laimeduck Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 How do you load your scooter or motorbike into your motorhome garage? I am looking for ideas so would welcome your descriptions of how you do it. Our set up at present is a ramp that fixes to the garage floor and we push the bike up backwards into the garage. (Has to be backwards to clear the handlebars) I hold the handlebars and can control the bike using the front brake. The bike can be inched up the ramp by manually turning the front wheel. I am considering fitting a DIY ratchet winch rated about 300Kg, with a pulley so we don't have to push it up the ramp for the first part. (Or an electric winch? but I want to keep things as simple as possible) The winch would be at the ramp end of the garage, hence the pulley I have done the above pushing procedure several times on my own and with thought & planning it's OK. However neither my wife nor I are getting any younger, & I'm looking to the future! The bike is a Sachs MadAss 125, about 105Kg wet. Thanks Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 How about a simple winch powered by a cordless drill? Like this... https://www.amazon.co.uk/WARN-101575-Handheld-Portable-Synthetic/dp/B082N5QL9H?th=1 Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 4, 2023 Author Share Posted February 4, 2023 26 minutes ago, Keithl said: How about a simple winch powered by a cordless drill? Like this... https://www.amazon.co.uk/WARN-101575-Handheld-Portable-Synthetic/dp/B082N5QL9H?th=1 Keith. Thanks Keith but no thanks! I can't get a sensible price for this on Amazon as I am in Spain but it looks like it's around £200-300! And I would have to have a hand drill plus charger etc in the van I can get a hand winch for £17.00! Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 Thinking out loud, if you want it as a one man operation then a electric winch with remote might be the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 Haven't given this a lot of thought - but - doesn't a winch need to be anchored to something ? 🙂 ( I suppose it depends on the weight that you are trying to pull ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deffheads Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 2 hours ago, laimeduck said: How do you load your scooter or motorbike into your motorhome garage? I am looking for ideas so would welcome your descriptions of how you do it. Our set up at present is a ramp that fixes to the garage floor and we push the bike up backwards into the garage. (Has to be backwards to clear the handlebars) I hold the handlebars and can control the bike using the front brake. The bike can be inched up the ramp by manually turning the front wheel. I am considering fitting a DIY ratchet winch rated about 300Kg, with a pulley so we don't have to push it up the ramp for the first part. (Or an electric winch? but I want to keep things as simple as possible) The winch would be at the ramp end of the garage, hence the pulley I have done the above pushing procedure several times on my own and with thought & planning it's OK. However neither my wife nor I are getting any younger, & I'm looking to the future! The bike is a Sachs MadAss 125, about 105Kg wet. Thanks Jeremy If the handlebars fit in backwards why don't they fit forwards? Our Vespa 300 GTs goes in forwards under its own power into a wheel clamp no probs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 4, 2023 Author Share Posted February 4, 2023 14 minutes ago, Deffheads said: If the handlebars fit in backwards why don't they fit forwards? Our Vespa 300 GTs goes in forwards under its own power into a wheel clamp no probs. It's the angle of the ramp - pure geometry! Going in backwards, the bike is more or less level when the handlebars reach the opening. Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmac Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 Hi, I have two home made ramps to load my Innova into my motorhome . Aluminum channel 4” wide 4” deep 6ft long and can be joined together to make a 12ft ramp. I usually use just one but if the rear is high use both to give a shallower angle. Once the front wheel is in the channel it goes straight so I can just push from behind. There is a channel across the garage floor to keep the wheel in line. If you could make yourself a second ramp and link the two together perhaps with the top one at a flatter angle you would be able to put the bike in front wheel first. Regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 5, 2023 Author Share Posted February 5, 2023 21 minutes ago, davidmac said: Hi, I have two home made ramps to load my Innova into my motorhome . Aluminum channel 4” wide 4” deep 6ft long and can be joined together to make a 12ft ramp. I usually use just one but if the rear is high use both to give a shallower angle. Once the front wheel is in the channel it goes straight so I can just push from behind. There is a channel across the garage floor to keep the wheel in line. If you could make yourself a second ramp and link the two together perhaps with the top one at a flatter angle you would be able to put the bike in front wheel first. Regards David Thanks David - that's useful info. I could possibly link two channels and make the angle shallower. I'll look at that - it would help with pushing, (I have one 6' Ali channel) especially as you say when the ground is higher. I have also made 2 channels bolted to the garage floor which guide the wheels I do however have a problem in that the Truma boiler cupboard projects into the garage on the side opposite the loading ramp and the handlebars would foul that. So it's pushing it in backwards or nothing! Or with a hand powered ratchet winch. I do not understand how Deffheads uses the motor to drive the bike in? I have about 40mm clearance between the roof and the handlebars so the bike controls would not be accessible? Thanks Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmac Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 Hi how much do the handlebars foul the heater by. I had a Yamaha ybr that would not go in the garage because the bars were too high but I loosened off the bracket and twisted the bars down, that solved the problem. With the Innova I have to take the mirrors off to get it in. Regards David Looking at a photo of your SACHS it seems to have conventional handlebar mounts, would it be possible to take the bars off and miss the heater boxing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinM50 Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 Machine Mart have a fairly inexpensive lecky winch which looks like it would do the job. And the winch doesn't have to be directly in line, you can use a simple wire rope system using pulley to guide it where you want the bike to end up. https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/warrior-ninja-907kg-12v-dc-steel-rope-winch/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 5, 2023 Author Share Posted February 5, 2023 2 hours ago, davidmac said: Hi how much do the handlebars foul the heater by. I had a Yamaha ybr that would not go in the garage because the bars were too high but I loosened off the bracket and twisted the bars down, that solved the problem. With the Innova I have to take the mirrors off to get it in. Regards David Looking at a photo of your SACHS it seems to have conventional handlebar mounts, would it be possible to take the bars off and miss the heater boxing David Thanks for your positive suggestions. I do take the handlebars off the mounts and have made some very short "transit" mounts from PTFE board (an old chopping board!). I can rotate the bars a small amount as well. I have permanently removed the tall mirrors and have "end of handlebar" round mirrors. I simply cannot make the bike any lower now. I have purposely aligned the bike as close to the front end of the garage so that the weight is as near the rear axle as possible. I also carry 2 fold up electric bikes in the garage and I would have to alter all that to push the bike in to miss the heater box. So rather than re- invent the wheel I think I'll stick with pushing or winching it up backwards. Now all I've got to do is figure out a mount for the ratchet winch! Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 5, 2023 Author Share Posted February 5, 2023 25 minutes ago, ColinM50 said: Machine Mart have a fairly inexpensive lecky winch which looks like it would do the job. And the winch doesn't have to be directly in line, you can use a simple wire rope system using pulley to guide it where you want the bike to end up. https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/warrior-ninja-907kg-12v-dc-steel-rope-winch/ Thanks Colin - good find. This would do the job at a reasonable price if I decide to go electric! At 7.5 Kg it may have give way to the hand winch though? Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 Hi Jeremy, This may help, Rough sketch of a scooter loading frame Three pulleys, some 1" or 1/2 " box iron and 12v winch or hand winch and of course anchor bolts One leg full width to the door for the winch other leg need not be as long Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 5, 2023 Author Share Posted February 5, 2023 54 minutes ago, onecal said: Hi Jeremy, This may help, Rough sketch of a scooter loading frame Three pulleys, some 1" or 1/2 " box iron and 12v winch or hand winch and of course anchor bolts One leg full width to the door for the winch other leg need not be as long Enjoy Onecal hi Thanks that's excellent! I love the fact you've got a MadAss on the ramp! My garage has an Ali plate floor so I can bolt the winch to that. Do you think I need to raise the last pulley on a post, or would it work at floor level? Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 Hi Jeremy, Your choice of course but we have found the post to work very well as you can hang the towing hook over the door when not in use and gives very good clearance of the motorhome door bottom when towing up the ramp Again totally your choice and very easily made and not so expensive . Makes loading so easy Main thing is to enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboyprowler Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 This is fitted into the garage of our Niesmann and does the job! I think a winch would also work with the ramp and our Piaggio slips in a treat! Artisan Motorcycle Carrier - Autocaravanes Segarra (autocaravanasegarra.com) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 6, 2023 Author Share Posted February 6, 2023 Onecal I have just loaded the MadAss into the garage today as we move from Caceres tomorrow. I eyeballed the angle of the tow rope position and think I can get away with anchoring the final pulley to the garage floor. The tow rope will sit in the u shapped Ali ramp for a very short time at the start of the pull and will then be clear. Thanks again Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Hi Jeremy, Yes it works for you that the main objective A few I have made for friends we used the 1" post and pully on top as quite a few wanted to reverse their small bike into the garage This gave them a more stable pull into the garage when operating on their own up the ramp (or so they tell me) Glad the lower idea works for you and you can get it in and out safely without much effort The main thing is to enjoy Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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