Did you move a motorcycle?

[angiefox10]

Who has moved a motorcycle? I have a scooter I want to bring down and would like suggestions as to how to get it there. AND... we can rule out "drive it".

[wesmin]

I would rent a small trailer from U-Haul or it can be put in a moving van if you take gas out.

[Chief X]

I bought a new 5x8 open trailer (landscape type with tailgate ramp) and transported both of my harleys from NY to the Villages. Once there I sold the trailer (I actually listed it on Craig's List the day before I moved) within 2 weeks. I took a $200 loss on the trailer, but renting one would have cost over $500. Just a thought, good luck!

[Talk Host]

Who has moved a motorcycle? I have a scooter I want to bring down and would like suggestions as to how to get it there. AND... we can rule out "drive it".


from where would you like to move it? Not Seattle I hope.

[FMF Doc]

Who has moved a motorcycle? I have a scooter I want to bring down and would like suggestions as to how to get it there. AND... we can rule out "drive it".

Angie;

I moved a motorcycle here from Tinley Park last week. I rented a nice trailer from Uhaul with a ramp. I fit my motorcycle, air compressor and ladder on it. It cost $321 and I had five days to get it here and return in Lady Lake. If I remember correctly it was a 5x9 and an open trailer.

George

[angiefox10]

Angie;

I moved a motorcycle here from Tinley Park last week. I rented a nice trailer from Uhaul with a ramp. I fit my motorcycle, air compressor and ladder on it. It cost $321 and I had five days to get it here and return in Lady Lake. If I remember correctly it was a 5x9 and an open trailer.

George

We were looking at that.... In fact, we were looking at an enclosed trailer and moving a bunch of stuff with it. We are coming from Channahon! and BTW... I work in Orland Park.

[BobKat1]

I can't add anything to this conversation, but wanted to say hi to Angie and FMF. I live in Frankfort and Homer Glen before that. You're both lucky to have made the move to TV.

[angiefox10]

I can't add anything to this conversation, but wanted to say hi to Angie and FMF. I live in Frankfort and Homer Glen before that. You're both lucky to have made the move to TV.


You plan on coming down behind us... Right????

[FMF Doc]

I can't add anything to this conversation, but wanted to say hi to Angie and FMF. I live in Frankfort and Homer Glen before that. You're both lucky to have made the move to TV.

I hope you can make it soon Bob. You waiting to retire?

George

[k2at]

I bought a used trailer in New Jersey. Moved my cycle down to the villages and sold the trailer for $200 more than I paid for it.

[l2ridehd]

Has anyone done the auto train with a bike? I was thinking that might be the best way. Trailing a bike is a challenge loading and unloading. I need help on both ends. I can probably ride it on the trailer and tie it down, but getting it off requires two strong people. I have an 06 Road King and it weighs 800 pounds. Never been dumped and I don't want the first time to be when I am backing it off a trailer and not even on it. Worst case, I will ride it down.

[FMF Doc]

We were looking at that.... In fact, we were looking at an enclosed trailer and moving a bunch of stuff with it. We are coming from Channahon! and BTW... I work in Orland Park.

Hopefully you have found another way other than I-80 to get to work. LOL

[skyguy79]

Has anyone done the auto train with a bike? I was thinking that might be the best way. I haven't done the autotrain with a bike, but you can do it if you're riding (not towing) the bike down.

http://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak/autotrain (click Help for instructions if you need it to find out the fees)

[BobKat1]

Hopefully you have found another way other than I-80 to get to work. LOL

We've been avoiding I-80 at all costs. Rt 30 was an alternate but now that constructon is finally ramping up on that road it won't be so good either. The price of progress....

[l2ridehd]

Reading about the auto train and bikes, looks pretty simple and cheap. You just drive it on and off a pallet. And the cost is about $200 for you and the bike. Use more gas then that pulling a trailer. I have a 6 X 10 Landscape trailer with a 4 foot high tail gate, but looks like it might not be so easy riding it on and backing it off. Probably easier then some trailers.

[FMF Doc]

Reading about the auto train and bikes, looks pretty simple and cheap. You just drive it on and off a pallet. And the cost is about $200 for you and the bike. Use more gas then that pulling a trailer. I have a 6 X 10 Landscape trailer with a 4 foot high tail gate, but looks like it might not be so easy riding it on and backing it off. Probably easier then some trailers.

If you tow it down I'll help you roll it off.

George

[l2ridehd]

Thanks George. I appreciate that. Right now I am leaning toward the auto train as that looks to be the best way. But I will keep that in mind because it would be a lot simpler with two doing it. I have moved that bike a lot and I am not a weakling by any means, but that bike is very heavy and if it starts to go over, it is really hard to stop.

I was riding down Sky Line drive once and pulled into a parking area to take some pictures. I put my foot on the kick stand and pushed it down but missed it. Started to lean the bike and my foot was on sand over tar and it slipped. All of a sudden I had the entire weight of that bike trying to take me over. I stopped it, but had a black and blue thigh muscle for two weeks. Ever since then I have been extra cautious about getting in places where it is hard to keep it balanced. You don't realize how much weight there is there until it wants to go over. It rides great because of all that weight, but it causes some other problems being so heavy. I will ride it until I turn 70 and then think I will trade down to a Piaggio. They have the two front wheels that lock when you drop below 5 mph.

[Chief X]

Thanks George. I appreciate that. Right now I am leaning toward the auto train as that looks to be the best way. But I will keep that in mind because it would be a lot simpler with two doing it. I have moved that bike a lot and I am not a weakling by any means, but that bike is very heavy and if it starts to go over, it is really hard to stop.

I was riding down Sky Line drive once and pulled into a parking area to take some pictures. I put my foot on the kick stand and pushed it down but missed it. Started to lean the bike and my foot was on sand over tar and it slipped. All of a sudden I had the entire weight of that bike trying to take me over. I stopped it, but had a black and blue thigh muscle for two weeks. Ever since then I have been extra cautious about getting in places where it is hard to keep it balanced. You don't realize how much weight there is there until it wants to go over. It rides great because of all that weight, but it causes some other problems being so heavy. I will ride it until I turn 70 and then think I will trade down to a Piaggio. They have the two front wheels that lock when you drop below 5 mph.

I'm also available and willing to help you on this end, anyway that I can.

Chief X

[FMF Doc]

Thanks George. I appreciate that. Right now I am leaning toward the auto train as that looks to be the best way. But I will keep that in mind because it would be a lot simpler with two doing it. I have moved that bike a lot and I am not a weakling by any means, but that bike is very heavy and if it starts to go over, it is really hard to stop.

I was riding down Sky Line drive once and pulled into a parking area to take some pictures. I put my foot on the kick stand and pushed it down but missed it. Started to lean the bike and my foot was on sand over tar and it slipped. All of a sudden I had the entire weight of that bike trying to take me over. I stopped it, but had a black and blue thigh muscle for two weeks. Ever since then I have been extra cautious about getting in places where it is hard to keep it balanced. You don't realize how much weight there is there until it wants to go over. It rides great because of all that weight, but it causes some other problems being so heavy. I will ride it until I turn 70 and then think I will trade down to a Piaggio. They have the two front wheels that lock when you drop below 5 mph.

I sold my Road King before I came down and only have one bike. It was not "Village" equipped having a 103 ci, cams changed, heads done and a Vance and Hines 2 into 1 Pro Pipe. Ironically it and a Goldwing were the only motorcycles (including my 2011 BMW) that I never dropped. Probably the heaviest to pick up was a Valkyrie I had. It all depends though on how many people are around when you drop it. The adrenaline and embarrassment around a lot of people take a few hundred pounds off the weight and presto you pick them up. Being along or having someone else to blame for dropping it makes them heavier. LOL

George

[angiefox10]

I sold my Road King before I came down and only have one bike. It was not "Village" equipped having a 103 ci, cams changed, heads done and a Vance and Hines 2 into 1 Pro Pipe. Ironically it and a Goldwing were the only motorcycles (including my 2011 BMW) that I never dropped. Probably the heaviest to pick up was a Valkyrie I had. It all depends though on how many people are around when you drop it. The adrenaline and embarrassment around a lot of people take a few hundred pounds off the weight and presto you pick them up. Being along or having someone else to blame for dropping it makes them heavier. LOL

George

*laughing* Funny story!!!!

When I had my bike... I had a similar experience... Just bought it and drove it to a cafe with "lots" of windows. I was cool!!!! Forgot to put the kickstand down and just had to let it fall as I knew I couldn't pick it up!!!

OK... Maybe... not so cool after all!!!

[angiefox10]

Note.... That I now drive a scooter....

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Here are a couple of ways you can get any motorcycle upright after dropping it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeLkrPkjimo

The biggest issue is keeping your head clear enough when the adrenaline hits to remember how to do these!! Been there.......had that same problem before! :1rotfl:

Bill :)

[angiefox10]

Oh sure... now you post it!!! Where were you when I needed you?????

Seriously.... This would have been GREAT to know!!! I still would have looked like a dork dropping it becasue I FORGOT TO PUT THE KICKSTAND DOWN!!! But... still good to know!

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Oh sure... now you post it!!! Where were you when I needed you?????

Seriously.... This would have been GREAT to know!!! I still would have looked like a dork dropping it becasue I FORGOT TO PUT THE KICKSTAND DOWN!!! But... still good to know!

Story of my life: Day late and a dollar short!! ;)

But just think - If you ever are unlucky enough to drop your bike again, just think how impressed the onlookers will be when they see how easily you get it stood back up!!

Bill :)

[angiefox10]

Here are a couple of ways you can get any motorcycle upright after dropping it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeLkrPkjimo

The biggest issue is keeping your head clear enough when the adrenaline hits to remember how to do these!! Been there.......had that same problem before! :1rotfl:

Bill :)

Story of my life: Day late and a dollar short!! ;)

But just think - If you ever are unlucky enough to drop your bike again, just think how impressed the onlookers will be when they see how easily you get it stood back up!!

Bill :)

Um.... Bill.... I drive a 150cc scooter... A three year old can pick it up!

[FMF Doc]

If you dropped it on Main st. in Sturgis first week of August you can pick it up in about a tenth of the time.

:highfive:

[angiefox10]

If you dropped it on Main st. in Sturgis first week of August you can pick it up in about a tenth of the time.

:highfive:

No kidding!!!! :1rotfl:

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Um.... Bill.... I drive a 150cc scooter... A three year old can pick it up!

OOPS!! My bad - I missed that earlier post of yours!!!

But now you can help others with their big bikes! :pepper2:

Bill :wave:

[l2ridehd]

Good information to have Bill. However the best solution is to never drop it.

Chief, thanks and if I do trailer it down will call on you and Doc to unload it. You said you did yours in a landscape trail. Did you build any kind of folk wedge in the front to hold the bikes upright? I have seen them made with 2 X 4's that seem to work. I would guess if you had that to hold it upright, strap in down in 4 places it should ride fine. I would only do that if I need to bring the landscape trailer with other stuff. Right now the auto train still looks like the best option. I may do that sometime this October/November when the riding gets cool here in VA. Did about 200 miles this weekend just around the area with going no where.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj152/l2ridehd/Road%20King/3.jpg

[Chief X]

I used a Condor portable motorcycle chock on the streetglide. on the cross bones, i simply cut up a 2x4 into short pieces (about 1 foot) and used deck screws to mount them on either side of the front and back tires (into the wood floor of the trailer, not into the tires..ha) so that the bike wouldn't "walk" side to side. You'll get a lot of free advice on securing bikes to trailer them, so here's mine -

secure the bike upright with ratchet straps but don't tighten them down to where the bike can't bounce on the shocks. don't have the kickstand down, you don't want anything rigid in contact with the trailer. double strap the front of the bike (strap it once, then put a second set in another location so if one strap breaks or loosens you'll still be secured), and finally, once you have the bike secured on the trailer and head out, stop within the first 20 miles or so and check all of the straps and see how the bike appears to be riding on the trailer. obviously, you should check everything at each gas stop also.

here is a photo of my bikes the day i left.

https://picasaweb.google.com/104253891729935455063/Jul52011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCNComNi65bi1BQ&feat=directlink

hope this helps.

[l2ridehd]

That looks very much like my trailer, mine might be the next size up. 6 X 10. But the bike should fit fine plus lots of other stuff. I have the ratchet tie downs and would also use 2 X 4's to build a front chock on both sides of the front tire with two on the floor, two secured to the back and two at a 45 degree snug against the tire. I like the idea of one on either side of the rear tire as well. I still think the auto train may be the best answer. I am moving the bike down about 6 to 8 months before I move. So I would need to haul the trailer both directions.

How much riding do you do around there? Where I live in VA there is outstanding back road riding with 1000's of miles of two lane roads through the country side. I can be in great riding about 1 mile from my house by heading West. Going East is horrible as it is nothing but traffic, but West is great.

I am sure there is lots around there, but so far have not found it.

Thanks for all the information and the offer to help unload if needed. I will let you know what the final plan turns out to be.

[Chief X]

Sounds good! Lots of good riding around here - Let me know when you arrive and also what you decide to do about transporting the bike!