Motorcycle lift on Journey

[kb9adw]

Hello everybody! I recently installed a CruiserLift Motorcycle lift on the Back of my '01 36' Journey. I have carried my Suzuki 650 Burgman scooter with no problems on the back but I'm a little skeptical of putting the Goldwing back there.

My Journey has about 4000 lbs carrying capacity, between empty weight and gross weight.

Have any of you done this?

My alternative is to put a Rampage lift in the back of a pickup and carry the 'wing that way.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by kb9adw

Hello everybody! I recently installed a CruiserLift Motorcycle lift on the Back of my '01 36' Journey. I have carried my Suzuki 650 Burgman scooter with no problems on the back but I'm a little skeptical of putting the Goldwing back there.

My Journey has about 4000 lbs carrying capacity, between empty weight and gross weight.

Have any of you done this?

My alternative is to put a Rampage lift in the back of a pickup and carry the 'wing that way.

kb9adw,
Well Sir, I've done EXACTLY what you've done, and, maybe are thinking of doing. The primary difference is that instead of the Cruiser lift, I did it with the Hydralift. Just about all on here, chastized me for putting a that lift on such a short coach. They said the sun will burn up, my youngest will die, the moon will crash into the earth and all time will stop, JUST BECAUSE I INSTALLED A LIFT ON A 36' COACH.

Well, all I can say is, I'm still here, my youngest is alive and well and is prospering greatly, the sun still warms us and our coach is running, driving and performing just as flawless as it did prior to the install of that lift.

OK, now for some down to earth statistics. Yep, I did the install and carried a an '08 GL 1800 Goldwing. We did it for over 8,000 miles with absolutely ZERO issues. There was no porpoising, no wandering, no odd tire wear, no odd handling of any type what so ever. I will say this. The rear GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) of that coach is 17,500 lbs. Upon knowing I was going to install that Hydralift and carry a 900 lb. bike, I knew way in advance that I was going to be overweight of that axle, after the lift and bike were on the back. Prior to the lift install, I weighed that coach, front, back and total. The rear was sitting at 16,900 lbs. The front, 9180.

Well, yep, I sure was. With the lift and bike on there, I was sitting at, 20,100 lbs on the rear axle. The front, contrary to all the know-it-alls on here that just knew I'd transfer tons and tons of weight off the front, came in at a whopping 8,900 lbs. I lost a MASSIVE 280 lbs off the front. And, it came up, an astounding 1/16" of an inch.

But, all sarcasm aside, IT WORKED. And there was no damage done, TO ANYTHING on, in, or around that coach, frame, chassis, shocks, air bags, etc.

But, through a series of events and thought processes, we decided to change our tactics and, get a pickup for a toad. Well, that lead us to changing our way of hauling the Wing. WE did pick up a very, very nice Rampage lift for way less than 1/2 price 'cause it was used ONE TIME. I mounted that Rampage in there and, it works like a charm. The truck now carries the Wing and all is well.

I set up that Rampage to be removed in approximately 1-2 minutes and, it rolls away on a specially built cart that I made for it. That way the truck is totally useful as a truck, within minutes after we get home from a trip. PM me if you'd like pictures of this system. Good luck.
Scott

[Jerry J]

The most impressive, to me, loading system for a pickup is the LoadAll. It allows the tailgate to close when the motorcycle is not in the bed and when in use there is no load on the tailgate. It does not need a battery, wiring, pull cables, etc. It will work in short bed pickups. I saw one at a FMCA Rally and was impressed with the design.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by Jerry J

The most impressive, to me, loading system for a pickup is the LoadAll. It allows the tailgate to close when the motorcycle is not in the bed and when in use there is no load on the tailgate. It does not need a battery, wiring, pull cables, etc. It will work in short bed pickups. I saw one at a FMCA Rally and was impressed with the design.

When I setup my Rampage to be used, my tail gate is not even on the truck. I remove it prior to me installing the Rampage. Besides, the tail gate is useless anyways while the Rampage and bike are being transported so, why have them on there?
Scott

[FIRE UP]

Don't ya just love it when they NEVER get back to a question???
Scott

[Jerry J]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

When I setup my Rampage to be used, my tail gate is not even on the truck. I remove it prior to me installing the Rampage. Besides, the tail gate is useless anyways while the Rampage and bike are being transported so, why have them on there?
Scott

I liked the

LoadAll

because the tailgate can be used with the pickup after the motorcycle has been removed from the bed. Then a cover such as a Retrax can cover the bed and locked. This option for me makes the pickup more usable. Lots of options out there for bringing a motorcycle along.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by Jerry J

I liked the

because the tailgate can be used with the pickup after the motorcycle has been removed from the bed. Then a cover such as a Retrax can cover the bed and locked. This option for me makes the pickup more usable. Lots of options out there for bringing a motorcycle along.

Well,
First off, there's no way on this planet that I'd even attempt to ride my 900 lb. GL 1800 Goldwing up that ramp. For one thing, 99.99999% of the Wings out there are very, very low so, the break-over angle on that ramp would stop a Wing right as the front wheel would just get past the crest. And that would be just a bit DISASTROUS.

While I can see some uses for that lift/rack, maybe Quads, certain golf carts, maybe the smaller side-by-sides, and I guess, certain street bikes with adiquate center/ground clearance.

But, one thing, riding something heavy up a ramp like that is one thing. You still have to BACK IT BACK DOWN that ramp. In my younger years, I might have attempted things like that. But, now, no thanks, with my Rampage lift, I just push a button and the bike comes down to ground level, all by itself.

Below is what I made for that Rampage lift/carrier. It allows me to remove and or, install that Rampage in a matter of 2-3 minutes thus, allowing for full use of the truck bed when the lift is not in there.
Scott

[Jerry J]

Scott, that looks great!

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by Jerry J

Scott, that looks great!

Jerry,
Thanks very much. I made that cart right at 1/2" higher than the bed of our truck. When it comes time to load the Rampage into the bed, as stated, I remove the tail gate and store it. Then, I roll that cart up to the back of the truck and, the Rampage actually goes into the bed by about a third of the way without actually touching the bed.

I then lift my end of the Rampage which, puts the front end of it, onto the bed. At that time, my wife simply rolls the cart out of the way and, I finish pushing the Rampage, the rest of the way into the bed. The Rampage lift is outfitted with high impact plastic blocks, attached to the bottom side. That's what allows me to glide it into the bed, without any scratches.

I then bolt it down which takes me about 2-3 minutes total. Done.

When it comes time for me to remove it, the whole process is reversed, with the same amount of time and my truck is again, a regular truck, with a bed that's fully useful.
Scott

[RV Vagabond]

I am getting a Cruiserlift and they are really good about helping you determine if it will work for you. Send them all the details and they will say yes or no.