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Yeti

Need a Ramp

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Disclaimer - Guys, don't get the impression that I'm an expert or anything. Robbs' opinions may get you incarcerated, incapacitated, inebriated, or killed. Use at your own risk.

Strega: Lemme guess, Physics Major? :D

No, I've just done a lot of things that hindsight proved to be really bad ideas!

Yeti: Robbs, where would you recommend putting the eye bolts in the truck bed? And would you recommend putting them as wide as possible or close together?

KLRoger: I use tie down points at the top of my truck side rails, is that ok?

Crawdaddy: I strap mine into the top of the rails of the truck bed.....that way they're high and wide.....

I'd recommend they go as high and wide as you can get them, AS LONG AS IT'S A STURDY MOUNTING POINT. My '04 Tacoma came with tiedown points in the corners, so I use those. If I had to add some, I'd be careful about putting anything onto the lip of the bed, because it's not supported and seems like it could easily bend. If I was going to drill holes and bolt something into the sheet metal somewhere I'd put a BIG backing plate (like 1/8" steel, 4" or 5" long) behind it, so it couldn't rip out unless it took a huge chunk of surrounding material with it. Not sure what you all drive and how it looks in the bed, but my little Tacoma is kinda flimsy in that department :unsure: . I'd guess that most full-size pickups are made a bit more sturdy back there.

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Disclaimer - Guys, don't get the impression that I'm an expert or anything. Robbs' opinions may get you incarcerated, incapacitated, inebriated, or killed. Use at your own risk.

I'd recommend they go as high and wide as you can get them, AS LONG AS IT'S A STURDY MOUNTING POINT. My '04 Tacoma came with tiedown points in the corners, so I use those. If I had to add some, I'd be careful about putting anything onto the lip of the bed, because it's not supported and seems like it could easily bend. If I was going to drill holes and bolt something into the sheet metal somewhere I'd put a BIG backing plate (like 1/8" steel, 4" or 5" long) behind it, so it couldn't rip out unless it took a huge chunk of surrounding material with it. Not sure what you all drive and how it looks in the bed, but my little Tacoma is kinda flimsy in that department :unsure: . I'd guess that most full-size pickups are made a bit more sturdy back there.

How many Gs do you pull with that truck? :D

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How many Gs do you pull with that truck? :D

Give me the speed and radus of turn and I can give you the Gs

Or if you're really flying, give me your bank angle and I'll give you the Gs :unsure:

With a single bike in the truck I've got the tiedowns spread out fairly wide and have no problems. But once you start loading a couple bikes in the truck, then the tiedown on the outside starts needing a more vertical angle and doesn't hold as well.

Interesting to watch the bikes react to some of the high G turns on mountain roads . . . :angry:

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When you have two bikes side by side, you end up with a short strap which is more vertical and a long strap which is more horizontal. As you go over bumps, the bike wants to tilt towards the long strap. (Must have something to do with the leverage BRP Robbs was talking about.)

Anyway - when the bike tilts you get slack in the strap. The S hook can come loose.

If you put a bungee through the round end of the S hooks, it'll keep the S hooks from coming loose as the bike tilts to the side.

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When you have two bikes side by side, you end up with a short strap which is more vertical and a long strap which is more horizontal. As you go over bumps, the bike wants to tilt towards the long strap. (Must have something to do with the leverage BRP Robbs was talking about.)

Anyway - when the bike tilts you get slack in the strap. The S hook can come loose.

If you put a bungee through the round end of the S hooks, it'll keep the S hooks from coming loose as the bike tilts to the side.

When I have two bikes in the truck I run one strap from the outside/front/upper rail to the outside handlebar of the nearest bike.....I hook a strap to the inside bar by running it from the opposite front/upper/rail corner up and over the front tire and below the fender, of the adjacent bike.....follow that? :):D I sometimes also loop both rear wheels to the nearest rear corner and also run a strap between them....

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all of you sallies and pansies should just ride you plated bikes to the trails!

:D

NOW THERE IS A GREAT IDEA!

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all of you sallies and pansies should just ride you plated bikes to the trails!

:)

That's easy for you to say. You don't live all that far from most of our local trails. Ride your bike to and from Pinnacles sometime. :D

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or from mission hills to mccain. ANd then what happens when I break something, either on the bike or on me? Or if Walker breaks something?

Pansie

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all of you sallies and pansies should just ride you plated bikes to the trails!

:D

HEY!! Who you callin' a "plated bike"?? Huh??

Oh wait, you just forgot an "r." Nevermind. :D

And in these parts we say, "You should just Pyro it to the trails."

All that said, I'm too much of a pansie and definitely a Sally to ride all the way from Squaremont to McCain. :)

Still looking for a ramp . . .

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My Mother's name is Sallie. I'm offended.

I just got a sweet single-piece aluminum ramp about a foot wide off of a guy on craigslist 2 weekends ago for $35. When I was looking, there were a lot of them on there for some decent prices. For whatever that's worth.

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or from mission hills to mccain. ANd then what happens when I break something, either on the bike or on me? Or if Walker breaks something?

Pansie

I use a wood plank and a bike stand

Sally

Comming from coastal NCounty it is 2 hours to get out there. I use two custom made wood planks!

Princess ( Sallies and Pansies are to common )

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My Mother's name is Sallie.

hey MY MOM is Sallie too!!!!

so many "Y"'s out there....trivial i know, but i don't know a Pansy...and wanted to be included.....

hijack off....

Blind :tease:

edit: i also know a Princess, she's the 4 yr old noise machine that occupies the 3rd BDRM

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all of you sallies and pansies should just ride you plated bikes to the trails!

:tease:

That's easy for you to say. You don't live all that far from most of our local trails. Ride your bike to and from Pinnacles sometime. :lol:

I have and I do! We are riding the Bishop 3-day dual sport ride next weekend, and we are RIDING up!

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or from mission hills to mccain. ANd then what happens when I break something, either on the bike or on me? Or if Walker breaks something?

Pansie

Hey I Resemble That Remark........

That's Why I ride with You Guys an Gals... :tease:

Yeti did you get a ramp? I have 2 a 5' & 8' You can have the 5' but I'll sell the 8' for $25.

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I have and I do! We are riding the Bishop 3-day dual sport ride next weekend, and we are RIDING up!

I would've ridden up to the Bishop 3 day with you guys but I've decided to take my son on the Bishop ride so I'm trailering both bikes (620/520) with Strega and his 450.....

That being said, I'm looking forward to the ~5 day/~1,000+ mile LA-B-V Adventure (riding up, riding event, riding back)......I highly recommend this ride to other San Diego "Adventurers" thinking about tackling an Alaska trip at some point in the future......or WestFest 09 in CO. next July/August since that'll be ~2 weeks/~2,500 miles......these will be great/fun warm up trips for both rider/bike if you've never ridden many consecutive days/thousands of miles....you'll not only have a great time, you'll discover the limitations of rider and bike before you "go big" :lol:

Good Trip Planning thread on "Less is More' theme: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=300100

Oh, figure I better post something related to the topic of THIS thread so I'm not blatantly hijacking :tease:

Ramp Tips: http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_cata...tId=&mmyId=

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When I have two bikes in the truck I run one strap from the outside/front/upper rail to the outside handlebar of the nearest bike.....I hook a strap to the inside bar by running it from the opposite front/upper/rail corner up and over the front tire and below the fender, of the adjacent bike.....follow that? :tease: :lol:

I had to read it over a few times, but I finally got it. That's how I attach my bikes also when they're side by side. It's easier for the bikes to tilt towards the inside - the side towards the long strap. I've never had a bike come loose in the back of a truck - I guess the suspension on the truck softens up the bumps enough - but I did have one come loose once in a trailer with no suspension. A bungee to keep the S hooks in place would have prevented that problem.

Sometimes you have to get an unplated bike to the trail head.

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