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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Bike ramps /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1468858669 Message started by DavidOfMA on 07/18/16 at 09:17:49 |
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Title: Bike ramps Post by DavidOfMA on 07/18/16 at 09:17:49 I'm planning to buy or build a ramp to get my bike onto a friend's truck. What do you folks use? Not interested in a carrier, just a ramp. Thanks, David |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by verslagen1 on 07/18/16 at 09:27:18 depending on whether it's a full size or compact truck, 6 or 8 ft. harbor freight has them and they're strong enough for me on the savage. Lancer has 4 of them, strap them together and they make a nice wide ramp. |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by DavidOfMA on 07/18/16 at 09:35:10 Sorry, not following. It's a full-size truck. What's available at Harbor Freight to strap together to make a ramp? |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by Gary_in_NJ on 07/18/16 at 09:39:54 It's as simple as looking: http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/ramps/2-piece-steel-loading-ramps-44649.html |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/18/16 at 09:44:34 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XRvuuCzckJU There's more to a successful Load it Up than just a ramp. The ramp/tailgate angle and the wheelbase are critical considerations. A ramp too narrow to put feet down is just not a good idea, IMO. A ramp that has a hump in it can be short and still clear the bottom of the bike at the tailgate edge. But the Savage is very low, so, do your homework. If you can find a high spot to work off of ,, a ditch to back into, heck,, lots of ways to make it easier.. But they are not portable.. Ramps under the front end of the truck would drop the rear and change your tailgate/ramp angle some, too. Remember, riding Up is different from backing down. If it's not wide enough for feet,, could be an exciting exit. |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by DavidOfMA on 07/18/16 at 09:54:35 3F35313B30393D346A6C68580 wrote:
Yes, I saw that before I posted, but I couldn't tell if there was much of a lip on the edge. I can see how bolting several of those together might work. Other options? |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by verslagen1 on 07/18/16 at 10:00:57 I have a tacoma, the mid size one not the compact. I don't immediately recall if I have the 6' or the 7' ramps. I only use 1 ramp. It's a simple process of walking the savage up the ramp, slipping the clutch and holding the front brake. When I get to the point I can't walk any further, I step up on the tailgate. Sometimes I wish the gate was a little lower, but I can steady myself with the savage and pull myself up. Key issue on length is clearance when the savage gets to the top of the ramp. If the frame bottoms out, it can be tuff to go any further alone. When we loaded my dads hack into my brothers full size, it bottomed out and no going further without lifting it. The solution was lifting the ramp, a lot easier than I thought. I'll have to ask what it weighs. |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by Dave on 07/18/16 at 10:11:38 If you can find some form of steep grade change....it helps a lot. Back your truck up to a loading dock, tall sidewalk, grassy slope, raised median, landscape berm at a parking lot, etc. If it is 3 feet from the flat ground to your tailgate - it sure helps when you can reduce that to a foot or two. |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by stewmills on 07/18/16 at 10:14:12 I don't use ramps like this, but for those that do I see that they sometimes tie the ramp to the bumper or hitch ball to prevent the ramps from slipping off the tailgate and dropping you and your bike to the ground. |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by Dave on 07/18/16 at 10:53:34 46415042585C595946350 wrote:
This is really needed if you are using the engine power to move the bike up the ramp. When the front wheel is up on the truck, the force from the rear wheel can shove the ramp backwards and off the tailgate.....and you can get in a real awkward situation. |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/18/16 at 10:56:56 Sudden onset of the need to hover is nearly always awkward. At best. |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by DavidOfMA on 07/18/16 at 10:59:57 Thanks for the tips on how to secure and position the ramp. Any other ideas on making or buying the ramp itself? The truck is a Toyota Tacoma. Thanks, David |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by verslagen1 on 07/18/16 at 11:21:09 @$60 and 20% coupon why make? |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by DavidOfMA on 07/18/16 at 11:28:00 405344455A5751535807360 wrote:
The Harbor Freight ramps are 9" wide, so four of them is 3'. Is that wide enough to walk a bike up, in case I need to do that (i.e., the bike breaks down and won't start)? |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/18/16 at 11:36:45 I'd start with knowing how high the tailgate is. Then figger out how long it needs to be to clear the frame, sidestand, whatever the lowest point is between the tires. Mid point being the place it's really gonna want to hit. A tapered Bump where the front tire will be when the frame starts closing in on the edge of the tailgate, a hump on the ramp, but it has to offer traction.. Maybe you won't need any of it.. As noted above, lifting the end of the ramp really helps.. but, kinda hard to do when you are clinging to the edge of a tailgate... I'm sure Something could be done to make it happen.. Are you gonna have help or be alone? However you measure, remember that if you're gonna be sitting on it, that changes it and when the wheel drops , loading or unloading, it's gonna bounce the suspension a little. Well, I don't have experience like others, just trying to help. |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by LANCER on 07/18/16 at 12:17:53 I use 4 of the steel ramps that were shown above. When I strap them together and ratchet it down just a bit, it makes a very solid wide ramp that enables walking a bike up or riding it up, either way it is pretty easy depending on the angle you are having to deal with. Like Dave said, even just a foot or two up on the back end can make a big difference when loading. By the way, these are the longest ramps that do not fold I have found. These ramps are made of heavy steel and are extremely strong. When I take a trip anywhere, I take my ramps with me. |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/18/16 at 15:17:38 Would building tailgate support cable extensions help? If the bumper won't allow it, meehhh,, bummer.. |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by DavidOfMA on 07/18/16 at 19:44:24 Thanks, all. Sounds like the Harbor Freight ramps are the ones to get, assuming they will work with my friend's Tundra. I'm not clear on how to determine whether the bike will get hung up when going up the ramp. What should I be measuring? |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by LANCER on 07/19/16 at 02:14:18 With these ramps on flat ground and a standard hight pickup, a stock Savage will bump slightly at the top. If you are riding it up, with a little forward speed you will go right over. If walking the bike up you should have no issue. I weigh 195 so that is part of my problem with hitting the hump at the top. REX is a bit taller with 12" shocks, a modified front end and only 300 lbs, so he goes right over the top with no bump. |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by AlfromNH on 07/19/16 at 03:27:00 Here's a short video of me loading my S40 in the back of my chevy S10. I used a pair of ramps that I bought at a local discount store for about 50 bucks and bolted them together giving me about a two foot wide ramp that has a lip at the top. I also used two 2x4's as outriggers for my feet. I never had any problems loading and unloading by myself. Plenty of clearance, never bottomed out at the top. Good Luck, AL https://vimeo.com/25628093 |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by LANCER on 07/19/16 at 06:43:44 27252925362B757477747274440 wrote:
Hey Al !! How have you been dude ?? |
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Title: Re: Bike ramps Post by DavidOfMA on 07/19/16 at 06:58:56 Thanks. Looks pretty easy (when you know what you're doing). Are those 6' ramps? |
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