SuzukiSavage.com - Serious Question (Hauling the 650)

Routy

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Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
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.

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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28642 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650) Reply #1 - 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...
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skeebo Senior Member Offline Ride It Like U Stole It........ Posts: 328 Fresno, Cali Gender:	Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650) Reply #2 - 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.
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Boofer

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Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Reply #3 - 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.

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650) Reply #4 - 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.
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thumperclone Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline PGR rider riding with respect Posts: 6051 Grand Junction Colorado Gender:	Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650) Reply #5 - 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..
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Routy Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2280 Winston Oregon Gender:	Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650) Reply #6 - 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.
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drums1 Serious Thumper Offline '87 Savage Bashed--Down for the count Posts: 664 Racine, Wisconsin Gender:	Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650) Reply #7 - 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.
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650) Reply #8 - 06/17/11 at 22:25:46 Routy wrote 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. says he'll power the bike up one while walking up the other. Sounds like a workable plan..
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verslagen1

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Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Reply #9 - 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.

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650) Reply #10 - 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.
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Routy

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Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Reply #11 - 06/17/11 at 23:01:40

verslagen1 wrote 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.

Exactly my thinking.

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Rich
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28884 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650) Reply #12 - 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.
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28642 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650) Reply #13 - 06/18/11 at 01:36:48 Does he have a video camera?... ...
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Re: Serious Question (Hauling the 650)
Reply #14 - 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.

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