Go to trial school. Better bike control and ramp issues solved.
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What did you do in your garage today..?
- Thread starter Hack
- Start date
Whenever I'm doing something dumb or unsafe, I think to myself "as long as no one is recording this, my plan will work".
An option for you is to bring your trailer to a builder that offers folding aluminium or galvanized ramps and get them to custom make a ramp for you. I have a folding 5' wide aluminum ramp on my 5' x 10' aluminum trailer and it's great.
Not my trailer below, but bi-fold ramp is the same. Works perfectly for an ST and and FJR. We just ride up and then into the chock, very stable.
Not my trailer below, but bi-fold ramp is the same. Works perfectly for an ST and and FJR. We just ride up and then into the chock, very stable.
That’s very slick. Any recommended builders?
I don’t have a trailer personally so asking for a friend but I suspect the light weight is a bonus for regular use and the folding aspect probably helps a fair amount on fuel consumption.
Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com mobile app
GVH
Well-known member
There are the ramps I have....
General PDP Template
www.canadiantire.ca
The only problem for me is that I'm only 5'7 and I'm not comfortable / stable enough to push them up myself.
GTAM has provided me some tips on getting the bike up, but it was over winter so I didn't try them out.
I'd like a stable and solid platform, so can just make life easier / safer. I had the bike fall off on me once when I was putting it onto the Trailer-In-A-Bag and while I was able to lift it up again solo...I don't want to go through that again.
I think an 8ft 2x10 or 2x12 will make a nice ramp for my needs. Would probably need to reinforce it with a 2x4 underneath for rigidity purposes...but it would be more stable than what I have now.
EDIT: Saw this at PA yesterday....snazzy. Pricy. https://www.princessauto.com/en/65-x-26-in-roll-up-aluminum-ramp/product/PA0008934630
EDIT2: Something like this would be more stable than what I have... Polaris Tri-Fold Loading Ramp | ATV Parts, Trailers & Accessories | Oshawa / Durham Region | Kijiji
I used a 2x8 for years. Had ramp ends on it. Only re enforced it with angle iron after a heavy cruiser.
You can have the 2x10 left over from my trailer.
Absolutely.
When I was dragging my Wing to the strip I mounted a trailer hitch winch to the tongue (powered by the Squeeze) and I guided it up. Did that about once before I just fired it up, snicked it into gear and let it do the work.
Every thing goes up that way now except maybe my little 250 if I still have energy after riding it.
Again, maybe 50$ worth of material (including Mad Mike's baller farm hinge for a bracket) and an easy afteroon task with some pops.
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I don't think so. I have a pair of Princess Auto ramps that I use. 1 for the bike and 1 for me to walk up. Like Tim, I let the bike do the work (bike running in first).
Your discomfort/unease is likely a result of trying to push the bike and balance it on the narrow ramp while balancing yourself on a narrow ramp. There's no way I could push my KTM 1090 or my Norton 850 up those ramps with the engine off, and while I can do it with my new 250 I'd rather do it the easy way.
Another question regarding the trailer...lights aren't working, and I believe the issue is improper grounding.
Question....
1. Do I have to have a separate ground screw drilled into the frame (to get through the painted frame to bare metal) and connect ground? (Left photo)
2. Can I connect all the ground cables into a single line that will ground to the front of the trailer? (Right photo)
Question....
1. Do I have to have a separate ground screw drilled into the frame (to get through the painted frame to bare metal) and connect ground? (Left photo)
2. Can I connect all the ground cables into a single line that will ground to the front of the trailer? (Right photo)
Most trailers work like picture A. Picture B should be more reliable but most wiring harnesses won't have the extra wire. Hell, most trailer lights don't even have ground as an external wire. They connect it to the bracket inside the light.
I bought 25ft of white ground wire and butt connectors yesterday at PA just in case the right drawing was the correct one.
@GVH Well that's annoying.
If I use the dedicated ground wire for each light I'd have to strip the paint, drill hole, install bolt straight to frame, and then leave it as is? Or grease/paint over it to keep from corroding?
For the wiring, personally if I was doing this, I would not bother trying to get a reliable ground off the frame, you're just asking for problems that only continue with time. I'd use a ground wire at each lamp and connect all ground wires to the ground wire coming from the vehicle connector by the hitch.
If you can solder the wires together, then you don't have to worry too much about waterproofing the solder connection and you don't need to worry about insulating it, if it touches the frame, who cares. . If attaching a wire to the frame, yes grease will work. Silicone grease is the best IMO, it can also be used inside connectors.
If you can solder the wires together, then you don't have to worry too much about waterproofing the solder connection and you don't need to worry about insulating it, if it touches the frame, who cares. . If attaching a wire to the frame, yes grease will work. Silicone grease is the best IMO, it can also be used inside connectors.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Trailer places sell B as an upgrade -- I don't know why as A is the preferred method of wiring. The advantages of A:
- an open ground impacts just one lamp. not all the lights on your trailer
- fewer wire to wire connections
My experience with trailer wiring is the failures generally happen at the connection points AND in the bulb sockets. On my trailers, I always:
- slather GROTE Ultra into every socket and over every screw connection to ground, and inside the cable connector ends. It goes on sale at PA for $4/tube frequently - cheap insurance.
- use the beefier 7-pin connectors. 4 pin connectors are the most common failure points in trailer wiring.
- never use crimp or piercing connectors -- always solder and heat shrink (with Grote Ultra inside the heat sharing -- I use that **** on everything electrical)
- add a ground strap between hinged parts (tongue and folding points on a trailer) as ground continuity can be intermittent through hinges.
I spent about a month looking at various vendors / builders and then decided on Bremar July 2018 as he had the best trailer IMO. Build quality was excellent, tows fantastic. Another option re foldable ramp is below. He can build whatever you want.
BreMar Trailers Inc Home
www.bremartrailers.com
I chased my tail for the longest time before I realized the female ground at the 4pin connector was too lose to make contact. Fixed with a squeeze of the pliers.
Something that might help you feel more comfortable is to have your walk-up ramp taller than the bike ramp.
There's more leverage holding the bike's handlebars at chest level instead of holding the bars up at eye-level.
Also, are you clutching the bike up when it's running, or trying to push an unpowered bike up the ramp?
Relax
Well-known member
I've never pushed a running bike up a ramp. It all comes down to practice and confidence. And parking downhill helps immensely, even if you have to push the bike half a block down the street.
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