When you're a new motorcycle rider, it's fun to spend time picking out your helmet and the apparel you'll wear on the road. It's also important to think about how you'll transport the bike when you don't want to get behind the controls. Loading your motorcycle into a pickup truck is arguably the best way to move it around, but you'll also need some gear to make this transportation method a reality. The main tool you'll use for loading the bike into the truck is a motorcycle ramp. These ramps are available in several styles, but all share the common design of allowing you to walk the bike off the road and into the truck's bed. Here are some other essential gear for this job.

A Second Ramp

A pair of ramps is necessary if you're loading an all-terrain vehicle into a truck, but it's a smart investment to get a second ramp for loading your motorcycle, too. Loading a motorcycle with just a single ramp can be difficult -- it's not prudent to ride the bike up the ramp, so you'll find yourself standing on the ground and trying to push the bike up the slope. This can not only strain your back, but make the bike difficult to control. With a second ramp positioned next to the main ramp, you'll be able to easily walk up the second ramp as you load the bike.

Wheel Chock

You can't simply set the bike on its kickstand when it's in the bed of the truck, so a wheel chock becomes a necessary part of the gear you'll need. Wheel chocks have several different designs, but all are built to fit snugly around the front tire of the motorcycle to hold the entire bike in place. Wheel chocks are mounted to the bed of your truck to ensure that the bike won't move as you drive.

Tie-Down Straps

A handful of tie-down straps will further prevent your bike from budging as it rides in the truck bed. You can wrap a tie-down strap around the bike's frame or rear wheel, as well as any other places to keep the bike secure, and then attach the ends of the straps to the anchors along the sides of your truck bed. Ratchet-style tie-down straps are ideal because you can wrap them around the bike, secure the ends to the truck's bed anchors and then use the ratchet mechanism to pull the strap snug.

For more information, contact Cruiser Caddie or a similar company.