4 minute read
FLY RUNWAY FOLDING RAMP
by dirtbiketest
FLY RACING RUNWAY FOLDING LOADING RAY BY: RAY CONWAY
ROOST - Space-saving folding loading ramp - Folds out easily. Just be careful with the fingers - Light and easy to use - Good traction ENDO - The plastic feet can go missing - It is possible to pinch your fingers if you are not paying attention WHAT IT IS
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Fly Racing says their Runway Foldable Ramps are designed to fit in the bed of any pick up, or for security, behind the seat of your pick-up. Each ramp is quality-constructed using extruded 6061 T6 aluminum with a polished finish and is load rated to 750 lbs. The rungs have extruded surface grooves for added traction and
a rubberized angle cut base that is said to provide maximum slip resistance. For those of you in the raised pick-up truck crowd, the Fly folding ramp is also available in a 92-inch length version. Retail price is $112.95 for the shorter ramp and $129.95 for the
longer version.
HOW IT WORKS
I am a big believer in folding ramps and have used many different manufactures. For at least the last 12 years, I have been using the Fly Folding Ramp in a number of vehicles. I have always believed that you should be ready to carry at least one motorcycle (two is better) at a moment’s notice. So as Fly states, you can keep a ramp in your pick up at all times–that is a great feature. If you happen to have a Honda Ridgeline (Trar, Truck-Car) pick up like I did for a while, I really like that the 79-inch ramp can be carried in the trunk in the pick-up box. In most other trucks it will fit under the rear seat completely out of the way. If you have a van, folding
ramps are terrific because you can usually mount/ store them on a rack or hook on the walls or the rear doors.
In use the ramp folds out effortlessly and has a solid and positive stop when it opens up for use. Just watch the fingers and be careful as all of the advantages of a folding ramp come crushing down, literally, if you get your fingers in the wrong places. Plenty of warning stickers on the ramp remind you of this. The weight is low enough that it isn’t an issue, moving the ramp around is easy even for long reaches to retrieve it from the bed of the truck. Most lighter-weight folding ramps will bend and die an early death in comparison. It measures out roughly 10-inches wide at the bottom end and 7-inches wide at the upper end without side rails. Simply put, the ramp has plenty of width. The lack of side rails can be seen as an advantage, especially on dirt bikes where the knobbies grab on the rail and can more easily knock you out of balance or make it difficult to push up. The rounded middle planks are textured with grooves and both features add to the traction.
We easily believe the ramp’s 750-pound load rating as it doesn’t even flex when normal dirt bikes are loaded or unloaded. It barely flexes when we’ve seen riders ride dirt bikes up the ramp. And we’re even seen one knucklehead ride a twin-cylinder adventure bike up the ramp on multiple occasions. Here it flexes a little for sure.
The durability of the ramp is excellent save for the plastic pieces that insert into the ends of the tubes. They will fall out in time. Additionally, the adhesive on the rubber pad under the tongue will give up after about six months to a year. You can use some adhesive on the plugs and they will stay put and wear out after a couple of years of dragging on the ground. Catch the rubber pad getting loose early and the same can apply. We’ve seen the welds crack on the pivot pin (on the aforementioned adventure bike guy’s ramp, surprise) but the function was not affected.
I have mostly used the shorter ramp but we got our hands on the longer ramp and it is good for trucks higher than a standard lift for sure, reducing the angle. But it also puts the bike on a “tightrope” for a longer length of time and distance so the longer one was not preferred for lower trucks.
You may think $116-$133 for a ramp is a pretty penny. But after 15 years of hard work, and still going, this tool will be one of the most used and under-appreciated pieces of motorcycle gear you may own. Functional, durable, and highly recommended is what we say.