: Thanks for the response. the boards are 1x6x16 ft. I can get 1x8 but they
: cost a bit more and seemed to have more knots. I also have a mini-van(my
: wifes) to haul the wood home.(if I can figure a way to borrow it without
: her knowing where I'm going.)The motorcycle is from work. I'm a Motorcycle
: Police Officer(please don't hold it against me:).

My experience with Dodge minivans and lumber has not been very good. The large rear door is a pain to tie down. other minivans that have doors that lift up may be the same. A few minivans have double doors that are hinged on the sides. If you have one of these it may be easier to work with. Otherwise, take a few old towels or throwrugs with you when you go to buy your boards. Bundle the boards into a neat stack, tie this up tightly, wrap your towels or rugs around the batch and hoist it onto the roof of the van. Get some rope and tie it down to the sides and front and back. Even with a roof rack you'll find that 16 foot pieces of wood will rub against the vehicle in other places. The fabric will protect your van's paint.

Whether you carry the wood on top of the van, or let it hang out the back door, in some areas you must attach a red flag to any overhanging load. Be alert to local laws on this. I'd hate to see you get pulled over by a coworker.

The longest item I ever carried on a motorcycle was a 9 foot long box of photographic background paper. I tied one end to the book rack, and put a strap around the engine guard bars to support the front end of the ungainly package. I put it on the right side of the bike, which in retrospect I would not do again as it made it impossible to put my right foot on the ground.

I have since solved my problems with all of this by buying a small trailer. I can now carry boats and lumber and the occasional motorcycle with any vehicle that has a trailer hitch, safely, and of course, legally.

PGJ