Chevy Silverado Motorcycle Hauler.

jsouthard

jsouthard

Joined
Jul 26, 2008
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Hey Guys,

I recently purchased a 2010 Silverado 1500 Regular cab pick-up truck. My main motivation for this is to have a truck to haul my Norton's and Dirt Bikes.

I now need to set it up so I can properly secure the bike(s) in the bed. It's stock right now. What have you guys done to your trucks so you can wheel them up, lock 'em down and feel confident they are in a good spot. I saw this online but am a little concerned about drilling through the bed. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... 4AodkWwAeA

Thanks,
 
1. Get a triple-wide folding ramp (and don't pinch your hands/fingers)

2. Get some GOOD QUALITY tie-downs, 4 per bike

3. Load 'em up, tie 'em down, and drive.

I've loaded everything from a dirt bike, my Triton, and 2 basket cases (all at the same time), to a Kawasaki Concours, with 100% confidence. You do have to carefully thread some of the tie-downs through the wheels of the adjacent bikes to make it all work, but it works fine.

I use long-ish tie-downs, so that BESIDES the tie-down's mechanical hold, I secure the bitter end of the tie-down strap as a secondary security.

I know i have a photo around here somewhere...
 
On the subject of tie-downs, whether you're using ratcheting or otherwise, make sure you're using those with a "full loop". There are some that have an abbreviated loop and they WILL come off. How do I know this? Ugh........
 
Thats two #1s for Ancras. A scratched Suzuki C50T windshield and a pissed off girl friend convinced me!
 
Go look in my car right now and you will find:
4 pair of Ancra tie downs, 2 Canyon Dancer bar harneeses, 2 pairs of soft ties and a small handful of "misc. tie downs". I am always equipped to haul 2 bikes.

Vince
 
Thanks for the tips guys. I'll pick up some of the Ancra tie downs.

What about installing a wheel chock?
 
There is good reason they sell wheel chocks for long distance hauling. The worse place to strap down is over the suspension the next best is over the tires. Next best because even tires squash with road shocks and can leak down or cold air temps lower PSI and there goes the secure tension. Can make your own wheel chocks which should bolt with back up through the bed. There are also flush folding tie downs but require bed holes, no big deal. With two bikes in bed some the tie down angles tend to rub or tension hard on the bikes or prevent best angle to use.

The hard part is getting bikes up and down. Bikes tend to hi center hung up stopped short at bed or gate edge with most loading ramp lengths on level ground. A small wench has appealed to me but the hi centering issue would be bad ju ju. One way I though of was mounted bike to a channel with wheel chocks then pull the channel up and in while pressing wench control and balancing the bike, maybe...
 
Ugh, I meant a small electric winch as otherwise need a rather large female wench to help get it in and out of a full size pu turck bed. I've been around enough Brit vintage rallys this last decade to know females of any sort are rahter rare compared to other variety of bike crowds, so the electric winch appeal. Loading bikes in trucks in good and bad conditions is why I'm a trailer guy.
 
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