The Black Widow Motorcycle Ramp
Pick-up trucks and motorcycles go hand in hand, however getting your bike into the bed isn’t quite as simple as it seems. For the past several years I’ve used a variety of ramps and steps, but none of them ever seemed as solid as I would have liked. So last week in preparation for the arrival of the 1098S, I decided it was time to try something new. There had to be a better way or at least that was my theory. After furiously scouring the ‘net for alternatives, I stumbled on to MotorcycleRamps.com, a site that offers a variety of ramps for just about any kind of motorcycle enthusiast. After checking out their wares I finally found the mother of all motorcycle ramps, aptly called The Black Widow.
Measuring either 94 inches or 108 inches long by 40 inches wide, The Black Widow offers far more space then most traditional single or dual ramp solutions. The system is actually comprised of three separate aluminum ramps that you tie together before tying the entire piece down to the bed and bumper of your pick up.
After spending a few hours researching the system, I finally decided that it was worth the gamble so I plunked down the $289 for the ramps plus $50 for shipping.
All in all I have to say I’m pretty pleased. The system works as advertised, offering a heck of a lot more space for loading and unloading a bike. Setting it up is pretty simple, though the one-page manual is pretty suspect imho. Not that ramps are extremely complicated pieces of equipment mind you, but I would have preferred a bit more of a warning explaining the importance of using a tie down to lock each of the separate ramps to the bed even if you have all of them tied together.
My greatest complaint is that the powder coating on the ramps absolutely sucks. After three days of loading and unloading bikes these brand new ramps already look like they’ve seen dozens of years of work. The black powder coating is chipped in any number of locations. That issue not withstanding, the extra space allows you to walk a bike up into the bed of a pick up with far more confidence then any other solution I’ve tried and the delicate balancing act that those other systems required is now a thing of the past. Plus there’s no more jumping on a cooler or a step stool which is extremely nice! The side to side stability is remarkably solid and getting a bike out of the bed is super simple, as you can sit on the bike, pull in the clutch and roll the bike down the ramp with ease.
So if you’re in the market for a ramp, it’s worth checking out the Black Widow. For the money it seems like a heck of a deal.
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What length blackwidow ramp is that? I’m considering buying one, I just don’t know what length to buy. Does it offer a fair amount of ground clearance? Does it fit in your f-150 cab when it is bolted together and folded? These are some of the questions I have. Thanks, Dave K.
I picked up the 94 inch long version. Seems to be perfectly long enough for a sportbike or the like. A stretched custom chopper might have a bit of an issue, probably hence the longer version.
I haven’t bolted the three ramps together as of yet, merely tied them together with the included straps that the kit comes with, so I have no idea if a fully bolted together unit would fit in an F150. My sense is that it probably won’t if you’ve also got your bike in the bed. When all three units are put together it’s pretty cumbersome. But as long as you tie the units together and then use some tie-downs to anchor the ends to the tailgate, the system works pretty well.
Dylan,
I just bought this ramp. the side ramps do not seem to line up with the center ramp. Did you bolt the ramps together with the long bolt? Did you use a wrench to tighten the nut or simply finger tight? What determines if you use the long or short bolt? Any help is appreciated.
Yep, the side ramps do not line up with the center ramp - and I did not bolt the three ramps together because I wanted to be able to stow them in the cab of my truck… What I’ve found is that as long as you strap the three sections together at the top and the bottom, as well as use 2 tie-downs to anchor the center section to something on your truck or van (I use the trailer hitch on my F150), then the ramps work pretty well. That being said, I center my bike on the center ramp before rolling or riding the bike up the ramp and I use the 2 side ramps, solely for balancing my feet. (Hopefully that makes sense). While I’m not in love with the build quality of the ramps themselves, it’s a welcome relief to be able to ride your bike up a ramp, straight into the back of a pick-up truck bed. Hope that helps.
D
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