Loading Wing in bed of truck
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I don't have any experience loading a GL1800 into a pickup. However, I have loaded mine several times into a BigTex open trailer which had what seemed like a fairly long drop-down ramp, maybe 5'. That expanded metal trailer ramp was what came from BigTex. It turned out the length of the ramp was too short as it created a major problem: the break-over angle was too much to allow me to ride up the ramp at idle and maintain foot contact. Luckily I saw this coming very early as soon as I was high-centered and my feet touching nothing and gassed it up the ramp without dropping it. The other thing was this trailer had no type of chock for the front wheel. The Condor front wheel chock is what I use now in a different enclosed trailer. I bolt it down when I use it. It is so stable you could place it next to the front of your bed, load the bike in it (it has a cradle that hugs the wheel), and then tie down the forks and wheels by straps to each bed side and you will be stable.
I have loaded my Harley Ultra and my BMW RT in my pickup truck many times. I have a Black Widow 10’ ramp. It works great. It is about 3 feet wide, so you can put your feet down on it. It is curved so you won’t bottom out when loading.
Don’t be afraid of it.
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Don’t be afraid of it.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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I want to transport my new Goldwing Bagger about 500 miles to ride the backroads of Arkansas. I have a 2008 Ford F150 with a 5.5' bed, and with the tailgate down, it's 92".
Questions: Has anyone successfully transported their GW that distance in the back of a similar pickup; do you recommend it; should I just rent a U-Haul trailer?
Questions: Has anyone successfully transported their GW that distance in the back of a similar pickup; do you recommend it; should I just rent a U-Haul trailer?
2021 6 speed Wing, 2021 Kawasaki Z900RS, 2019 Road Glide
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2,881 Posts
You would have a hard time fitting a Wing in a pickup with a 5.5' bed. The wheelbase on a Wing is 66".....overall length is almost 9'. If you can actually get it to fit, then reinforce your tailgate supports with chains. You'll need an appropriate chock and a loading ramp as well. It would probably be smarter and safer to rent a u-haul.
Well,
All these posts and not one comment on the type of loader we use. Folks who claim they'd never load an 850 motorcycle in a pickup bed simply are not aware of various SAFE ways of doing it. The one we use is called the Rampage motorcycle lift/carrier. We have been using it for over 10 years and two different Wings. No accidents, not even close. The truck we have is a 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab 4x4. NO, IT'S NOT A LIFTED piece of junk like so many would assume. It sits at bone stock height.
Now, here's the scenario, I did the install for the Rampage several years ago when we purchased the truck and the ramp. One has to realize the geometry and physical aspects of this type of install and operation. And then build and install accordingly. Now, first off, my bed in that truck is a 6 1/2' bed. Second, the tail gate IS NOT USED when the lift is installed and being used. To put an excess of as much as 1,100 to 1,200 lbs on the edge of that tail gate is pure psyho to me. The average Wing (Gen 5 and down) weighs around 900 lbs, plus or minus. Then, there's the weight of the ramp and the rider.
With the Rampage, it does ALL the work while I stand back and push a button. Since the tail gate is of no use in the Rampage operations, it's removed and stored. I attached a Mount plate, made of 2" x 2" x 1/4" thick angle iron under the front edge of the bed that is permanently attached. There are two 1/2" x 13 nuts welded to that mount plate. There are also (3) 3/8" nut serts permenently installed in the rear section of the bed, in the middle.
Worrying about "drilling" a pickup bed is not worth worrying about! Geeeze, it's a PICKUP BED, not your wifes diamond earrings! Sooooo many people over think and over worry stuff. Annnnyway, that Rampage lift hovers around 250+ lbs so, knowing that I don't want that Rampage in my truck 24/7/365, I made a cart for it. It lives on that cart 'till it's needed.
When it comes time for me to load the Wing, the first thing I do is discard the tail gate and store it someplace safe. The second thing I do is, remove the 3/8" thick rubber bed mat I have in there. Then, I place the truck on the side yard concrete and then I roll the cart with the Rampage on it, right up to the back of the truck. Since I built that cart to hold that Rampage 1" above the bed height, I can roll the cart up right till it hits the bumper of the truck and the Rampage is almost half way into the bed but not touching it.
Then, I lift the over hanging part of it and the wife rolls the cart out of the way. I line the holes in the front of the Rampage up with the holes in the front of the bed where the welded nuts on the plate under the bed are and, insert the 1/2" bolts. I then insert the three 3/8" bolts in the rear section. I then plug the Winch line into the already existing 50 amp connector that is stored in the corner of the bed. I then plug the Winch control cable in and I'm ready to load the Wing. The Rampage has three sections to it. The mounted main section. The transcending middle section and the trolly section.
If any of you have seen what's called a Roll-back wrecker for retrieving cars and carrying them to a destination, the Rampage is the exact same type of scenario. The middle or transcending section is pulled back and tipped towards the ground. The trolly is then lowered 'till it hits the ground. I then ease the Wing up to the trolly which is a captive chock type scenario. I then install two tie-downs from the Wing to the trolly. A note here. I presently have a 2018 Tour DCT Airbag. I can't and wouldn't use those Goldstrike bolt on tie downs. They wouldn't and can't work for my scenario.
I made my own soft ties with a single loop at one end and off-set double loops at the other. Those two soft ties are wrapped around the steering head and inserted right through one of the loops on the other end. The preliminary tie downs are then inserted into one of those loop ends. Once that's done, I push a button on the Winch control and the bike starts ascending until the trolly tops out at the top of the second or mid section. Then I lock it in place with two pins.
Then, I push the button again and the secondary section climbs until it reaches a point that it literally changes to horizontal movement, just like the wreckers do with cars. Then at that point, the bike and the secondary section finishes traveling forward 'till it hits the stops. I then lock that section in place. When that's done, SIX MORE TIE DOWNS are then applied at various points. Yep, when I'm done, there are EIGHT tie downs holding that Wing in place.
Folks, it takes me a lot less time to do all of that then it does to write it all down on here. But, we have transported that Wing, and the Wing before it, probably around 50,000 miles all over the U.S. on our vacations with our motorhome towing the truck and carrying the Wing. When it comes time to off load the Wing, I don't need LOADING DOCKS, or piles of dirt, or an up hill drive way or anything. I push a button and the Wing lowers itself to the ground, DONE! And, when we return home, I off load the wing, un bolt the Rampage and it gets placed on its cart, the bed mat is re-installed and the tail gate is re-installed, all in about 10 minutes or so. That Rampage cost us about $1,500 over 10 years ago and has been worth every dime ever since. I wouldn't even THINK of loading my $26K, 840 lb. 2018 Wing in the back of our truck ANY OTHER WAY!
Scott
All these posts and not one comment on the type of loader we use. Folks who claim they'd never load an 850 motorcycle in a pickup bed simply are not aware of various SAFE ways of doing it. The one we use is called the Rampage motorcycle lift/carrier. We have been using it for over 10 years and two different Wings. No accidents, not even close. The truck we have is a 2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab 4x4. NO, IT'S NOT A LIFTED piece of junk like so many would assume. It sits at bone stock height.
Now, here's the scenario, I did the install for the Rampage several years ago when we purchased the truck and the ramp. One has to realize the geometry and physical aspects of this type of install and operation. And then build and install accordingly. Now, first off, my bed in that truck is a 6 1/2' bed. Second, the tail gate IS NOT USED when the lift is installed and being used. To put an excess of as much as 1,100 to 1,200 lbs on the edge of that tail gate is pure psyho to me. The average Wing (Gen 5 and down) weighs around 900 lbs, plus or minus. Then, there's the weight of the ramp and the rider.
With the Rampage, it does ALL the work while I stand back and push a button. Since the tail gate is of no use in the Rampage operations, it's removed and stored. I attached a Mount plate, made of 2" x 2" x 1/4" thick angle iron under the front edge of the bed that is permanently attached. There are two 1/2" x 13 nuts welded to that mount plate. There are also (3) 3/8" nut serts permenently installed in the rear section of the bed, in the middle.
Worrying about "drilling" a pickup bed is not worth worrying about! Geeeze, it's a PICKUP BED, not your wifes diamond earrings! Sooooo many people over think and over worry stuff. Annnnyway, that Rampage lift hovers around 250+ lbs so, knowing that I don't want that Rampage in my truck 24/7/365, I made a cart for it. It lives on that cart 'till it's needed.
When it comes time for me to load the Wing, the first thing I do is discard the tail gate and store it someplace safe. The second thing I do is, remove the 3/8" thick rubber bed mat I have in there. Then, I place the truck on the side yard concrete and then I roll the cart with the Rampage on it, right up to the back of the truck. Since I built that cart to hold that Rampage 1" above the bed height, I can roll the cart up right till it hits the bumper of the truck and the Rampage is almost half way into the bed but not touching it.
Then, I lift the over hanging part of it and the wife rolls the cart out of the way. I line the holes in the front of the Rampage up with the holes in the front of the bed where the welded nuts on the plate under the bed are and, insert the 1/2" bolts. I then insert the three 3/8" bolts in the rear section. I then plug the Winch line into the already existing 50 amp connector that is stored in the corner of the bed. I then plug the Winch control cable in and I'm ready to load the Wing. The Rampage has three sections to it. The mounted main section. The transcending middle section and the trolly section.
If any of you have seen what's called a Roll-back wrecker for retrieving cars and carrying them to a destination, the Rampage is the exact same type of scenario. The middle or transcending section is pulled back and tipped towards the ground. The trolly is then lowered 'till it hits the ground. I then ease the Wing up to the trolly which is a captive chock type scenario. I then install two tie-downs from the Wing to the trolly. A note here. I presently have a 2018 Tour DCT Airbag. I can't and wouldn't use those Goldstrike bolt on tie downs. They wouldn't and can't work for my scenario.
I made my own soft ties with a single loop at one end and off-set double loops at the other. Those two soft ties are wrapped around the steering head and inserted right through one of the loops on the other end. The preliminary tie downs are then inserted into one of those loop ends. Once that's done, I push a button on the Winch control and the bike starts ascending until the trolly tops out at the top of the second or mid section. Then I lock it in place with two pins.
Then, I push the button again and the secondary section climbs until it reaches a point that it literally changes to horizontal movement, just like the wreckers do with cars. Then at that point, the bike and the secondary section finishes traveling forward 'till it hits the stops. I then lock that section in place. When that's done, SIX MORE TIE DOWNS are then applied at various points. Yep, when I'm done, there are EIGHT tie downs holding that Wing in place.
Folks, it takes me a lot less time to do all of that then it does to write it all down on here. But, we have transported that Wing, and the Wing before it, probably around 50,000 miles all over the U.S. on our vacations with our motorhome towing the truck and carrying the Wing. When it comes time to off load the Wing, I don't need LOADING DOCKS, or piles of dirt, or an up hill drive way or anything. I push a button and the Wing lowers itself to the ground, DONE! And, when we return home, I off load the wing, un bolt the Rampage and it gets placed on its cart, the bed mat is re-installed and the tail gate is re-installed, all in about 10 minutes or so. That Rampage cost us about $1,500 over 10 years ago and has been worth every dime ever since. I wouldn't even THINK of loading my $26K, 840 lb. 2018 Wing in the back of our truck ANY OTHER WAY!
Scott
Attachments
A couple of more pics.
What is not shown because I don't have pics of, are the final set of tie downs that are using what's called Double J-hooks for the ends and attach on the Wing, at the holes in the frame that are just below the mid section of the seat. Those holes are oval shaped and the only hooks I could find were the double J hooks. I had to cut the ends off my one set of tie downs and sew on those double J hooks. They work in that spot PERFECTLY!.
By the way, just in case anyone's thinking or wondering, the trucks suspension does drop about 2" - 2 1/2" inches or so. Not anywhere near the overload limit of a 1,500 lb. payload.
What is not shown because I don't have pics of, are the final set of tie downs that are using what's called Double J-hooks for the ends and attach on the Wing, at the holes in the frame that are just below the mid section of the seat. Those holes are oval shaped and the only hooks I could find were the double J hooks. I had to cut the ends off my one set of tie downs and sew on those double J hooks. They work in that spot PERFECTLY!.
By the way, just in case anyone's thinking or wondering, the trucks suspension does drop about 2" - 2 1/2" inches or so. Not anywhere near the overload limit of a 1,500 lb. payload.
Attachments
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I thought it would end worse than that - and I'm sure it started with "hey, watch this". I had to watch it even though I knew it was going to hurt!
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My favorite "bikes in a truck" picture. Spokane Washington, August 2019. Looks like a bungee cord holding the wheel chock they have in place; you can see it at the lower left by the tail light. Not sure what was in those bottles. I suppose a trike could actually be easier to get into the bed than a two wheeler.
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2022 Blackwing Tour 6sp, Harley CVO Ultra - NW Chicago Burbs
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Correction - I think the phrase is, "Hey Ya'll, watch this!" Don't forget that crucial Ya'll.
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Ha, I guess it depends which red-neck area you're from.
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If it was me I'd rent the U-Haul 5x9 Utility trailer. Make sure you get the 5x9 Utility w/ramp and a front chock for the front tire (they have them with & without). I have used this type of U-Haul trailer for my 2018 GW several times, two different trips over 700 miles each, no issues at all.
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Thanks…will do.
Excellent idea. Building on that (believe it or not, no pun intended), that would be great in combo with a Condor wheel chock, which is adjustable for wheel size and tension.
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IIRC, Rampage is the original lift of that type. There are one or 2 copies. I have a Rampage in my RV. Works fine.
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Ramps can be scary. Even a beefy one like the OP bought. I remember driving my Harley into the moving van ages ago. It took me years to appreciate how dumb and lucky I was to succeed.
I've seen the Rampage in action. It's a good piece of gear.
When I got towed a few years ago, the guy with the flatbed was a real pro who was ready for motorcycles. He had a proper chock on a wheeled dolly. I put my front wheel in that on the ground. The bike was super stable as he winched it up onto the tilted deck. It was brilliant and wound up working a lot like the Cruiser Ramp thing from post 17.
If I had to McGyver something, I might aim for a chock on wheels, some rails on the ramp for the wheels to ride up, and some way to park and secure the dolly at the front of the bed. Plus a winch or come along to get it there.
I've seen the Rampage in action. It's a good piece of gear.
When I got towed a few years ago, the guy with the flatbed was a real pro who was ready for motorcycles. He had a proper chock on a wheeled dolly. I put my front wheel in that on the ground. The bike was super stable as he winched it up onto the tilted deck. It was brilliant and wound up working a lot like the Cruiser Ramp thing from post 17.
If I had to McGyver something, I might aim for a chock on wheels, some rails on the ramp for the wheels to ride up, and some way to park and secure the dolly at the front of the bed. Plus a winch or come along to get it there.
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