Truck-bed or trailer my '88 VR?

[azxvz1284]

Any experience to share on this?

 

I have a 1997 Ford Ranger, short bed (6') truck. I want to move my big VR frompoitnts A to B. Riding it is oot an option. SO, which is better; loading the bike into the bed or towing it with a trailer. Either way, its a 1-man operation. I have a trailer hitch installed, but

UHaul could do that. I don't have ramps, either, and sure don't want an 800lb bike falling or tipping over while getting it into the truck-bed.

 

Comments are invited, everyone!

 

Thanks,

 

Richard in AZ.

[eagleeye]

You didn't say if you had a trailer, but if you load it in your pickup, backup to a hillside, so it's more of a level loading situation. You can use a plank to load.

Either way, good luck

A trailer might be lower to the ground and longer, so that might work too.

[BlueSky]

I have a 5x8 utility trailer I bought from Lowes and it is great for carrying my 85 Kawasaki. However, 8' is a little too short for the Venture. It has to be loaded diagonally in order for me to put the tailgate/ramp back up. When I bought it, I hauled it home about 120 miles with the trailer. It's easy to load and unload a bike from my trailer because of the ramp/tailgate.

 

With the tailgate down it probably would fit in the bed of your Ranger with a little of it hanging out the back. You would have to have a ditch or hill available to get it into and out of your truck.

[djh3]

As mentioned you need some way to lower the truck to make it easier to load. However the load is going to high. Trailers typicaly are lower to ground. It would also be less likely to tip over and be easier to unload out of a trailer.

[MiCarl]

As mentioned previously - Your Venture is just over 8' long. If you put it in the pick up bed you'll have a lot of weight out on the tailgate. You'd also have to get it up and down.

 

I'd rent a trailer.

[Motorcycle Mike]

I would not for one second consider loading a bike the size of these into the bed of a pickup.

It's too big and heavy. Very high probabilty of it and you ending up on the ground, bottom up.

Rent, borrow or buy a 5X10 utility trailer.

[Flyinfool]

+ one more on a trailer. Either add a wheel chock or even add a couple of 2x4s to the bed to keep the wheels from trying to slide sideways.

My P/U has an 8 foot bed and still would not try to load a venture in it. Your tailgate is not designed to hold that much weight, it could bend and drop the bike out the back.

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

Just gotta look on youtube to see why you should use a trailer.

[paysaw]

[paysaw]

I rented and picked my bike up.Great and cheap if you can do it. I did a return rental.One way is more expensive.

[Freebird]

Now THAT is the smart way to do it.

[SilvrT]

Any experience to share on this?

 

I have a 1997 Ford Ranger, short bed (6') truck. I want to move my big VR frompoitnts A to B. Riding it is oot an option. SO, which is better; loading the bike into the bed or towing it with a trailer. Either way, its a 1-man operation. I have a trailer hitch installed, but

UHaul could do that. I don't have ramps, either, and sure don't want an 800lb bike falling or tipping over while getting it into the truck-bed.

 

Comments are invited, everyone!

 

Thanks,

 

Richard in AZ.

 

U-haul motorcycle trailer is the way to go. I just hauled 3 bikes myself with one of their trailers. (one bike at a time). Nice and low to the ground with a wide ramp. No problem loading/unloading by myself.

[tz89]

U-haul has charged me $15 a day for a motorcycle trailer round trip. All by myself no problem.

 

If you use a plank to get it into your truck bed be sure to set up a video camera first. You'll want to share your education.