Buying that first bike -- and getting it home - Page 3

Johfar · 03-02-2011, 08:28 PM

Hello, new to the forum. Just bought a 2001 GZ250! My very first bike!! I have to go and pick it up, about 60ish miles away. Going to haul it in the back of my truck. Any tips for putting one in the bed of a truck?

alanmcorcoran · 03-02-2011, 08:32 PM

The longer and wider the ramp the better. Be real careful. The bike is relatively light but if you've never ridden one DON'T ride it into the back of the pickup. Get a buddy to help load and unload. Try to do it from the ground if you can but it's very tricky. You'll probably have to hop down from the bumper. I really think you should consider having someone else ride it

Johfar · 03-02-2011, 08:39 PM

Im taking a buddy that can help me load it. I have a good 3foot wide ramp i use for lawn mowers. Is there any places i should put straps?

Water Warrior 2 · 03-03-2011, 12:41 AM

Put the bike in the middle of the truck. Straps ideally will go around the top of the forks or on the bars. Stand the bike upright and synch down the straps to compress the forks a couple inches. Leave the side stand up. Synch down the rear to keep it in place. Test for a secure fit. Test again a few miles down the road. Make sure the front wheel is blocked in a manner so it can't turn left or right. Take your baby home.

40MILERUN · 03-03-2011, 11:03 AM

My wife and I just faced this little delema. She bought a GZ from a dealer about 45 miles from our home plus the temperature has been about 25 degrees at the peak of the day.

We rented a U-haul motorcycle trailer for $15.00. Your distance is much shorter, but the ease of just loading the bike on and strapping it down makes it a solution you might consider... way easier than loading it on and off a pickup.

The dealer attached the tie-down straps to the front corners of the trailer (so they couldn't slide lose) and then over the handlebars near to the triple-tree. He tightened the starps down so the forks were compressed about a inch or so. The front wheel was trapped in the trailer wheel chock designed for that purpose. Hauling was a piece-o-cake... no worries.

40MR

Water Warrior 2 · 03-03-2011, 12:18 PM

There you go. A $15 solution. The best yet with trailers being a lot lower and safer.

Shammua · 03-03-2011, 01:17 PM

I second 40milerun's solution. I have seen to many bikes dumped because they were either being loaded or unloaded into the back of a truck. If you don't have a trailer that you can safely secure the bike into then go rent one. It can be cheaper and a LOT easier.

Hope it helps,
Matt Holland

dvsDave · 05-06-2011, 11:25 PM

I'm new here and am in the same boat, bike is about 2 hours away. I went on U-Haul's website and rented a pickup truck and motorcycle trailer for $52.90 (including insurance), plus $0.70 cents a mile.

Just got a 2000 GZ-250 with about 13k miles on it. Guy says it's rideable, but I want to bring it home first and check it out front to back and make sure it's up to my standards first.

blaine · 05-06-2011, 11:42 PM

Welcome to the forum.Good luck with your new ride.Any questions,just ask.

:cool:

Water Warrior 2 · 05-07-2011, 01:32 AM

Sounds like a very sensible plan Dave. Strap down the bike with a couple straps in the front and at least one on the rear to keep the rear end from bouncing and moving. Bike should be upright and have the side stand up. This system always worked for me without mishap. After you have been on the road for a few minutes pull over and recheck the straps and bike for safety. Happy motoring.

03-02-2011, 08:28 PM	#21
Johfar Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Crossville Tn Posts: 2	Re: Buying that first bike -- and getting it home Hello, new to the forum. Just bought a 2001 GZ250! My very first bike!! I have to go and pick it up, about 60ish miles away. Going to haul it in the back of my truck. Any tips for putting one in the bed of a truck? Login or Register to Remove Ads
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03-02-2011, 08:32 PM	#22
alanmcorcoran Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Anaheim, CA Posts: 2,926	Buying that first bike -- and getting it home The longer and wider the ramp the better. Be real careful. The bike is relatively light but if you've never ridden one DON'T ride it into the back of the pickup. Get a buddy to help load and unload. Try to do it from the ground if you can but it's very tricky. You'll probably have to hop down from the bumper. I really think you should consider having someone else ride it __________________ [hr:5yt6ldkq][/hr:5yt6ldkq] http://alanmarkcorcoran.com Motorcycles, Music, Musings and More…
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03-02-2011, 08:39 PM	#23
Johfar Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Crossville Tn Posts: 2	Re: Buying that first bike -- and getting it home Im taking a buddy that can help me load it. I have a good 3foot wide ramp i use for lawn mowers. Is there any places i should put straps? Login or Register to Remove Ads
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03-03-2011, 12:41 AM	#24
Water Warrior 2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Squamish B.C Canada Posts: 11,409	Re: Buying that first bike -- and getting it home Put the bike in the middle of the truck. Straps ideally will go around the top of the forks or on the bars. Stand the bike upright and synch down the straps to compress the forks a couple inches. Leave the side stand up. Synch down the rear to keep it in place. Test for a secure fit. Test again a few miles down the road. Make sure the front wheel is blocked in a manner so it can't turn left or right. Take your baby home.
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03-03-2011, 11:03 AM	#25
40MILERUN Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Connecticut, USA Posts: 13	Re: Buying that first bike -- and getting it home My wife and I just faced this little delema. She bought a GZ from a dealer about 45 miles from our home plus the temperature has been about 25 degrees at the peak of the day. We rented a U-haul motorcycle trailer for $15.00. Your distance is much shorter, but the ease of just loading the bike on and strapping it down makes it a solution you might consider... way easier than loading it on and off a pickup. The dealer attached the tie-down straps to the front corners of the trailer (so they couldn't slide lose) and then over the handlebars near to the triple-tree. He tightened the starps down so the forks were compressed about a inch or so. The front wheel was trapped in the trailer wheel chock designed for that purpose. Hauling was a piece-o-cake... no worries. 40MR Login or Register to Remove Ads
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03-03-2011, 12:18 PM	#26
Water Warrior 2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Squamish B.C Canada Posts: 11,409	Re: Buying that first bike -- and getting it home There you go. A $15 solution. The best yet with trailers being a lot lower and safer.
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03-03-2011, 01:17 PM	#27
Shammua Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Virginia Beach, VA. Posts: 79	Re: Buying that first bike -- and getting it home I second 40milerun's solution. I have seen to many bikes dumped because they were either being loaded or unloaded into the back of a truck. If you don't have a trailer that you can safely secure the bike into then go rent one. It can be cheaper and a LOT easier. Hope it helps, Matt Holland
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05-06-2011, 11:25 PM	#28
dvsDave Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Northern VA area Posts: 36	Re: Buying that first bike -- and getting it home I'm new here and am in the same boat, bike is about 2 hours away. I went on U-Haul's website and rented a pickup truck and motorcycle trailer for $52.90 (including insurance), plus $0.70 cents a mile. Just got a 2000 GZ-250 with about 13k miles on it. Guy says it's rideable, but I want to bring it home first and check it out front to back and make sure it's up to my standards first.
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05-06-2011, 11:42 PM	#29
blaine Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: P.E.I. Canada Posts: 3,784	Re: Buying that first bike -- and getting it home Welcome to the forum.Good luck with your new ride.Any questions,just ask. :cool: __________________ If at first you do succeed, try not to look surprised.
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05-07-2011, 01:32 AM	#30
Water Warrior 2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Squamish B.C Canada Posts: 11,409	Re: Buying that first bike -- and getting it home Sounds like a very sensible plan Dave. Strap down the bike with a couple straps in the front and at least one on the rear to keep the rear end from bouncing and moving. Bike should be upright and have the side stand up. This system always worked for me without mishap. After you have been on the road for a few minutes pull over and recheck the straps and bike for safety. Happy motoring.
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