How does everyone transport their bikes in the back of their pickup trucks? Where at and how many straps would be needed? Do you keep the bike on the sidestand or do you keep it vertical? I'm afraid of cracking the plastic with my ratchet straps so maybe someone would know how to do this? I appreicate any advise.

 

Hi,

I have to put mine in my truck too and the other weekend I lucked out at Lowes and found a telescoping ramp for about $70 reg. price but got it for around 45 cause it was the last one. Anyway, I would suggest you get canyon dancers because it keeps the straps away from your paint and plastics. I bought a set and they are way worth the money, and really aren't that expensive. You actually feed each grip through the canyon dancer and put the tie down hooks through the loops on the end of the dancer and pull each side tight. Nothing touches your fairings. The dancer is like a fleece material and what it does touch (your triple tree)it doesn't damage.

I also bought an extra cheap set of the tie downs themselves to use on the rear of the bike. I usually either feed a hook around each side of the swingarm and pull tight, or put one hook through each passenger footpeg bracket. To me it just gives me a little more piece of mind. Of course if you have anythingPCed, your swingarm or footpeg bracket,then I would put something soft around thehooks to keep them from scratching anything.

I never used to use the stand but see people doing it every know and then. Most of the time I don't. I guess it's a matter of personal preference there.
So, I use a total of four tie downs and the canyon dancer. One on each end of thecanyon dancer, and one on eachpass. footpeg bracket or swingarm. You can get more leverage if you choose to tiethe rear ones to the brackets though.

I hope this helps....

 

the only thing i have to add to this is i also use a front wheel chock. it keeps the bike upright and the front wheel in place. it prevents the front wheel from sliding to either side and lessons the need to have the tie downs overly tight and compressing the forks too much. also, the bike in the chock doesn't need to be centered in the bed of the pick-upin order for the tie downs to be equalized. you could be off on either side and the bike would still be okay to transport.

 

either one strap around each clip on, or buy bar straps they are worth their weight in gold.