Hello everyone. Im looking to purchase a motorcycle, an 2007 HD Night Rod Special to be exact. Although I have a trailer if need be, I'd rather load in into my bed. It would be a 2 hr ride. I have and 08 CC LE BT shortbed. It's too long to put in the bed with the tailgate up so obviously I would need to haul it with the bike partially on the tailgate. My questions are whether or not the 200lbs rated tailgate will hold a 600+ lbs bike (although its only a portion of the total weight will rest on it) and whether or not the tailgate will sustain the loading of the bike in which it will briefly hold the 600+ lbs bike and my weight also. Thank you in advance
Tailgate vs motorcycle
Firemt27
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Hello everyone. Im looking to purchase a motorcycle, an 2007 HD Night Rod Special to be exact. Although I have a trailer if need be, I'd rather load in into my bed. It would be a 2 hr ride. I have and 08 CC LE BT shortbed. It's too long to put in the bed with the tailgate up so obviously I would need to haul it with the bike partially on the tailgate. My questions are whether or not the 200lbs rated tailgate will hold a 600+ lbs bike (although its only a portion of the total weight will rest on it) and whether or not the tailgate will sustain the loading of the bike in which it will briefly hold the 600+ lbs bike and my weight also. Thank you in advance
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I've hauled several bikes in my old truck (Ram 1500) and have yet to try in this one. But if it were me I would go the trailer route, mostly because its a huge pain in the a$$ get a 600lb bike in out of something as high as the tailgate. I'm not sure what your ramp situation is, but in my experience the bottom of the bike almost always hangs up on the ramp at the top when the front wheel is in the truck and the back wheel is still on the ramp. I did it with a little Suzuki Savage, and we were able to muscle it in, but a Night Rod would make for more of a challenge. Not to mention you would hate to drop your new bike. Just my two cents..
If you do go the truck route you could always put a 2x12 in the bed to give your tailgate a little extra support. Good luck and enjoy the new bike. (I ride a Vstar 1100 and can't wait to get out and ride)
If you do go the truck route you could always put a 2x12 in the bed to give your tailgate a little extra support. Good luck and enjoy the new bike. (I ride a Vstar 1100 and can't wait to get out and ride)
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I wouldn't trust my Harley on the tailgate (if I had a harley that is lol). Nissan is probably overkilling safety with the 200 pound rating. I know I have put about 1000 pounds on my tailgate before (4 big men sitting on it). I think the 200 pound rating takes into account if you were driving and hit bumps producing more force, and the actual weigh limit would probably be better reflected with a unit of measurment such as Newtons. So to answer your question: Yes, it would probably hold your bike, but I personally wouldn't take the chance. IMO you would be better off loading it onto a trailer then taking the chance with it in the bed. If the tailgate did break and your bike got screwed (not to mention the repercussions of the bike falling off while you are driving), imagine what the insurance company would say if they found out you were exceeding the manufacturers weight allowance for the tailgate.
I have a 2004 LE Crew Cab with the 5.6' bed. I put my 2004 Fatboy in there with the tailgain down. Remember, the entire weight of the bike is not on the tailgate, just the rear tire, swingarm, fender. Most of the weight on these bikes is centered with the engine. You will be fine with that HOG in there tied down. Enjoy and ride safe!
Thank you for you answers. The ramp is a 2x12 10ft I think with the diy metal end ramp kit. I have loaded my friends 2004 CBR 600rr in my bed with the ramp, it was slightly hairy but definately do able with 2 people and we made it work. It was also short enough where as I could angle the bike and front tire and it would fit with the tailgate closed. I dont mind the trailer, just more of a p.i.t.a especially when you have a p/u bed but I still want to play it safe. Im in CT and the bike is in LI NY. Im also looking to take a trip to NC with the bike next month and I was trying to avoid the trailer but we'll see about that I guess.
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171 Posts
hauled both my dirtbikes (about 450 or so #'s) across the country with them resting on the tailgate down..no prob, you will be fine.
if you are able to ride to your closest motorcycle dealer and have someone drive the truck they should have an actual bike ramp for you to load for free. that is what i did when i took my bike from South Dakota to Texas loaded at the dealer here and unloaded
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135 Posts
Is the tailgate really only rated at 200 pounds!! I weigh 220 and my buddy weighs 220 and we both stand on the tailgate at the same time while loading our kids dirt bikes. Sometimes, the kids are on the tailgate at the same time as we are.
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Go get a 8' long piece of 2x12 at the local Home Depot. That should keep a lot of the rear tire weight off the tailgate.
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315 Posts
I hauled a gas golf cart (600 lbs) and the back tires were on the tailgate. Took a 3.5 hour drive and no problems. I was more worried about unloading than anything, seeing if the gate could hold up, no worries.
Well, just an update incase anyone is following the thread for any info. After measuring my bed 100 times I decided to take the trailer to NY for the 2 hr drive. Its a long ride to figure out thr Vrod doesnt fit in the Titan by 2" or something stupid like that. Plus with the high angle of the bed, weight of the bike, and low ride of the bike, it would have been hairy. I'm gonna try to load it in my truck in the near future. I was just thinking though, the only thing supporting any weight on the tailgate is the two thin wire cables on each side of the tailgate. Is there any way to beef those up or ad extra support? I do like the 2x12 idea of laying it down on the bed and having the bike sit on it.
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3,868 Posts
my 4wheeler weighs about 600+ then add my 223lbs to that so we are about 830ish. i load it with a ramp in the bed of my truck all the time so the tailgate supports the whole weight. i have taken several 3+hr trips with the 4wheeler on the tailgate no issues at all.
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Its very doable but like other have said it can get a little hairy getting it off. I do this all the time with mine and ive found the easiest thing is to go down the block and back my truck into the ditch on the side of the road. tis way when you drop the tailgate its level with the road and makes for a much easier unload process than with ramps. Although I should mention that you might get a few funny looks from your neighbors! good luck!
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Be careful that you dont do any offroading with weight on it.. I did, with 3 dirt bikes in the bed. The part that the cable bolt screws into, got stressed and bent.. To top it off, it spread the walls of my bed out.. So I have to push my besides in, as I close my tailgate for now on..
But all in all, normal driving should be just fine..
But all in all, normal driving should be just fine..
They sell something that slides into your hitch receiver to take the weight off the tailgate while loading.(Darby Ramp-RiteT Hitch Ramp Support). I've never used it, but sounds like a good idea. I'd be more concerned about all that weight on the gate loading it up than driving with the rear tire on the gate.
I've been thinking about fabbing something up to wedge under the tailgate while somehow being gentle on the paint and metal that will take some strain off the tailgate.
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3,868 Posts
you dont need to. you are going WAY overboard. i have had 1000+lbs on my tailgate for more than a minute or 2. that bike you have isnt going to hurt your tailgate 1 bit. i promise you that. quite worrying. loading the bike or the rear tire resting on it, will NEVER break your tailgate. like i said i load a 600-650ish lb 4wheeler plus me @ 223 in the bed of my truck all the time. i have even jumped it up the ramp and landed on the top rail of the bed. your tailgate will handle what you need to do i promise.
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34 Posts
how about putting the bike in on an angle. put the front wheel in one of the front corners of the bed and the rear wheel in the opposite rear corner.
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