Loading A Bike?

[MikeNH]

Hey all,

 

I may be helping a friend move a motorcycle this week, something I've never done. I have ramps and tie down straps but will the tailgate, specifically the spoiler/cap be okay with so much weight on a small area? Any tips appreciated.

[Garrett Street]

It's not a Toyota, just load up and go!

[700 sportsman]

You'll be fine, we always load up the 4-wheelers no problem. The only thing you may want to do if your worried about scuffing it, place a small piece of felt or carpet on the edge. We have a set of aluminum ramps and siliconed some pretty thin outdoor door carpet to prevent scratching.

[BlackZ71Silverado]

The tailgate should be fine, I used to load my atv's on all my older Silverado all the time when I didn't have a trailor. The tailgate is connected with the cables you see when you open the gate. It takes a lot for one of those to let break, you won't have any issues.

[ruggedlife]

nut up or shut up its a truck.

[MikeNH]

It's not a Toyota, just load up and go!

 

 

nut up or shut up its a truck.

 

 

Thanks for the worthless responses.

 

To 700 and BlackZ71-

 

Thank you for not being useless.

[wtbrowne]

I'd pass if the bike weighs more than 500 lbs. Tailgates are expensive and the cables may not hold much more than 500 lbs. Someone could also be seriously injured if it did collapse.

[GasHog369]

X2 on worrying more about the tailgate straps than the spoiler cap. I wanna say i read somewhere that tailgates / straps are only rated for 400 or so lbs.. I know gm dosent have the best track record with the straps also.

[doverarjim]

I don't know about your truck but on my 99 I have loaded my 06 Honda Rubicon many times both before and after I had the cable recall and never once felt like it was a problem, and by the way back when the cables were "bad" I my self went over 400 lbs. so with a bike and and you don't say what kind or size but I would still say you will be go to go!

[MikeNH]

Max weight seems to be 600 lbs. Bike, according to the internet is a little over 450. I think it should be okay. My main concern is the tailgate will have to stay down so the back tire will be partially on the gate for the ride to the bike's new home. Frankly I'd rather have the guy I'm doing this for rent a trailer from U-Haul. The small open deck ones are well under $50 for a 4 hour rental.

 

 

Bike apparently is a 2000 Suzuki Marauder.

[GasHog369]

If you do load it in the bed, and are worried about the back tire being on there, you could always put a piece of plywood down on the tailgate to carry the load evenly across the surface.

 

 

edit.

 

You will probably be fine , but if you at all worried and since this is your hard money you are putting to work to help someone out....

 

Other option is, if the bike will fit with the tailgate up, take the tailgate off and put ramps right to the bed. That way you dont have to worry about collapsing the tailgate at all.

[pm26]

Keep in mind that GMT900 tailgate tops under the top cap are drilled full of holes to make them lighter. I would probably use a piece of 3/8 inch plywood on top of the open tailgate under the ramp hooks/brackets to prevent local deformation.

[MikeNH]

Yeah I'll dig up a slab of plywood to toss under there, seems like the safest thing unless I can talk him into a trailer rental.

[spankrz]

 

be sure to add the "extra support" like this engineer did

 

but in all seriousnes, i would feel comfortable hauling that bike. as stated before, a sheet of plywood could be put down for extra support.

[GasHog369]

 

Solved