Motorcycle Safety & Driveability: Transport, nylon straps, personalized plates

Question
Hi, and first off thanks for your time. I recently bought a bike from a friend of a friend who lives about two hundred miles away and across state lines. Incidentally, the guy forgot to tell me that he removed the plates - I didn't figure that he'd be throwing V-Max personalized plates on a Harley. Regardless, I need to get this bike home. Should I rent a pickup then buy a ramp and some straps? I can't ride it back uninsured, unregistered, and without any plates and although I've got the title in hand the old owner got them to me without signing them over first. What should I do? I'd rather not have my girl drive me four hundred miles again just to get the signature, and then another four hundred after I've registered. Thanks again.

Answer
It will be simplest if you rent a truck to haul the bike home.

My guess would be that you'd be better off renting a U-haul type truck with an enclosed box and a ramp. Those trucks usually have good tie-down hooks inside. Get a small one with as low a deck as possible so it's easier to get the bike on and off. The logistics of running a big heavy bike up a small (affordable) ramp into a pickup truck are challenging if you've never done it before. And decent ramps are expensive, while most of those trucks have nice sturdy ramps you could probably ride the bike up, if you're careful and you know what you're doing.

I use straps from Home Depot to transport my bike when I need to. You may want to buy a couple little "loops" (nylon straps that can be attached somewhere to the bike like the forks or handlebars) or a bar harness (google "Canyon Dancer") to hook the Home Depot straps to. I prefer the tie down straps that use the little buckle and you just pull them tight to secure them, rather than the racheting type. Even cheap straps ($12 for four of them) seem to last forever and you can use them for everything.

Good luck.

Pat