Safe or scary to roll a big bike up and down an 7' TH ramp?

Going in is easy as others have said - just ride it in.

On the way out, I have the engine running and use the clutch as a 'brake'.

boogie_4wheel wrote:

2112 wrote:
Ride it on. Have engine running when backing it out and ride the front brake. Be ready for anything.

I have mine shut off and in gear when backing out. Hand on front brake, and use it to hold about 50% of the bike; my front tire will slide on the trailer floor (but not the door). I then drag the clutch until the front tire gets on the grippy door lining and then the front holds a majority of the weight the rest of the way out.

800lb VTX1800T

I use that same technique and I ride it in to load it.

It will depend if your toy hauler has a beaver tail and how long it is. Longer trailers will typically sit higher which will make the break over angle sharper. My 700 lb Concours was never an issue loading or unloading. I would pop the front wheel on the ramp and get a little momentum to get the rear over the ramp lip. I have long legs and learned on dirt motorcycles, so this may not be a simple if you have trouble reaching the ground and have not ridden off-road. Unloading, I leave the engine off and in gear. I have my right foot on the rear brake and my left hand is is holding the clutch in. I do not use the clutch to slow me, but I know I can release it if something went wrong with my foot brake while backing.

As others have posted, raising the hitch or pin will make it easier to clear both angles on the ramp. If that is not enough, you can use jack stands under your ramp door and use additional ramps/boards to get to the elevated rear door.

It can be a little nerve wracking the first time, but it gets easier the more you do it.

I use front and rear brakes when I back my bikes down. Using just the front brake usually doesn't work very well because the front tire will just slide. Although you may not have that much of a problem because the ramp angle will be less than my 5th wheel toyhauler. Then just ride it back in. Easy, peasy.

2112 wrote:
Ride it on. Have engine running when backing it out and ride the front brake. Be ready for anything.

I have mine shut off and in gear when backing out. Hand on front brake, and use it to hold about 50% of the bike; my front tire will slide on the trailer floor (but not the door). I then drag the clutch until the front tire gets on the grippy door lining and then the front holds a majority of the weight the rest of the way out.

800lb VTX1800T

I have to raise the front of my trailer while connected to the TV to gain enough center clearance. Otherwise the bottom center of my bikes will bottom out where the ramp meets the trailer.

Ride it on. Have engine running when backing it out and ride the front brake. Be ready for anything.

If you have clearance as to not high center on entry it shouldn't be a problem... just ride it in.

If you high center then you will have to get/make an extension ramp to lessen the angle then you have to deal with a narrower ramp.

EDIT: I am ASSUMING you are talking about a 7' ramp/door on the TH.

trailernovice wrote:
Would appreciate input from those with experience loading/unloading a full-size bike (HD electraglide...just under 900 pounds) up and down an 7' ramp on a bumper-pull toy hauler...

is this a white-knuckle experience? is it reasonably safe?

Have a LITTLE ramp experience....but barely comparable...we have a 9' ramp (two foot longer) which is used to get a 150cc scooter (much, MUCH lighter) into the back of a pickup truck (bed height somewhat higher than the floor of a bumper-pull toy hauler)

thanks!

I use aluminum 4 ft folding ramp from Amazon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ENs4c_EOWk I learned from a U Tube how to load a Harley into a toy hauler.