Trailer vs. truck?

[Misha Subo]

So far, for the past two years, we have used both a cargo trailer and open mc trailer to pull two bikes with either a F150 or a Honda Odyssey. This has worked well for the most part, except for the loading and unloading and the salt contamination when using the open trailer. The ski carbides dig in so we're using a small plywood sheet to slide along the trailer bed once the ski is up the ramp. Lot's of lifting going on.

Ultimately, in the off season, I would like to fashion a ramp to facilitate truck loading. Then just sling a tarp over the bikes for salt protection. The Ford has a 6.5 foot bed so the snow bikes would fit perfectly with the gate down. Any suggestions to make the load and unload process a simple one-man job on a pick-up would be helpful.

 

[M5-]

Ramp, wheel kit, winch.

M5

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

So far, for the past two years, we have used both a cargo trailer and open mc trailer to pull two bikes with either a F150 or a Honda Odyssey. This has worked well for the most part, except for the loading and unloading and the salt contamination when using the open trailer. The ski carbides dig in so we're using a small plywood sheet to slide along the trailer bed once the ski is up the ramp. Lot's of lifting going on.

Ultimately, in the off season, I would like to fashion a ramp to facilitate truck loading. Then just sling a tarp over the bikes for salt protection. The Ford has a 6.5 foot bed so the snow bikes would fit perfectly with the gate down. Any suggestions to make the load and unload process a simple one-man job on a pick-up would be helpful.

Check out reagen sieg’s ramp setup. (Instagram)

 

[lanark_lad]

i have a home deck in my 2008 ford F150 with a 6.5 foot box. I think i found the plans (for my exact truck) from another user on snowest but it was about 8 years ago and i've lost it. It fits my bike and sled and I load it all myself. The wheel kits are a must for the bikes IMO. This ramp cost me about $150 to make. When the ramps are out, i can fold the tail-gate portion back into the box and shut the tailgate.

Let me know if you are interested and i can send more info about the ramp plans, etc..

 

[Timbre]

So far, for the past two years, we have used both a cargo trailer and open mc trailer to pull two bikes with either a F150 or a Honda Odyssey. This has worked well for the most part, except for the loading and unloading and the salt contamination when using the open trailer. The ski carbides dig in so we're using a small plywood sheet to slide along the trailer bed once the ski is up the ramp. Lot's of lifting going on.

Ultimately, in the off season, I would like to fashion a ramp to facilitate truck loading. Then just sling a tarp over the bikes for salt protection. The Ford has a 6.5 foot bed so the snow bikes would fit perfectly with the gate down. Any suggestions to make the load and unload process a simple one-man job on a pick-up would be helpful.

Just FYI . . . throwing a tarp over the bikes WILL NOT provide much salt protection. The salt is in the mist that "fogs" out from the vehicle in front of you and as you meet vehicles going the other direction. Believe me . . . the salt mist gets into EVERYTHING unless it is completely wrapped and sealed. If you don't want to completely wrap a snowbike, the only other option is to always transport in an enclosed trailer!

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

Just FYI . . . throwing a tarp over the bikes WILL NOT provide much salt protection. The salt is in the mist that "fogs" out from the vehicle in front of you and as you meet vehicles going the other direction. Believe me . . . the salt mist gets into EVERYTHING unless it is completely wrapped and sealed. If you don't want to completely wrap a snowbike, the only other option is to always transport in an enclosed trailer!

I picked up an enclosed 6x12 high roof dual axle trailer this last fall for $2200.00.

I’m so sick of loading in a pickup. (Sleds, bikes, snowbikes)

 

[Ben 500RR-S]

I had started out with an open snowmobile trailer. It was hell on wheels.

1. it would take at least 15 minutes getting the cover I had for the bike&snowmobiles on and even then, as one had mentioned above, the road chemicals/dirts still got on everything and would/could make its way up under the cover. Never mind having to deal with the cover straps in the freezing cold, with a wind chill, then after traveling in the slop, the straps would be frozen, stiff, all crudded up, the cover-deal was one nightmare.

2. Dragging the bike off the tilt bed trailer, while a LOT easier than having to deal with a taller ramp going up to the bed of a pickup truck, still sucked balls. All it would take was the front to either catch an edge, and even with the wheel kit on the front ski, it was no walk in the park as the handlebar/ski wheels would turn and the bike would end up on its side. Nightmare #1.

3. If would snow, or rain, and the deck would get all slick and then there would have to be shoveling to clean the deck.


I had realized the only solution, since I knew that I would use it all the time, was to get a 7x14' + 4 1/2' V nose enclosed tandem axle trailer with a front-V ramp door to make loading or unloading the machines from either the front or back a ride-in, ride-out affair. My god, no more needing to cover the machines. I have Bike Binderz and the L-Track all over my decks so I can take either 4 dirtbikes or 2 snowbikes or 2 snowmobiles or any combination, easily and be able to load or unload in probably less than half the time as before.

With all the caliber decking stuff I have to channel both the snowbikes and the snowmobiles, it all works to make the load/unload so, so easy and the expensive machines and all the gear is all protected from the elements and it is nice having all the room to bring whatever stuff we might need for both winter and summer fun.

I can totally understand the whole trailer-thing as some don't have the space/room to store a trailer, not to mention a $6,000-$8,000 price for a 2 place enclosed V-nose trailer, never mind the maintenance-even though the maintenance is easy on a new aluminum trailer, protecting the machines from the crap on the roads/highways, and the time saved covering and strapping machines then loading and unloading is totally worth it in the long-run.

I could easily fit 4 snowbikes in my enclosed by just staggering them inside the trailer but can only fit one snowbike and one snowmobile as the sled just takes up too much space on the floor.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

I had started out with an open snowmobile trailer. It was hell on wheels.

1. it would take at least 15 minutes getting the cover I had for the bike&snowmobiles on and even then, as one had mentioned above, the road chemicals/dirts still got on everything and would/could make its way up under the cover. Never mind having to deal with the cover straps in the freezing cold, with a wind chill, then after traveling in the slop, the straps would be frozen, stiff, all crudded up, the cover-deal was one nightmare.

2. Dragging the bike off the tilt bed trailer, while a LOT easier than having to deal with a taller ramp going up to the bed of a pickup truck, still sucked balls. All it would take was the front to either catch an edge, and even with the wheel kit on the front ski, it was no walk in the park as the handlebar/ski wheels would turn and the bike would end up on its side. Nightmare #1.

3. If would snow, or rain, and the deck would get all slick and then there would have to be shoveling to clean the deck.


I had realized the only solution, since I knew that I would use it all the time, was to get a 7x14' + 4 1/2' V nose enclosed tandem axle trailer with a front-V ramp door to make loading or unloading the machines from either the front or back a ride-in, ride-out affair. My god, no more needing to cover the machines. I have Bike Binderz and the L-Track all over my decks so I can take either 4 dirtbikes or 2 snowbikes or 2 snowmobiles or any combination, easily and be able to load or unload in probably less than half the time as before.

With all the caliber decking stuff I have to channel both the snowbikes and the snowmobiles, it all works to make the load/unload so, so easy and the expensive machines and all the gear is all protected from the elements and it is nice having all the room to bring whatever stuff we might need for both winter and summer fun.

I can totally understand the whole trailer-thing as some don't have the space/room to store a trailer, not to mention a $6,000-$8,000 price for a 2 place enclosed V-nose trailer, never mind the maintenance-even though the maintenance is easy on a new aluminum trailer, protecting the machines from the crap on the roads/highways, and the time saved covering and strapping machines then loading and unloading is totally worth it in the long-run.

I could easily fit 4 snowbikes in my enclosed by just staggering them inside the trailer but can only fit one snowbike and one snowmobile as the sled just takes up too much space on the floor.

Fyi 2 snowbikes and a 163 sled fit in my flat nose 6x12.

 

[bighuckpunk]

I winch mine up into the truck backwards and motor it off. I do have an 8’ bed and a caliber ramp. I give it a bit of a push when loading to reduce the stress on the tunnel.

 

[L.Hughes]

I winch mine up into the truck backwards and motor it off. I do have an 8’ bed and a caliber ramp. I give it a bit of a push when loading to reduce the stress on the tunnel.

Interesting, how do you tie it down?

 

[capulin overdrive]

8ft bed and Caliber ramp, so easy to walk the bikes up. No way i'd want a trailer. Will cover the seats sometimes on wet snow days, powder days just brush off.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

truck'n

I have used this setup for carrying my sled around for work situations for 30 years.

when we started with bikes 5 years ago we just remade a setup to accommodate the deep center skag on the early TS skis, some timing belts turned cog side up on the rails and ramps for traction. the original intention with this setup was to allow me to slide a sled backwards down the ramp with little efford long before reverse was a common accessory.

With the snobikes they slide right back down the ramp to unload. We use a ramp for the bike with traction and an expanded aluminum ramp to walk up beside the bike, walk the bike up underpower no big deal. Everything attaches with pins, so during the week about a 5 minute operation to unpin the ramps and truck is back to a usable pickup bed.

This setup is all folded up aluminum. We have made many of these setups for bike or sleds with 2 x 6, some plywood and deck screws for cheap and just as functional. Three tie downs on each bike, never had a problem.

Yesterday we had to drive 5 miles of mud to a limited turnaround to unlead. My covered trailer is mostly a snowmobile safe haven now, never moves.
Trucked the bikes all over the west this way. 1200 road trips, no problem.

 

[GreenState]

Another option here: Kimbuilit Mfg Decks out of McCall, ID.

These were designed to haul multiple bikes or one sled/quad/50" SXS.

Super burly steel build, folds up so you can shut the tailgate, and has a receiver style hitch mount so it's easily removable as well.


https://www.kimbuiltmfg.com/kimbuilt-decks

 

[suva]

A good wheel kit (with big wheels, like the Yeti wheel kit) and good ramp (the Timbersled/Caliber ramp is good) makes loading and unloading out of pickups a simple one man operation.

 

[Misha Subo]

I have used this setup for carrying my sled around for work situations for 30 years.....


......

What is "this setup"...is there a missing photo? Sorry, I see it's referring the post before.

 

[Ben 500RR-S]

Fyi 2 snowbikes and a 163 sled fit in my flat nose 6x12.

I did look inside my trailer today and, there is (more than) enough space to fit at least two snowbikes beside the 137" tracked sled(Grand Touring Limited 600R).

 

[bighuckpunk]

Interesting, how do you tie it down?

Tie downs from the lower fork triple clamps to the eyes in the rear corners of the bed. Then one strap from the rear of the tunnel to the rack in front to keep it from sliding backwards. One person operation

 

[jessmendez]

It's a very interesting discussion. I've also had experience using both trailers and trucks to transport my bikes. It sounds like you're looking for a solution to make the loading and unloading process a bit easier. Have you considered installing a dpf delete kit on your truck? With the improved horsepower and torque, it might make the process a one-man job. I've heard good things about them and it might just be the solution you're looking for. Good luck with your search for a simpler solution and make sure to share the results here! I think I also want to upgrade.

 

[GlennRMK]

No one mentioned cold starting

For me, where I live outside Bozeman, MT the bikes I've had will not start on cold days if they are in the back of the truck or on a open trailer. For me, I feel like if its colder than 10-15 deg F the bike is not going to start in the back of the truck. I have to take a trailer. I have an 8.5x16 plus the V 3 place sled trailer, which is overkill unless you take 4-6 snowbikes all the time. A 6x12 cargo trailer works great for 2 bikes and can squeeze 3. A 7x14 is better and you can squeeze 4. A 7x14 with the 4-5' V and front ramp is ideal IMO.

In the truck is a much bigger headache for me loading and unloading. Luckily I have a Motion front wheel kit and a ramp with grip glides on it. It makes it bearable but a trailer, especially drive in, drive out makes your life a lot easier.

I have a little propane heater I keep in my enclosed and no problem starting bikes even below zero with that setup.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

Just put the bike engine in front of the diesel truck exhaust for 5-10 minutes.

Fires right up.