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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
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Message started by Routy on 06/17/11 at 19:03:02

Title: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by Routy on 06/17/11 at 19:03:02

My bro bought a little boat trailer, and is converting it to a bike trailer so he can take his s-40 along on camping trips.
He's never hauled a bike this big before, but he thinks it will be no problem loading it by himself using 5' ramps.
I told him that he'd better not, that is is a disaster waiting to happen.
Who is right ? Serious answers only,.....from the over 60 crowd.
Keep in mind he is 68 yrs old, weighs only 165 lbs, and like me, is not near as strong as we used to be.

I myself would not attempt to load my s-40 by myself.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by Serowbot on 06/17/11 at 19:07:27

2 people is a big help,.. especially if the ramp is too narrow to walk up with the bike...

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by skeebo on 06/17/11 at 19:13:50

When my dad and I picked up our bike it took every bit of both of us to load it.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by Boofer on 06/17/11 at 20:16:57

Having loaded bunches of stuff in my life, including appliance delivery in my stonger days, I think the worst problem with loading any machinery is traction--for the bike and for your shoes. I rode dirt a lot, so I can seriously say that the 650 is not grass worthy. The same could be said for slick ramps. Even without the engine power the brake will just slide on a slick ramp.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/17/11 at 20:56:05

If the ramp isnt wide enough to put feet down on, I wouldnt think of tryin it alone.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by thumperclone on 06/17/11 at 21:20:25

not quite 60 but have hauled.....
go to the local u haul and look at the ramp on the bike trailers..
theyre like the ramps on lawn service trailers..
ride on ride off..
much better than a single rail set up..which i have on thumperclones'
hitch mounted rack hauler..
but tc only weighs 160# wet..

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by Routy on 06/17/11 at 22:01:52

He says he has 2 ramps,......says he'll power the bike up one while walking up the other.

My bro is long distance,......I'm glad I won't be there to watch this.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by drums1 on 06/17/11 at 22:13:49

When I picked mine up, me and my neices hubby had a 2x12 ramp up to a trailer that sat about 1 foot up. We almost dumped it 3 times. It's heavier than it looks pushing uphill. I'd advise at least 1 other person helping.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/17/11 at 22:25:46

626D776C707665676F6176040 wrote:

He says he has 2 ramps,......says he'll power the bike up one while walking up the other.

My bro is long distance,......I'm glad I won't be there to watch this.

says he'll power the bike up one while walking up the other.

Sounds like a workable plan..

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by verslagen1 on 06/17/11 at 22:46:38

remember the doofus hanging off the front controlling the bike reverse handed? didn't end well for him.

Not that your brother is doing that, just being out of the norm can cause trouble. one little slip and the bike tips, the clutch hand lets go... oops, what a mess. and if he tries to save it, even worse.

I would prefer to sit on it, boards on either side.
or push it.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/17/11 at 22:54:32

I would prefer to sit on it, boards on either side.

Id rather have it that way, & ramps connected so they cant split away. Boards would need to be connected so the whole thing worked the same.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by Routy on 06/17/11 at 23:01:40

667562637C7177757E21100 wrote:

Exactly my thinking.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by verslagen1 on 06/17/11 at 23:10:42

and figure on the worst possible thing happening at the worst time.
can you back down the ramp with one wheel on the bed?
or bottoming out as you go over.
can you grab a rope and tie her off then get off.
not something to do the 1st time single handed.
might be worth a couple of practice runs with help.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by Serowbot on 06/18/11 at 01:36:48

Does he have a video camera?... :-?...

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by Oldfeller on 06/18/11 at 01:48:23

If you engage 4 ratchet straps (2 to the top shock mounts, 2 to the handle bars) you can hold the bike upright and walk it up the ramps by slow degrees by yourself very safely. The straps to the shocks tell it to go up the ramp and the ones on the handle bars provide the steering and if you go slow the bike never tilts more than say 4-6 inches off vertical. Takes 20 minutes, but what the hey - time is what we got to burn.

Going back down is more risky as I tend to do that freehand using the front brake as the slow down -- this is where it gets lost if it is gonna get lost. You could use 2-4 rachet straps to back it down if you were patent enough.

With two bikers, not a problem either way. One pushes and the other holds the front brake and steers.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by ALfromN.H. on 06/18/11 at 03:02:00

I don't use this method but this guy makes it look really easy. I use a ramp going up the center of the truck bed with a 2x6 on each side for my feet. I've loaded and unloaded the bike by myself quite a few times without mishap.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nElHAJqfrjA[/media]

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by arteacher on 06/18/11 at 05:10:51

If I was going to do this I would use a low trailer with a ramp the width of the whole trailer like the ones for transporting lawn tractors. If I was going to transport in a pickup I would make up some kind of "training wheel" rig, three ramps, and use a winch. Does his boat trailer tilt?

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by sillydilly on 06/18/11 at 06:15:41

Loading its a breeze, I almost dropped my 650 while unloading alone out of the back of a pickup. Ramp was too steep, and the locked up front tire did no good. I wasnt tall enough to maneuver the handlebars correctly from ground level, and she came tumbling down.

Thankfully it was undergoing a project and was just wheels engine and frame, nothing else bulky and heavy, it was light enough to grab onto the grip before it crashed to the ground

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by stinger on 06/19/11 at 02:26:41

One time my uncle tried to ride his bike up the ramp into his full size truck. The engine died half way up and he and the bike crashed to the ground. He got knocked unconscious and the hot exhaust pipe was lying on his arm.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/19/11 at 05:06:24

The engine died half way up

Man,,, Ill bet that was a Pucker Moment.. sorry he got burned, too..

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by Routy on 06/19/11 at 07:14:04

Thanks for the replies.
Even if I have to say so myself, I was right ! There is no way my 165 lb......68 yr old brother should attempt to load it up a ramp. I sent him a few U-tube loading disasters,.....hope that will convince him.

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/19/11 at 07:29:21

There is no way my 165 lb......68 yr old brother should attempt to load it up a ramp.

I can only agree..

Title: Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Post by WD on 06/19/11 at 13:55:54

Get a double width ramp and a boat trailer winch. One person steadies, one person cranks.

What is that old saying about "Pride goeth before a fall"...? Lisa's Intruder fell a whopping 12" off a ramp and the windshield shattered. And the bike landed on her.

I can load one myself with a standard ramp into my 69 D-100, but I don't like to. It always bottoms out. Savage, Intruder, XS650 Mignight Special, 1500 Drifter, 63 Scrambler 250... doesn't matter, they all get hung up.