Re: Off-topic: Pickup trucks

[Thomas Emberson <thomas@xxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 19 Jan 2001, Matt Knowles wrote:

> >Does anyone know if it's safe to drive for extended periods of time with
> >
> >a bike resting with its back wheel on the open tailgate of a pickup?
> 
> I would think it would be safe, as I've seen many racers do it.
> 
> However, if you have room to store a trailer, you'll find getting a bike
> onto a trailer a much easier proposition. Especially if you end up getting
> a 4x4. I have a 5x8 garden utility trailer and I find it works great since
> the tailgate is long enough to serve as a built in ramp. That is for
> everything but the Sprint. With the Sprints lower ground clearance I do
> have to extend the tailgate with a short ramp or it bottoms out. But the
> trailer is low enough that I can get the bike in and out by myself. I
> wouldn't want to try getting a 600lb bike in or out of a pickup by myself.
> I learned that lesson the hard way dropping my '83 Vision of the ramp of a
> U-haul truck. The 5x8 is big enough to haul my ATV and my KLX side by side,
> and I had a wheel chock and tie downs installed for hauling the Sprint or
> the KLR.
> 
> Here in the country the utility trailer does all kinds of double duty that
> a dedicated motorcycle trailer couldn't, but if I still lived in the city
> the fold up trailer that Paul Masters has would probably be my choice. I
> think he posted a page on it somewhere.
> 
> As for pickups, we just took delivery of our new Dodge Dakota QuadCab last
> week. We went with it because we eventually plan to tow horses and it has
> the biggest engine (5.9l) and the highest towing capacity for a mid size.
> But it also has the most comfortable back seat which was important for us
> since our other vehicle is a Honda Del Sol which has no back seat. So if
> we're taking friends somewhere it's going to be in the truck, and I'd like
> for them to be comfortable. Plus I liked the styling of the Ram when it
> first came out so the Dakota was a natural choice.

Got to agree, I've put my 9r and 6e in the bed of my 4x4 Ranger
w/off-road package. Before the slightly oversized All-terrains it
was doable with one ramp and two boards for my feet. I am currently
forced to look for terrain advantages. That is where I can park
the rear wheels of the truck lower than where the end of the ramp
sits. Ask Bill how I [un]loaded the 9r at the ralley last year and
at his house in FL.

I want to get a F150-super crew, 4x4-off road. Getting a bike up
there will only happen for long distance trips. That is from dallas
to NC.

My guess it that a run of the mill F150 xlt super cab will fit the
ST without any problems, and its bed hight will be within a couple
of inches of my Ranger.  The F150 super cab has a 6'6" bed (i
believe) or about 4-6" longer than my ranger, and I am sure the
ST's rear contact patch is not 4-6" longer than the ZX6e's.

Thom

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