Safely and easily load a motorcycle using a single ramp 

I struggle putting my groceries in the trunk of my sedan! Thanks for making me feel useless!

Something that can't be overstated is the ability to use the slope of the road/parking lot/etc. to your advantage. If you can find even a small (4-6") dip to rest the rear wheels of your truck in it makes the slope of the ramps way less steep, it's not a huge issue when your under power but if you're pushing a dead bike it helps a ton.

The only video on YT that explains how to do this clearly and concisely. Thank you.

BAHAHA, "my KTM and I spent a lot of time at the dealer lately", best opening line ever. And the reason I did not opt for that brand, but stayed with the brand south of the Alps instead.

Everything you do is highly informative and well presented, and will make better bikers of us all. Thanks, Bret.

Ramp: "ahh finally my job lifting the bike is done" Bret: *backs down and up several times* Ramp: "AM I A JOKE TO YOU"

I appreciate the multiple angles showing your method of going up the ramp.

I'd have thought I would see Brett just ride it up the ramp! Every time I load my bike this way I wonder why I didnt buy a second ramp. Its scary.

You make it look easy. I will be like "Directed by Robert B. Weide" scene on that

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! so many other videos on this topic neglect to do into detail exactly how they add the power. i also didnt know to lean it a bit against my body, that makes a ton of sense and will help alot with my confidence. thank you again!!!

I haven t seen so much confidence in a long time. I remember how nervous I was frist time I did this! Nice teaching!

Having a second ramp that you walk up makes it much safer and easier. Plus us older guys can't do that big of a second step into the truck.

One of the most nerve-racking things I ever did was load my Ducati 749 into a truck for my first track day back in 2006. I wish I had a video like this back then. Now after more than 10 years of road racing I can load my race bikes blind folded while sleeping. ;-)

Over the years you have taught me so much ! Thank you

One point on the strapping of the ramp to the truck....very important. The odds of the ramp kicking out with both tires on it all practically zero. It is when the front tire is on the truck (off the ramp) that is when the strap saves you. With the front tire in the bed and the rear tire gets power put to it...good by ramp. It will shoot out like a watermelon seed being squeezed between your wet finger and thumb. Best bet is like what he says and at the end does. Strap the ramp, have a sturdy proper height step and do it in one continuous motion. Great video.

ill try to watch this over and over, ive been strarting to park my bike before an uphill and tonight will be my third time still having a hard time lol. excellent video! thanks!

Seeing you load that bike several times was Anxiety inducing, one day I hope to be as comfortable with mine as you are with yours's sir. Awesome Vid!!

This trick I can do. But for that old classic that hasn’t run for years, I use braced OSB 8x4 ramp. Everything goes up and down that very easily and safely. Thank you for sharing

Love the tether the ramp to the truck idea to keep it from slipping.

Legend! I love the way the randoms parking their car look over and think 'oh yeah a youtuber talking to himself with a litre bike half way up a ramp' and then continue on with their boring lives as if all is normal...

Thank you for this.. I just bought a KTM 390 Adventure and a 4'x6' swivel-wheel carrier to haul it behind my fifth-wheel camper. The floor of the swivel-wheel is 27" high and at the age of 69, I was nervous about loading. Your technique makes me feel a lot better about it.

One of the best channel on RU-vid. Great advice keep posting videos ! Greetings from UK

They sell ramps in pairs. Easier to walk up the second ramp rather than use a " step".

I remember the first video I seen ya do this !still blows my mind how easy you make it look

Your videos are always awesome. My Taco tailgate was damaged loading an 1150GS. Since then I always use a modified snowmobile ramp. Spread out load and lots of places to put my feet. Being a BMW, have not used the ramp much... 😉

brilliant video. i’m taking this for getting my bike up a small ramp into my house. similar principle except i’m sat on the bike as the doorway is too narrow. i don’t quite have the confidence to manoeuvre through such a small space without my feet tiptoeing so using the rear brake is out of the question. gaining that skill of using the front brake at the same time as the throttle/clutch will be a game changer

The power of Bret making it look easy comes from the flat cap. Great techniques for us mortals.

This guy has incredible confidence and balance. Practice.

This where practicing with a much smaller bike would help. Coordinating the throttle, brake, clutch AND you feet. For me, it's four items - Choose two. :^) I went with a three part ramp and ride the thing up. Something NOT covered in Part 1 or 2: Know your head room. I was backing my tall 650L out of the truck and misjudged the roof beam. It was an uncontrolled calamity.

As ever Bret, a solid lesson is something useful. Trouble is, I know a share of bikers who couldn't box-step onto the tailgate without a bike! A reminder that so much of 'adventure' and 'advanced' riding is about a physical competence to.

You really have a way, of making tricky and technical tasks look so easy. Thank you, hope the KTM issues stop recurring. Best of luck in the New Year.

You’re a braver man than I am. When I tried this method my tire turned and my bike turned with it causing me to need a few assistants before it would have fallen off my ramp

Thanks for showing this... Always good to get more tips and tricks

When I bought my first bike little while ago it took 4 guys and wide ramp to unload it:) non of the guys ever done it. But it is intimidating for the first time.

I'm watching this video and thinking this area looks really familiar. Then I see the clip showing the dealer behind you and realize its where I just bought my first dual sport a few months ago! Bought a used Honda CRF450L

Yes I am still "trying to figure out how you make it look so easy." I would have dropped mine 7 times reenacting shooting this video :-)

You can use a second ramp for walking up rather than a step. I'm a short ass, so a step is not an option for me.......

Brett...You have much better than average bike balance capability... I would back the truck up to that berm in the background, so that the ramp angle is as flat as possible. How about TWO ramps? One to walk on, with 1/4" plywood tie wrapped to it, to give a smooth walking surface, and another ramp for the bike as you have it. Then your body and the bike are both on the same plane, which keeps the centers of gravity in the same relative positions. So true about strapping the ramp to the tailgate! I learned that one the hard way... And if there are fore and aft water grooves in the box liner, you can put tape down into one of the grooves that lines up with the bike's ramp. That gives you a visual steering reference while backing down, without looking down and back, which throws you off balance. (Don't ask me how I know THAT one, either...) Your throttle, clutch and brake description is very helpful, Thank you.

The grip of the basket on the road is important too. Would be a disaster if the basket slides off!

Great video. I left a longer comment on part 2. Glad you touched on reinforcing the tailgate in that video. My next piece of advice. Don't try this alone the first time or two. Have a buddy as a safety spotter on the other side until you get comfortable. And it will only take a handful of times to get comfortable. Practice it several times, don't just load it and unload for the reason your are doing it and call it good. Take this time to practice while you've got another person there to assist and guide you. Actually, even if you are an expert and feel very confident, it never hurts to have another person there as a spotter, but if you are alone and need to load it, you know you have the skill and knowledge to do it. I was looking at the KTM790 as well and I'm hearing about problems and the fact that KTM isn't wanting to cover repairs under warranty. Makes me very cautious about proceeding that way.

Damn, looks so easy. As a short guy, I think I need that step to be at least half the length of the ramp.

I use a wide ATV style ramp so I don’t have to deal with the box step situation. If the angle allows, sometimes I just ride it up. There are just too many ways stepping up like that can go wrong. I understand that a lot of people load using this method. That is fine for them. Risk management is about using the safest most practical method and that would be a wide ramp in my opinion. At some point when I have my new garage rebuilt I’ll trailer it instead. Less convenient but even safer.

You are a master teacher!! I need to do this tomorrow and I am quite nervous. Thanks for the great video!

Thanks Bret! As always, very informative video's. Really appreciate the work you put in the videos to help us out.

I am a beginner, On my first try I launched it, It ended up hitting the rear of the cab, But on my 2nd time, I got it, This was a helpful tutorial, Although, What I found useful is, while backing out, Insted of front brakes, the Cluth works better, I only slightly release the clutch and let the bike crawl out of the ramp, slowly,

Thanks so much for the video, Bret! I have managed to load it an unload it 4 times without accidents, yet! Keep it going!

I'm amazed how Bret can balance a heavy motorcycle like a bicycle using his hands.

Thank you. I will definitely try this. Im nervous as my bike is quite bigger and heavier for my size... 203kg... hopefully i can make it. Looks so easy from a prof like you.... thanks again.

I bought a new Harley 30yrs ago and the company sent a kid in a ute around to deliver it to me... For a minute or two I was thinking this could be a disaster but he handled it ok with me just being there to hold the opp side...... Personally I'd fabricate a wide aluminium ramp and have the fixings good enough so as I could ride it up safely.

This is the best way to do it, thanks!

Great tutorial! Tiny bit of shade; I ride my Suzuki to the shop, wave, and keep riding.

That's a nice ramp.

Great video, always love your content and lessons! I'm surprised that you haven't covered that earlier. While on my family trip, I had argument with my dad how to do this. Instead of conventional method, what we seen here, he had an idea to just ride it up.

I just found out that I do it like a pro lol Thanks mate... brilliant content as always

Really had those folks in the parking lot wondering who you were talking to, lol.

Did that method in th 90's already while racing enduro's.Good method.Thks.

what a great video.

Thanks Bret. Great video. Now only if KTM India launches the 790/890 ADV here ASAP.

The straps preventing the ramp from sliding is great. I was starting to get worried thinking about how to prevent that myself!

Just a thought for all the cheap skates like me. I dont use a nice ramp like that and even with the bike pretty verticle like yours is as it goes up the ramp it can slide sideways on the tailgate. I use two straps that not only hold my home made ramp to the truck but hold it centered where i put it.

Great video and well taught. As usual you make it look so simple.

Your presentation is very well done. I will use our local motorcycle transport service. I'm the guy that would drop my bike. For me it's worth the money. By the way I LOVE my KTM super duke.

Stiil the best content for us, earth people ! 😅🤗

Excellent video, and with practice I could see myself actually getting ok at this, but I also know I'll eventually forgot to lift my leg enough on that second step into the box, catch my foot on the tailgate causing me to superman to the floor and then the bike will come down on top of me....I can sooooo see that happening!!!! I'm sticking with my hitch mounted rack, it's challenging enough! Still, great video for loading into a pickup bed.

Great points

`Bret ive watched several of your videos ,clearly you have never injuerd your knees or hip or back ... but if you had you never could make it look so easy.

You definitely make it look super easy, especially considering the size of your bike! Thanks

Bret, can you tell me the name of that exact milk crate/step or where you got it? Super hard to find… Awesome informative vid, by the way!

Nice and interesting video, thank you so much.

I like getting a run for it (like Evil Knievel) and coasting up the ramp.

Lmao “you stall it no big deal” me crying in kick start 😂😭

Need a link to the crate !!! The crate hack is the best part !

Very informative brilliant video, would be good if one side of the box had a protruding plate underneath it to stop it rolling forward or backward if you miss judge it, it only needs about 2” front and back. Thanks

What a great instructional video from a pro! As for the 'haters' who whine and complain about being vertically challenged or otherwise handicapped: jeez guys, so you gotta figure out another way!!! ROFL

When I bought my ramps they came in pairs. I roll or power the bike up one and walk up the other. I watched a milk crate roll on a buddy of mine, he went down, bike landed him, busted leg. Great video though, very informative.

Brett...u the man bud

thanks for your time and sharing.

Great loading/unloading skills Bret!. That ramp/bed extender that you have is pretty nice, I use 2 regular ramps, one for the bike and the other for me. Try to show some fails from time to time...so we can laugh a little...😂. Cheers.

This is a 3-part process: on the ground - on the ramp - in the truck bed. This is not easy by any measure, so do not learn it as shown in this video: loading from the pavement to 5 feet high off the ground and into a truck bed. Here's how I would do it: 1. Practice throttle/clutch control off the bike in a parking lot; 2. Add a bit of incline like a ramp up to a curb; 3. Practice control-braking after the ramping stage. Once you master those stages than you can graduate to this video. Lastly, loading it in one shot is much safer than stopping mid-way and re-starting.

Impressive. I think I’d probably drop it so I’ll try it with my daughter’s Ninja 300 first. 😂

Great instructional video. Thank you for creating.

Exactly how I load mine. I always do a walk up without the bike first to ensure my step is in the best location. It gets even a little tight and interesting when I load the 2nd bike in my little b4000 Mazda pick up.

You’re a master, Bret ✌️

I usually find some curb or slant to lower the angle when loading. Although, I always use hitch carrier.

Excellent! Teach us how to strap it down, thank you!!

Due to a back injury I have S1 nerve damage and have lost the ability to plantar flex onto my toes on my right foot. Would be a great skill to have but not possible for me to step up as you do. Great vid..

You've got skills! Amazing.

Well done you make it look easy 👍

Excellent explanation and instruction. 🙂🙂

Brilliant... really helpful!

A tri-fold ramp allows plenty of surface to just walk up with the bike. Or...you can learn this gymnastics routine.

Excellent tutorial!

Woow, you are a master!!

Best video on you tube. Ok...but lets see it done drunk....in flip flops.....in the rain....you know, real life. Thank you

YOU are a BOSS! thank you.

Nice video. I would strongly recommend better support for your tailgate. Your bike is not that heavy but I have seen so many "taco" tailgates accidents in the past with similar weight bikes. There are after market products that address this area. Personally I try not to stand too long on the tailgate either. The gates were not designed to bear so much weight of you and the bike. I carry my HD road king on a 6.5 sierra truck bed. However, the rear wheel is not directly on the gate. The way I accomplish this is by placing a 2"x10" x8' on top of 2"x14"x6.5" bolted together to the bed. This way, the weight is pushing down directly on the bed not the tailgate. It is also safter. For long trips, I use a kendon two full dresser upright trailer or a moto tote motorcycle carrier for my ducati 1198/rc51. The moto tote works great with my two gs 1200 also.

Good technique if you are 6’ and over..

I've done this a lot but never have considered it "safe". If you want safe, get a trailer and enjoys it's lower height and better angles.

Another great video! Thanks Brett

Thanks!!! great video help a lot!!!!