bike/motorcycle/etc on straight truck?

DannyD · Jun 28, 2009

For anyone who has a straight truck, is there a way to carry a motorcylce so when you get to a city & have a few days wait, ya don't have to drive the truck around? I'm figuring ya could put it in the back of the truck a lot of times, but then ya'd have those times when the truck would be full so out goes the bike & ya'd have to go back & pick it up. So any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanx

Ironic that the guy w/ the bike shop had his Q. I wish him the best of luck in finding out what he needs. I had just come on here to ask this one & saw his.

cheri1122 · Jun 28, 2009

Danny: in 3 years driving a s/t, it has never been so full there wasn't room for a bike.

Dakota · Jun 28, 2009

DannyD said:
For anyone who has a straight truck, is there a way to carry a motorcylce so when you get to a city & have a few days wait, ya don't have to drive the truck around? I'm figuring ya could put it in the back of the truck a lot of times, but then ya'd have those times when the truck would be full so out goes the bike & ya'd have to go back & pick it up. So any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanx

Ironic that the guy w/ the bike shop had his Q. I wish him the best of luck in finding out what he needs. I had just come on here to ask this one & saw his.

Just get a moped unless you really want a motorcycle on the truck, it will weigh less and be smaller

geo · Jul 1, 2009

i don't remember who had it but they had there straight truck set up to carried the bike what they did was between the box and slepper they had frame spaced so they could carried bike and had away load and unload was kind of cool

wallytrucker1 · Jul 1, 2009

Our late friend John O from here on Eo carried his Yamaha 500cc enduro type bike in his 22 box w/liftgate. He had a wonderful time with it in the desert out west. Usually , if your 22 box is that full, you ain't expediting. Read John's old posts about it, if you like. RIP John

panthercub · Jul 2, 2009

I know moving vans are allowed to build decks on the backs of their trailers when they are out of space. If a straight truck has a liftgate, maybe you could strap the bike down on the gate if your truck got too full.

Rabbit · Jul 3, 2009

A 150 or so cc scooter wouldn't take much room at all. If you had a receiver hitch, perhaps you could carry a minimal receiver-carrier rack flat against the wall most o the time and only put it on the receiver when the truck is totally full? A Genuine Rattler-- only 110 cc but runs like a 150 because it's a two-stroke-- would be about perfect, and will get you about 70-80 MPG while you run about town. Plus, they can be had used fairly cheap. You'd probably get 55-60 MPH out of it on level ground, maybe a tad more.

Genuine Scooter Co: Rattler Buck-One-Ten

moose · Jul 3, 2009

This guy passes me yesterday ...3 times...
Ya know what ? , eider get a bigger truck or a smaller bike ...

FIS53 · Jul 5, 2009

Had a load 4 weeks ago that included a bicycle along with the boxes. I strapped the bike to the roof of the box. Out of the way, nothing sticking in the wheels. Usually never have a load that takes the entire box upto the roof line so this works for me.

If a motorcycle then you can also think about a vespa scooter (don't laugh too hard). Easy on fuel, fairly comfy to ride, not too heavy, easy to drive. Nice part is the wheels and the front are covered so less water or spray getting on you and no wet streak down your back after going on a wet road.
Rob

LDB · Jul 5, 2009

If you're really concerned with space check out Folding Bicycles and Folding Bicycle Accessories by Dahon: International Bikes Overview Page

You could always get a set of the loops that clamp to the bumper and you set the wheels in them, provided you had a bike small enough to lift one end at a time. Keep it in the box usually but if you just had to put it out front you could. Not sure what that would do to your 40' limit though. The folding bicycle is probably the best overall solution.

cheri1122 · Jul 5, 2009

I knew a t/t driver who kept his 10 spd bike strapped to the front grill of his truck. Whenever a tollbooth attendant pointed out the bike, the driver would say "Well, he shouldn't have been going so slow!"

spacer · Nov 11, 2009

When I was hauling pneumatic tankers, I had some hellacious wait times. So, I started taking a bicycle with me. Since I was solo, I just popped the front wheel off, and rested the rear wheel in the right footwell. The front forks rested on the front edge of my mattress (flat top Mack tractor) and rode fine with the pax seatbelt keeping it from tilting.

I lost 120 lbs that year, between the exercise and avoiding truck stop food.

Since then I've ridden a bunch of miles, and for a travel bike, I picked up a Montague Paratrooper. It folds in half, and still rides like a full sized bike, though I had to buy a longer seatpost to get it to fit properly. We tall guys gotta make adjustments sometimes.

moose · Nov 11, 2009

spacer said:
I lost 120 lbs that year, ...

Found 9 of them ,
I'l keep looking ...

greg334 · Nov 11, 2009

I too could lose 120 if I had a Montague Paratrooper.

Seriously, I had to stop walking and now considering a bike which means I hope to stay in the south for a while. But now with this restricted diet, I am slowly getting there, 10 so far (oh boy I won't be fat any more). I am back on the road tomorrow and bringing all kinds of neat food items with me - yippee!

jeffman164 · Nov 11, 2009

I take my bike along with me in a van . If you want to stay healthy and avoid watching the bugs do their bug dance on the windshield , you can find room .

spacer · Nov 11, 2009

moose said:
Found 9 of them ,
I'l keep looking ...

Just toss 'em out the window, if you don't mind. I don't want 'em back... ah, DANGIT... too late.

TeamCaffee · Nov 11, 2009

We have been carrying our folding bikes for at least a year now and do not ride them as often as we should but when we get them out we really enjoy the bikes. I find lots of places to walk but have not had as much luck finding places to ride and I do not feel comfortable riding on the road.

moose · Nov 11, 2009

In 2003 , the Minnesota metro area won an award for the most's paved bike trails in north America .
the maps goes by county trails , happy Googling...

NorthernBill · Nov 16, 2009

Helo everyone, first post on this fine forum.
My wife and I have been studing the world of expedited freight for a couple of years now, and the can we bring our bike question is one that we are not sure can be answared. Are there some carriers that are more flexable then others regards whats in the box while under load?
Thanks to all for making this web site so informative and fun.