How to load your Buddy on a pickup truck

snoozy · Post by **snoozy** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 6:16 pm

Best way is to find some sort of a hill or incline or a porch, such as we have at our house:

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I use a solid core door blank from a bifold door as a ramp, but you'll have to find what works for you.

You'll need those annoying strap-type tie-downs, because they really grip and can be winched down well. The front strap loops from the right front corner tiedown ring on the truck bed floor, across the front of the bike and through the center well, keeping above the doohickey container (can't remember the technical term for the shelf thingee), then around the front of the bike to the left front corner tiedown ring on the truck bed floor. Get it firm but not all the way tight -- you'll tighten it fully when the other strap is put on.

Next you take your second strap and run it from the right front corner tiedown on the wall of the truckbed (although you could also use the same one on the floor, if you have room), and go through the center well and under the seat to the passenger grabrail. (Again, I'm forgetting the technical names for these parts.)

Do a loop-di-loo around the grabrail:

Watch out for your propeller....

Tighten it all down nicely. You will find that this method will hold your Buddy rock solid.

still shifting · Post by **still shifting** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 6:57 pm

Your propeller is too funny! A great addition! R

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 7:29 pm

You're putting a lot of faith in plastic body parts, both the front nose cover and the rear grab handle. One good overstress might crack the parts, loosening the straps, and letting the bike fall down.

It might be prudent to wrap the front bars using something like a Canyon Dancer, then tie down the back at/around the rear shock.

MYSCTR · Post by **MYSCTR** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:46 pm

Yep, call me picky yet I would not haul any Buddy without a Canyon Dancer with ratchet or tension tie downs.

Besides possibly breaking tabs or body panels, the straps may mess up the plastics finish by rubbing while traveling.

Smart move on loading - that is a great trick!

JohnKiniston · Post by **JohnKiniston** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:58 pm

+1 on the Canyon Dancer, I own more than one of them and use them for every bike I move.

Stupid trick, If you don't care about the way your truck looks so much, The tail gate can double as a ramp if you pull it off the bed and lay it between the ground and the bed vertically.

snoozy · Post by **snoozy** » Thu Apr 09, 2015 4:35 am

Well, this method has worked well for me from Idaho to Poulsbo to Whidbey and Orcas.

sunshinen · Post by **sunshinen** » Thu Apr 09, 2015 4:43 am

There's more than one way to skin a cat.

I've moved mine several times without a Canyon Dancer and never had a problem.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 3:12 am

JohnKiniston wrote:+1 on the Canyon Dancer, I own more than one of them and use them for every bike I move.

Stupid trick, If you don't care about the way your truck looks so much, The tail gate can double as a ramp if you pull it off the bed and lay it between the ground and the bed vertically.

That's a great idea!

snoozy · Post by **snoozy** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 2:44 pm

That would be a rather short ramp -- also, it would have to be a truck tailgate you don't care about getting scratched.

az_slynch · Post by **az_slynch** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 4:12 pm

snoozy wrote:That would be a rather short ramp -- also, it would have to be a truck tailgate you don't care about getting scratched.

It works. We've used it many times before we got smart and bought a folding ramp.

And yes, the truck in question is an ugly POS that's been driven into at least a half-dozen times, so a few scratches on the tailgate hasn't an issue.

I use a folding ramp and park my truck off the curb in my cul-de-sac; it gives me a 4" leg-up and makes the ramp angle much shallower.

One related tip: if using a Canyon dancer or strap loops to tie the bike down by the handlebars, , slip a (clean) old sock or two over the grip first; it'll help protect the grip from shearing damage.

JohnKiniston · Post by **JohnKiniston** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 6:36 pm

az_slynch wrote: And yes, the truck in question is an ugly POS that's been driven into at least a half-dozen times, so a few scratches on the tailgate hasn't an issue.

Ugly Yes, POS? Nah!

I didn't have the last bike tied down well enough and it moved on me...

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Sat Apr 11, 2015 11:23 am

At rallies there have been plenty of times where 3 or 4 of us just went around and picked up scooters and put them in the beds of trucks.

ScooterDave · Post by **ScooterDave** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 12:02 am

Well Snoozy, thanks for the advice but, that is the LAST way I would ever haul a Buddy.

For scooters like the Buddy or any of the modern Vespa's, the only SAFE way to transport one without body damage is with a canyon dancer and ratchet straps.

As far as you using carabiners as anchors... Seriously dude???? I have hauled many many many bikes in my day and I would never haul a bike like this for someone I did not like.

Dave
- Anxiously awaiting the next "How-To"

p.s. If I sound sarcastic, I am. Anyone following your advice will seriously damage their bike and run a good risk of injuring themselves.

wheelbender6 · Post by **wheelbender6** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 2:45 pm

“Ugly Yes, POS? Nah!”

Drive and park a brand new F-150 in Houston for a months and it will soon be in similar in appearance.

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 11:30 am

Wheel chocks in the bed also help a great deal. They don't have to be anything fancy. You can make some out of wood for like $10

kmrcstintn · Post by **kmrcstintn** » Wed May 06, 2015 1:13 am

personally I have an suv so I invested in a Versa Haul hitch mounted carrier which has served me well over the last 6 years

found these 2 videos...modify strap down methods to suit yer needs

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kKlVC-pfbC0

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kKlVC-pfbC0

KrispyKreme · Post by **KrispyKreme** » Wed May 06, 2015 3:05 am

ScooterDave wrote:Well Snoozy, thanks for the advice but, that is the LAST way I would ever haul a Buddy.

For scooters like the Buddy or any of the modern Vespa's, the only SAFE way to transport one without body damage is with a canyon dancer and ratchet straps.

As far as you using carabiners as anchors... Seriously dude???? I have hauled many many many bikes in my day and I would never haul a bike like this for someone I did not like.

Dave
- Anxiously awaiting the next "How-To"

p.s. If I sound sarcastic, I am. Anyone following your advice will seriously damage their bike and run a good risk of injuring themselves.

................Edit

KrispyKreme · Post by **KrispyKreme** » Wed May 06, 2015 3:05 am

....................edit

KrispyKreme · Post by **KrispyKreme** » Wed May 06, 2015 3:08 am

ScooterDave wrote:Well Snoozy, thanks for the advice but, that is the LAST way I would ever haul a Buddy.

For scooters like the Buddy or any of the modern Vespa's, the only SAFE way to transport one without body damage is with a canyon dancer and ratchet straps.

As far as you using carabiners as anchors... Seriously dude???? I have hauled many many many bikes in my day and I would never haul a bike like this for someone I did not like.

Dave
- Anxiously awaiting the next "How-To"

p.s. If I sound sarcastic, I am. Anyone following your advice will seriously damage their bike and run a good risk of injuring themselves.

Good stuff. You could be nicer. Otherwise you give good advice. -Cool cat.

Neurotic-Hapi-Snak · Post by **Neurotic-Hapi-Snak** » Wed May 06, 2015 4:09 am

BuddyRaton wrote:Wheel chocks in the bed also help a great deal. They don't have to be anything fancy. You can make some out of wood for like $10

I made this in about a half an hour with scrap wood I had laying about.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Sat May 09, 2015 1:55 am

BuddyRaton wrote:At rallies there have been plenty of times where 3 or 4 of us

....Feel free to enter ANY phrase you like after these words

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Sat May 09, 2015 5:46 am

BuddyRaton wrote:At rallies there have been plenty of times where 3 or 4 of us jumped on a P and rode around naked.

That what you're thinking of?

az_slynch · Post by **az_slynch** » Sat May 09, 2015 6:13 am

...put someone's P in the outhouse/portajohn.

...covered someone's P in free-range cow dung.

Been to those kinda rallies. And they wonder why I won't stay overnight...

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Sat May 09, 2015 4:46 pm

KrispyKreme wrote:Good stuff. You could be nicer. Otherwise you give good advice.

I don't think Dave goes for nice (in fact, I think he likes shock effect)

. On the other hand, he has been around the block a few times and knows what he is talking about.

Raputtak · Post by **Raputtak** » Sat May 23, 2015 3:34 pm

I use a VersaHaul rack in the trailer hitch. An MV member suggested I use tie-downs from the ends of the rack, over the tailgate, to points inside the bed. This removes/reduces any torsional stress on the hitch. Important for the GTS which weighs 350 pounds and is rather ass-heavy.

I then use a Canyon Dancer and two tie-downs for the handle bars and two more tie-downs at the rear. Finally, I use one more tie0down from the rear rack to the truck to prevent the machine from falling off. (See my thread about the death of my Stella).

ScooterDave · Post by **ScooterDave** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 5:24 pm

Dooglas wrote:
KrispyKreme wrote:Good stuff. You could be nicer. Otherwise you give good advice.
I don't think Dave goes for nice (in fact, I think he likes shock effect) . On the other hand, he has been around the block a few times and knows what he is talking about.

I thought I was nice.

Slam · Post by **Slam** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 6:52 pm

I rented the UHaul motorcycle trailer this weekend. It was pretty simple - just fifteen bucks a day and I bought 4 wrachet tie-downs and a canyon dancer. It was easy to tow and secure the Buddy. That said, I want something that I don't have to rent.

I bought a motorcycle hauler from Walmart that attaches to the tow hitch. It felt solid, but I didn't realize it was designed for dirt bikes. The ramp to load/unload the bike was at a steep angle, and the platform that the scooter sits on has large gaps that the wheels are designed to sink into. The gaps made it really tough to load the bike by myself, so I took it back and got a similar hauler from Harbor Freight. That one had a somewhat better platform and ramp, but the Buddy would just get stuck in the gaps and I needed some help getting it unloaded. Bummer.

I looked online at the versahaul and the tilt-a-rack. Can anyone confirm those are designed to be loaded/unloaded by one person? Also, does anyone have a recommendation on a somewhat inexpensive trailer? If I get one, where can I get one of those channels with the wheel chock at the end that I've seen posted here?

Any other suggestions (and yes, my first choice is always to ride it wherever I'm going)?

az_slynch · Post by **az_slynch** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 8:46 pm

Slam wrote:I looked online at the versahaul and the tilt-a-rack. Can anyone confirm those are designed to be loaded/unloaded by one person? Also, does anyone have a recommendation on a somewhat inexpensive trailer? If I get one, where can I get one of those channels with the wheel chock at the end that I've seen posted here?

Any other suggestions (and yes, my first choice is always to ride it wherever I'm going)?

Howardr has one of these. I've used it a bit recently and I have a good impression from it:

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Widow-Hitch ... B00WFIJ362

I like the flip-chock that engages once the wheel is pushed over it. It's easy to load a scooter on, and will haul bigger bikes (had an '80 Suzuki GS750L on it last night) with minimal trouble.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 3:22 am

I have a MotoTote and I have loaded everything from an SYM Fiddle II (little bigger than a Buddy) to a Piaggio BV350, all 400lbs of it. Actually I asked for some help unloading the BV350 because the back tire barely fit and was wedged in there pretty tight.

If your house is higher than the street like many are, park your truck in the street with the ramp into the driveway. The truck will be lower and the ramp angle decreased, possibly considerably.

Slam · Post by **Slam** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 4:14 pm

Thanks for those suggestions. They both sound like good options. I wish the Black Widow one were a little lighter. It's listed at 98 pounds on their website. This would put the tongue weight right around 350 pounds, which is the max on my Jeep.

az_slynch · Post by **az_slynch** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 6:13 pm

Slam wrote:Thanks for those suggestions. They both sound like good options. I wish the Black Widow one were a little lighter. It's listed at 98 pounds on their website. This would put the tongue weight right around 350 pounds, which is the max on my Jeep.

I'm not quite sold on the listed weight. I was able to install and remove it from my truck by myself. As for adding the 512+ pound Suzuki on top of that, I needed some help.

Modern Buddy

How to load your Buddy on a pickup truck

How to load your Buddy on a pickup truck

OUCH!