How hard is it to put a harley in the bed of a pickup? I'm heading to Salt Lake in a few weeks for leave and I was going to just rent a small uhaul open top trailer to haul my bike up there because my dad wants to go for a ride while I'm there but it is going to cost me 200 bucks each way. I would just ride there but the whole reason I'm going is to get my daughter from Montana so I'm going to need my truck on the way back. So I need to know if there is a cheaper way to get a trailer or the easiest way to get a harley in to the bed of my truck. I'm assuming I'm going to need to go get some sort of ramp but I don't know if there is one that will allow me to not scrape on the way up since it is so low to the ground.
Any advice is appreciated.

 

Easy, best way is to find some sort of "ramp" near ya that is about the height of tailgate/bed, back the truck close and just use a short board to cross over on. Just look around, I have used loading docks, ditches (dry) small hillsides, and even an elevated sidewalk. lots of things will get you close enough, just make sure your "ramp" can't kick out while your crossing it. tie down good, I use two on each side in front, just incase one breaks or comes undone and at least one on each side in back. Do a web search for best way to tie down your particular bike (Probably NOT to the handlebars) Check straps often... Be safe and enjoy! Oh, if you have security on your bike be sure to put it in Transit mode!

 

That's probably the way I will go. Darn now I gotta go out and ride around to search for a loading dock...such a pain, haha. Then I have to find someone to drive my truck there while I take the bike. come to think of it I think there is a loading dock at a truck stop near here. That's the first place I will look.

Thanks for the input.

 

Another option is buy a used trailer then sell it when you are done.

 

I would love to buy a trailer and just keep it but I don't have much money right now...damn ex wives, haha. She will do anything she can to get free money from me so that she doesn't have the inconvenience of finding a decent job.

 

It is story's like this that makes me glad I never got married.

Like I said buy it then sell it.
You might even make a profit.

By the way you can get ramps to work fine you just have to park the truck next to the curb and put the lower end of the ramp on the curb (that gets you a little more angle) then the bike shouldn't scrape when loading.

 

most dealerships have a ramp that you can just drive your truck right into your pickup

 

I would keep it that way. Not worth the headache. I was young and dumb... I'm still young but not quite as dumb, haha. I can't say I regret it though because I have a beautiful daughter because of it.

 

Have you gotten the rock salt loads for your shotgun yet?????????? jk

 

I would highly recommend pushing the bike into the truck, not try to ride or power it up; the rear wheel spins too easily and off the ramp it goes, or it takes off and plows into the back of the truck. I've used a hoist to put bikes in the truck, and then have to find something to back up to to get them out. A ditch often works fine for that, just make sure the truck won't get stuck in it. I've never tried to use a wooden board for a ramp, though I have screwed a sheet of plywood over a few 2x6's, and used a winch to lower it. Even a 350lb metric can be a handful for two guys, pickups are just too high for convenience. Another thing to look out for is not having too steep an angle getting on or off the ramp or whatever you load from; a harley doesn't have a lot of ground clearance and will hang up between the wheels coming off/going on the tailgate, right where it's highest off the ground and most awkward to handle.

I'm like you, paying an ex, but I wouldn't want to go back and change anything, love my daughter and grandson too much.