Well now, let me tell ya somethin’ ’bout them motorcycle lifts for pickup trucks. I ain’t no fancy mechanic or nothin’, but I’ve seen a thing or two in my time, and I know a bit about gettin’ things done.
First off, you gotta figure out why you need one of them lifts. You plannin’ on haulin’ your bike around a lot? Got a bad back and can’t be heftin’ that heavy thing up into the truck bed? Yeah, I hear ya. My old bones ain’t what they used to be neither.
- Makes loadin’ easier, that’s for sure.
- Saves your back, no doubt about it.
- Keeps your bike safer, less chance of droppin’ it.
Now, there’s different kinds, you see. Some are fancy hydraulic thingamajigs, all smooth and easy. Others are more simple, maybe just a ramp or a winch system. It all depends on how much money you wanna spend and how much work you’re willin’ to do.
Them hydraulic ones, they’re real nice, but they cost a pretty penny. You just wheel your bike onto the platform, pump it up, and roll it right into the truck bed. Easy peasy. But if you’re like me, and you ain’t got money to burn, you might look at somethin’ simpler.
A ramp is a good option, and a lot cheaper. You gotta make sure it’s sturdy though, and long enough so it ain’t too steep. You don’t wanna go flippin’ your bike over backwards, now do ya? And you’ll still need some muscle to push it up the ramp. Maybe get yourself a winch, hook it up to the front of the bike, and let it pull the thing up. That way you ain’t gotta strain yourself too much.
Now, about gettin’ that bike secure in the truck bed, that’s mighty important. You don’t want it bouncing around and gettin’ all banged up, or worse, flyin’ out and hittin’ somebody. I heard tell of folks usin’ straps. Good strong ones, mind you. Not them flimsy little things you use to tie down a tarp.
Someone told me once, first thing you do is get the bike in the truck bed. Let it rest on the kickstand, that’s the little leg thingy that holds it up. Then you take your straps and hook them onto the front and back of the bike, see? Left side first, then the right, just like snuggin’ up your britches. Don’t tighten them all the way yet, leave ’em a little loose.
Find yourself a good hill, a steep one. Drop the tailgate of your truck, and back it up to that hill. That way, the truck bed is angled down and it’s easier to get the bike up there. Hook your straps up to the bed, somewhere you can reach ’em when you’re sittin’ on the bike. Then, just ride that thing right up into the truck bed. Once it’s in there, you hook up them straps and tighten ’em down good and tight. You wanna compress that suspension a bit, so the bike ain’t gonna bounce around.
Someone said to use the side stand, not the center stand, whatever that is. And use ratchet straps, they said they are the best. Run ’em over the hard parts of the bike, the frame and the forks, that’s what they told me.
Now, where to find these lifts? Well, you can go to them big stores that sell motorcycle stuff. But they charge an arm and a leg, you know? I always say, check out eBay first. You can find just about anything on there, and usually for a whole lot cheaper. Used ones, new ones, all sorts of stuff. Just gotta be careful, make sure you’re buyin’ from a reputable seller. Don’t wanna get scammed, now.
So, there you have it. A little bit of common sense advice about motorcycle lifts for pickup trucks. Ain’t rocket science, but it’ll get you started. Just remember to take your time, be careful, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. And for goodness sake, make sure that bike is tied down tight before you hit the road!
Tags：Motorcycle Lift, Pickup Truck, Loading, Transport, Motorcycle, Safety, Straps, Ramp, Hydraulic Lift, eBay
