How To Load A Motorcycle Into A Truck? (6 Easy Steps)

Being a bike rider, you may have noticed that you cannot ride a motorcycle in every place around. Notably, it becomes impossible to move it by power when you need upcoming maintenance, servicing, or have a flat tire.

In such circumstances, you may require to transport your motorcycle in a way that you do not have to ride it by yourself. It becomes easier to transport the motorcycle if you own a pickup truck.

Now you may be wondering about how to load a motorcycle into a truck. Worry not, go through this entire article to learn about it with an effective setup and result.

Tools You Need To Load A Motorcycle Into A Truck

Getting your motorbike on your pickup bed depends upon a lot of variables. But for the basic setup, you have to arrange some tools and accessories to get this done conveniently.

Essential Tools

• Arched or Straight ramps
• Screwdriver or Specific Wrenches
• Ratchet strap
• Front Wheel Chock

Optional Tools

• Hitch Step
• Long straps
• An assistant or a Friend

How To Load A Motorcycle Into A Truck?

There are many setups and methodologies for loading up a pickup truck using a motorcycle. We shall be discussing the most basic, safer, and effective one. 

This step-by-step guide will result in getting your bike on your pickup truck in no time.

Step One: Finding a Suitable Area

It is an important step and relies entirely upon the weight and type of your motorcycle. 

Let us consider your motorcycle is more like a commuter one with very low weight and high ground clearance. Then you can follow the method of the low to high loading.

All you need is a flat and stable surface to park your truck and motorcycle. In the second scenario, you may consider loading them on the truck from high to low loading for cruiser and sports bikes.

This method would require an elevated area such as small hills. You have to keep your bike on the elevated area and park the truck underneath flat terrain.

Step Two: Setting Up Your Truck For Loading

Remove all the preloaded things from your pickup bed. It is recommended to disassemble the tailgate of your pickup truck completely. Not removing the tailgate can be hassling if your bike is very long in length.

You simply need to unscrew the bolts underneath the gate using the specifically sized wrench. Store the tailgate aside in the garage for further reassembly.

Nextly, install and secure a wheel chock on the front end of the pickup bed. Position the wheel in the center so that the motorcycle’s front wheel gets locked as soon as it is loaded.

Secure the wheel cock using the ratchet straps on two sides of the pickup bed.

Step Three: Setting Up The Ramp

Different motorcycles require ramps of different widths. A full-width ramp should be used for loading if you have a touring or a cruiser bike. These bikes are heavy and inflexible to maneuver without power. 

More on that, a straight and elongated ramp is suitable for cruiser bikes because these have minimal ground clearance. 

You can get an arched ramp for easy loading in the general commuter or sports bike segment.

Extend the ramp you have and place its one end on the truck bed. Lock up the joints once you have positioned the ramp securely on the ground. 

It is better to strap the ramp using the ratchet strap from the rear axle of the pickup truck.

Step Four: Loading Up The Truck

This step has two scenarios for a full-width ramp and a single runner ramp. If you are using a full-width ramp, slowly drive the motorcycle on the truck in the first gear.

But if you are using a  single runner ramp for commuter and sports bikes, you require a friend’s assistance. Ask your friend to get on the truck bed. Then put your bike in neutral and steer it towards the pickup bed.

Once the bike’s front wheel reaches the truck bed, hand the handlebar and brake over to your friend. You can push the bike from behind if it is too heavy to pull for your friend.

After the bike ultimately gets on the truck bed, load the front wheel inside the wheel chock and lock it up.

Step Five: Securing and Stabilizing The Motorcycle

You have to firmly secure the front wheel using two ratchet straps on two sides of the wheel. Do not over-compress the suspension of the front wheel. Keep the range of the suspension travel to medium.

After that, lock the rear end of the motorcycle using a pair of ratchet straps. Use the passenger footpeg for locking the motorcycle’s back end. Unlike the front end, you need not over-tighten the straps.

Step Six: Final Inspection

Check and double-check all the connections of the straps and wheel chock. Reassemble the tailgate if the motorcycle allows. Drive the truck around the locality for trial before getting on to the freeway.

Safety Tips to Follow when Loading A Motorcycle Into A Truck

Use these additional safety tips for secured transportation of your motorcycle n a pickup truck.

• Activate the handbrake of the truck while loading.
• Avoid loading the motorcycle in a slippery area.
• Use preferred ramps for loading.
• More ratchet straps should be used for heavier motorcycles.
• Do not strap the straps on the plastic parts of the truck.
• Go for a test drive before moving to the main street or freeway.

Conclusion

Transportation of motorcycles using a pickup truck can be very easy if you follow the appropriate procedures and tools. Otherwise, new users will end up causing damage to either of the vehicles.

It is better to ask for a friend’s help who already knows how to load a motorcycle into a truck. 

Now, if you have followed the step-by-step process without missing, you should be able to get your bike on a  truck quite conveniently.

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