Moving/loading a large bike by yourself.

I'm in the process of moving/retiring form my work place and I have 4 heavy motorcycles to move as well.
And I need to be able to do it by myself. Two of my KZ's don't run. I had to take my MV back to the dealership several times and so getting it on the trailer , I would start the engine , into first gear and idle the bike up the ramp into a wheel chock. It weighs 420 lbs.
The Kawasaki not running is way too much weight and size for me .
I saw a tow truck a few years ago with one of these - so I made one out of an old wheel chock.

Works like a charm. About $400 in parts. The winch is a bit of an over kill with 4000lb pull , but it was on sale, so what the hell.

That looks good.
I had to put my un-restored 1300 in to storage a couple of years ago, and the guys who came to move it had a Medium size van with quite a high tailgate. They propped a narrow metal ramp between van and ground, with another ramp alongside for the person who was going to steer the bike to walk on. They took a bit of a run - up , one guy at the tail of the bike pushing, one steering and pushing. I could hardly bear to look, I was so sure it would end in disaster. But clearly they had done this many times before, and to my relief the Kawasaki was safely aboard the van.

Have you a decent workshop at the place you are moving to ?

I had to move 4 of my bikes (by myself unfortunately) just before the wife and I spit this was the only way I could come up with on short notice and only took pic's of the first one I moved. Balanced the bike with ratchet straps and then slowly (ever so slowly lol) got it up the ramp and then jacked up the ramp and on to the trailer.

necessity is the mother of invention as they say.

Here's a website with some pretty cool lifts. If nothing else worth having a look for ideas.
www.motorcycle-rack.com/

Watching someone else loading a heavy bike is about as stressful as doing it yourself. I do have a small workshop , that wont be heated in the winter , but will be good enough. Most people in Canada have lots of space- maybe not those in large cities who are apartment dwellers like my kids, but there still lots of empty spaces.

stocktoy wrote: I had to move 4 of my bikes (by myself unfortunately) just before the wife and I spit this was the only way I could come up with on short notice and only took pic's of the first one I moved. Balanced the bike with ratchet straps and then slowly (ever so slowly lol) got it up the ramp and then jacked up the ramp and on to the trailer.

necessity is the mother of invention as they say.

You were a brave man alright doing it that way- but it did work. At least you took the fragile bits off ( like the tank) if it did go over.
Probably like most guys our vintage , if the bike does fall over ,there is no picking it up by yourself.