Help Loading bike into a van

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Looking for some advice on loading a full size motorcycle, about 500 pounds, into a full size Chevy Express van. I can do it easily from my driveway as the driveway is slanted and I get a straight and level run into the van with a short 5' ramp. Can get out the same way easily too by myself.

But on level ground that is a different story. The van floor is about 29" above the ground. Using a 7' ramp there is no way I can load it myself. And my wife can not help me much. We'd like to take the bike on a road trip in the van. Anyone tried rigging up a winch?

I'm not too keen on trying to have the bike running and in gear trying to feather the clutch up the ramp as I walk along side it. Have to do that while trying to step up on to the bumper and then into the van. Can't ride it in or I would decapitate myself.

Anyone use one of those 3' wide ramps that you can walk up with the bike? Might be more confident in walking it up that running and in gear.

Thanks for any ideas!
 
I'm not too keen on trying to have the bike running and in gear trying to feather the clutch up the ramp as I walk along side it.

I usually do it this way, works OK

millard
 
How about a small winch? Shoudn't be hard to fabricate a floor mount to make it removable. Or perhaps winch mounted to a bar or pipe to lay in front of front seats, braced by seat mounts themselves, then feed cable out rear? When bike is in just remove and lay in the back of the van. No holes drilled that way. Not really a high-stress application. Just a thought.
Mike
Kansas, America
 
Even cheaper solution--- Carry an extra 6-pack or two, hold it up when you need to load up and call out for husky helpers! :mrgreen:

Mike
Kansas, America
 
Thanks for the ideas. We're heading for Canada later this week from Southern California for about a month. Will have our canoe on top of the van. Will stick to ramps for now--just have to find a little hill to load/unload. but a winch might be in my future. The ramp serves a double purpose as we just walk up the ramp with the canoe overhead and slide it onto the roof rack. About 100 times easier than loading the motorcycle!
 
trinorman said:
Thanks for the ideas. We're heading for Canada later this week from Southern California for about a month. Will have our canoe on top of the van. Will stick to ramps for now--just have to find a little hill to load/unload. but a winch might be in my future. The ramp serves a double purpose as we just walk up the ramp with the canoe overhead and slide it onto the roof rack. About 100 times easier than loading the motorcycle!

Where in Canada are you going? I am familiar with BC and Alberta if you need some suggestios as where to go. I live in Saskatchewan but that is probably too far out of your way, unless you guys are doing a coast to coast trip.
 
We are headed to Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and on to Seattle where we have family. We are leaving this Saturday, but will spend a few days in Northern California with my brother, then on to Joseph, Oregon for a few days. We have no set itinerary and are not even sure if we will go Calgary to Seattle or Seattle to Calgary.

All suggestions welcome for ideas of where to go, things to do and see. We have a lot of literature from BC and Alberta. We'll be camping and using lodging too. We'll have a 1972 Honda CB750 (my Commando is a one person bike) and our canoe. Like hiking too.

Thanks.
 
trinorman said:
We are headed to Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and on to Seattle where we have family. We are leaving this Saturday, but will spend a few days in Northern California with my brother, then on to Joseph, Oregon for a few days. We have no set itinerary and are not even sure if we will go Calgary to Seattle or Seattle to Calgary.

All suggestions welcome for ideas of where to go, things to do and see. We have a lot of literature from BC and Alberta. We'll be camping and using lodging too. We'll have a 1972 Honda CB750 (my Commando is a one person bike) and our canoe. Like hiking too.

Thanks.

I lived in Calgary for years and was always in Banff doing a lot of mountain biking in summer and snowboarding in winter. Banff is getting expensive so maybe stay in Canmore which is about 10 minutes East of Banff.

Johnson Canyon is cool for hiking. Just outside of Banff with what they call ink pots. You hike up trails around the lake (man made I believe due to a dam and good for swimming) and you walk up to the ink pots and waterfalls ect.

There is also Lake Minnewanka that has quite the mountainbiking and hiking trails. The water there is really cold so no swimming for the feint of heart.

West, past Banff is Lake Louise. A small ski resort town with a huge old C.P. hotel. Similar to the Banff Springs hotel which are owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway. Beautiful old hotels you should see. Some good hiking and mountainbiking there too. A lot of the ski resorts like Fernie ect. let you take mountainbikes up on the charlifts in the summer and you can ride the ski runs down.

I guess it depends which highways you are using. #1 or down through the #3 or Crow's Nest Pass. Lots of small cool towns and national parks. Even if your simply driving through the mountains there is lots to see.

I've never been up to Jasper but I've always wanted to.

Either way there are a lot of nice twisty roads in the mountains. I used love ripping through ther in my old Porsche 944 but never lived up there when I had a motorcycle. Justw atch out for big motorhomes and logging trucks and semi trucks. They drive like maniacs up there.
 
Thanks for the tips, Coco. That's right where we are headed. I was through there years ago--1973--on a Honda CB500 Four on a trip up the west coast, then across Canada and to New England. My wife has never been there. I did not spend much time there though and am looking forward to a leisurely trip now.
 
trinorman said:
Thanks for the tips, Coco. That's right where we are headed. I was through there years ago--1973--on a Honda CB500 Four on a trip up the west coast, then across Canada and to New England. My wife has never been there. I did not spend much time there though and am looking forward to a leisurely trip now.

I'ma prairie boy so I'm right in the middle in Saskatchewan. Really flat here but the sunsets are out of this world and in the fall the Northern Lights put on quite a spectacle. Lots of clean, big lakes here so if your a fisherman don't heitate to travel here. It's cheap here too.

Any questions about the areas you are thinking of going don't hesitate to ask as I might be able to help.
 
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