Loading a motorcycle

txtinman

Well-known member
I have a 2018 RW model 426. I have not carried my motorcycle yet, but will at the end of the month. I was wondering what are your preferred methods of loading? Do you load while the trailer is leveled? Do you hook up to the tow vehicle with the leveling legs down? Or the tow vehicle hooked up with the legs up?

Mike
 

Sniper

Well-known member
I have a 2018 RW model 426. I have not carried my motorcycle yet, but will at the end of the month. I was wondering what are your preferred methods of loading? Do you load while the trailer is leveled? Do you hook up to the tow vehicle with the leveling legs down? Or the tow vehicle hooked up with the legs up?

Mike
We "usually" load (and unload) unhooked, tires chocked and the landing legs raised to reduce the angle of the ramp. :)
 

txtinman

Well-known member
We "usually" load (and unload) unhooked, tires chocked and the landing legs raised to reduce the angle of the ramp. :)
Alright. I didn't think of that. That method will actually help me at the present site. The ground slopes a bit and the ramp is kind of steep. I'll try it. Thanks.

Mike
 

porthole

Retired
I have a 2018 RW model 426. I have not carried my motorcycle yet, but will at the end of the month. I was wondering what are your preferred methods of loading? Do you load while the trailer is leveled? Do you hook up to the tow vehicle with the leveling legs down? Or the tow vehicle hooked up with the legs up?

Mike


If you "level" the trailer you are most likely raising it further off the ground.
Close to the ground as possible. Raising the nose a bit will help decrease the sharp entry angle.

I would suggest practice a bit where you can back the trailer up to a slight incline to reduce the entry angle.

Going in the trailer - you need to be confident. The point about midway when you have the front wheel on the ramp and the rear off the ramp has the most clearance under the frame, probably more then you have legs to reach the ground. That is not a time to rethink your commitment.

Same with going up the ramp. Once on the ramp you really need to commit to keep going until your are in the trailer.

Coming out, best way I found is engine off, trans in first gear, right hand wrapped tightly around the throttle - NO FRONT BRAKE. Use the clutch to 'clutch your way out of the trailer'

If you get uncomfortable part way out and grab the front brake the odds are pretty good the wheel will lock, it will slide, you will go down, good chance not on two wheels.
 

txtinman

Well-known member
I'm comfortable with the loading of the bike. I normally walk it up the ramp using the throttle while loading on my small trailer. The comment about coming out is spot on. We are trained to use that method to back down and turn around on a hill while off road.

Mike
 

porthole

Retired
Walking it up the ramp with the throttle.

Guess we are not talking about a top heavy 900 pound touring bike :rolleyes:
 

NWILSON

Kentucky Chapter Leaders - retired
In addition to what Duane (Porthole) has stated, depending on the length of your garage you may find yourself stopping with the front wheel on the level and the rear wheel on the dovetail. This is where I found myself starting to slide the front wheel. I now have a 115v winch that relieves all of those worries for me.
 

txtinman

Well-known member
In addition to what Duane (Porthole) has stated, depending on the length of your garage you may find yourself stopping with the front wheel on the level and the rear wheel on the dovetail. This is where I found myself starting to slide the front wheel. I now have a 115v winch that relieves all of those worries for me.
My bike has a good bit of ground clearance. I don't anticipate any problems. Famous last words maybe.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk
 

txtinman

Well-known member
In addition to what Duane (Porthole) has stated, depending on the length of your garage you may find yourself stopping with the front wheel on the level and the rear wheel on the dovetail. This is where I found myself starting to slide the front wheel. I now have a 115v winch that relieves all of those worries for me.
What winch do you have?
 

porthole

Retired
Since Neale brought up the winch - I aded a winch some time ago.
I mounted it in the far front left corner with the drum parallel to the trailer length.

I use snatch blocks to change direction and can run the cable anywhere across the front of the garage.

The first time I ran the bike up the garage from wet grass I decided I needed something for those special times.

I only used it with the bike once to try it out.
But I did have to use it when I smoked the controller in the golf cart and was left at the bottom of the ramp with a dead cart.

https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/11365-And-so-it-begins?p=134986&viewfull=1#post134986
 
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