Motorcycle Haulin' Ranger - Success!!!

Mater · #1 10-02-2011, 04:24 PM

1997 Ford Ranger XLT - $700...
Sold the tool box that came with it - $100
Mater the Ranger doin' what it's intended to do...PRICELESS!!!

By ssgladiator at 2011-10-02[/IMG]

By ssgladiator at 2011-10-02

By ssgladiator at 2011-10-02

Well, here he is, boys and girls. I bought the Ranger last week, and he's already working. I just needed something to haul motorcycles coz U-haul cost too much money. He's not very pretty to look at (paint is faded, hood is peeling), but he runs well and pretty smooth, and does what he's supposed to do. I have to admit I have no experience in motorcycle hauling, and was a bit nervous about the haul, but 46 miles later, it was a success. I was grinning ear to ear, more excited about the job completed by Mater the Ranger, than the newly (well, new to me

) purchased ZX9R on it. I am now totally in love with this truck. Hope it gives me many more reliable haulin' miles in the future.

psw5 · #2 10-04-2011, 10:20 AM

Glad you can haul your scoot, even if it is a ricer. Joking I owned a few before I could afford a Harley. I can tell you are not experienced at hauling scooters, get you self a sheet of marine plywood and cut it to fit the bed extending over the tail gate. The tail gates have been known to colapse under the weight of a bike. Also go to habor frieght and buy a wheel chock. Next yur tie downs should be going forward from the handle bars and aft from the rear shocks, you should have 4 racheting tie downs. It is also a good idea to buy a fith one and strap the front tire to the chalk. Last do not tighten the tie downs to where your shocks bottom out or you will blow the seals. Now enjoy the Ranger and the Scoot.

Mater · #3 10-04-2011, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psw5

Glad you can haul your scoot, even if it is a ricer. Joking I owned a few before I could afford a Harley. I can tell you are not experienced at hauling scooters, get you self a sheet of marine plywood and cut it to fit the bed extending over the tail gate. The tail gates have been known to colapse under the weight of a bike. Also go to habor frieght and buy a wheel chock. Next yur tie downs should be going forward from the handle bars and aft from the rear shocks, you should have 4 racheting tie downs. It is also a good idea to buy a fith one and strap the front tire to the chalk. Last do not tighten the tie downs to where your shocks bottom out or you will blow the seals. Now enjoy the Ranger and the Scoot.

thanks, psw5, for the hauling advise. I do have four racheting tie-downs which we used criss-crossed, to avoid damage to the fairings , plus 4 friction tie-downs (2 per wheel to hold it in place). the whole bike stayed in place and did not move, you can actually move it side to side and see the whole truck move with it, so I guess it was ok). I definitely checked harbor freight for a few items, including the wheel chock and possibly a winch, to ease loading of motorcycles. I also will order the canyon dancer or high roller handlebar harness for proper tie-down placement. will post more pics once I have my winch project in place. really excited about this truck. it's old, but I like it a lot

edgeman4.0 · #4 10-04-2011, 02:58 PM

cool.. i dig the "80's stripe" down the side for some reason..... i have no idea why.lol

day004 · #5 10-05-2011, 09:11 AM

You know you made it when you can ride the bike up the ramp. I had to load my bros ST1100 into my truck and couldnt get any help. So I just man'ed up and rode that 800lb beast up and in.
Get a a canyon dancer to make securing the bars easier

Wiscy · #6 10-05-2011, 11:36 AM

When i bought my Ducati Hypermotard i had my dads 2011 SuperDuty to pick it up and the mechanic rode it up a single ramp, now thats a alot steeper than a little ranger i was impressed. As far as tie downs i picked it up in Omaha and hauled it back to wisconsin 2 staps on the front one on each side of the handle bar to the front corners of the box and 2 in the back just keeping it from moving side to side. Never Moved an inch.

Fordzilla80 · #7 10-05-2011, 01:09 PM

How many pounds does the bike weigh? My Ranger absolutely despised the 500 pounds of mulch I hauled in it. Looks like your truck is handling the bike pretty well.

Falco51 · #8 10-05-2011, 06:32 PM

Pfff. you didn't need a ranger to haul your bike. All you need around here is a old grand am..

i'm not kidding.

Christianguy · #9 10-05-2011, 08:08 PM

awesome!
now...MURDER OUT THAT BIKE!!!

zx6rrdan · #10 10-05-2011, 08:33 PM

Great job and amazing deal on the truck. A few comments...

Only tie down the front of the bike to the front pulling the bike forward compressing the fork about 1/2 or less of the available travel.

Always have a strap in the back to hold the back down in an accident or huge bump. It'll keep the bike from flipping over onto the truck

Def get a bar harness makes a much simpler job

Back the truck into a ditch or beside a hill to make tail gate height was lower for much easier loading

No worries about the tailgate as the entire bike is sitting on the bed with no weight on the tailgate... it's not as long or anywhere near as heavy as some bikes

You can pull the tailgate up against the wheel a bit to allow more packing in the bed.

Here's my bike loaded for a race weekend

Mater · #11 10-06-2011, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zx6rrdan

Great job and amazing deal on the truck. A few comments...

Only tie down the front of the bike to the front pulling the bike forward compressing the fork about 1/2 or less of the available travel.

Always have a strap in the back to hold the back down in an accident or huge bump. It'll keep the bike from flipping over onto the truck

Def get a bar harness makes a much simpler job

Back the truck into a ditch or beside a hill to make tail gate height was lower for much easier loading

No worries about the tailgate as the entire bike is sitting on the bed with no weight on the tailgate... it's not as long or anywhere near as heavy as some bikes

You can pull the tailgate up against the wheel a bit to allow more packing in the bed.

Here's my bike loaded for a race weekend

thanks for the comments and advise on tie-down, I definitely need to learn more on the matter. since I didn't have the Canyon Dancer harness (ordered, btw, and should be here today), we just tried to avoid damage to the plastics and wound up criss-crossing it.

[IMG]

By ssgladiator at 2011-10-06[/IMG]

By ssgladiator at 2011-10-06

tying it down this way seemed secure, for the bike did not move at all, I guess because of the pulling from the front and back, plus both wheels secured in place by tie-downs.

believe me, I looked around for a ditch or a small hill where I can put the tailgate next to, and just roll the bike out. none around, so highside of the driveway it is.

as far as riding it up or down the pick-up bed, man, you have to have big cojones for that (maybe if I had the wider ramps). props to those who does.

Quote:

How many pounds does the bike weigh? My Ranger absolutely despised the 500 pounds of mulch I hauled in it. Looks like your truck is handling the bike pretty well.

not sure, but PO said around 398 lbs. which I guess he's quoting dry weight from magazines.

Quote:

cool.. i dig the "80's stripe" down the side for some reason..... i have no idea why.lol

lol. I actually removed most of the big purple lightning-like sticker on the door. I wanted to remove all, but turns out they were painted on! PO wife called it a chick truck, lol! went to MAACO, and they want $700 to paint and fix the small crack on the flareside. hmmm, we'll see.

Neo · #12 10-06-2011, 08:22 AM

Exactly what you said. Because you had two forward leads and one backing lead on both sides is the reason the bike didn't move. We use this to tie off 400ft barges and boats so that they don't move.