How to transport an electric dirt bike: truck, trailer, hitch carrier or van

Start with the weight

The bike’s weight decides which carrier, ramp and straps you need. Electric dirt bikes skip the fuel tank and engine, but the battery is heavy. Here is what the makers list for bikes in our catalog:

• Under 110 lb: the Surron Hyper Bee at 86 lb (curb), the NANROBOT KD2W14 at about 91.9 lb, the Riding’times GT54 Pro at 102.5 lb and the GT54 at 106.5 lb.
• 110 to 140 lb: the NAVEE Storm G at 115.7 lb, the Riding’times GT73 at 116 lb, the E Ride Pro Mini R at 118 lb, the Surron Light Bee X at 125.6 lb (curb), the E Ride Pro PRO-S at 127 lb, the NAVEE Storm X at about 130 lb, the NANROBOT GTR at about 136.7 lb and the E Ride Pro PRO SS 2.0 at 139 lb.
• 140 to 185 lb: the NAVEE Storm X Pro at 149.9 lb, the E Ride Pro PRO 4.0 and SS 3.0 at 167 lb, the Arctic Leopard XE Pro R at 170 lb and the E Ride Pro SR at 183 lb.
• Over 185 lb: the Surron Ultra Bee HP SW at 195 lb (curb), the Altis Sigma at 198 lb with the battery, the YVolt Surge V at 204 lb with the battery and the Talaria Komodo 2025 at 216 lb dry.

Makers measure weight in different ways (curb, dry, net or with battery), so add a margin when you match a bike to a carrier.

Four ways to carry it

• Pickup bed. The most common choice. A full-size bike usually fits with the tailgate down, and some fit with it closed. You need a ramp, a chock and straps.
• Trailer. The easiest to load because the deck sits low, and the only good answer for two or more bikes or the heaviest models. An enclosed trailer also keeps rain, dust and eyes off the bike.
• Hitch carrier. A platform on the receiver hitch, good for lighter bikes on cars and SUVs. Check both the carrier rating and your vehicle’s tongue weight rating, and remember the carrier’s own weight counts too.
• Inside a van. Small and mid-size bikes can ride inside a cargo van. Lay down a mat, use floor anchor points, and keep the battery secured or removed.

Whatever you use, keep the bike upright. It protects the display, levers and controls, and makes strapping it down far easier.

Loading without dropping it

Most drops happen on the ramp. Take your time, and get a helper for anything over about 120 lb.

• Use a ramp rated for the bike plus you, with a non-slip surface. A longer ramp gives a gentler angle.
• Strap the ramp to the vehicle so it cannot kick out from the tailgate or trailer deck.
• Switch the bike off and push it up while walking alongside, using the front brake to hold it if you need to stop. Riding a bike up a ramp under power is how bikes and riders end up on the ground.
• Roll the front wheel into a chock against the front of the bed or deck, then hold the bike upright while you fit the straps.

How to strap it down

Four straps, two at the front and two at the rear, keep the bike still.

• Front: use soft loops around the handlebar near the clamps or around the lower triple clamp, then run ratchet or cam straps forward and outward to anchor points.
• Rear: strap the frame or rear subframe down and back so the bike cannot slide sideways.
• Compress the suspension partly, about a third of its travel, so the bike sits firm on its tires. Never bottom the fork out: it stresses the seals and springs on a long drive.
• Keep straps away from wiring, brake lines, the throttle, the display and plastic panels. Hook only to solid frame parts.
• Stop after the first few miles and check the tension. Straps settle as the bike moves.

Tie up any loose strap ends so they cannot flap against the paint or get caught in a wheel.

The battery on the road

Treat the battery with the same care on the road as at home.

• Turn the bike fully off and use the kill switch or key if it has one, so a bump cannot wake the throttle.
• Removable or swappable batteries can travel apart from the bike. The Surron Light Bee X battery is removable, many E Ride Pro models use swappable packs, and the Riding’times GT73 carries two removable packs. Pad them, keep them upright and strap them so they cannot slide.
• Keep the battery out of the heat. Never leave the bike or a battery in a closed vehicle in the sun. Heat ages lithium cells fastest.
• Look before you ride. If a battery took a hit on the drive and is cracked, swollen or smells odd, do not use or charge it. Contact us or the maker.

Plan the charge before you leave: a full battery at home is simpler than finding a plug at the trailhead. Our guide on how to charge an electric dirt bike covers charge times and charging away from home.

Rain and dust on the highway

Highway driving throws water at a bike much harder than riding in the rain does. A water rating helps, but it is not a promise against wind-driven spray. NAVEE lists IP65 for the Storm X and Storm X Pro, YVolt lists IP67 for the Surge V, and Riding’times lists IPX4 for the GT73.

On an open truck or trailer, use a fitted cover that is strapped down so it cannot flap at speed, or haul in an enclosed trailer. After a wet drive, let the bike dry before you ride or charge it, and follow the washing tips in electric dirt bike maintenance.

Checks when you arrive

• Bars, levers and controls straight and undamaged where the straps sat.
• Tire pressure checked with a gauge; see electric dirt bike tires and tire pressure.
• Brakes firm on both levers.
• Battery charged and locked in place, and the display working before you roll off.
• Bolts on the bars, axles and footpegs still tight.

Then pick a legal place to ride. Our guide to where to ride electric dirt bikes covers private land, OHV parks and trails.

Why you cannot just ride it there

Every electric dirt bike we sell is for off-road use only. Riding one on public streets to reach a trail usually breaks the rules, even for a short stretch. Carry it on a vehicle every time.

Choosing a bike you can load yourself? Browse our electric dirt bikes and compare the weights above. Every order ships free to the lower 48 states.

Questions riders ask