Hauling your FJR

[FJRAust]

+1 on the trailer, I'd never put the bike in a ute (that's a pickup here in Ozz). What an ordeal..

A nasty new trailer will set you back about $500 here in Ozz

 

[woodlandspilot]

Make sure you check out any internet forums for the Nissan. My brother was looking to get an Armada until he found the owners forum. Turns out it's quite a piece of sh**t!

I'm in the market for a different vehicle and thinking seriously about buying a Nissan Frontier King Cab pick-up truck. Just curious if anyone here ever hauls their FJR or other bikes in the bed of a pick-up, and if so, how do you load and unload it ? Appreciate any and all replies or suggestions.

 

[FJRGuy]

The right way was explained in an article at https://www.mad-ducati.com/

Is there really a `right way`? I see all kinds of situations where this method may not be the best.

 

[mmonroe]

I might be the odd man out here, however, I *truly* dislike loading street bikes into the beds of pickup trucks. I especially dislike putting larger bikes like the FJR back there.

I have several reasons for disliking it.

Truck beds - especially 4x4 trucks - are long ways off the ground. Transitioning yourself and the bike from the ground to the truck bed can be tough and dangerous - especially dangerous if you are loading by yourself.

If you drop the bike - not only do you screw up your motorcycle but you also screw up your truck - this can get expensive quick no to mention putting a stain on your trip. If you can find a berm or a high spot to back you truck up, things can be much better but when you most need one - there wont be one. :blink:

Standard painted truck beds are also quite "slippery" when damp - such as in the morning when the dew hits. The wrong shoes on a truck bed damp with morning dew can be ugly.

The best thing is to buy an inexpensive utility trailer that can be used for not only the motorcycle but other stuff. They sit low to the ground making solo loads of you bike very easy. If something does happen, you only take out the bike and not your truck too.

 

[rockabill]

I bought some ramps from a company called discount ramps, if I remember correctly. With the proper ramps, loading and unloading in the bed of my F-150 is very easy, and not at all scary. I just ride it up into the the bed to load and roll backwards down the ramp to unload. I built a front wheel chock with a piece of plywood and some 2x4's and put a piece of plywood down where the back wheel sits on the tailgate (after bending the inside of the tailgate). I just use a canyon dancer tied down to the in bed hooks along with a couple of straps around the back wheel to each side for stability. I can even fit the ramps in the bed next to the bike for easy unloading later. I have driven 12+ hours several times, ocassionaly pulling a loaded u-haul trailer, and have never had a problem with stability. If I had more room for storing a trailer, I may have considered that, but the ramps work great, and I can hang them on the garage wall out of the way.

 

[Dusty]

What Canyon Dancer Bar Harness fits the FJR best??

 

[Fred W]

Trailer = Yes. Pickup = no way.

Several years ago I picked up a Snowbear Landscape style trailer at Sam's Club. I think I paid around $500 for it and it has proven to be very useful. I originally bought it to use hauling dirtbikes around, and also the lawn tractor when I need to go do my MIL's lawn. It is the perfect way to move a 600 lb street bike around when that's what's needed. Big full-width drive-on tailgate ramp. No risk of dropping whatsoever. Just attach a wheel chock up front, drill some holes in the bed for eye bolts as tie down points and you're good to go. Looks sorta like this:

As to the gas mileage, I'm pretty sure a car or small SUV will get better mileage towing this than any big ass pickup truck. And when you disconnect the trailer your mileage goes back to normal.

[edit] added advantage of trailer: I can load and unload full size bikes by myself. Truck bed? NFW!! Although the nice Canadien lady in the pitcher kin come help pull on my tie-downs anytime...

 

[moto]

Take a look at "Rampage" www.rampagelift.com -- if nothing else it looks like a good idea.

 

[moto]

Take a look at "Rampage" www.rampagelift.com -- if nothing else it looks like a good idea.

 

[Old Bear]

+1 on a trailer. The height of a pickup bed means a LONG ramp or else a very sharp "breakover" angle. When that happens, your fairing will contact, doing body damage. That, plus the whole hassle/risk of dropping the bike and Fubaring the truck rule a p'up out for me. Trailer every time! :yahoo: 'Sides, your SUPPOSSED to RIDE the bike :yahoo: FJR'ers aren't trailer queens!

 

[Sagebrush]

What Canyon Dancer Bar Harness fits the FJR best??

The big one... :clapping: They come in two sizes, I bought the larger one.

They have a new one with plastic grip thingies too. I love my canyon dance rig it works great in my toy hauler.

 

[CopB8]

Well, we're off to Colorado with the FJR in the back of my Ford F150 Supercrew Shortbed.

I used a 6' ramp to get it in the back. This really only worked because I have a steep driveway and I backed my truck into a position that allowed the ramp angle to be very reasonable. Riding up into the truck was a breeze. I'm making the assumption that there's a hill SOMEWHERE in Colorado that I can back up to and unload.

The bike is pulled straight in which leaves the back tire sitting right on the leading edge of the tailgate. I think that this will be fine. I'm using 2 tie-downs up front connected to the top of the handlebars, inboard of the hydraulic resevours. and 2 in the back looped around the forward edge of the passenger handles that are a part of the rack. Finally, 2 straps running from the spoke of the front wheel to either side of the bed to ensure the wheel doesn't move left or right on the bed floor.

All in all, it feels very secure. I guess we'll see.

Here's a couple of lousy phone pics:

 

[Intech]

Hauled mine once. The day I bought it. I drove from just north of Philly to home (VA) with it in the back of my '07 Ford F-150 crew cab. Had to have the tailgate down with the bed extender. I used soft straps on the grips on the front with ratchet tie downs and one ratchet tie down across the back to sablize. I hauled ass getting back home, because I wanted to get to the DMV that day. The bike rode great. After getting the plates at the DMV I pulled into a gas station that had a suitable bank. Backed the tailgate up to the bank and rolled the bike off and rode it home. Of coarse it was loaded from a dock with ramps at the shop. If I had any intentions of hauling it much at all I would go for a ramp like the black widow.

 

[Intech]

Well, we're off to Colorado with the FJR in the back of my Ford F150 Supercrew Shortbed.
I used a 6' ramp to get it in the back. This really only worked because I have a steep driveway and I backed my truck into a position that allowed the ramp angle to be very reasonable. Riding up into the truck was a breeze. I'm making the assumption that there's a hill SOMEWHERE in Colorado that I can back up to and unload.

The bike is pulled straight in which leaves the back tire sitting right on the leading edge of the tailgate. I think that this will be fine. I'm using 2 tie-downs up front connected to the top of the handlebars, inboard of the hydraulic resevours. and 2 in the back looped around the forward edge of the passenger handles that are a part of the rack. Finally, 2 straps running from the spoke of the front wheel to either side of the bed to ensure the wheel doesn't move left or right on the bed floor.

All in all, it feels very secure. I guess we'll see.

Here's a couple of lousy phone pics:

You should be fine. Almost exactly how I hauled mine. I would suggest the board in front of the tire, though. The only thing that made me nervous was that the leading edge of the front fender was precariously close to the front wall of the bed. A good jolt could compress the tire enough to put it into the truck bed.

 

[BwanaDik]

This is The Shit To Have

A new trailer from U-Haul. Has a full width ramp in the back and a "V" slot for the front tire in the front. Sturdy D-ring tie downs all over. Better than the previous bike trailer because this one has regular sized wheels. The old one has little 12" wheels and they give the trailer, and bike, a real wallop when they hit a pothole.

about $20-25/day which is a shitload cheaper than back surgery (i.e. Pickup truck bed) or new tupperware.

Also, by renting, I don't have to have a place to store the trailer for the 350 days per year I don't use it.

 

[radman]

I bought a 4X7 trailer at Tractor Supply for $450. Mesh floor and on fold down ramp. Like so.

I put in a 5/8 treated plywood floor, a quick release front wheel chock, and 4 flush style tie downs. Total cost $550, and can be towed behind any car with a 1 7/8 ball. Nice low ramp means one man load/unload. Can be used for other hauling with chock popped out. No truck mileage penalty. No truck ride quality. To many trucks carry a 8' bed their entire life that gets used twice a year-look at all the spotless ones you see.

 

[CopB8]

No doubt that a trailer is easier to load but it's a PITA to find parking when you get where you're going. Loading into the truck is EASY if you find a small hill or embankment.

Also, no matter how good the trailer you can feel it bouncing around behind you whereas you feel almost nothing with the bike in the bed.

Oh yeah, I save $180.00 in rental fees and I don't have to find a spot to store a trailer if I bought one.

 

[radman]

Yeah, that bouncin thing is pretty spooky. :huh:

 

[reecebike]

I thought only harley guys hauled there bikes, man was I wrong!!!

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

I thought only harley guys hauled there bikes, man was I wrong!!!

Didn't someone trailer their FJR to a Natl. Rally?

I've seen 'hard core' endurance riders (IBR types) trailer their bikes to Iron-butt-type events.

Contrast that with the Vincent Owners (old British bikes that haven't been made for over 50 years) -- bikes must be ridden to the national rally, no 'trailer queens' allowed.