how not to load your bike

How not to load your bike

Let’s admit that some of the “fail,” videos that are circulating on YouTube can have a macabre sense of humor, but most of the motorcycle loading fails that are on the channel are truly hilarious. There is something that truly switches on the awkwardness as soon as we begin loading a motorcycle into a truck.

Underestimating the weight of your motorcycle

A large part of the reason why we are getting so entertained on a daily basis is the fact that most people tend to underestimate the weight of their motorcycles. The average weight of a motorcycle stands at 250 pounds (113kg), which, all things considered, is no laughing matter. Not many of us are going to be able to lift that much weight into a truck.

Motorcycles tend to be awkward

Added to this is the fact that motorcycles are rather awkward. The weight that we have just mentioned above is distributed all over the place, and care needs to be taken to ensure that you do not fall flat on your face, much to the joy of your many YouTube followers.

Motorcycles only have two wheels

Another thing that most people, surprisingly enough, do not seem to be aware of is the fact that motorcycles actually only have two wheels. Expecting them to behave in the same manner as an automobile, which has four wheels, is the reason why many a would be adventurer have ended up lighting up YouTube with spectacular falls.

Motorcycle loading fails on YouTube

Okay, so we are not trying to put you off of your adventure here, but you may wish to avoid the following motorcycle loading mistakes;

  1. Not having the correct type of ramp

Most of the reasons why so many people end up falling unceremoniously while trying to load or unload their motorcycles has to do with the fact that they are trying to use the wrong type of ramp. Remember what we have just said about people underestimating the weight of their motorcycles.

Add to the equation your own weight as you ride that bike up that flimsy ramp, and you pretty much have the recipe for a viral YouTube fail. For some reason, wooden ramps remain all the rage, despite the fact that aluminum, foldable loading ramps can be purchases at a reasonable amount from places such as eBay.

  1. Pushing your bike up the ramp

Notice how the man in the video that begins at around 10 seconds in the above video clip has the right foldable ramp that we have just mentioned. However, his failing lies in thinking that he has what it takes to keep such a beast of a bike on a straight path with his rather feeble run.

It’s clear, right from the beginning, that he is going to fall. Which begs the question, if you really need to take your bike somewhere that bad, why not just ride it there? Loading it onto your truck makes us think the bike is no more than a fashion accessory, which, in itself, is not such a bad thing!

  1. Losing Steam

Another reason why there are so many loading Fails on YouTube is the fact that people tend to start off with the right kind of idea, only to lose stream halfway up the ramp. Check out the man in the clip above at 20 seconds.

The problem for him is that he does not have nearly enough speed to make it up the ramp. The result is that in spite of the impressive roar of his bike, he falls short of his goal and goes falling, bike and all, onto his side.

Some of those around him, being the good friends that they are, can noticeably  be seen laughing, which is rather typical of the YouTube individual.

  1. Improperly placed ramp

The next individual (at 26 seconds) in the clip that we are focusing on here, clearly has an improper wooden ramp that would have done the job had it been properly placed on the flatbed. Perhaps the man thinks the bike is going to fly the last few inches, because it’s clear that the ramp has not been properly placed where it needs to be.

In this case, this man has the proper speed, the right kind of tools and the right attitude. The only problem is the fact that the tools are not being put to proper use. Typical to modern friends, the person doing the recording sounds like he is about to have an embolism from the laughter.

  1. Too Much Speed

If you think all the people that are in the above clip are going to fall off unceremoniously, then you would be mistaken. The guy at the 37 second mark actually manages to get his bike onto the truck. Not only does he have the correct type of ramp, but he rides his bike in a straight line into the truck.

Unfortunately for him, his speed is a bit excessive. The result is that instead of stopping as he should, the poor man continues riding the bike even when he is safely in the truck. We can only just hope that nothing bad happened to the glass at the back of the truck.

Other Clips

The video that we have used in this article highlights some of the reasons why people tend to fall off their bikes while loading their bikes into trucks. We have only touched on part of the clip. Feel free to watch the rest of it for more on how not to load your bike.

Shipping your motorcycle

Laughter aside, your motorcycle is one of your most prized possessions. You do not, therefore, want to have what we have just shown you happening in the video above happen to you. If you need to have your bike shipped from one place to the other across the United States, get in touch with us, and we will make sure that your bike gets where it is supposed to go in one piece.

At AA Motorcycle shipping, we have acquired over a decade of experience and have all the tools that are needed in order to ensure that your bike gets to its destination in one piece.

Not only that, but all our shipments are covered with up to $5000 in insurance. What it means is that you can rest assured because with us, your bike is in safe hands. What are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today.

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