Rampage Lift

[uechi kid]

My wife just informed me that she doesn't think she's up for 10 day 3000 to 4000 mile trips on the bike any more. She still wants to ride and see the country but that kind of riding is too much. So we have been talking about options. The one that seems most reasonable is, get a travel trailer to tow behind my 2001 Dodge 2500 diesel and a lift system to get the bike in the bed. There aren't a lot of options for lifts. The one that seems most practical is the Rampage lift. It seems simple to use and look like it's well built. Pricey though.

Does anyone have experience with this lift? If so how do you like it? Pros, Cons?

Thanks. Rich

Edited September 18, 2019 by uechi kid

[Gary N.]

I bought a Mountain Master bike lift http://www.mountainmaster.net/motorcycleloadingsystem.html and I'm extremely happy with it. Folds up small enough in the box when not towing the bike that I can close the tailgate and bed cover and it's out of sight. Also very easy to take out of the truck when you need too.

 

If you have an 8' box then most lifts will work for you but any smaller box then you have to either remove the tailgate or leave it down when towing. Leaving it down when towing your travel trailer is not a good idea. You will hit it on a sharp turn. I don't think I would want to tow any trailer with the bike sticking out past the end of the box either. All depends on how close it is to the front of the trailer especially on a turn.

[SpencerPJ]

You could also get a toy hauler travel trailer and put your Bike in there. Trailer up front, fold down back door to ride bike into. I'm on a RV forum as well, and people try all sorts of ways to have a trailer and put a bike in the bed. These are big heavy bikes with 50 million things to go wrong. Seems most of them end up getting a toy hauler.

[Sylvester]

Ragtop has an enclosed utility trailer that he installed all sorts of comforts and wiring to plug in at a campsite and still room for a bike. No windows but air and heat, although windows could be cut in. Very nice set up.

 

[uechi kid]

I bought a Mountain Master bike lift http://www.mountainmaster.net/motorcycleloadingsystem.html and I'm extremely happy with it. Folds up small enough in the box when not towing the bike that I can close the tailgate and bed cover and it's out of sight. Also very easy to take out of the truck when you need too.

 

If you have an 8' box then most lifts will work for you but any smaller box then you have to either remove the tailgate or leave it down when towing. Leaving it down when towing your travel trailer is not a good idea. You will hit it on a sharp turn. I don't think I would want to tow any trailer with the bike sticking out past the end of the box either. All depends on how close it is to the front of the trailer especially on a turn.

 

I can't go to Mountain Master's website. It triggers my virus protection on my computer.

I have a gen 2. The overall length is 8.7 feet. It's 8.4 to the rear fender. My bed is 8.2 feet. I wouldn't be able to put the tailgate up no matter what.

[uechi kid]

Ragtop has an enclosed utility trailer that he installed all sorts of comforts and wiring to plug in at a campsite and still room for a bike. No windows but air and heat, although windows could be cut in. Very nice set up.

 

 

Thanks. I'm not really looking to make my own travel trailer.

[Gary N.]

I can't go to Mountain Master's website. It triggers my virus protection on my computer.

I have a gen 2. The overall length is 8.7 feet. It's 8.4 to the rear fender. My bed is 8.2 feet. I wouldn't be able to put the tailgate up no matter what.

 

Try just googling Mountain Master Bike lift.

[videoarizona]

I've been exploring the same options for my travel trailer for the past year. There are only two viable options:

1: toy hauler

2: pull behind the travel trailer, the bike trailer.

 

In most states, you can legally pull your travel trailer with a bike trailer behind. And in those states that frown on that arrangement, they usually never hassel us. The ONLY issue, and it's a big one for some, is you don't back up. Or you unhook the bike trailer, back up, then re-hook and go. Can make for interesting gas ups. If your pick up is diesel, then you are gold... in that you can fill up at truck stops...straight through!

 

Our scoots are way to heavy to put a lift on the back of the travel trailer without some serious modifications to the bumper. The bumpers are made for maybe 150-200 pounds max. But that's easy to do with some welding to the frame..in essence, rebuilding the bumper. The real problem is tongue weight. Travel trailers are designed to meet a certain tongue weight with "X" amount of stuff inside and tanks (fresh, gray and black) somewhere in the middle of capacity. IE, your average going down the road weight. Adding 900 to 1K pounds to the rear end is going to eliminate most of your tongue weight all together! So, somehow you are going to have to add tongue weight to the very front (mount the portable generator above the batteries is one idea). Is this doable? Of course, but...and this is a BIG BUT...you have now reduced your trailer's carrying capacity a whole bunch and probably your truck's as well. IE, it will put a limit on the beer you can carry...or the kids, or....(insert your own fun stuff here).

 

Toy haulers work well.....but there are issues there as well. Most of the time, your main bed is on lifts above the storage area and your couch folds up to the sidewalls. Putting the bike and it's oil and gas smells in your face as you eat and sleep. Yes, there are toy haulers designed with a modicum of intelligence and manage to keep the living and storage areas separate....but those can be quite pricey. Some even have "decks"...made by repositioning the door/ramp, then you can move the scoot outside. Of course, the gas/oil smells remain. I didn't like those to much, but it was an idea.

 

As far as carrying the bike in the truck bed...sigh....you will need a large bed, you can't buy a 5th wheel trailer and your trucks load capacity means you may not be able to bring the dog...a cat maybe. You WILL have to add load springs (air or others) to the rear end cause even with weight distribution hitch helping to transfer the tongue weight to the front of the truck, the rear springs are not going to be happy. And down goes your load capacity of the truck even more.

 

I know, I said there are only two viable options...but there is a 3rd.

 

Buy a used horse trailer...one of the ones with the living arrangements in front.

 

Yea...I know you said you didn't want to build...but turning the horse end to a bike end is far easier....seal it up and add some tie downs. Many of those trailers separate the horsies from the peoples....so the living arrangements work. Plus the carrying capacity is there as well. Think one horse with hay equals your bike!

Many of them are 5th wheels, which turn and backup much easier than towables, but you lose pick up truck capacity and storage in your bed. Always a trade off...no free lunch.

 

There ya go. I'm still thinking....no decision yet. We are enjoying traveling in our trailer, unhooking and driving to visit places then coming "home" to the trailer to plan our next adventure. The bikes are staying at home for now. That works for us and my Better Half has said no more bike rides for her. So I may never trailer and carry a scoot with me unless it's a 250cc puttputt to zip to town in....

 

Hope this helps...

Edited September 19, 2019 by videoarizona
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[MiCarl]

If the bike is in the bed and the gate is down you might have clearance issues to a travel trailer. Especially when turning.

[djh3]

The toy haulers with the separated cargo are not terrible depending on what your looking for. If you go new anything is $$$. Then you need to decide 5th wheel or tag/bumper pull. The separated cargo areas most have vents you can open while traveling and they will literally suck air thru that area and ventilate. Thats the wifes big thing also is she dont want to sleep the same place as the bike. Mine is the main bed access. I dont want the cubby hole access where you would have to crawl over the corner of the bed to get in. I want access on both sides. Check out RV trader. I know camping world is big and well known, but do a little you tube searching on them and some of the practices.

[saddlebum]

Gary has a second gen as well and I have seen his in action. It would definitely be my choice. Another nice thing about it is with a little extra hardware you could transfer it back and forth from your pickup to a trailer if you like.

[uechi kid]

So we bought a travel trailer and a Rampage Lift. I found a second hand lift that had never been installed about an hour and a half north of me. I picked it up for half of what a new on costs. I got it installed and tried it out a couple of times to get the hang of using it. Going up is really smooth, but coming down you need to go really slow at the point where the bike starts to tip back. It has a tendency to want to wobble side to side. All in all, i think this is going to suit our needs.

 

[Freebird]

Looks good. The wobbling would scare me but I would either get used to it or figure out why. Either way, looks like a good plan.

[uechi kid]

I watched Bill Wojtysiak unload his bike in a video. When he gets to that point he inches the bike out very slowly until it tips back. I think I was going too fast at the tipping point. Will practice some more soon.

Edited January 26, 2020 by uechi kid

[djh3]

Wonder what the axle weight is with trailer on. 1000# for bike then add the trailer and gear. Hope thats at least a 2500.

[uechi kid]

I think so, based on this chart.

 

 

 

 

Wonder what the axle weight is with trailer on. 1000# for bike then add the trailer and gear. Hope thats at least a 2500.

Edited January 25, 2020 by uechi kid