How to Load and Tie Down a Motorcycle Into a Truck
Thursday, October 17, 2024
If you're not using a dedicated trailer to haul your motorcycle around, then you probably have a pickup truck and can transport it in the bed. Before we get into the general steps of loading a motorcycle into a truck, let's take a look at the items you'll need to do this.
Loading Ramp
Some good choices here include the Enthuze Aluminum Loading Ramp or the Enthuze ATV/Snowmobile Loading Ramp. The former choice is a single, arched ramp and is a good choice for a dirt bike or motorcycle. The arched design makes loading easier by softening the breakover angle. The latter choice is a tri-fold ramp and is good for wide vehicles like ATVs or snowmobiles.
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Straps and Chocks
After loading the motorcycle into the bed, you'll need straps and chocks to tie it down and secure it. Four to six cam buckle straps or ratchet straps will generally do the trick. Wheel chocks are used to help stabilize the motorcycle.
Time To Load the Bike
Now that you have your loading equipment, it's time to load the bike into the truck. The most common ways to load a motorcycle into a truck include pushing it up the ramp, riding it up the ramp, or powerlifting it onto the ramp. As you might suspect, pushing the bike up the ramp is the easiest and safest way to load your bike into your truck. Let's take a look at how to do this.
If you're using a single ramp, then you'll be at ground level as you push the bike up. This is when it's a good idea to have an extra hand. The second person can stand in the bed and guide it in. The key here is to keep the bike steady as it clears the breakover angle, which is the point where the ramp meets the truck bed.
If you are by yourself and using a single ramp, place a step stool or sturdy crate on the side of the ramp you are pushing from.
If you have a wide ramp, then you can walk the bike into the truck bed by yourself. Another way to do this is to place a ramp or board to the side of your bike ramp and walk it into the truck bed.
It's not recommended to ride your bike up the ramp simply for the myriad of ways this could go wrong.
Lifting your bike into the truck bed only works if the bike is incredibly light and you have above-average physical strength.
Securing Your Motorcycle in the Truck Bed
Once your bike is in the truck bed, it's time to secure it. This must be done correctly to ensure that the straps won't come loose and cause your bike to fall in the truck bed. Consider the following steps for securing your bike in the truck bed.
Step 1 - Attach one strap through the front left tiedown anchor in your truck bed.
Step 2 - Hook the other end of the strap to a solid spot on your bike as low as you possibly can. The handlebars or fork are most commonly used for this.
Step 3 - Tighten the left ratchet strap a bit, then do one on the right side using the same method. Ensure that they're positioned symmetrically.
Step 4 - Keep tightening each strap a little on each side until there's only a small amount of slack left.
Step 5 - For additional safety, you should also tie down the back wheel with one or two straps. You can also use chocks behind each wheel.
Step 6 - Test the security of the bike by attempting to jiggle the bike. If the straps are holding tight, you shouldn't be able to shake it loose. Optional: Say “Yep, that ain’t goin' anywhere”.
What NOT To Do When Tying Down Your Bike
- Don't use an attachment point on your bike that the strap hooks can easily be pulled off—for example, the rear bags.
- If your bike has long handlebars, don't tie down at the end. If they're rubber-mounted, they can compress and cause your tie-downs to slip.
- Don't tie your bike down with cheap straps, rope, or something equally unreliable. The money you might save on economy straps won't be worth it if your bike gets damaged.
FAQ: Considerations and Complications
You know what they say about the best-laid plans... As such, you might encounter complications not addressed in the general how-to above for loading your bike and securing it.
Let's take a look at these potential problems.
What if your ramp is too narrow to stand on? Your main options here are to walk the bike up, then hop into the bed to guide it the rest of the way or have a second person in the bed, or you can arrange a stepstool, heavy crate, ramp or board next to the bike ramp.
What if you have a lifted truck? The ideal situation would be to have a 2WD truck to keep your breakover angle reasonable. The taller your truck bed, the more extreme the breakover angle, which can make it hard to load. If you have a lifted truck, you may need a longer and more flexible ramp.
How do you load a bike by yourself? The key here is to go slow and be careful. That's rather general advice, but going slow can help you catch possible problems before they take you by surprise.
Does your truck's payload capacity matter? In most cases, your truck's payload capacity will be a lot more than what your bike weighs. Even the midsize, unibody Honda Ridgeline has a payload capacity of over 1,000 pounds.
Most motorcycles are around or under 500 pounds unless you're loading something like a Harley-Davidson Road King, which weighs over 800 pounds.
Enthuze Loading Ramps and Tie-Downs
Whatever your situation, you can rely on Enthuze for high-quality and durable loading ramps and ratchet straps to secure your motorcycle. We have several options available for each and all are tested for the utmost quality before using the Enthuze name.