5.5 or 6.5 box better for hauling motorcycles?

[dvdizzle]

I am planning on ordering a SuperCrew F150 5.0L and want to use it to haul my track/dirtbikes in the box. I live in the suburbs but near a major city (toronto) i've never had a pickup truck before so I am worried about how difficult it would be to navigate in a long truck

Also I believe that a lot of motorcycles will still require the tailgate to be down on a 6.5 anyway

another question if the stowable ramps are a good option for bikes


thanks everyone!

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[130 Ghost_Riders]

My current truck is a 6.5 bed and I can get my Harley dyna lowrider in with the back tire on the bed, the tailgate doesn’t close but I can lift it about half way. the ramps usefulness will probably depend on your bike’s clearance and weight, I’ve never seen the Ford ones but the ramps I used were about 8ft long and arched when unfolded and I still just bare cleared the transition.

 

[dvdizzle]

My current truck is a 6.5 bed and I can get my Harley dyna lowrider in with the back tire on the bed, the tailgate doesn’t close but I can lift it about half way. the ramps usefulness will probably depend on your bike’s clearance and weight, I’ve never seen the Ford ones but the ramps I used were about 8ft long and arched when unfolded and I still just bare cleared the transition.

do you have the SCREW as well? How is navigating cities/parking garages etc

i also heard that the 6.5 bed has a 2 pc driveshaft instead of a single

 

[130 Ghost_Riders]

do you have the SCREW as well? How is navigating cities/parking garages etc

i also heard that the 6.5 bed has a 2 pc driveshaft instead of a single

i’m currently rolling with an ‘08 so I don’t know if the drive shafts have changed in the last 14 years. it is an SCREW so it’s a longer wheel base, but I’ve still never had much problem driving through most cities. I found it’s a little easier to back into spots for tighter lots but I also have no personal issue with straightening up in the spot if need be.

 

[pavementends]

Mine is my 3rd SuperCab (w 6.5' bed) F-150 in a row. My work has a large fleet of SuperCrew 6.5' bed F-150s that I drive often, so I can speak to turning radius of both trucks. I also once had a 4 door Chevy 2500HD with the 8' box (lonnnng truck). Four doors plus the 6.5' bed on the F-150 is a significantly longer truck and requires even wider parking lots and turn planning. And, in my experience, the 2021s have a larger/worse turning radius than the gen 13 trucks. No kids here, so the SuperCab is perfect for me, but I considered the SuperCrew with the 6.5' box just because they're A LOT easier to find and, probably, better resale value, but thankfully found the SuperCab trim level I wanted. Definitely recommend driving both and trying to park in a Trader Joe's parking lot with both trucks before deciding.

I also ride dirt bikes ~20 weekends a year and there's no way I'd buy a 5.5' bed truck, but that's just me. My buddies with 5.5' truck beds loop their tailgate cables over the tailgate latch piece (attached to the truck), which seems to work ok, but I sure like being able to close the tailgate and know my gear bags/firewood/cases of beer are never going to slide out on the dirt road into camp.

Also also, I found a lightly used Ford factory loading ramp on Craigslist (score!), which is super cool and well made. I've seen aftermarket ramps slide off the tailgate while loading bikes before, which usually results in a bike and/or a body (definitely an ego) getting bruised. The factory loading ramp(s) slides into a separate tailgate panel and will not detach from the truck while loading.

 

[3DogKnight]

I am planning on ordering a SuperCrew F150 5.0L and want to use it to haul my track/dirtbikes in the box. I live in the suburbs but near a major city (toronto) i've never had a pickup truck before so I am worried about how difficult it would be to navigate in a long truck

Also I believe that a lot of motorcycles will still require the tailgate to be down on a 6.5 anyway

another question if the stowable ramps are a good option for bikes


thanks everyone!

do you have the SCREW as well? How is navigating cities/parking garages etc

i also heard that the 6.5 bed has a 2 pc driveshaft instead of a single

Not to put a damper on a 6.5 truck with a two piece drive shaft, but I've heard that Ford has had some problems with vibration on those. I have a 5.5 with single shaft and have no vibrations at all. Just something to check out further.

 

[pavementends]

i’m currently rolling with an ‘08 so I don’t know if the drive shafts have changed in the last 14 years. it is an SCREW so it’s a longer wheel base, but I’ve still never had much problem driving through most cities. I found it’s a little easier to back into spots for tighter lots but I also have no personal issue with straightening up in the spot if need be.

It'll be interesting to see if you think your new truck has a worse turning radius, too... was initially pretty bummed about that...

 

[130 Ghost_Riders]

It'll be interesting to see if you think your new truck has a worse turning radius, too... was initially pretty bummed about that...

It’ll be different, I went with a 5.5 SCREW this time. Still waiting on deliver, hopefully I’ll have it before March

 

[Billy231]

The 5.5’ bed is useless for mostly anything other then groceries. If you’re in need to tow anything like a motorcycle, buy a hitch mounted carrier or trailer that you can load, unload alone. Trailers now are made to fold up and take up hardly any room inside a garage.

 

[SharkAttack]

I'm in Southern Ontario as well, I have a 6.5ft bed. I would not go anywhere near downtown Toronto with it. Most new parking lots in cities are too small for it both in length and width as well as the distance between rows for the turning radius. I park in the back 40 whenever I have to go shopping. I wouldn't even bother trying to parallel park it. Not saying you can't, but it doesn't seem worth it.

That being said, in my situation I'd never get a 5.5. I can haul lumber w/ the tailgate closed, put most small-ish ATVs in the bed with the tailgate closed, I can sleep in the back. For me, 5.5 would have been a waste.

 

[MJG44]

I'm in Southern Ontario as well, I have a 6.5ft bed. I would not go anywhere near downtown Toronto with it. Most new parking lots in cities are too small for it both in length and width as well as the distance between rows for the turning radius. I park in the back 40 whenever I have to go shopping. I wouldn't even bother trying to parallel park it. Not saying you can't, but it doesn't seem worth it.

That being said, in my situation I'd never get a 5.5. I can haul lumber w/ the tailgate closed, put most small-ish ATVs in the bed with the tailgate closed, I can sleep in the back. For me, 5.5 would have been a waste.

I currently have a '20 SC 6.5 bed with a mild lift and 33" tires. I am downtown T.O. on a semi regular basis, it isn't bad at all. Quite easy to navigate these longer trucks.

That said, I am waiting on my '22 SC 5.5' bed as I no longer have the need for the longer bed. I prefer the look of the shorter box, especially since I will be doing a mild drop.

 

[dvdizzle]

I currently have a '20 SC 6.5 bed with a mild lift and 33" tires. I am downtown T.O. on a semi regular basis, it isn't bad at all. Quite easy to navigate these longer trucks.

That said, I am waiting on my '22 SC 5.5' bed as I no longer have the need for the longer bed. I prefer the look of the shorter box, especially since I will be doing a mild drop.

do you know what the clearance is of the trucks? my gf's condo says limit 6'7 ft
my trucks completely stock

 

[hxrly]

I've done my fair amount of motorcycle towing on the bed, as a matter of fact, today I'm loading my BMW and driving across the country. I've had 4 recent F150s, all with the 5.5' bed. What I've found works great is the Ford bed extended, for my bikes it closes right against the rear tire, gives me a bit of piece of mind in case the straps were to fail.

 

[dvdizzle]

love the kendon trailers..

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