Ladder rung style motorcycle ramps

[upthemaiden]

Recently picked up a truck so I've been excited to buy a ramp so I can get a bike into the back of my truck. I've been looking at some of the aluminum folding ramps so I can easily fit the ramp inside the bed without it sticking out over the tailgate, or even inside the cab. I notice most of the newer/nicer ramps all pretty much look like small ladders with aluminum cross bars spaced out a couple inches apart. Structurally it makes sense, but in my head I picture it really hard to push a bike up one of these.

As much work as it might already be for my 145 ass to push a 360-400lb street bike up a smooth ramp, I'm really curious how much extra work it might be pushing a bike up a ramp where I'd basically be stepping the front wheel from one rung to another, with it dipping in the holes between each, basically keeping me from building up any momentum. Am I way off, or are you just expected to muscle through it? I'm sure a dirtbike would be easy enough either way, but a full on street bike is probably another story.

This is one of the standard ramps I've seen that looks pretty sturdy and compact....

but I've also been seeing some around that double as a bed extender which sounds super convenient, plus they still fold down to 4'

Cyclegear does have some of these on sale though, and even though it's not a completely smooth surface, the gaps are significantly shorter so I don't think it would be as bad.

Any recommendations?? I know it would be easiest and cheapest to go grab a 2x8 and be done with it, but I don't really want to deal with having a board hanging out of the back of my truck everywhere I go, especially if I would want to leave straight from work to go pick something up. It's easy to assume that if a bike is running you could just use the clutch to let the bike pull itself up the ramp, but I don't want to use that as my excuse for buying a poorly designed ramp because someday I'm sure I'll be trying to load a beat up old non-running 900rr in there and I'll need all the help I can get.

 

[Zeroflat24]

ive loaded and unloaded dozens of bikes, a home made wood ramp is what i use the most.

 

[Bossanova]

Can't go wrong with the Cyclegear one. On sale 50% off now. ($69.99). If you don't like it or find something you like better, you can just take it back.

 

[kman2061]

I have the tri-fold type like the cyclegear pic you put up, but I got mine from walmart for cheap. When I load my 1125 I have it running, and I walk up a second ramp next to it letting the motorcycle do all the work, but when I load the dirt bike I just push it up, its not too hard. The tires really dont dip too far into the rungs so Ive never had a problem with them. Just dont ever try and ride the bike up the ramps!

 

[upthemaiden]

I'm not horribly concerned with it at the moment since the only bike I have now is the yz426 sumo and it only weighs 240lbs, but I know I'll end up with another street bike someday. I guess if it's tough I can always just puck up another ramp when the time comes. I bet it'd be pretty easy to get some thin plywood and bolt it on top so it's smooth. I'm probably gonna grab one of the cyclegear ramps next time I get out there. I've been watching the bed extender ramps on ebay but they keep going for more than I feel like paying.

 

[08levin]

I like the idea of the bed extender ramps. I recently picked up my bike from the dealer, where they have a ramp to load it. I got home with no way to unload it and just scavenged two 2x4's and some scrap plywood that was about 18" wide and 8' long. Screwed the plywood the 2x4's and made a cleat to hang on the tailgate and keep the plywood relatively flush with the bed. It's a fairly short ramp, but I use the slope of the driveway to make the ramp incline as flat as possible. Test loaded it by jumping on it a few times.... Worked great, was pretty much free, and I had it built in about 45 minutes.

I have a compact truck, so tailgate has to be down anyway.

 

[browland]

I have used the several but the best I have used was wide enough that i could walk up beside the bike

 

[upthemaiden]

I have a compact truck too, but it still has a 6' bed. My bed is long enough to fit a dirt bike in with the tailgate shut if it's diagonal, I think I'll be able to get it almost straight with the 17" wheels on it, and I don't think there'll be any problem fitting a street bike in there. Don't really need a bed extender, but I feel like it could come in handy someday, especially when I try to fit 2 bikes in at the same time. I debated buying a double cab for the dogs, but that would've meant a short bed. I still could've fit a bike in but I would've had to leave the tailgate down, and I've heard the tailgates are one of the weak spots on this truck. They make a double cab with a 6' foot bed, but then I'm getting bigger than I want to deal with living in the city.

 

[Hero Blue Scg]

I have two of these ramps from lowes. I use one to walk on and one for the bike. Haven't had too many issues, other than I'm only 5'5" tall and sometimes need another person to help push.


http://www.lowes.com/pd_220441-1547...eel&langId=-1&storeId=10151&searchQueryType=1

 

[Alfatango1]

Where's video of the girl loading her sportbike on one of these ramps? She has power on and walks it up, steps on a small box or something close to the bed, then up into the truck bed all by herself.

 

[upthemaiden]

Maybe I'll look into finding a cheap ramp to keep at home just for me to walk up. On a normal basis I'll just start the bike and let it do the work itself if I'm the only one there. I'm just thinking about times that a bike might not be running and I'd have to take it somewhere to get it looked at. I also think about project bikes I'll buy in the future that won't be running when I pick them up, but chances are the person I'm buying it from can give me a helping push, and obviously getting it down the ramp is easy.

 

[Alfatango1]

Harbor freight has a tri fold ladder ramp for $104. You can be right next to your bike as you walk it up or drive a quad up it too. I swear this ramp was on sale for $69 last week.

 

[xtremelow]

I have the 10' 1,200lbs ATV ramps from http://www.allramps.com/

they are the 10' ramps since my truck has a lift and 37's but even if it didn't I would still recommend the longer ramp for ease of use. I got the pair so I could just walk up one and clutch the bike up the other without a need to step up and possibly dump the bike. Also made of aluminum so they are light weight.

 

[Alfatango1]

OK, I was right, the triple folding ramp from Harbor Freight is $69 with a coupon in back a many motorcycle mags. I have one from Cycle World and it's good through Dec 1st 2011

 

[upthemaiden]

the trifold ramp looks convenient. I'm sure I'll try a few over time, but to start I want something that'll fit inside my back seat.

Xtreme, the truck looks great. I'm going to get some better wheels for mine eventually, and I'd love to get some bigger ones with some nice meaty tires, but I need to keep reminding myself it's a city truck and 16's are everything I need. Plus the bigger the wheels, the more work it'll be to get bikes in the back, which is the #1 reason I bought a truck in the first place. One question though, when you switch to the bigger wheels, can you easily recalibrate the speedo and odometer, or at least take it into a dealership to get it done easily? A lot of tacomas came stock with 17s, and some of the FJ cruiser wheels swap right over too, but it'll be convenient if I can just find a nice pair in the same size.

 

[TooFst]

Get the wider one or something similar. Those 12-15" wide ones like you posted in the 1st pic Maiden may be fine for a 110 and a mini truck but have used one for my Buell and not fun to do alone... The wide ramps give you some room to walk up.