Hauling bike in shortbed truck

[okscooter]

Do any members own a crewcab extra shortbed truck (5' 9" bed), and hauled a cruiser type bike in it?

Not a Venture but something like V-star 1100, 650lbs, 8 ft. overall lenght. With my tailgate down I got 91.5", the rear tire would set right on the tailgate, fender and taillight would be out past it. Tailgate is supported by 2 cables, that scares me! I own a 1/2 T Chevy and a 5 X 8 trailer but would rather not drag it, gas mileage is bad enough.

[BoomerCPO]

If you value the bike I would suggest hauling it on a trailer.

 

Had a friend who tried hauling his Harley in a short bed truck such as yours. ......when the tailgate let go there were not enough straps to keep that bike from rolling off the bed and into the road......the bike was totaled. To save a few bucks in gas he lost a beautiful bike.

[PBJ]

I brought home a Venture in a Chevy short bed crew cab from Michigan this past May. The rear wheel also on the tail gate. I distributed the weight with a ramp plank that I slide underneath both wheels. This helped to distribute the weight of the bike more evenly over the whole bed then I strapped the front end down tight slightly compressing the front shocks and shifting the weight forward. I was able to drive back from Michigan with out a single problem at 70 mph. no movement at all. Maybe i just got lucky but i never doubted it would hold. My brother also made a similar journey three years early with a ford ranger crew cab, same ramp plank and rear wheel on the bed.

 

But its your call on this . this was just my experience. Phil.

[Yammer Dan]

I brought home a Venture in a Chevy short bed crew cab from Michigan this past May. The rear wheel also on the tail gate. I distributed the weight with a ramp plank that I slide underneath both wheels. This helped to distribute the weight of the bike more evenly over the whole bed then I strapped the front end down tight slightly compressing the front shocks and shifting the weight forward. I was able to drive back from Michigan with out a single problem at 70 mph. no movement at all. Maybe i just got lucky but i never doubted it would hold. My brother also made a similar journey three years early with a ford ranger crew cab, same ramp plank and rear wheel on the bed.

 

But its your call on this . this was just my experience. Phil.

That would work. Or cut a piece of 3/4 or 1 inch plywood wide enoughto fit between wheelwells and 8 ft length to cover bed and tailgate.

[Steve S]

I have hauled an 02 Road King and a 06 Venture in an extended cab Chevy 1500 with a short bed. I did have to put a piece of 3/4 plywood in front of the front tire of the Venture to keep the fender from hitting the front of the bed though. Both bikes had the rear tire sitting on the very edge of the bed. I strapped the front down real good then the rear down just enough to keep it from going side to side. My brother or I never had a bit of trouble. If it does sit on the tailgate just do like PJ said and put a plank under it.

[ahoutzer]

I don't haul my bike. My bike hauls me.

[okscooter]

Thanks for the idear doing the plank thing to distribute the weight to get it off the tailgate, plywood would work also. I'm thinking maybe a 8'- 2X8, maybe even screw a couple of 2X4's down the sides of it, make like a track, will also stiffen the 2X8 some.

Went and looked at the tailgate some more, there are holes at the top corner and edge on each side of the tailgate. An "S" hook from a tiedown fits right in it and there is a hole in the top inside corner of the bedside. I could use tiedowns as extra support for the tailgate to help support weight rather than rely on just the 2 factory steel cables. This and the plank under the bike should help out.

[Gary N.]

I'd be more concerned about denting the sheet metal then anything else. The steel they use now days is like tissue paper.

Your idea of using a plank with 2X4s screwed to the sides sounds good.

If you plan on doing this more than once why not consider having a piece of 3/16" steel or 1/4" checker aluminium bent in the shape of a channel and long enough for both wheels to fit into. Stronger and lighter than all that lumber and easier to store too. Any industrial sheet metal shop should be able to handle this in about 20 minuets.

[Rocket]

That would work. Or cut a piece of 3/4 or 1 inch plywood wide enoughto fit between wheelwells and 8 ft length to cover bed and tailgate.

 

That is my plan, for whenever I'm finished here, in Wainwright. As I will need to get both, back to the wet coast.