I have to truck a new to me bike. The only trucks available are crew cabs with short beds. From what I see online the short beds are 62" long, not sure how far a downed tailgate will extend this. The bike has a 57" wheelbase with 18" wheels. If I use that wheelbase plus half front wheel diameter (9") it's 66", not counting front tire thickest. If ya add 3" for tire it totals 69". Question is, will rear tire patch be sitting securely on tailgate? This is on paper as I have neither the truck or bike yet to take measurements. So, any real time experience out there with this size bike in a "short" bed? Thanks
-
Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password. If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?
-
Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.
The Election forum is here: Election Forum
Will it fit - R100RS in short bed
- Thread starter motodan
- Start date
slowpokepete
Member
not sure, but you can maybe gain a few inches if you can get it in there diagonal.
SPP
SPP
Different trucks have different length beds. If a bed on any of the trucks you are thinking of using is short, you can sit the bike on a wooden plank of the appropriate size to make up the length difference. If you want to get fancy, you can add “wings” to the front of the plank to help capture the front wheel.
Be careful when loading into the truck bed and try to “flatten” the load angle to as close to 0 degrees as possible.
Moving a bike in the back of a truck is one of my least favorite ways to move a bike. U-Haul motorcycle trailer perhaps?
OM
Be careful when loading into the truck bed and try to “flatten” the load angle to as close to 0 degrees as possible.
Moving a bike in the back of a truck is one of my least favorite ways to move a bike. U-Haul motorcycle trailer perhaps?
OM
They actually pull nice too!U-Haul rents a nice motorcycle trailer with built in wheel choke and built in ramp gate for $14 per day. Works great!
Sent from my SM-N975U1 using Tapatalk
U-Haul rents a nice motorcycle trailer with built in wheel choke and built in ramp gate for $14 per day. Works great!
This is for a 2,000 mile one way trip. U-Haul doesn't rent that trailer for one way.
That isn't possible. I'm just looking for someone with actual experience given dimensions mentioned. Thanks
I just got my Ram pickup set up to haul my R1200RT. We are headed down to Missouri in a few weeks. Mama is coming with and she has an aversion to riding in cold weather. October in North Dakota and you can pretty much guarantee some cold riding, rain too, bad combination! I have made the ride a few times before and always had poor weather. One time we rode 200 miles in pouring rain at 35F. Saw a few snow flakes too!
Any way I bought a piece of 3/4" plywood. I cut it off a couple inches past the tailgate when it is down. I added a 2x4 to stiffen up the rear edge and added a wheel chock, bolted with carriage bolts through the plywood. I just slid this into the pickup box, the plywood is not bolted down. I used my lift table to get the RT up to the level of the box and rolled it in. A few ratchet straps front and back and it isn't going any where.
The box on the Ram is 5'7" and the rear tire of the RT centers just past the box, onto the tailgate. With the 3/4" plywood taking the weight and spreading it out the end of the box of probably taking the bulk of the weight.
Any way I bought a piece of 3/4" plywood. I cut it off a couple inches past the tailgate when it is down. I added a 2x4 to stiffen up the rear edge and added a wheel chock, bolted with carriage bolts through the plywood. I just slid this into the pickup box, the plywood is not bolted down. I used my lift table to get the RT up to the level of the box and rolled it in. A few ratchet straps front and back and it isn't going any where.
The box on the Ram is 5'7" and the rear tire of the RT centers just past the box, onto the tailgate. With the 3/4" plywood taking the weight and spreading it out the end of the box of probably taking the bulk of the weight.
Attachments
Last edited:
senseamidmadness
Neglected Bike Adopter
From what I was able to find just now, my bike is a few inches longer in total than yours so this info might help. The BMW Wiki has my 1997 R850R at 86.5 inches long and Wikipedia has the R100RS listed at 83.9 inches long.
I was able to haul my bike in the bed of a 2011 Ford F150 Limited SuperCrew with the tailgate down when I bought it. That truck is listed as having a 6.5 foot bed so your mileage may vary, but the particular truck I used has a roll-up bed cover with a metal casing that takes up probably 6 inches at the front of the bed.
My bike wasn't angled relative to the bed. We rolled the bike straight in, pushed the front wheel into the front of the bed (against the metal casing of the roll-up bed cover), and the rear tire was sitting on the tailgate with the contact patch maybe 6 inches from the end. The very tip of the large factory rear fender on my bike was over the edge of the tailgate.
I think with a standard 6 foot bed you'd likely be able to make it work diagonally with the tailgate down, assuming the dimensions I found are accurate.
Our bikes weigh about the same and I didn't have any issues on the 3-hour ride back from Georgia with a solid set of ratchet straps, but I also don't know what the listed tailgate capacity of a U-haul rental truck is. If the bike has a center stand you could put it up on that to keep the weight off the rear wheel and tailgate, and run a strap from the center stand to the front fork or front wheel to keep it from folding.
I was able to haul my bike in the bed of a 2011 Ford F150 Limited SuperCrew with the tailgate down when I bought it. That truck is listed as having a 6.5 foot bed so your mileage may vary, but the particular truck I used has a roll-up bed cover with a metal casing that takes up probably 6 inches at the front of the bed.
My bike wasn't angled relative to the bed. We rolled the bike straight in, pushed the front wheel into the front of the bed (against the metal casing of the roll-up bed cover), and the rear tire was sitting on the tailgate with the contact patch maybe 6 inches from the end. The very tip of the large factory rear fender on my bike was over the edge of the tailgate.
I think with a standard 6 foot bed you'd likely be able to make it work diagonally with the tailgate down, assuming the dimensions I found are accurate.
Our bikes weigh about the same and I didn't have any issues on the 3-hour ride back from Georgia with a solid set of ratchet straps, but I also don't know what the listed tailgate capacity of a U-haul rental truck is. If the bike has a center stand you could put it up on that to keep the weight off the rear wheel and tailgate, and run a strap from the center stand to the front fork or front wheel to keep it from folding.
mikegalbicka
Back in the saddle again
2017 Ram crew cab/short bed and 2007 R1200RT. Front tire is about 3 inches away from bed wall due to wheel chock.
Appreciate all the input. Lots of great suggestions however, my rental begins at airport 2,000 miles from home on a restricted time table. Therefore, the purchase and modifications of various items isn't workable. The option on truck size is also limited to a Chevy Colorado, Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma, which all have closer to 60" deep boxes. With gate down I think it can work, if the tailgate weight limit is reasonable. Once loaded the weight (back half of bike) shouldn't exceed 250 pounds or so on tailgate. I do believe most gates are rated at 500 pounds+. Thanks again for taking time to reply and sharing pixs.
I've put all 3 of my bikes in my truck bed.
What I have found its easy to lose control and drop 'em.
Your 60 yr/old wife might not have enough upper body strength to be of much help.
Ask me how I know.
When using a ramp there's going to be a point when the bike gets higher and higher.
If you can find any high spot to put the lower end of the ramp on will help alot.
3 strong guys are minimum IMHO
Oh and don't try and get them up the ramp with the motor, just push 'em.
Nick
1990 K 75 RT
What I have found its easy to lose control and drop 'em.
Your 60 yr/old wife might not have enough upper body strength to be of much help.
Ask me how I know.
When using a ramp there's going to be a point when the bike gets higher and higher.
If you can find any high spot to put the lower end of the ramp on will help alot.
3 strong guys are minimum IMHO
Oh and don't try and get them up the ramp with the motor, just push 'em.
Nick
1990 K 75 RT
LOL!
Thanks!
My lift is about 4 inches too short so I let the air out of the rear tires, then it was right on. I have a aluminum ramp to get the bike out and back in when we get there. Hopefully my buddy finds a good place to unload.
Anyone in "The book" in the area that might volunteer to get you set up before hand? It would be great to have a piece of plywood and a wheel cock waiting. Some of the final trimming and size adjustments could be made at the last second.
In which city is the motorcycle?
lee
Debbie's Servant
This is a good suggestion. It sure would help to buy a chock and piece of plywood before picking up the bike.
