Looking For Inexpensive Bike Ramp For Vfr To Load Into Pickup

[Guest HondaGuy86]

I just bought a 03 2wd frontier 2 weeks ago and am wanting to put the VFR in the back of it to transport it back here. Money is tight so I was looking for an inexpensive solution for ramps to load it into the truck safely.

I look at cyclegears website and they have some metal ramps for $120 bucks that come with just a single 8' one with rungs like a ladder but I came across this at northern tools website and in the picture it shows loading a lawnmower but in the reviews there are I think 3 people who used it for motorcycle loading. It has a 750lb cap.

Polymer Loading ramps

Need opinions on if this would work... I havent loaded a streetbike into a pickup before and most of the time I will be doing it by myself, fortunately the truck is low to the ground. Would these work if I walked up one and feathered clutch up the other one? Also one reviewer mentioned they were kind of slippery so I could maybe find some anti slip stick ons to apply to the ramp.

All recommendations welcome!!

[soichiro]

I hardly ever put the bike in the truck so I havent spent much on ramps. I have a good aluminum one for dirt bikes but it is too lightweight for the vfr.

The absolute cheapest method is the kit you can get at lowes or home depot. You get 2 meatal pieces and bolt them onto the end of 2x8 boards, IIRC. I put 2 straps around to sinch the boards together and just ride the bike up.

I have the same truck and if you can find an incline it helps a bunch. I about have a heart attack when I have to load the bike on flat ground.

I have walked the bike up with the clutch. When I do this, I use a mx bike stand as a step.

I find it more comfortable to just ride the bike up.

Good luck.

[Guest]

Have you ever looked at one of these?

http://www.discountramps.com/smc-600-motorcycle-hauler.htm

[SEBSPEED]

I like using these: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/sto...ct_6970_545_545

Walk up one while feathering the clutch to get the bike up the other.

[Lobster]

Please be careful...my brother tried this approach years ago with his Harley. The ramp he was standing on (2x6) broke and the bike fell over on him. $1300 in repairs later he was back on the road...and lucky the bike didn't hurt him. I know you want to save as much money as possible...I'm the same...just make sure whatever you do is solid.

[vfrcapn]

The absolute cheapest method is the kit you can get at lowes or home depot. You get 2 meatal pieces and bolt them onto the end of 2x8 boards, IIRC. I put 2 straps around to sinch the boards together and just ride the bike up.

I have a set of these in the garage I'm looking to get rid of, bought full ramps a few years ago. PM me if you're interested.

They're also available at Sears, pretty cheap. Not sure how well a 2x8 would handle the VFR's 500+ pounds?

[Guest]

Have you ever looked at one of these?

http://www.discountramps.com/smc-600-motorcycle-hauler.htm

I don't have a receiver on the truck right now for a hitch and that says 2 people is recommended for loading for that.

I like using these: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/sto...ct_6970_545_545

Walk up one while feathering the clutch to get the bike up the other.

Those look very sturdy and aren't priced too bad... I wonder if they keep those in the stores cuz I have one a few miles from me and may go check both of them out today.

When I said Inexpensive earlier, I should have clarified... yeah money is tight but I am looking for closest to the $100 price range (which will be tough) or the least amount that the job can get done safely time and time again. I just meant I saw online some full width ramps that were like 4-500 bucks and I dont have that kinda dough to shell.

The truck sits so low to the ground I was wondering if it would be out of the question to find a slope to decrease height as much as poss. and keep one ramp to the left within left foot range just in case I need to put my foot down and ride that sucker carefully on there. But I am new to this so whatever is easiest to keep from droppin the bike.

[FJ12Ryder]

This is the one I use for loading onto my trailer: DiscountMotorcycleRamps . Not the cheapest, but makes it a ride up affair, especially if your truck sits fairly low.

[V-FORE]

I bought a folding one at Loews about 2 years ago I think I paid about 90 bucks, it is about 16" wide if I remember correctly. I have used it once to put my '94 into a Toyota PU with a lift kit. I backed the toyota up to a ditch and rode the bike across. I would be very hesitant to try to ride up a ramp by myself. I have heard to many bad stories

DSCF0052.JPG I had to find a ditch with a high bank to unload/load it back up with out the ramp. It seemed alot easier that way!

Good Luck

[ShayneJack]

on the subject of loading ramps, saw this a while back. Quite a bit out of the price range, but too nice not to see...

(only about $2,300 over your $100 budget...)

[Flip998]

Man that is slick! I wanna see them doing it while the truck is going down the road, just like knight rider!

[CBR_Rod]

Discount ramps is also on Ebay and generally a bit cheaper on ebay. I have a pair of folding ramps that are over 7' long and rated at 750lbs each. I use both and walk up one while the bike powers up the other. I have not tried them with my VFR. They work fine in my 2500HD on level ground for my dirtbikes and I also back in to a low area for my CBR's. The ramps have a strap and hook that I use to attach the ramps to the reciever while in use so they cannot be slid back from the tailgate.

I see discount ramps also has a HD ramp that is rated at 1500 lbs. I'd be more apt to use that one for the VFR. While mine are rated at 750lbs, I'm not sure I'd want to try it:)

[Guest]

Went to Northern Tool and checked out those ramps and the yellow ones are sold as single units which I didnt catch on the internet, but the other Ohio Steel ones were in a box so I could not see them.

Found these at TSC website and they are extra long to decrease the slope of loading, comes as a set for $130 bucks... these could be what I need. It looks like the "rungs" on them are flat surfaced instead of blocks like some are so I think they should work. Let me know if you all agree.

Ramps

Thanks for all the feedback and I hope this forum helps some searchers in the future in the same dilemma!

-- That video is AWESOME and would be the ULTIMATE loading unit for a pickup. :fing02:

[Flip998]

I got my loading ramp from Lowes a few years ago and I have had no problems with it. It came with a strap and was less than a hundred bucks.

[soichiro]

The absolute cheapest method is the kit you can get at lowes or home depot. You get 2 meatal pieces and bolt them onto the end of 2x8 boards, IIRC. I put 2 straps around to sinch the boards together and just ride the bike up.

I have a set of these in the garage I'm looking to get rid of, bought full ramps a few years ago. PM me if you're interested.

They're also available at Sears, pretty cheap. Not sure how well a 2x8 would handle the VFR's 500+ pounds?

They dont even bow with the weight of the bike. They are rated for 700lb's for one and 1400 for two.

I just mentioned these because he wanted inexpensive and these are about as cheap as you can get. They work great.

[Joe Foe from Buffalo]

:3:

http://www.bikeaddict.com/products/motorcy...bike-racks.html

:3:

http://patineto.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/338484

[KevCarver]

Old School, classic and simple:

Insta Ramp on a 1.5"x8"x8' board. I use the milk crate as a step and motor the bike up by myself, or can do without the motor with help.

Even rolled the Pacific Coast up there, and it's much heavier than the VFR.

[intercept this]

im old school too, i have a long one and a short one. Just walk up the short one and feather the bike up the long one, piece of cake and cheap too.

[Rice]

I think that this one is a good compromise bet. function and price.

About $300 delivered.

[jstanwood]

I got my loading ramp from Lowes a few years ago and I have had no problems with it. It came with a strap and was less than a hundred bucks.

I have this one from Lowe's

It was $60. and it's just one. It's plenty sturdy for the VFR, and I have loaded into a trailer a few times on my own without drama. IMO, it's nicer than the ladder-style ones where the wheels would get stuck.