.

[Jstas]

Go to a farm store and get a pair of aluminum ramps, less than $100, the ones I have can be fastened together to make a double wide ramp.

Either that or JCWhitney

http://www.jcwhitney.com/6-ft-straig...wx?filterid=j1
http://www.jcwhitney.com/universal-p...wx?filterid=j1
http://www.jcwhitney.com/bi-fold-ram...wx?filterid=j1
http://www.jcwhitney.com/universal-a...wx?filterid=j1

This is a good ramp. Holds a bunch of weight too. We used to load a golf cart in to the back of an F350 with a ramp like this.
http://www.jcwhitney.com/trifold-loa...wx?filterid=j1

If you're still going to go with the build it yourself, you should get ramp feet as well. They make a huge difference in stabilization.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/ramp-feet/p...wx?filterid=j1


You can get inexpensive ramps at Northern Tool as well as Harbor Freight too.

But honestly, if you're going to use a ramp, I would not drive the motorcycle up the ramp. That's really unsafe for you, your bike and your equipment. I've seen guys do that and destroy truck tailgates, lay the bike on it's side, fall off the side and end up upside down and/or pinned under the bike. I even watched some dude punch a hole in the lift gate of his Chevy Trailblazer with the trailer tongue while trying to drive his bike up the trailer ramp. Cars you can get away with it because they load and distribute the weight more evenly. Bikes though, they can get hairy. When you're trying to balance on a bike and the driving surface you are on is shifting around and bucking, it's not an easy task at all.

You could also get a cheap winch like this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt...nch-39997.html

Mount it to the front of the trailer and get yourself a marine deep cycle battery or car battery. Don't have to be a big one. You run the cable down and hook it on the frame of the bike. Grab the hand control and flip the winch on and guide the bike up the ramp. No pushing and breaking your back and less chance of dropping it too.


Also, I would check out some trailer shops and see if you can get a setup with a drop down, grated ramp. Like you see on lawn service trailers. Most of the are removable for easy storage so you can stand the trailer on end in the corner of a garage and they have 1000+ pound load ratings so you're piddly little 500 pound bike (if even that) will not tax it at all.

I know Northern Tool had trailer kits, JCWhitney might too. Harbor Freight had them but I haven't see them in the catalog in a while. Worth a shot.

If you have a Tractor Supply Company store near you they will have everything you'll need and then some. Worth checking it out. Besides, a TSC is just a cool place to wander through anyway!

[Jstas]

Was perusing Northern Tool and saw this:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...9594_200309594

Would work good with the winch idea.

[exalted512]

http://www.jcwhitney.com/universal-portable-aluminum-ramps/p2024351.jcwx?filterid=j1

I really like that one, but I dont see a length or width? Too much for what I'm wanting to spend right now, but definitely something I'm going to look at in the future.

I highly doubt I'll be riding it up...but I'm not ruling it out depending on the ramp, the terrain, and if I'm by myself or something.

I went to home depot and got a ramp kit and a 2x12x12' and cut it in half.

I really like that motorcycle ramp you listed in the last post, but I think 5' is going to be too short. I havent tried mine yet, but even 6' looks borderline too steep.

I've got mine all put together but havent tested it out yet with the bike. I still have to mount the wheel lock.

I'm contemplating screwing some 2x4s to the under side of it to connect the two and give it a little more strength/width.

Having three that go across, top, middle, and bottom. Then, between the top to middle and middle to bottom, I'll have one running up and down. I took a picture of roughly what I'm talking about (and of course, it will go on the bottom)


Thoughts?
-Cody

[Jstas]

That center one isn't going to do you any good that way. You're better off orienting it the way the other two are.

If you are concerned about putting the bike on the trailer by yourself, that little $50 winch will go a long way, dude. A $50 winch is a small price to pay when you are talking about the possibility of damaging a motorcycle, trailer and truck worth tens of thousands of dollars.

When I was racing, I mounted a WARN 10K pound winch in the front of the trailer. I got the fancy one with the wireless remote! (It was an accessory kit that I had to install on the winch, I don't see it on the website anymore) Everybody else at the shop laughed at me. I told them to shut up and just watch. I grabbed the tow strap, wrapped it around the front crossmember/engine cradle and hooked it to the winch cable that I pulled all the way out. I hopped in the car, remote in hand and tightened the cable. I put the car in neutral and while the winch was pulling me in the trailer, I drove the car in. As soon and I hit the marks I made with electrical tape, I climbed out and strapped the car down. I backed the cable off a tad and unhooked the tow strap and cable. Took me all of 15 minutes to get the car loaded by myself.

With a motorcycle, all you have to do is guide it up the ramp like you were pushing it but the winch does all the work. Seriously dude. If it worked on a race car worth $300K+ it'll work on your motorcycle. It's worth it, splurge. The whole setup, battery and winch will cost you less than $100 and it'll save you thousands in damage the first time you don't wipe out trying to load the motorcycle under it's own power. Trust me, it will happen. I've watched amateur champion superbike riders try and load the trailer with the bike under power and eat it on a superbike worth $50K. The bike gets all cracked up and needs expensive repairs and they usually get hurt, sometimes bad. Don't take the risk, it's not worth it when you can solve the problem so inexpensively.

[kawizx9r]

Just a question;

Are you carrying specific tools in that tool box that are imperative for your bike if it needed work?

I'm only asking because if it were me, I'd just carry those tools in/on the truck itself and have the bike in the back. Nothing 4 ratchet straps can't do to ensure your bike arrives safely with you to the track. A simple fold-down ramp isn't all that expensive when you want to load/unload the bike.

Just sayin', it's what I did whenever I took my bike to get worked on (if it needed to stay at the shop for a day+).

[exalted512]

Egh, I should've mentioned the center one would be a 2x6, but alas, I checked my stock pile and no 2x6s, so I'm just going to have either 3 or 4 2x4s running horizontal. Also purchased a couple of cheap handles to put on the side of the ramps to help me tote it around.

I like the winch idea. If I feel like I'm not comfortable pushing the bike up by myself and feel like there will be quite a few situations in which I'll have to do it by myself, I'm going to look into that for sure. Bike weighs less than 400lbs, so we'll have to see how heavy it actually is pushing it up the trailer.

Just a question;

Are you carrying specific tools in that tool box that are imperative for your bike if it needed work?

I'm only asking because if it were me, I'd just carry those tools in/on the truck itself and have the bike in the back. Nothing 4 ratchet straps can't do to ensure your bike arrives safely with you to the track. A simple fold-down ramp isn't all that expensive when you want to load/unload the bike.

Just sayin', it's what I did whenever I took my bike to get worked on (if it needed to stay at the shop for a day+).

I have a small toolbox that stays in the truck, or if theres room, in the toolbox.
-Cody

[jbooker82]

Why not just get a sheat of 3/4 in ply wood. Rip it in half. Then glue and screw the two halfs back to back.

[exalted512]

The motorcycle wheel lock isnt bolted in yet, but here's everything in all its glory.

Front:

Side:


The kit came with pins to stick in the ramp, so I just had to drill holes in the trailer, slide them through, locks the ramps in place:


And the back:


Thanks for all the help!

With the ramp setting on the garage floor, I was able to get it in the trailer by myself. I could probably manage to do it myself if I was on flat terrain.
-Cody

[Jstas]

You are going to strap it down when you are towing it on the trailer, right?

[exalted512]

pfft. I'm just going to zip tie the front brake to the handle bar and call it a day. Also been thinking about putting some 360* swivel casters on the bottom of the ramps so I can leave those on too!

-Cody

[audiobliss]

pfft. I'm just going to zip tie the front brake to the handle bar and call it a day. Also been thinking about putting some 360* swivel casters on the bottom of the ramps so I can leave those on too!

-Cody

LOL!

I'd love to see that, going down the highway.

[exalted512]

BTW, take out 2 of the 'R-shaped' pull-pins, pull the rods through and youve got this:


A pretty much completely usable flat, regular trailer.
-Cody