AUGH!

[Aelwulf]

Figured time for a new Charlie Brown moment.  One of the downsides *albeit it typically few :D* of being single is not always having someone else nearby to lend a hand.  So although I wait to put the bike on the truck until I have help it's usually not too tricky to get it down without (although nice to least have a spotter).  I've gotten it down several times without much issue, one without much brakes either. :P

Well today she wanted to be adventurous.  Wheels were lined up, going down nice, waits for me to step off the tailgate and I swear literally jumped sideways.  Thankfully it wasn't clear of the truck yet so between me catching it was going and the bed of the truck I caught it before it fell.

Pushed back to standing properly, went to continue (too far down to push back up) and it did it again with the rear.  I must've used Mexican jumping gas or something.  Anyway, the back end somehow cleared the ramp and landed on the pavement.  So I'm standing there holding the handlebars as it's now perpendicular to the ramp with the front wheel still on it.  You could about see the little question marks over my head.  So I shrugged and backed it so the front wheel dropped off and all's well.

So yeah...at least have a spotter if at all available, if nothing else to sit there and be confuzzled with you when something like that happens.  Snigger away. ;)

[h2olawyer]

My truck is just too high to even attempt loading or unloading while alone.  Full size F250 4x4s have the tailgate about 3 feet off the ground.  Two works, but 3, 4 or even 5 is better.  Might try it alone with a dirt bike or something that weighs less than about 300 lbs.

Glad you & the bike both survived!

H₂O

[abogado68]

Murphy's Law my fellow counsel. Explain Mexican jumping gas? Did you eat mexican jumping beans, so know your gas jumps? :D :D :D :D :D

[Aelwulf]

Murphy's Law my fellow counsel. Explain Mexican jumping gas? Did you eat mexican jumping beans, so know your gas jumps? :D :D :D :D :D

True on Murphy.  The jumping bit is about the bike hopping all over.  Mexico have any oil fields/refineries?

[abogado68]

Yes. Actually a bunch of guys lit some up last night.

[ps2/bikevision]

dont feel bad ive done the dame thing. went to unload my v out of my truck when it was raining. that was the first mistake. i was sitting on the bike with it in first gear and using the clutch as a brake. got the rear tire half way down the ramp and the other ramp that was to my left that i had my foot on slid out. and we both went down. luckyly i was able to get clear but the poor bike was laying there half in the truck still and i couldnt get it to stand back up. i ended up pulling the ramp that the tires were on out from under the bike and letting it flop down on the ground, landing on its tires but still leaning aginst the other ramp then it was easy from there.      lesson learned. dont unload in the rain. i can ride the vision up into the back of my truck so its easy to load just unloading is a bit harder.

[ColinthePilot]

never tried it alone. always had 2 or 3 folks and its easy. glad the bike survived...nice that you're ok too. :)

[Lucky]

uhh... no one ever just back the truck up to an embankment & drive the bike on??...

[h2olawyer]

Tough to find one within walking distance of my house.  Getting both the truck & bike to the nearest available one, loading & getting back home would take several hours for me.

H₂O

[kwells]

I say load the bike so that the front is facing toward the back.  When you're ready to unload simply start her up and launch right off the back of the truck.  If you are able to slightly get the front wheel to lift you can get a better landing once you hit the ground. 
Problem solved.

[inanecathode]

I tried loading my xt250 by riding it up the ramp and into the bed.
Works until you try to stop on the metal bed.
Bad times...

[h2olawyer]

The spray in (Bullhide) liner in my P/U gives great traction - even when wet.  The Cheng Shins slide on it a little, but the Avons are like glue on that stuff.

H₂O

[Aelwulf]

uhh... no one ever just back the truck up to an embankment & drive the bike on??...

None around here that would be tall enough.  Full-size Ram with somewhat larger than stock ATs.



My ramp would hold the weight of both me and the bike but it is a bit narrow, and I'm still too newbish to be doing that kinda stunt yet. ;) Plus the sliding factor as I don't have my bed lined yet. :P

[zore]

I once unloaded a klr650 by myself by using a small lunch size cooler.  Got teh rear wheel on the cooler, then off.  Not the most gracefull way to get a bike off a pickup, but sometimes you gots to do what you gots to do.

[h2olawyer]

Necessity - the mother of invention.

Bet the cooler was full of Woodchuck!   :D

H₂O

[inanecathode]

I load and unload my bikes at my house with my retaining wall. Its about a 3.5 foot rise off my sloped driveway, so i just back up to the wall and drive the bikes on and off without a ramp :D

[zore]

Necessity - the mother of invention.

Bet the cooler was full of Woodchuck!   :D

H₂O

HAHAHAHA... you know it's funny that I believe the first and last time I had a wood chuck was like 4 years ago.  I do believe tonight the woodchuck and I will get reacquainted.