Tenere and Vstrom in the back of a truck?

[PAULIBIKER]

Needing to haul two bikes at once, a 15 Tenere and 14 Vstrom 650. Will be using a 17 Silverado. Any idea if they will fit?

THANKS Paul

 

[markbxr400]

No problem at all. I regularly haul my ST and another bike (KLR 650, KTM 690, Husky FE501) in a shortbed F150 Supercrew. Lean one slightly to the left behind the driver, lean the other one slightly right behind the passenger, tie the front wheels across so they don't inadvertently turn and fall over. I usually also tie the rear wheels off side to side so they don't bounce and move into each other. I routinely do this going between Alabama and Michigan.

 

[Checkswrecks]

No problem. Here's loading the Tenere and KTM 690r in my shortbed F150. (There's a hill behind the truck.)

 

[PAULIBIKER]

Where do you tie them down at? Usually tie to handlebars. Are you running the tie downs straps through the front tire of the other bike from the anchor?

 

[magic]

CW, I thought I was the only one with a late model, short box, regular cab F150.

 

[RonH]

Yea, it is nice to see a regular truck. I see enough 4 door 4ft long bed trucks every day to make me near vomit. I used to even tie 2 street bikes in a 1979 Chevrolet LUV truck, so sure it can be done in any truck except the stupid 4ft long bed ones. I suppose even those could work somewhat, for what I don't know, but they must be useful for something I suppose.

 

[markbxr400]

One other thing I do when hauling my big bikes - I use a DG tailgate support to take the weight off the small tailgate cables.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/DG-Tailgate-EX-Support-trade/1816419.uts?productVariantId=3871772&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03896658&rid=20&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIn9WYg53d1QIV042zCh20CgoNEAQYASABEgKPqfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[RonH]

It will be nice if current trend of short bed trucks ever goes away. Last shortbed I had was in 1982. Total waste of effort and money, and that was a 6 1/2ft bed. Can't imagine how worthless new trucks with the 4ft bed must be for the 6.5 billion owners. I know I can put a lot of stuff in my truck, and don't need to worry of weight on the tailgate cause I close it.

 

[snakebitten]

Tenere & Vstrom

1/2 ton short bed.
You WILL need airbags if it's a 1/2 ton.

2 chocks mounted to a sheet of 3/4 plywood (plywood takes some load off tailgate, I believe)

 

[snakebitten]

Ron, those long bed trucks of yesteryear were awesome. I agree.

BUT, they didn't have the amazing cavernous interiors of trucks today. Not even close!

The reason so many short-beds are sold compared to long-beds today, at least down where I am from, is folks now by trucks instead of cars.
Long beds are still purchased for "work". Rightfully so. But often those trucks are minus the 5-6 passenger accommodations.

Pickup Trucks in my part of the world outnumber cars at traffic stops. Never been more popular.

 

[RonH]

I remember when I was a kid back in 1970, all trucks were like 16 passenger. Three in the seat, 13 in the bed. I rode many thousand miles sitting in the back of a truck. Good times. Probably outlawed today, so I can somewhat see the need for the current design.

 

[Sierra1]

But, even if you start with an 8' bed, a toolbox turns it into a 6.5' bed. Of course, you can get a four door, 8' bed....but I wouldn't want to try an park it anywhere but an open field. I got rid of my quad-cab for a Jeep and a utility trailer. Easier to drive, and carries more. Haven't missed the truck....yet.

 

[snakebitten]

Don't believe you can get 4-door long beds in 1/2 ton trucks.
Only the big BEAST trucks are available in those looooong wheelbase configurations.

I love trucks. I got a few. Like motorcycles, I rarely get rid of them. So after a few years, ok ok, a lot of years (I'm decades old) they start to become a fleet.

Personally I love the gentle & comfortable ride of the modern 1/2 ton. And they can be bought, wisely, at incredible $value.
(most are bought at about double the $value equation I am describing)

But there are some things that ONLY a beast truck can accomplish. Thus ya need to keep at least one old indestructible workhorse around. Or have a friend-neighbor with one.

 

[AVGeek]

Needing to haul two bikes at once, a 15 Tenere and 14 Vstrom 650. Will be using a 17 Silverado. Any idea if they will fit?

THANKS Paul

The hardest part is dealing with how high the tailgate is off the ground (I have a full size 4x4, so my tailgate sits at about 3.5'). A good ramp is essential, or a nice hill or short loading dock (like in CW's pic). For the ease of loading, I greatly prefer a trailer, and actually have to use one now, since I have a cab high shell these days.

 

[copb8]

I'd like to hear about how folks are tying down the 2 bikes.

On another note, I don't know where you're finding trucks with 4' beds. Smallest Ford will be 5.5'. probably same for Chevy and Dodge as well.

I've had at 5.5' bed truck for last 11 years. It's awesome! Tons of interior room, hauls car on trailer with weeks and tools locked in bed. Also carries my motorcycle effortlessly.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[snakebitten]

2 chocks, tying down is a cinch! (couldn't resist)

As far as height & ramp.........well, I gotta admit, with the ramp you see on the back of that 2012 F150, you had to bravely commit to the accent! Onlookers invariably gathered when I was getting ready to load up. And my brother with the Vstrom relented the task to me. Lol

I always got a rush from it!

 

[Sierra1]

Don't believe you can get 4-door long beds in 1/2 ton trucks.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSQpr0f0gzrK4bkMvlPzr5JGVzOMEpadbrordreb12_YOqKmHE-vA For the most part, you are correct. But if "I" was going to haul 1k plus in motorcycles on a regular basis, I would make the jump to 3/4 ton (used). Better suspension/brakes.

 

[Checkswrecks]

The longer trucks are nice on the road, but hell in daily parking. Plus, my kids live in the trendy hearts of Baltimore where the streets were laid out for horse carriages. It's impossible to turn corners or parallel park with a longer truck. The F150 is only 2" longer than the Nissan Fronty it replaced. With a 6.5 ft bed, the rear wheels are on the truck and not on the tailgate.

I put tie-down rails in the beds of my trucks to quickly tie down motorcycles, kayaks, and other cargo. In the aluminum Ford, there are reinforcing channel aluminum pieces added beneath the bed as well. This one is in the Ford.

This is in the previous Nissan Frontier.

To quickly protect the aluminum bed and the cargo rails when using the truck to haul bricks and construction debris, I cut the sides off of the plastic liner that the truck was delivered with.

 

[PAULIBIKER]

Would be a lot easier if I had a anchor/tie down in the center of the bed..........

 

[EricV]

We call four door pickups with short beds "Utah Mini-vans" around here. Every baseball mom drives one.