ramps for loading bikes on trailers
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 491
Likes: 21
From: CANADA
ramps for loading bikes on trailers
New to loading bikes on a trailer and would appreciate any and all advice on the subject. I need to take my bike into the shop for some work this winter and with the weather the way it is I need to trailer my Road King. Does anyone have any experience with what kind of ramps are the best. I have been looking on the web but there are tons of them, arched not arched, folding and non folding and hinged and the list goes on. I would like a ramp that is wider so I can keep my feet on the ramp to stabalize my ride going up the ramp but also coming back down and off ramp. My trailer is about 22 " high and am also unsure how long the ramp should be. Any ideas.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 974
Likes: 13
From: Chesapeake Virginia
I used this one for years to load my bike into my 4x4 chevy truck. Only unloaded once on flat ground and a few drunks in Myrtle Beach, could have easily regretted that. As with all ramps and heavy bikes it is a whole lot easier if you find a small hill to back up to and level the ramp out as much as possible. A small drainage ditch or swail to put the rear tires in works nice too. I try to get it flat enough I can comfortably ride the bike on it really doesn't take much. The arch is nice to help prevent high centering. I paid $99.00 for mine and have seen them at Home Depot for the same price but it looks like they have gone up quite a bit. It is light, plenty strong and easy to hang on wall.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...ct_47721_47721
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...ct_47721_47721
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,727
Likes: 6
I don't know which ramp you should get. But stopping on the ramp or going to slow is a bad idea. You should not need to put your feet down. Get it as level as you can and get enough speed to crest the top, if you scrape just keep going until you are in, do not stop. Of course you do not want to go too fast either; you will not be able to stop once in the trailer. It is always a risk, especially the first couple times. Do what you are doing now, learn from others then get all your ducks in a row and go for it. The first time can be exciting.
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 525
Likes: 2
From: Ottawa, Canada, summer, Daytona Beach Florida, winter
My Advice is get as low as possible and get a buddy to help you walk the bike on and off the trailer, drop the bike once and you can be sure that damage will occur to the bike and maybe even you.
+1...I tried once to ride my SG onto a trailer and stopped midway on the ramp, the outcome was scary.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,336
Likes: 415
From: Southern Maryland
Easy up hard down
It's pretty easy to ride it up the ramp, lots of power from the engine, just line it up, give it some gas, and don't stop as people have said.
With that said, however, you have to back it down from the trailer and that is the problem. So the ramp has to be wide enough to sit on the bike, with both feet on the ramp, and using the front brake, inch it back. Problems you will have is when the rear wheel goes level and the legs start to get too short. At that point, let it roll down until your feet make contact with the ground again.
It's important to not hit going up, or you will hit going down, and that makes it scary. Since you are only 22" high, you might be able to walk beside it going down, depending on how tall you are.
With that said, however, you have to back it down from the trailer and that is the problem. So the ramp has to be wide enough to sit on the bike, with both feet on the ramp, and using the front brake, inch it back. Problems you will have is when the rear wheel goes level and the legs start to get too short. At that point, let it roll down until your feet make contact with the ground again.
It's important to not hit going up, or you will hit going down, and that makes it scary. Since you are only 22" high, you might be able to walk beside it going down, depending on how tall you are.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,022
Likes: 60
From: Greer, South Carolina
You said it correctly in your post: you want a ramp wide enough so that you can put your feet down to stablize the bike as you drive it into the trailer. Ideally you'd have a trailer with the ramp built in, however, since you don't, your search for a wide ramp that's reasonably priced might be difficult. Do a search on this website called :"failure to launch" (or maybe youtube). You'll see what happens when trying to load a bike onto a trailer with a narrow ramp.
Good luck in your search.
Good luck in your search.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 9,208
Likes: 374
From: Central Illinois, Between I-80 and I-74
Try and get the trailer as even with the ground as possible. I normally don't ride the bike up. I run along side and pushing the bike just as fast as I can and I step up on the trailer as I reach it. Unloading just the opposite.
If the bike runs I use its power but still run along the left side, I can operate the clutch, front brake, throttle and shifter.
If the bike runs I use its power but still run along the left side, I can operate the clutch, front brake, throttle and shifter.