Transporting a newly purchased motorcycle....

Gents,
I have pretty much decided a VFR is going to be my next motorcycle and am starting to look around a bit more seriously with the riding weather in Michigan coming to a close. I have to say this forum has swayed my decision a bit because by and large there is nothing but tall praise for all generations of VFR and I indentify well with all the great members on this forum....some of whom wrote eloquently about Sport and Sport Touring in a recent thread.
So it will be whether I want an older Viffer...possibly even pre V-tech...have a line on a nice low miles red one...or the new RWB 25th '07 model which gives me...well you know. :wink:
Both motorycles...new or used are within say a 100-200 mile driving radius of my home. I am not big into sight unseen motorcycle purchasing and why I choose this radius...go there...make sure it is right...then figure out how to get it home. It is getting damn cold and rainy in Michigan these days so if I buy this winter, transporting...but not shipping the bike will be my best strategy I believe to get it home.

U-haul rents motorcycle trailers for only $15 a day...good deal...but I don't own a pick up truck and my cars don't have a trailer hitch. I have a buddy with a truck who would likely pull the trailer but I really don't want to put miles on his truck if there is an alternative. So my thought is....why not rent a U-haul truck?...as in a short moving truck variety for the ride out to pick up a bike? Anybody ever do this? Can a moving truck be outfitted with a tire block and tie downs etc to transport a motorcycle? It would also be enclosed which is a good thing if the weather is bad. I guess the other approach would be to rent a U-haul truck and simply pull a motorcycle trailer for only another 15 bux...would only be a half a day drive there and back. What do you guys think?
Thanks,
George

 

I drove 10 hours each way to pick up my bike (we made a mini vacation out of it). I used a bike trailer behind a Expedition. I don't have that much experience with UHaul vans or box trucks. I used them to move a time or two but I cant recall if they're equiped with tie down points or not. If I was going to utilize a truck like that I would find a way to use a tire block and also rig something to use as a "Rail" to keep the bike from jumping from side to side. I once hauled a friends bike on a utility trailer and screwed a 2x4 on each side of the tires to the trailer floor. If those trucks have a wood floor that may be an option. I also like canyon dancer straps that keep the tie downs off your plastic but opinions in this forum vary on those. Good luck on your quest for the VFR. I'm sure you'll love it.

 

U-Hauls actually make wonderful motorcycle haulers thanks to the built in ramps and low decks. I typically just ride a bike up in one, lean it against the wall, and tie it to the wall with ratchet straps and ropes, never had a problem.
There's two caveats with U-Hauls:

1: They tend to get expensive in a hurry once you got past 50 miles or so.

2: The ramp is a tad on the narrow side, it's not problem riding UP it but duck walking back off it may require supplementary ramps to place your feet on.

ETA: It's a small investment to have a tow hitch put on your car, and anything with 6 cylinders or more can easily handle motorcycle hauling duty.

 

Just curious, where in MI are ya?

I just recently picked my new 07 up and rode it home, but it was still in the 50s a month ago

A Uhaul with ramps or even a bigger one with lift gate would work fine. you can always nail down a board after the bike is in place to act as a wheel chock and then pull them up when you get home.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys. Thought there may have been some transport of new or used VFR's on here.
Hawk, I am in a northern suburb of Detroit. I am conflicted which bike to buy. Where did you purchase yours incidentally?
I have a line on a 1998 pre-Vtech red Viffer and there is a dealer in OH about 100 miles from my house that has a couple of RWB '07 non ABS bikes in stock for $9600 or so. There are a couple of others out there but that seems to be my choices right now. The
'98 VFR only has 8K miles on it and is mint so for about half the price I am leaning that way. I am not that plussed about V-tech as some are but not having it doesn't bother me either.:smile:
The new RWB bike is gorgeous though but also love the solid Italian red...so am gonna have to decide. I know there are a few RWB bikes on here and everybody seems to love their '98/99 bikes...'98 being first year for EFI and a few other changes.
I might simply rent a U haul trailer and ask my buddy to pull it...make a road trip out of it.

Does anybody have a picture of the best way to tie down a VFR without scratching it?
Thanks again,
George

 

I too am in a northern suburb of Detroit. I shopped around. I wanted a new, red, 07' with ABS. By far the best deal I was able to get was from Honda East in Toledo, OH. They were a great dealer to work with.

 

Hawk...will send you a PM.
Thanks,
George

 

http://www.canyondancer.com/

Canyon dancer on the front, couple of ratcheting tie downs. Tie downs on the rear pegs and you're set.

The bar harness can be bought at pretty much any bike shop.

 

My brother and I hauled a GSX-R 750 from San Diego to Vermont in an enclosed U-Haul trailer, used the bar-end tie downs with great sucess. I've also put a bike in the back of a 17' U-Haul, that worked just as well.

 

borrow a pick-up or convince your truck friend to come with you.

back up to a ditch or berm with the tailgate down and ride the bike onto the back without worring about tipping over on a ramp.

compress the front suspension evenly with your tie-downs. I would not have the bike on the kick stand or center stand.