Loading Motorcycles

[Haedtime01]

Recently purchased a new 2012 30FLA. My first toyhauler. When loading the harley and my wifes can am spyder both bikes scraped the top of the ramp when entering the unit. I had to jack the trailer tongue up pretty high to eliminate this. My question is will I have to do this everytime I load the bikes? I have recently purchased a weight distribution hitch which will make the unit sit level when attached to my truck, but I think the angle will still be to steep. Anyone else have this problem, or ideas? Thanks...Mark

[great white]

Originally Posted by Haedtime01

Recently purchased a new 2012 30FLA. My first toyhauler. When loading the harley and my wifes can am spyder both bikes scraped the top of the ramp when entering the unit. I had to jack the trailer tongue up pretty high to eliminate this. My question is will I have to do this everytime I load the bikes? I have recently purchased a weight distribution hitch which will make the unit sit level when attached to my truck, but I think the angle will still be to steep. Anyone else have this problem, or ideas? Thanks...Mark

Problem is your bikes are low. Just the way it is.

I would look at making a "wedge" type ramp I could slip under the end of the toy haulers door to raise it a bit.

In essence, a small ramp to raise the main ramp and reduce the angle of both at the break-over.

Would need much I would think. Maybe 6 inches high and 1-2 feet long should be enough. then toss it in the back when you're loaded.

Of course, how big it will need to be will depend on how much of the break-over angle you need to eliminate....

[KyDan]

Welcome to my world. I load my bike into the back of my pick-up! Even
tho I have a really good ramp with a built in upward bow in the center- my
bike still rubs right at the top end just when the front wheel is on the
tail gate and the rear is still on the ramp. Once I caught a bolt head on
the bottom of the bike frame on the top edge of the ramp. I was traveling
pretty fast and it stopped me instantly. So hard was the hit that I bent the
hinge sockets in my tail gate Lucky I didn't fall over

I have to find a shallow ditch to put the rear wheels of my truck in or find
a low hill or berm to put the front wheels on so the angle between
the truck bed and ramp aren't so extreme.

You may need to do something similar. Jacking the trailer tongue all the
way up isn't so bad. Maybe it's time to invest in a power tongue jack??

[Kaboom]

With my XLR 27 HFS sitting level, a stock height Harley FLHTC will just barley clear. Anything lower and the frame hits the top of the ramp. I use a rubber backed carpet square at the top to protect the trailer and the frame of the bike.

I installed an electric tounge jack so now raising the front of the trailer for better clearence is no problem.

I have also used a couple of pieces of plywood glued and screwed together to form a short ramp. Placed at the top of the ramp I rode over it with the front tire and then the rear tire. This would lift the rear up enough to allow the frame to clear.

[1l243]

Was your FLA level when it hit? If I don't have my 30WR level my Full Dress Harley will slightly scrape at the top. Level not a problem. If not level, I jack up the front the trailer with electric tongue jack. You may want to consider a ramp extention. You could add a 4' 3/4" plywood extention on a long heavy duty piano hinge and add blocks under your ramp bumpers. The extention would just hang when ramp is closed so no storage problems. Or, you could go with this concept. I think I would make it myself out of plywood BUT you have to store it.... Maybe in the back of the truck?
Trailer Ramps | Loading Ramps | Hauling Extensions

[Haedtime01]

I have a electric jack already, just hated to do this everytime we're at a campsite and have to unhook from the trailer just to load the bikes. Still beats having the old TT and the bikes at home... Thanks to you all, Mark

[prof_fate]

If there's two of you perhaps you can the bike on the door and to the ponit of catching and the second person lifts up on the door, flattening out the hump. You won't need to lift much.
I've done this on trucks using ramps.

[D Casten]

As KyDan said you need, in effect, a ramp with a bow in it. You need to raise the rear tire after the front gets in the trailer.

The simplest I have seen was to place a two by four on the ramp .. so that the rear tire hits it at the same time the bike starts to scrape.

Make sence?

Or buy a BMW and not have the problem at all. :-)

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by great white

I would look at making a "wedge" type ramp I could slip under the end of the toy haulers door to raise it a bit.

In essence, a small ramp to raise the main ramp and reduce the angle of both at the break-over.

Would need much I would think. Maybe 6 inches high and 1-2 feet long should be enough. then toss it in the back when you're loaded.

Of course, how big it will need to be will depend on how much of the break-over angle you need to eliminate....

As Great White suggested.....Something like these might help, and be easier than jacking up the front of your trailer every time you load/unload:



Trailer Ramps - Race Ramps

You might could even build yourself something similar.

[D Casten]

The CanAm is a three wheeler he would need to carry three of those.

[Haedtime01]

D Casten you may be right. Using your suggestion, might be easier to have someone place a 2x4 crossways just under the rear tire just before the top of the ramp where the bike scrapes, just to get over the hump. Thanks to all...Mark

[Cajun Style]

My brother had the same problem with his trike he put a 2x6 under the front tire right before the frame touches the ramp it lifted the bike enough to clear the ramp.