The U-Haul Incident

[dannos]

Greetings,

Normally, I take pride “riding” to the destination, wherever that may be. On this day though, we needed to transport a Triumph Bonneville to a buyer in west Texas, San Angelo to be exact.

So, we decided, rent a U-haul truck, transport the Triumph, and our (2) bikes therefore enabling us to ride our bikes back to the Dallas, Texas area. It would make for a long day, delivering the Triumph to the winning eBay bidder, and then ride our bikes back. About a 12 hour day in all.

In preparation we decided to rent and load the U-Haul truck the night before, leaving the following morning at 5:30AM.

To condense this story into a “Reader’s Digest” version, we successfully loaded the R1200ST up the ramp, and onto the truck, tied said bike down. I then mounted my R1150RT, and proceeded to ride it up the ramp, into the truck. At the crest of the ramp where it meets the truck floor, I decided to stop, and veer the bike to the left to avoid the already placed R1200ST. Well, after stopping at the top of the ramp, and placing my left foot out to stabilize the bike, I discovered only air, where my brain and foot thought there might be “solid ground” or a stable ramp.

The bike and I, awkwardly fell to the left. The left front upper portion of the windscreen had smashed into the corner of the u-haul, which actually prevented the bike from tipping over and landing on it’s top side on the ground, a good 5-6 feet below. Somehow, I ended up standing on the ground, next to the ramp, my bike practically lying on its left side, still running on the ramp. I quickly used the kill switch to shut down the engine, and avoid grinding off my helper’s arms to nubs, who was positioned at the rear of the bike.

We successfully stood the RT back up, and slowly backed down the ramp. You know the feeling I had at this point in time; let’s say it wasn’t a warm fuzzy feeling.

I survey the damage; the left side of the windscreen was now a good inch and a half lower than the right side. The upper portion of the Internal Fairing cover surrounding the gauges was now uneven and cracked. The radio antenna which I don’t use anyway was also smashed from direct impact. There is also some minor scratches on the left bottom side of the Tupperware. No fluid loss or major mechanical damage was noted, so I rode the RT around the block as a test ride, all was sound.

We then moved the U-haul truck into a better position to lessen the angle of the ramp, and manually pushed the RT up the ramp without further incident. The nest morning we traveled out west, and made delivery of the Triumph to a happy new owner, and had a great spirited ride back to the Dallas area.

With my inexperience in loading motorcycles onto trailers, U-hauls and such, here’s my lesson learned. Take the time to get enough people to manually push the bike up the ramp. Don’t “ride” the thing up the ramp. Keep the ramp at a moderate angle, not at 45 degrees.

Attached is a link to a few pictures of the damage sustained, over all I guess I was lucky. After disassembling the front windscreen and fairing portion of the RT, I anticipate replacing the “Windshield Covering Left”, and the “Internal Cover” which is cracked. The inner metal “Faring Bracket” is bent out of position. The upper left arm is bent downward about an inch. I am going to attempt to bend it back into shape.

I hope this “Incident” assists another rider someday, it’s helped me.

 

Dan

 

Here's some photos of the damage, the password is "Lakedale"

 

Pictures Here

[pipenslippers]

Ouch. Sorry for your misfortune, but thanks for the warning. Hope you sort it out soon. At least you still got your ride home.

 

Brian

[upflying]

I did something similar. About 15 years ago, I hi-centered a police HD-FXRTP while riding it into a pickup truck. The angle of the truck bed and ramp caused the low riding Harley frame to hang up. I too teetered with nothing but air to plant my foot and catch my balance. Only bystanders helped prevent a disaster. This produced instant prespiration all over my body. Reducing the angle of the ramp relative to the truck bed is key to safety and successful loading and unloading.

[dannos]

Brian,

Thanks, this forum is my mental therapy I'm going to look around for some used replacement parts. Mechanically I was very fortunate.

Dan

[dannos]

Agreed, I think having enough people around to help is the key, and not starting the motor.

Dan

[Francois_Dumas]

I was afraid of something JUST like that when trailering my RT last year. The ramp I used was not nearly as high and steep as yours.

I already decided then that I would NOT 'ride' the bike up.... becasue I had to be on it and there was no way of putting my foot down onto anything when I did. Pushing on the side with the engine running seemed a bit 'hairy' ... So I used a neighbor to get it on.. and later had Nina push on the back (poor thing !!! ).

 

What I learned for a next time is to make sure that somehow I have a 'step up' alongside the ramp so I don't have to push the bike 'above my head'...... AND have someone at the back in case I loose 'momentum'.

Going down is easier, just need to 'brake'.. but still need a good foothold !

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

Dan, cmon now. You live in "Murphy". Murphy's Law has to come into play at some point for you daily, doesn't it? It could have been much worse. Check out the Beemer Boneyard for used parts. The owner is one of us here.

[Ralph]

I have a windshield mechanism with the motor here in the garage. Came off an RT. 03 I think

[dannos]

Ralph,

Luckily, the windshield motor is still operable. I have it disconnected from the fairing bracket though in the photos, to gain access to "re-bend" the bracket back into place.

My replacement parts needed are the "Covering Left" (The black plastic strip on the front of the windsheld) and the "Internal Cover" (The black upper portion of the dash surrounding the gauges).

Thanks!

Dan

[dannos]

Reference "Murphy's Law", I do indeed seem to live it, literally. I agree it could have been MUCH worse. If it hadn't collided with the U-haul, it would have landed on it's topside, and my left leg. Plus, I hadn't ventured into the fairing yet, so I get to learn a little more now.

Thanks for the "Beemer Boneyard" tip, I'll check it out later tonight after we put our son down.

 

Take care,

Dan

[Herman]

Sorry to hear about your mishap. I have an original windshield from an '04 in case yours is damaged.

 

Herman

Austin, TX

[dannos]

Herman,

My windshield is still operable, came out with only a 1" scratch, the parts I'm searching for I've listed in the classified section of this forum here.

 

Thanks,

Dan

[bgf50]

My U-Haul incident:

 

I picked up my first bmw a k75S a couple of years ago in the dead of winter.

I had about a 4 hour drive so I rented a u-haul.

When I picked up the bike they tied it down inside the trailer with only a couple of ties on the handlebars. It didn't look secure to me but I figured that they knew what they were doing. This was a large shop that had BMW, Honda, Suzuki, and Kawasaki!! Of course about 40 miles down the road when I stopped for gas I checked the bike and it had fallen down. It must have bounced against one side because the handlebar was bent on that side and then fallen on the other side because then case was broken on that side.

I am really mad as you can imagine so I buy some rope at the gas station and tie it down as best as I can.

It gets better. I then drive 4 hours through snow and ice and when I am literally 1 mile from home a deer runs out and hits the back panel of my van and goes under the wheels of the u haul which bounces up in the air and the bike falls over again!

I will never do that again without buying a front wheel chock and bolting it to the floor of the trailer.

 

Bill

2004 R1150RT

[USAF1]

Are you the guy that loaded my '81 RS prior to shipping it to me in Italy back about 1988?? But, you were able to jump out of the way, and let it land upside down anyway??

 

I tell you, opening that crate just about caused my whole head to explode.....know what you were going thru in that aspect!!

 

Glad to see you weren't hurt!!

 

Pat

[Pete Darby]

I did a similiar dumb thing trying to load my RTP into my trailor. I made a nice ramp of a 2"X10". I stupidly decided to walk the bike up the ramp using the engine to power it up. (A techinque I used a lot when dirt riding and stuck somewhere I couldn't ride out of) Unfortunately I didn't take into account that it is impossible to hold upright with your arms stretched upward. So there I was with the Bike being held up by me and the edge of the trailor. Hand brake locked so I couldn't hit the kill switch while my other hand kept the clutch down so it wouldn't get any worse. Lukily my wife heard my frantic calls and between us I was able to get the bike turned off and backed down the ramp. After I put another board down for me it worked as planned Now both boards are always used together and it loads as gentle as a lamb.

[PrinceAZ]

Dan, So sorry about your accident. I am glad you weren't hurt. I have long since gotten help when loading or unloading a bike, but had to ride my "wounded" RT into the back of a u-haul one time. It can be scary!

Dick

[Kenny2]

Dan,

Luckily, you were not hurt. Did a similiar incident involving my brother's driveway. After riding 8 hours pulled into the driveway, stopped and put my foot down. Only to find the driveway was elevated and I was reaching for the lawn, 6" lower. Due to his "impecible" lawn, (too much water), it was a soft landing for both of us. But it's nanoseconds of pure pucker.

Good luck on the parts hunt.

[dannos]

But it's nanoseconds of pure pucker.

 

Hehehehe...yes, it's that "dream-like" state of mind that this isn't really happening to me is it? In slow-motion. Thanks for the good wishes everyone, the parts search continues....

[A2theRon]

I'm just happy to hear that the R1200ST made it on to the Uhaul safely. It only had about 1200 miles on it, so getting even the slightest scratch would have been horrible.

 

Let me know if you need anyone to sit around, drink your beer, and watch you fix the RT. It's the least I can do.

[dannos]

Well, well, what a nice gesture,from the new R1200ST owner that failed to support my gargantuan girth while riding up the ramp!

I managed to bend the internal fairing frame/bracket back into shape this afternoon. Next is breaking down and ordering a new dash/internal cover.

I'm thinking aboout black electrical tape for the antenna damage!

 

Dan

[Gregori]

Wow, as bad as it is, you really DID get lucky.

 

A friend of mine was loading his bike into his pickup truck, and also chose the method of riding it up.

 

His truck was in the garage, and he set a lONG ramp out to avoid that 'high-center' problem mentioned earlier. What HE didn't take into account was the lack of overhead clearance, and he hit his head on the top frame of the garage door as he carefully rode up the ramp. Knocked himself out cold.

(And put the bike through the back window of the truck as it shot out from under him.)

 

But you know - it just goes to show that motorcycles really don't belong in the back of trucks!

 

G.

[dannos]

But you know - it just goes to show that motorcycles really don't belong in the back of trucks!

 

G.

 

How very true, I feel very lucky it didn't land on it's topside. The repairs are coming along nicely, I can't wait till it's back together!

 

Take care,

Dan

[ctforand]

Sorry to hear about this, but it certainly sounds like you're lucky you made it as far as you did. That 5-6' fall with some probability of the bike landing directly on top of you just doesn't sound good at all.

 

This is exactly what I was afraid of when I had to load my bike onto my pickup truck. I was also afraid of getting the rise-over angle right so that the bike wouldn't high-center and knock me over. The final bit of paranoia was that if I made a main ramp and two foot boards, that they either wouldn't be strong enough if I had to actually start pushing on them or that they would slip to the side, causing me to do a great split and then die....

 

My end solution was a 12' long ramp made from plywood with runners underneath it plus supports in the middle on each side to add extra support against twisting/tilting. Aside from having hugely sucking transportability, it made managing the bike complete a one person job.

 

Chris

[Kermit Jackson]

Back in my dirt bike days we rode our bikes up a 2"x10"x8' plank to get them loaded into the truck. We had a few spills mostly attributed to youthful testosterone displacing good-senses. Though I can't remember ever breaking a plank it seems that now through more learned eyes that the plank certainly was not of sufficient strength for the job. It has been so long that I can't really remember what it felt like to ride that narrow steep ramp but I'm sure I don't have the nads to even consider trying it now.

 

No help but it sure reminded me how old I'm feeling. I say feeling because my age still starts with a '4' so I can't be too old. (can I?)

Kermit