How to Tie Down a Motorcycle in a Pick Up Truck Bed
Everyone who owns a motorcycle knows that sooner or later it will have to be transported by truck or trailer for one reason or another. The easiest and most common way of transporting a motorcycle is in the bed of a pick-up truck. While easy, it's also potentially dangerous to your bike, your truck, to you and to any helpers you may have. With the right tools and skills however, you can secure your bike and transport it safely.
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Things You'll Need
- Pick up truck
- Motorcycle
- 2 Motorcycle ramps
- Assistant
- 4 Tie-down straps (ratchet or cam-lock)
- 4 Soft hook tie-down extensions
Instructions
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Loading the Motorcycle
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1
Park the truck on a dry, level surface, position the transmission either in park or in gear, and apply the parking brake.
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2
Clear the truck bed of any debris or oil that could present a hazard to you, your assistant or the motorcycle.
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3
Lower tailgate and affix motorcycle ramps. Make sure ramps are stable and secure. One ramp should be in the center of the tailgate, the other should be set close on either side.
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4
With one person pushing the motorcycle from behind up the center ramp, and one guiding by holding the handlebars and using the off-set ramp, slowly walk the bike up the ramp until its rear tire clears the tailgate or the front tire reaches the front of the truck bed.
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5
With the motorcycle safely in the truck bed, the person holding the handlebars will continue holding the bike safely upright while the other dismounts the vehicle to begin securing the motorcycle.
Securing the Motorcycle
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6
Connect soft hook tie-down extenders to the bike's handlebars, one on each side, as explained in their enclosed instructions.
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7
Locate the integral bed tie-down points closest to the front of the truck bed. Attach one end of the tie-down strap to this tie-down point, and the other to the soft hook tie-down extender attached to the handlebars. Repeat this for both sides.
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8
With one person still in the bed securing the motorcycle, tighten each tie-down strap to take up their slack. Then, tighten the straps a little at a time, alternating sides, until the motorcycle's front suspension is compressed and it can stand on its own.
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9
Locate sufficiently sturdy tie-down points on the rear of the bike, such as grab bars or exposed frame rails, and secure the rear of the bike in the same manner as the front.
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10
Double check the tie-down straps and stability of the motorcycle. If possible, close the tailgate.
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1
Tips & Warnings
The use of locking, ratchet style tie-down straps is recommended over cam-lock style tie-downs, as cam-locks may slip and loosen during transport.
Use tie-down straps with sturdy rubber coated steel hooks on each end for added security and stability.
Make sure your tie-down straps are either new or in good condition with no damage to the strap, hook or lock.
Soft hook tie-down extenders are best placed as low on the handlebars and as close to the steering head as possible. This is typically before the first bend after they leave the handlebar risers.
If you have access to a loading dock and your truck is of sufficient height, loading instructions can be altered as needed.
Make sure all ramps, tie-down straps and other equipment are safe and in good working order. Failure to do so may result in damage to the motorcycle, to the truck, or serious physical harm to you and/or your assistant.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit motorcycle image by Bionic Media from Fotolia.com
