You have bought your first dirt bike. However, you never figured out how to transport it to your home. Your truck bed is not a large one; perhaps you can easily classify it as a short bed. The question pops up. Will a dirt bike fit in a short bed?
Before answering the question, let’s see what the specifications of a typical dirt bike and a truck bed are. What are the methods of loading a dirt bike in a truck bed, and finally, answer the first question?
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Specifications of a Typical Dirt Bike
Typically, these four parameters of a dirt bike hold the utmost importance:
- Seat Height-The average seat height of an adult dirt bike ranges from 21.9 inches to 37.8 inches.
- Length of a Dirt Bike-The average dirt bike length is 85.7 inches or 7 feet approximately.
- Width of a Dirt Bike-The average width of an adult dirt bike ranges between 2.5 feet to 3 feet.
- Weight of a Dirt Bike– An average adult dirt bike weighs between 200-252 lbs, which is equal to 90kgs to 114 kgs.
These specifications mean that handling a dirt bike can be tiresome. The process of transportation can be rigorous and will need specific vehicles.
However, we need to solve the problem of transporting it in a short bed truck, so let’s see a typical truck bed specifications.
Specifications of a Typical Truck Bed
On the basis of bed size, trucks can be classified as:
- Short Bed Trucks- These trucks usually have bed lengths ranging from 72 to 82 inches and a width of 60 to 72 inches.
- Long Bed Trucks- These trucks typically have bed lengths of about 100 inches with the same width as a short bed truck (The width of the vehicle is similar in most cases)
A dirt bike can easily fit into a long bed truck However, when it comes to a short bed, you may face some problems, so before addressing the issues, let’s have a look at how to load a dirt bike on a truck.
How to Load a Dirt Bike in a Truck Bed?
Loading a dirt bike in a truck bed may seem easy, but it has its own set of challenges. You cannot lift it up and put it inside the truck bed like any other item. Remember, the typical dirt bike weighs at least 90 kgs? So yeah. There’s some assistance you will need.
- A ramp is an absolute necessity.
- Elastic straps with buckles to secure the dirt bike in the truck bed.
- A stand to step up as you are running the dirt bike on the ramp.
- Another person to lift you in case you stumble.
The Loading Process
The loading process has the following steps:
- Opening the Tailgate-Open the tailgate of the truck to start the loading process.
- Set Up the Straps-Buckle up one strap at the front side of the truck bed and one on the back side of the truck bed.
- Putting the Ramp Against the Tailgate-Set the ramp against the tailgate of the truck so that there’s no gap between the two.
- Setting Up the Stand- Beside the ramp, set up a stool or a stand on which you can step up while the bike runs on the ramp.
- Taking the Bike Up the Ramp- Gear up the dirt bike around 25 feet far from the truck, and run it with momentum towards the ramp, stepping up on the stand and finally parking it on the truck bed.
- Secure the Dirt Bike With the Straps- Once the bike is up in the truck bed, secure it from the front and the backside with the straps you have already set up.
What to Do When There’s No Ramp or Stand?
If you don’t have a ramp or a stand, there’s still a solution to the loading problem. Find a steep place to park your truck against it.
When you park your truck on a sloped surface, your tailgate automatically aligns with the ground. You can follow the other steps and load the dirt bike into the truck bed.
However, finding a sloped surface can be challenging, but you need to face the challenge to get your dirt bike home
The loading process can be carried out single-handedly, but having someone’s assistance can be important in case you lose balance.
Another way to do this process is to set up two ramps, one for the dirt bike and the other for you to get up the truck bed. However, the storage of two ramps can become a hassle if you need to load the dirt bike for any later adventure.
There may be times when the process isn’t as smooth as stated. So let’s see what the potential problems with the loading process of a dirt bike are.
Loading a Dirt Bike: What Can Go Wrong?
There are some potential problems with the process of loading a dirt bike into the truck bed. Some of them are:
- The Ramp Gets Displaced- The ramp you choose should be heavy enough not to get displaced when you take your bike up on it. If it is not heavy enough, there’s a fair chance of the dirt bike slipping off from the ramp, causing damage.
- Dirt Bike’s Momentum- The momentum of the bike should be under control or else it would end up in a flipping down accident.
- You Miss the Stand- While most of the people prefer a stand over two ramps, it can cause a slip if you haven’t calculated your move.
- The Dirt Bike Did Not Park Safely- In rare situations, the straps may not secure the dirtbike inside the truck bed, and a bump on the road to your home may cause a serious havoc in the rear part of your truck. Make sure to secure the dirt bike in its place.
- Lack of Space-This is the most common problem one can face while loading a dirt bike. Even after you carried out the whole process carefully, your dirt bike doesn’t fit in the truck bed.
There are two ways to fix the problem. The first one is to park the bike diagonally. The second one is to turn the front fork towards the bike’s body.
Now that we have covered all the details of loading a dirt bike on a truck bed let’s answer the initial question. Will a dirt bike fit in a short bed?
The answer is yes.
A standard dirt bike will fit in a short-bed truck if you park it diagonally.
You can even fit two dirt bikes inside a short bed by loading them on the bed, on opposite sides.
Secure them to either side of the truck bed using elastic straps and moving the front forks of each bike towards each other.
If you have solved the problem of loading a bike, you can use the dirt bike’s moving parts to fit it in the short bed.
