carrying a motorcycle on a hitch rail: advice? (1 Viewer)

[e9999]

I'm gonna try to take my bike out there with a hitch rail affair.

I got a good one, stronger than the usual, 500lbs worth, but it still seems highly questionable to me. Am I really supposed to take a 350+ lbs bike on the fwy at 60 with just a few straps in the back there...?

advice on how not to lose the bike or worse kill somebody out there?


OK, double straps to start with, what else?

 

['74 UA FJ]

You'd haul it on a trailer with straps. What's the difference?

 

[e9999]

You'd haul it on a trailer with straps. What's the difference?

well, one difference to start with is that on a trailer if it falls sideways it'll probably stay on the trailer. Here it will either cave in my rear door and/or fall on the road, which on the freeway is not a great thing.
Throw in there some bouncing due to the hitch configuration (I have to use an extension because of the spare tire and short rail beam) too, which does not help. Although I do use a solid shank extension and I have welded beads on all shanks to reduce play.
Less leverage on the straps angle too.
and flat out looks much iffier

 

[tag3]

Put my DRZ400S on one and headed to Death Valley, scared the s*** out of me. Will never do it again. Trailer for me is the only way.

 

[bigndn]

I have one and have used it. Mine has an arm on a post that lowers onto the seat. There are pre-drilled holes in the upright to put a pin thru. The key is getting the suspension compressed to the point that the bike is held in by friction. Plus, the way mine sits, the footpeg is right in front of the upright, so the bike can't roll backwards.

I still would recommend putting a couple of straps on it, what can that hurt?

 

[scott84]

My dad used these back in the day with his fj40 and his trails bike (first pic)
Or you might look into one of these (second pic)

 

[roscoFJ73]

Put my DRZ400S on one and headed to Death Valley, scared the s*** out of me. Will never do it again. Trailer for me is the only way.

Whats the big deal? I see people driving around australia with bikes on platfrom hitches all the time.

I think a purpose built bike platform with grooves for the tyres to sit in is better than the flat platform.
Another idea is to have some wooden blocks that fit on top of the wheel so the straps can pull the bike down tight without compressing the bike suspension.

 

[PhilC64]

I wouldn't do anything until you get a consensus from at least 60% of Mud members.
It'll be easier to make such a god awful hard decision that way.

 

[Rix 45]

Really no big deal. I use one with a KTM 640 LC4. Key is a block top of the front tire to the fork cross piece. That way you don't over tax the fork seals and you can lever stap it down good and tight. Strap the real wheel to the ramp piece so it's not going anywhere. Then a strap from some place sound on the mid frame to the back of the hauling vehicle. Bumper, frame. You are good to go.

E.

 

[shadow247]

I used one on the back of my dad's 2500hd for a trip from DFW to Indiana. We used 4 regular cambuckle straps with soft tie downs. 2 on the handlebars going forward, and 2 on the handlebars going backwards. Put a 4x4 block in between the front wheel and fender so you can really cinch the front end down. Run a strap around the rear wheel to hold it to the rack. It wouldn't hurt to run a strap up to the safety chain hooks on the hitch for a little extra piece of mind.

 

[kevsta]

Really no big deal. I use one with a KTM 640 LC4. Key is a block top of the front tire to the fork cross piece. That way you don't over tax the fork seals and you can lever stap it down good and tight. Strap the real wheel to the ramp piece so it's not going anywhere. Then a strap from some place sound on the mid frame to the back of the hauling vehicle. Bumper, frame. You are good to go.

E.

that is my exact bike and desire too, so this is good to hear my main concern is 150+KG plus leverage onto the hitch itself, into fairly old-by-now chassis mountings. I had recently decided that one of these is probably a safer option. I think she would pretty much follow on one wheel, anywhere the cruiser could go.



does the weight extended out the back cause much rear-end sag?

 

[Rix 45]

Well I'll admit I did have the LC 4 on my Unimog. Toun g weight was not an issue.

 

[tag3]

Gonna have to retract my earlier statement. I used the same hitch mount moto carrier with my KDX220 and it has no problems. Just had to try it and see. Course it weighs a lot less than what the DRZ did. Pic. below.

 

[tag3]

I now use 2 ratchet straps to the footpegs and it really holds the bike steady.