Getting your pride and joy in and out of your transporter might seem like a non-event but it can be embarrassing if you don't have the right dirtbike ramp.
There’s a plethora of different dirtbike ramps to choose from that suit different vehicles. Having the right ramp for your vehicle is almost more important than the vehicle itself. If you can’t load your bike without a second person then you may not even get to your riding destination and if you can’t unload it when you get there you’ll embarrass yourself before you even throw a leg over your ride.
Here’s some things to think about when buying a ramp that might save you some stress when loading and unloading or worse, from being pinned under the bike with no way of getting free!
DOUBLE FOLDING RAMP
The double folding ramp is the best dirtbike ramp for those transporting their bike in a ute. The reason being is that it is longer than other dirtbike ramp and can also act as a cage for the back of your tailgate. The double-fold ramp we’re using is the Ready Ramp. We’ve had it for five years and it’s still going strong.
PROS
A double fold ramp is best for utes because utes typically have the tallest loading point and the double fold ramp is the longest dirtbike ramp. A longer ramp means a more gradual ascent or descent for your bike. A sharp, steep ramp will not only make it harder to push but it can also force the ramp to slide towards the vehicle as your run the bike up it.
The flatter, more gradual angle of the ramp also means the bike will feel lighter to push. This is good for those with a little less muscle mass or grunt but it’s also good if you have to pause your load or unload to readjust or move around the bike as the bike will be lighter to hold onto.
The Ready Ramp has two claws on the vehicle side that grab the tailgate of our ute and they hold the ramp in place.
Once your bike is loaded you can then use the ramp as a fence or gate to keep your stuff inside the ute. This is fantastic as it allows you to fit more in a small dual cab tub and removes the stress of thinking your boots are flying out the back.
CONS
If you’re thinking about running a double fold dirtbike ramp just remember they’re heavier than any other ramp but one person can still lift it. The two folding ends can fold in and catch your fingers, which hurts like buggery, trust me.
The fact it has two hinge points instead of one or none at all means it has two potential weak points. Our hinges are still fine and have not buckled but you have essentially doubled the risk of something happening. This ramp can only take 270kg which is less than the single folding ramp but more than the fixed.
And the rungs on our Ready Ramp are riveted on and have already come loose. A single folding or fixed ramp has welded-on rungs which are sturdier.
SINGLE FOLDING RAMP
The ramp with a single hinge in the middle is the best ramp for those loading into a trailer, Holden Commodore or Ford Falcon ute or maybe a van. They are shorter than a double fold dirtbike ramp but longer than a fixed ramp. But with any of the above cars I just mentioned, the height to the area where the bike will be transported isn’t very great.
PROS
The single folding ramp is right in the middle when it comes to length and is perfect when loading a bike into anything under a metre tall. If you’re pushing your bike into something taller than that consider the double folding ramp as it will be more gradual. They are long enough to use on a ute but just be aware, the angle is quite steep.
Ideally, you want to be able to keep a bike below your shoulder when loading the bike at its steepest point (middle of the ramp) and the single folding dirtbike ramp will allow this to happen on a van or trailer. You’re still going to be dealing with a steep bike that’s way above your shoulders when the front wheel is near the tub of a four-wheel-drive ute.
The single folding ramp is more lightweight than the double folding ramp and this Ballard’s 2.2 M Alloy Folding Ramp is narrower too, making it easier to pack away. This single folding ramp has quite grippy rungs in the middle and the vehicle end has three big teeth to ensure it doesn’t slip when pushing a bike up it.
Typically, a single folding ramp will also be able to take more weight than a double folding ramp if that is what you’re after. This particular model can take up to 340kg so if you had two of them sharing the load of a quad or side-by-side then you could take up to 700kg.
CONS
With any folding ramp there’s always a chance that you will catch you fingers and the single folding ramp has been known to take a digit or two. But you have one less hinge to worry about compared with the double folding ramp so try and just grab both ends.
Because there is still a hinge you do still need to be careful when folding it up. Grab either side of the hinge and fold together. I’ve seen people grab the middle bar at the hinge when lifting but that just looks like you’re asking for trouble.
This ramp will be a little too steep for four-wheel-drive utes over one metre high. The steepness of the ramp could see you run out of steam to get it up the runway.
There’s also nowhere to store it when you’re moving. Unlike the double folding ramp which can be fixed to the rear of the tub like a tailgate, the single folding ramp needs to be tied in to the bed of your transporter. The downside to this is that it usually means metal on metal which not only damages the inside of your transport bed but also means the ramp will slide around a little.
It also means that if you’re using this ramp on a ute, the back of your vehicle will not be closed in. This might catch the eye of the police or frighten those traveling behind you that can see the ramp and your belongings sliding around.
FIXED RAMP
The fixed ramp is a single piece of metal with no hinge or folding sections. They are the shortest of the ramps and are therefore going to create the steepest loading and unloading angle. It is for this reason that the fixed ramp can and should only be used to load dirtbikes into a two-wheel-drive van. Think a Toyota HiAce.
PROS
The best things about the fixed ramp is how easy to is to use and store away. There are no hinges to catch you fingers when you lift it up and the small, lightweight shape means storing it in the back of you van is easy. You can simply throw it in and shut the rear door without having to tie it down.
Being so lightweight means your kids or less muscular mate can lift it and move it around. This particular Ballards Loading Ramp had excellent grip on the ramp surface that would do a good job at grating some cheese. The two ends were easier to push bikes onto because they had small ramps to get on and off the main runway as opposed to the teeth on the folding ramps.
The length of this ramp is 1.6m long which is perfect for vans. It cleared the rear step and the tow ball of the HiAce we were testing it on. And because there are no hinges the load rating is 250kg despite being much smaller than the other two ramps. You can get much bigger fixed ramps that take up to a tonne!
Most fixed ramps also have a rubber base where the ramp meets the transporter which provides a little better grip. It also allows you to place it on that rubber side when transporting meaning it doesn’t slide like the single fold ramp and won’t scratch your ride either.
CONS
The downside to a fixed dirtbike ramp of this length is the angle of the loading and unloading. If you plan on using a fixed ramp that’s as long as this one, you are very likely to get stuck halfway.
There’s also the risk that the ramp will move forwards when you charge into it if you’re trying to push a bike into a four-wheel-drive ute. This is simply because the ramp is too steep, it’s like pushing your bike into a wall.
A ramp like this doesn’t have anywhere to put a tiedown through it either which means using it to load a bike into an exposed tub will make it hard to secure for transporting. You don’t want the PoPo to see your ramp sliding around!
HORSES FOR COURSES
We hope this helped you make the right ramp choice next time. The double folding ramp is best for four-wheel-drive utes because it is the longest which means the loading angle is the gentlest and it also doubles as a tail gate.
The single folding ramp is the perfect all-round ramp. It can still load into a slightly lower four-wheel-drive ute (so not great for a 70 Series Toyota Land Cruiser) but is ideal for loading into trailers and two-wheel-drive utes. The fixed ramp is the go-to ramp for van users. Just remember, the folding ramps can catch a digit and when considering what ramp is best for you take into account your height, the height of your transporter and whether or not you will regularly have someone helping you load and unload.
Ballard’s 2.2 Alloy Folding Ramp $119.95