Training Wheels?

[GaryZ]

My problem is;

We bought a Toy Hauler to take the VR to those far away places that we cannot ride long enough to get there. Once we are safely parked near San Francisco, we can tour around and see the sites. I think the Toy Hauler will do the job and give us our personal space when visiting friends. The problem I have run into is loading and unloading the bike. I prefer to load with the engine running, in first gear, and walking beside. I have successfully used this method for many years. This VR weighs close to 800lbs and is difficult for me to handle nowadays. It is even giving me trouble unloading without the engine running. It isn't as much of a problem if I have a helper. I don't always have a helper.

 

Has anyone seen or made a set of out-rider wheels to help load/unload? My thought would be to clamp them to the crash bars and walk the bike in or out. But, they may "high-center" the bike at the top of the ramp. Maybe if they were a bit forward and closer to the front wheel they wouldn't high-center.

 

Pictures of other ideas are welcome.

[vzuden]

have you considered an electric winch? I use one when loading a heavy bike in my trailer. Some have wireless remote controls but I have a cheap one from Harbor Freight and it is corded but the cord is plenty long enough. I can walk up a second ramp alongside the bike as the winch pulls it up slowly.

[Sylvester]

have you considered an electric winch? I use one when loading a heavy bike in my trailer. Some have wireless remote controls but I have a cheap one from Harbor Freight and it is corded but the cord is plenty long enough. I can walk up a second ramp alongside the bike as the winch pulls it up slowly.

 

 

:thumbsup:

 

[BlueSky]

It might be worth it to design some training wheels that will be easy to attach to your bike. Shouldn't cost too terribly much to get a machine shop to fabricate them. Might even be something you can market.

[EtRider]

I ride mine into the hauler. I use 2 short 2 x 4s (one on each side) to bridge the gap where the ramp meets the ground and my feet wont touch. With the 2 x 4s there, I just (ride) walk the bike nice and easy and I can control it as fast or slow as I want. Works for me getting it out of the hauler also, no need for 2nd person as your feet are always in contact now.

[GaryZ]

I ride mine into the hauler. I use 2 short 2 x 4s (one on each side) to bridge the gap where the ramp meets the ground and my feet wont touch. With the 2 x 4s there, I just (ride) walk the bike nice and easy and I can control it as fast or slow as I want. Works for me getting it out of the hauler also, no need for 2nd person as your feet are always in contact now.

 

That is an excellent suggestion . . . Thanks!

[Flyinfool]

@rbig1 went thru the same thing, he ended up using a winch so he could sit on the bike and walk it up or down the ramp easy as could be.

Make sure the ramp is shallow enough so that you do not high center and get stuck at the top.

 

If you do make up some kind of training wheels, design them so that the axle is in the same place as the rear wheel, that way they will not lift off the ground as you go ever the edges.

[Karaboo]

I saw someone use a little trolley that you park the bike on. Similar to the skates to help you move around the garage. I saw a video with the trolley winching a bike up a ramp, and no hands on at all. I think it had a wheel chock at the front to stabilize and a couple straps at the back.

Now if only I could remember where I saw the video.

Try this...

 

http://condor-lift.com/condor-products-towing-recovery-logistics/towing-and-recovery-condor/cycle-loader?sort=p.sort_order

Edited April 3, 2018 by Karaboo

[GaryZ]

I saw someone use a little trolley that you park the bike on. Similar to the skates to help you move around the garage. I saw a video with the trolley winching a bike up a ramp, and no hands on at all. I think it had a wheel chock at the front to stabilize and a couple straps at the back.

Now if only I could remember where I saw the video.

Try this...

 

http://condor-lift.com/condor-products-towing-recovery-logistics/towing-and-recovery-condor/cycle-loader?sort=p.sort_order

 

 

This looks cool. I wonder if I could walk beside it and run it up the ramp in first gear . . .

[Flyinfool]

This looks cool. I wonder if I could walk beside it and run it up the ramp in first gear . . .

 

I would not walk beside it on the ramp. If you should happen to kill the engine halfway up the ramp you want to be on the bike to be able to hit the rear brake. The front will do nothing.

[rbig1]

well I recommend a winch. When you crest the ramp front of box comes up real fast in your head. I used a three piece ramp center ramp pinned in place used the latch hole with a permeant bolt in ramp. Also two small 2x4 at the bottom of outside ramps. strap all ramps to trailer also. used a 3000lb winch so it didn't have to work hard. 6 foot loop strap on front forks above fender. I put a longer cord on winch so there was plenty to throw it off the ramps. Here is set up only pics I found that were close shots

[rickardracing]

If you have never rode in the San Fransico area before.......your not going to like the traffic.

[cowpuc]

If you have never rode in the San Fransico area before.......your not going to like the traffic.

 

I loved riding Frisco,, while not as easy to navigate around the city on a bike as Manhatten is because of how NYC is laid out, Frisco does have a certain roller coaster rider appeal..

IMHO,, crossing the Golden Gate then the up to "1" from Frisco,, thru Bodega Bay and then up to Stewards Point, then east on Skaggs Springs Road thru the Red Woods over to Geyserville is one of our countrys most amazing tours..

[GaryZ]

I would not walk beside it on the ramp. If you should happen to kill the engine halfway up the ramp you want to be on the bike to be able to hit the rear brake. The front will do nothing.

 

Oh boy, good catch

[GaryZ]

If you have never rode in the San Fransico area before.......your not going to like the traffic.

 

I delivered auto parts in San Francisco in my youth. My wife has never been west of the Rockies and I want to show her San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, San Rafael (where I graduated High School), Mt Tamalpais, Stinson Beach, and Napa Valley. Just a few spots of interest for me . . .

[GaryZ]

I loved riding Frisco,, while not as easy to navigate around the city on a bike as Manhatten is because of how NYC is laid out, Frisco does have a certain roller coaster rider appeal..

IMHO,, crossing the Golden Gate then the up to "1" from Frisco,, thru Bodega Bay and then up to Stewards Point, then east on Skaggs Springs Road thru the Red Woods over to Geyserville is one of our countrys most amazing tours..

 

I was riding in the hills above San Rafael when my date squirmed and we sort-of left the road. We hit a wire fence, kind of a controlled crash. The fence broke off the front brake lever of my new Honda CL350. The next day we rode into San Francisco to find the only Honda shop open on Sunday. Take my advise; do not ride in a town of steep hills, traffic and a squirmy rider without a front brake. Just sayin'

[cowpuc]

My problem is;

We bought a Toy Hauler to take the VR to those far away places that we cannot ride long enough to get there. Once we are safely parked near San Francisco, we can tour around and see the sites. I think the Toy Hauler will do the job and give us our personal space when visiting friends. The problem I have run into is loading and unloading the bike. I prefer to load with the engine running, in first gear, and walking beside. I have successfully used this method for many years. This VR weighs close to 800lbs and is difficult for me to handle nowadays. It is even giving me trouble unloading without the engine running. It isn't as much of a problem if I have a helper. I don't always have a helper.

 

Has anyone seen or made a set of out-rider wheels to help load/unload? My thought would be to clamp them to the crash bars and walk the bike in or out. But, they may "high-center" the bike at the top of the ramp. Maybe if they were a bit forward and closer to the front wheel they wouldn't high-center.

 

Pictures of other ideas are welcome.

 

IMHO,, you have gotten a TON of very healthy and wise advice going on here Gary.. Personally,, if I were saddled with the same dilema you are talking about I would DEFINITELY do something with a winch too.. I know that HF sells a small, 2500 pound outfit for about 50 bucks - seems that would be perfect.. I would also make sure that when I attached the winch inside the Toyhaulers garage, I did so,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

= BIKER ALERT!!! 2:11pm here in Muskegon on the lake shore = it is HAILING like crazy = sky just opened up !!!!!!! Is March 3rd opening day of @Flyinfool and saddlebum season????????????????????

 

I would make sure that when I did so that I attached the winch to a "D" ring that was secured with bolts to the frame under the trailer.. I would also purchase a wheel chock just like this:https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Motorcycle-Stand-Wheel-Chock-Adjustable-Upright-1800lb-Capacity-Support/112163869587?hash=item1a1d7cd393:g:2cQAAOSwzaJX~KFju

I would take the eyelets on the outriggers off and I would cut some PVC "wheels" for the outrigger arms - I would cut them long enough that they would go from the eyelet holes to the point where the wheel would just touch the weld where the outrigger meets the upright = nice and wide but still loosely fitting so it can roll between the eyelets and the upright.. I would use a tight fitting PVC tube over the outrigger arm and then another larger PVC wheel over the top of it so I created a sort of bushing wheel if you will.. I would now leave the bottom outrigger "pads off" but would reattach the eyelets and I would do so so the eyelet bolt/nut was contained inside of the outrigger arm..

Looking at the wheel chock in the picture in the link, it might not be totally necessary but I would probably take a set of the rear ward holes that are used for the rear "flipper" on the chock and I would put a bolt back there thru those holes with a PVC bearing type roller mounted on it too,, sort of like a toilet paper roller thing.. I would also attach a pulling lug on the front of the chock.

With the chock sitting outwardly on the ground in front of the loading gate of my toyhauler, I would back my bike onto it and attach ratcheting tie down straps on the saddle bag guards of the bike and into the eyelets. Suck the bike up with the straps to its upright. Hit the button on the winch and roll the chocked bike up the ramp, stop right before the back of the chock meets the edge of the ramp where you will see a gap formed now between the chock and the ground. Drop in the rear pvc wheel, hit the winch and pull the bike in. Leave bike in the winch and chock for travel but secure with tie downs on to "D" rings.. When ready to unload, leave chock attached to winch, unhook bike and ride out

 

By the way,, IMHO,, finding a high spot or even a curb to load/unload on will help = anytime you can get your ramp at a lesser angle is better..

[cowpuc]

I delivered auto parts in San Francisco in my youth. My wife has never been west of the Rockies and I want to show her San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, San Rafael (where I graduated High School), Mt Tamalpais, Stinson Beach, and Napa Valley. Just a few spots of interest for me . . .

 

:thumbsup::thumbsup: = Napa Valley is 100% OUTSTANDING if your an old hippie and want to step back in time to "the day"... Endless hippie shops with tie dyed shirts, flower covered bell bottoms, door way "beads", fringed jackets and EVERYTHING!!! A TRUE STEP BACK IN TIME if you have the time to ride, explore, walk and shop......

 

 

 

(thanks @slowrollwv!! Still diggin it!!)