Motorcycle?

ACEofSpades · Sep 2, 2012

Anyone know what companies (if any) are ok with bringing a motorcycle out in a S/T? I know some shippers wouldn't like it, but I was thinking a small motorcycle trailer (a folding one) could be the ultimate answer. I could unhook it in a matter of minutes and back into the dock. The truck's GVWR is 54 or 56k, so weight is not an issue. I have a class "A", but the trailer is less than 2k so it wouldn't matter anyway. I'm debating on coming back out, but would like a better way to spend the down time than sitting at a truck stop.

LDB · Sep 2, 2012

There was a truck at one of the shows a few years ago that had a compartment built into the custom sleeper for a motorcycle with a door on the curb side and a ramp and winch to get it in and out. You couldn't see it from the cargo box. Where are you going to put the trailer while you are bumping the dock? I doubt customers are going to want it sitting in the middle of the lot and some wouldn't have space even if they were ok with it. Maybe a rack on the front but then it's a bug catcher and may block enough airflow to cause overheating issues. In the box and a liftgate seem the only viable method and that uses floor spots. Good luck.

ACEofSpades · Sep 2, 2012

The truck does have a liftgate, but I don't want to take up 3 feet of floor space. I could work out the issues with shippers, I'm a pretty likeable person and have been know to crack jokes about the crazy stuff I do. If the shipper is absolutely not ok with it, I can D&R (drop and retrieve) it elsewhere.

Turtle · Sep 2, 2012

Carriers will have and cause more of a problem than shippers will.

But, if it's any help, I know one guy who tried it with a trailer and his straight truck, and he had to D&R when he went to most shippers and deliveries. One time he was held up at a shipper for several hours, then he ran out of hours, and by the time he went to "R" his trailer, someone else had already "R'd" it.

He got another bike and went ahead and gave up the three feet of floor space. He had a 20-foot box, though.

ACEofSpades · Sep 2, 2012

This one is 24ft, but my co-driver wants to bring his too. We are just kicking around ideas right now. I like the idea of the trailer better than putting them in the box. I'm not against putting them in the box, but I would love to have access to it on those long loaded weekends. Nothing like cruising up the Pacific Coast Highway on a bike. Keep throwing ideas at me. I appreciate any and all advice you guys give me.

Rocketman · Sep 2, 2012

Somebody on EO talked once about renting motorcycles.

ACEofSpades · Sep 2, 2012

I thought about renting, but why waste money when I can just take my own. Good idea, though and it may be the route to go at first.

Rocketman · Sep 2, 2012

ACEofSpades said:
I thought about renting, but why waste money when I can just take my own. Good idea, though and it may be the route to go at first.

I guess it is how you look at it as far as wasted money goes

I would consider the load I missed because it wouldnt fit in a box that shares a motorcycle... wasted money. I would also consider the 150,000+ miles that a team truck runs, the little bit of drag a trailer...even a small one...what that would do to my fuel mileage...a waste of money (even 2/10 of a mpg might well be more than the cost of the motorcycle).

Me personally? The first time I had unhook and rehook that trailer in 14" of snow and 3 degree weather...or in a thunderstorm on 106 degree day, it would be for sale...or free...on the spot.

Sometimes, ya just have to decide if your out here to make money in a truck or to ....vacation. You can mix the two...but ya really got to have your priorities straight.

zorry · Sep 2, 2012

Rocketman must have slept in a Holiday Inn last night. He keeps coming up with right-on answers today regardless of the topic.

ACEofSpades · Sep 2, 2012

Rocketman, you have some very valid points. Make no mistake, I'm not out for vacation, but the last time I was out I had a lot of down time. I also sat over the weekend loaded, within four hours of my house on several occasions. I have three small kids, so my wife can not make a 6 hour round trip to pick me up and again to drop me off. It's just an effort to pass the time and maybe get home more. I may not even worry about it, it's just an idea right now.

LDB · Sep 2, 2012

After thinking about it more a carrier on the front wouldn't work as it would put you over the 40' limit. A trailer, besides the security issues, is going to cause HOS problems at some point, the question being when not if.

Giving up box space may cost a bit of money now and then. That loss is probably offset by the added expense of the extra fuel to pull the trailer and the tires etc. for it. If you are serious enough you can install a door at the front curb side and get a folding ramp so you could unload bike(s) even when loaded with freight.

Rocketman · Sep 2, 2012

zorry said:
Rocketman must have slept in a Holiday Inn last night. He keeps coming up with right-on answers today regardless of the topic.

I'll be loaded (with freight

) in a couple hours. I'll go away for a while then

.

Rocketman · Sep 2, 2012

ACEofSpades said:
Rocketman, you have some very valid points. Make no mistake, I'm not out for vacation, but the last time I was out I had a lot of down time. I also sat over the weekend loaded, within four hours of my house on several occasions. I have three small kids, so my wife can not make a 6 hour round trip to pick me up and again to drop me off. It's just an effort to pass the time and maybe get home more. I may not even worry about it, it's just an idea right now.

That post is a bit stronger than actually intended, but the facts are there. Its a trade off somewhere. There is nothing wrong with sacrificing profitability for liesure...as long as you understand and can knowingly afford that sacrifice.

I have some relaitves that always, always kept a nice shiny, relatively new ski boat. It was their pride and joy. It never made sense to me being that the nearest lake that you could float the behemoth was about 100 miles away. They usually made the trip 2 or 3 times a year. Then...life happened. The money wasnt as easy to come by anymore. That boat got really expensive, really fast. One of them told me one day " man, it just doesn't make sense to keep a boat these days, we can rent one 2 or 3 times a year a lot cheaper than we can own one!". It's just amazing what ya can learn when the chips are really down.

ACEofSpades · Sep 2, 2012

Being a team driven truck will pretty much eliminate HOS problems. I can hook/ unhook a trailer in a matter of minutes anyway, especially one that light. Still, you guys have a lot of good points. I can't modify the truck at all......it doesn't belong to me. The owner is pretty cool about things, though. He used to carry his bike around too.

ACEofSpades · Sep 2, 2012

Rocketman said:
That post is a bit stronger than actually intended, but the facts are there. Its a trade off somewhere. There is nothing wrong with sacrificing profitability for liesure...as long as you understand and can knowingly afford that sacrifice.

I have some relaitves that always, always kept a nice shiny, relatively new ski boat. It was their pride and joy. It never made sense to me being that the nearest lake that you could float the behemoth was about 100 miles away. They usually made the trip 2 or 3 times a year. Then...life happened. The money wasnt as easy to come by anymore. That boat got really expensive, really fast. One of them told me one day " man, it just doesn't make sense to keep a boat these days, we can rent one 2 or 3 times a year a lot cheaper than we can own one!". It's just amazing what ya can learn when the chips are really down.

No doubt. I wouldn't even consider it unless I knew it would not be a huge issue and felt I would actually use it. That's why I'm asking you guys. I've been off the road since January 2010, but there were countless times before when I could have went home if I had a motorcycle with me. I knew what you were saying in that post and that you were not trying to be a butt. I didn't take anything from it except the words of someone who is more than likely way more experienced than me who is just trying to help. Thanks for your advice and feel free to continue adding to it.

Rocketman · Sep 2, 2012

The solution...for me....would be to rent a car on the occassions like you mentioned being close to home. The times where you just want to ride a bike...try to rent one. I dont know how available the bikes are....a car should be pretty easy to find. In short, I would spend my time finding affordable rental options.

zorry · Sep 2, 2012

We've had some pretty low cost car rentals. Airports have weekend sales. I think Dulles gave us an Impala for $33 for the weekend unlimited free miles.
We find our Fedex uniform brings out the best of people.
A Post Office guy showed my wife how to ship something about 40% cheaper even though in his words we "work for the competition."
My wife seems to get more generous deals than I usually get offered. :0(

Rocketman · Sep 2, 2012

zorry said:
We've had some pretty low cost car rentals. Airports have weekend sales. I think Dulles gave us an Impala for $33 for the weekend unlimited free miles.
We find our Fedex uniform brings out the best of people.
A Post Office guy showed my wife how to ship something about 40% cheaper even though in his words we "work for the competition."
My wife seems to get more generous deals than I usually get offered. :0(

I rented a car once in Houston when I was a company driver...truck was down for a week. I had to get a cab ride to the airport where the rentals were. The cabbie told me where he rented cars. He was getting great rates, like you mentioned. He basicly just kept a rental in the driveway the way he talked. Said he had a dodge charger at the time. Of course, I forgot the name of the rental company as soon as he dropped me off. Ive found there are a lot of options and resources available to us out here.