As a dirt bike rider, you often need to transport a dirt bike when going on rides due to dirt bike laws on the roads and highways. As such, it’s important that you know how to safely load your dirt bike into your truck.
Although it might sound overwhelming at first, you can do the job all by yourself. So read on to know the step-by-step guide on how to load a dirt bike into a truck!
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What to Prepare
Truck bed dirt bike loading is one of the important steps when loading your bike into a truck. To avoid causing damage to your bike or causing injury to yourself, it’s best to be careful and do the right steps when loading a dirt bike in a truck.
Essentially, this is only what you need to strap down a dirt bike into a truck. Having a wheel chock and a fork saver, which helps reduce the strain on your forks, are optional.
- Straps
- Loading ramp
Step #1: Setting up the straps
To avoid the hassle of holding down your bike on the truck bed, it’s advisable to have your straps ready even before you load your dirt bike. To do this, make sure you have set up your straps into the truck bed’s attach points, usually in the corner of the bed.
If loading only one dirt bike, make sure you have set up four straps. The two straps should be set up in the truck bed’s front part and the last two straps at the rear part.
Step #2: Loading the dirt bike
Whether you do it alone or with someone, it’s hard to pick up a dirt bike from the ground and then load it in your truck. It’s also not efficient, so it’s recommended to have a loading ramp or any kind of step so that you can load your dirt bike into the truck bed without stress.
Before loading, you need to ensure that your dirt bike is in neutral gear and on flat ground for easy loading. This would also help with the momentum when moving your bike from the ground to the ramp.
Another tip is to have a dirt bike stand beside the ramp so you won’t have to make a great big step when loading your dirt bike into the truck bed.
Here are some loading positions to ensure the stability of your dirt bike in the truck bed.
- Diagonal position
The most common way when loading your dirt bike is by putting it diagonally. The goal is to position your front and rear tires on the opposite sides of your truck. It means your front tire is on the front-left corner, and the rear tire is on the right side at the back of the bed.
- Straight-in position
When using four straps, it’s best to put your dirt bike in a straight-in position to make it more stable during transport.
In addition, if you’re using a wheel chock, this position is also commonly used. You can just push the front tire of the dirt bike to the wheel chock to keep it in place during the ride.
Step #3: Strapping the dirt bike
The last step to secure your dirt bike into the truck is to strap it down. It’s recommended to use soft straps to avoid damaging the parts of your bike.
Starting from the outer side of your bike, use the strap from the back of your truck to tie it down to the right handlebar. Next, with the left strap at the front of the bed, strap it also to the left handlebar of your dirt bike. Ensure they don’t go around the wires to avoid causing any type of damage.
Another way to do it is to use four straps, as seen in this video. Using both straps from the front part of the truck bed, loop them around the left and right handlebars. In addition, use the strap at the back to loop it around the frame at the bike’s tail, one on each side.
Strapping the dirt bike’s tail gives it more stability and keeps its rear part from bouncing around during the drive.
Step #4: Tightening the straps
To make sure your dirt bike is secured during transport, tighten your straps and make sure the tension is the same for each strap. If you can’t easily move your dirt bike, it means it’s tied down well to your truck.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to load two dirt bikes in a truck?
The process of loading two dirt bikes is essentially the same.
First, you need a loading ramp, but make sure each front tire is positioned toward the truck bed’s center to keep the bikes stable when loading them.
Just like the steps above, loop the straps over the handlebars, but it’s advisable to give the outer strap more pressure to make the bike lean outwards to have enough loading space for the next bike.
How do you tie down 3 dirt bikes?
Unlike strapping a single dirt bike, have three straps ready on your truck bed’s front part when loading 3 dirt bikes.
Also, start loading the bikes on each side of the truck, the third one going in the middle. The bikes should be spaced properly to avoid scratches or any bike damage.
By watching this YouTube video, you’ll learn the detailed steps on how to strap down three dirt bikes.
How do you load a dirt bike into a lifted truck?
When loading your dirt bike into a lifted truck, the process is almost the same. Set up your ramp, but it’s recommended to strap it to your tail hood to avoid the ramp from flipping up, which may injure you.
Don’t forget your dirt bike stand as well, as that would give you more leverage when pushing the bike from the ramp to the truck bed, given the height of the truck.
Can I strap a dirt bike without straps?
Absolutely, yes! In this case, you can use a tie-down system to transport your dirt bike in a truck without using straps. It’s also easy to install and can fit any dirt bike.
Conclusion
Transporting your dirt bike from your house to the trails doesn’t sound so difficult at all. When securing a dirt bike in a truck bed, all you need are a loading ramp and straps!
Always remember to set up your straps on your truck bed before you load your bike to be efficient. Don’t forget to leave enough space between each bike as well if you’re loading more than one dirt bike.
Now that you know how to load a dirt bike into a truck, we hope it makes your dirt bike riding adventure stress-free and more fun!
