I've got an 07' Ultra Classic which I plan to load into a GMC Sierra 2500 HD 4X4 (37 inch gate height). As a result, I ordered the 12' Black Widow motorcycle ramp. Is the 12 footer unnecessary?

TIA,

 

The longer the less the angle which means it will be easier to get on and off. But, what are you going to do with the ramp afterwards. A 12' ramp isn't very portable.

 

It breaks in the middle and stores as 6' foot lengths. Yes, it's longer than a 10 foot ramp (breaks into 5 ft lengths) thus more cumbersome! Thanks for the reply!

 

Trust me on this one - the longer the ramp the better. I tried to load my Yamaha Warrior on our RV (platform in the front) with ramps that were too short. I wound up breaking my elbow and nearly needed surgery on my shoulder. The bike bottomed out and the ramp I was walking on fell out from underneath me. The bike pulled me over the bars, over the platform and onto the driveway. It's been about 8 months since then and I stil have problems with my elbow and shoulder. I now have a 9' Black Widow ramp. By the way, where did you get the 12 footer? I would get that in a heartbeat if I knew where to find one - never saw one that long.

 

That's a terrible accident. I hope you fully recover! Currently, Black Widow makes a 12 foot ramp. I ordered it from discountramps.com. It's long all right, I hope that I can store it easily. Thank you for your imput.

 

I made a folding ramp out of aluminum channel a whole lot cheaper than the price listed. It requires 2 people to load however. It is much more compact, however. I will shot a photo if interested & weight as aluminum is sold by weight to get an idea what it costs. see ya in a couple of hours. Hell, I might even put it on my website. Get back with you Howard , motorcyclemetal.com

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I agree that longer is better. I wasn't aware that it broke in half which is cool.

 

The longer the better. Just make sure you have a well made ramp. The longer the ramp the less stable it is in the middle. You don't want a cheap ramp the will collapse when you get 700 lbs onto the middle of it. Not a good place to try to save a few bucks. Also one wide enough to put both your feet down is the best kind to have.

 

12 foot ramps are good for loading a big bike. I have a 4x4 Ford that sits high in the rear and a 12' 3 piece set up from discount ramps. I had diamond plate welded in the center section and it helped riding up with it. I remove my tailgate and use an old inner tube along the rear of the truck. Make sure you strap the ramps together and strap them to the rear of the truck! Try to get the back of the truck as low as possible so the angle is reduced. I put a front reciever hitch on the truck and built a small rack out of 1" square tubing to carry the ramps. Pull a travel trailer so I couldn't use the back hitch. Be careful and take it easy and when you unload, it might be a good idea to have your wife or someone walk along side you and be prepared to push down on the back brake, as you'll be busy with your feet holding and directing the bike backwards and sometimes the front brake isn't enough! Hope this helps you out and good luck.