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Thursday, July 21, 2011

Motorcycle Loading Ramps - These Are The Features You Want

By Chris Station


To carry your motorcycle safely in the back of your pickup, whether you're going to the trail, the track or to a bike show, motorcycle loading ramps are a true necessity. And its especially true if you have a lot of money wrapped up in your bike. To protect your investment, you should seriously consider getting a top quality loading ramp.

It's important to use the right ramp for loading and unloading. One important factor to look at is the height from the ground right up to the truck bed. Another factor is the size and the weight of the bike. The rule of thumb is that the heavier the bike, the more of a challenge it can be loading or unloading. The risk of any damage occurring can be lessened considerably by using the right ramp.

Motorcycle loading ramps are made from metal, quite often aluminum. To get the best traction, ramps frequently have either a kind of textured surface or else holes at equal intervals along the ramp.

A really nice feature to go for, especially if you usually ride your bike on and off the back of the truck, is a safety strap. The strap is designed so it attaches to the back of your vehicle to prevent the ramp from slipping during loading.

The best ramps come with rubber padding on the part that leans on the truck. This is used to stabilize the ramp during loading and it also helps prevent scratches to your truck.

Motorcycle loading ramps are usually available in one of two main styles.

The first is referred to as a non folding ramp. These ramps will have one long straight span. They are often manufactured out of aluminum. In general, an aluminum loading ramp is able to handle loads of 500 pounds or more. Aluminum is the preferred kind of material used because of its relative light weight. That makes it easy to maneuver especially when you are on your own. The spans may be perforated to give more traction when loading motorcycles.

A second type is a folding ramp. Folding ramps are made so you can fold them into two or three sections. For that reason, they are easy to set up and are equally easy to store. Folding motorcycle ramps are often rated for a greater weight capacity than are comparable non folding ramps. Because of that they're just right when it comes time to load larger motorcycles or bigger ATVs, especially when you need some extra width.

With folding ramps, aluminum remains the most commonly used material. Not only is it strong, but it's much lighter to maneuver around compared to ramps made with heavier metals. In addition, aluminum also stays rust free.

Another option is a ramp extender. With an extender on the ramp you get an inclined ramp and a bed extender. This can be pretty useful in a situation where your bike extends beyond the available truck bed.

Motorcycle loading ramps come in a wide variety of designs and styles. They have a lot of useful features which will ensure the safe and easy loading of your valuable motorcycle.




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