Motorcycle rack to mount on car

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hedo2002 said:
Correct 516 for the bike, but you also have to add the weight of the carrier, not even sure if any of the bike carriers are rated to carry a 500 lb gorilla...lmao.

There are the very thin trailers that are designed to carry just one bike, (both bike tires are off the ground on the "rail"), they look to be VERY lightweight. Biggest issue I would see with one is EVERY THING is getting tossed onto the bike from under the car. If your looking at early spring, it could be a HUGE mess, at least until you get about South Carolina.
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Thank you, "hedo2002"
I think I have pretty much shelved the idea. Tbh I did not think about the junk being thrown around.

Lots of great information here. Not just for me but also for anybody else thinking about it. :-)
 
A friend of mine has a Stinger single bike trailer. She bought it so that she can load and unload the bike herself (she's pretty short), and so that she can tow it behind her Civic, and so that the trailer can be folded up to be stored in next to no space. There are a couple of downsides: they are really expensive (but it was the only thing that fit the criteria, so the price is what it is), and there is no suspension on the trailer. It bounces around a lot on bumpy roads, especially when empty.

Any type of open towing gets the bike dirty, wet, or coated in ice. Only fix for that is enclosed transport. Most cars aren't going to tow enclosed trailers all that well, either.

I have a van for doing bike hauling duty.
 
Brian P said:
A friend of mine has a Stinger single bike trailer. She bought it so that she can load and unload the bike herself (she's pretty short), and so that she can tow it behind her Civic, and so that the trailer can be folded up to be stored in next to no space. There are a couple of downsides: they are really expensive (but it was the only thing that fit the criteria, so the price is what it is), and there is no suspension on the trailer. It bounces around a lot on bumpy roads, especially when empty.

Any type of open towing gets the bike dirty, wet, or coated in ice. Only fix for that is enclosed transport. Most cars aren't going to tow enclosed trailers all that well, either.

I have a van for doing bike hauling duty.
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Thank you, "Brian.P" More great information. More Cons than Pros.
 
Friend of mine bought one of those tiny little mini panel vans just to haul his bike and store it inside like a garage.
but he also lives in Quebec so that's a little different.
 
My hitch carrier is rated for 600 lbs. I would buy a SUV and get one, they are extremely convenient.

Can anyone find examples of them failing online? Many people say they don"t trust them, but some of those people will also put a $15,000 bike on a $700 trailer. Trailers with moving parts like wheels and suspension are more likely to fail if they are not properly maintained in my opinion.
 
Supernam said:
My hitch carrier is rated for 600 lbs. I would buy a SUV and get one, they are extremely convenient.

Can anyone find examples of them failing online? Many people say they don"t trust them, but some of those people will also put a $15,000 bike on a $700 trailer. Trailers with moving parts like wheels and suspension are more likely to fail if they are not properly maintained in my opinion.
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If i overloaded one and wrecked a bike,i don't think i would spread the news.
 
Wingboy said:
If i overloaded one and wrecked a bike,i don't think i would spread the news.
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Yes I agree. But that would be negligence on the owners part and not a fault of the hitch carrier itself.

For the OP, I just didn't want him to think that hitch carriers are crap. It will not work with his current vehicle, but he will not be driving that same vehicle forever.
 
I've had tie-downs come off and my bike fall over, watched a Bultaco hit the ditch on the 401 once for the same reason, hitch carrier failure is far more likely to be the result of inadequate tie-down connections then the hitch carrier itself failing (assuming your car is not a rust bucket)

Every hitch carrier mount I've ever seen wiggles and you see lots of them at trials events carrying sub 200 pound bikes. My brother had a 2 piece bumper carrier back in the 1970's and that design solved the wiggle problem, but cars back then also had serious bumpers ymmv.
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Personally I also wouldn't hang several hundred pounds off the back of a car without installing air bags in the rear suspension to keep the vehicle reasonably level, if you've ever driven a car with the trunk over-loaded or a half ton truck over-loaded you would discover they handle and brake very poorly :/ plus if you were to get rear ended it's an instant multi-vehicle accident for you.
 
Trials said:
I've had tie-downs come off and my bike fall over, watched a Bultaco hit the ditch on the 401 once for the same reason, hitch carrier failure is far more likely to be the result of inadequate tie-down connections then the hitch carrier itself failing (assuming your car is not a rust bucket)

Every hitch carrier mount I've ever seen wiggles and you see lots of them at trials events carrying sub 200 pound bikes. My brother had a 2 piece bumper carrier back in the 1970's and that design solved the wiggle problem, but cars back then also had serious bumpers ymmv.
24-1200_400.jpg

Personally I also wouldn't hang several hundred pounds off the back of a car without installing air bags in the rear suspension to keep the vehicle reasonably level, if you've ever driven a car with the trunk over-loaded or a half ton truck over-loaded you would discover they handle and brake very poorly :/ plus if you were to get rear ended it's an instant multi-vehicle accident for you.
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If you install one of these for $20, it will not move much at all.


https://www.amazon.ca/MaxxHaul-7028...ocphy=9000898&hvtargid=pla-449807580429&psc=1
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Thank you everybody for keeping me informed. Nice of you. Next vehicle I will be taking all this into consideration.

Merry Christmas. Best Wishes to all and your Families. :-)
 
cycling said:
Thank you everybody for keeping me informed. Nice of you. Next vehicle I will be taking all this into consideration.

Merry Christmas. Best Wishes to all and your Families. :-)
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I have a small lightweight trailer that I use to haul my bikes. I can pull it easily with my mazda 3 2.0l 4 cyl 5 spd. Has 2 wheel chocks and proper tie down points.
Mostly sits in the garage since I sold the dirtbikes. Yours to use free if you like.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk
 
Iceman said:
I have a small lightweight trailer that I use to haul my bikes. I can pull it easily with my mazda 3 2.0l 4 cyl 5 spd. Has 2 wheel chocks and proper tie down points.
Mostly sits in the garage since I sold the dirtbikes. Yours to use free if you like.

Sent from my SM-A500W using Tapatalk
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What a nice person you are. Thank you. :-) If I change my mind may I send you a message and come visit you.
Put my mind back into the ski season and ride the bike when the weather changes for the better. Then go South. (Like I am being told by my friends. Lol.)
 
for those towing on an open trailer, maybe go to an auto upholstery place, or somebody doing boat/rv canvas and get an apron made from decent heavy vinyl or sunbbrella fabric, about the width of the front tire and triangle shaped out to the handle bars, have some grommets put in so you can tie to the trailer or the bike itself. Big enough to protect the bike but not oversized so it doesnt flap in the wind, all the crap hits the spray cover.
 
Meh... Overkill. My bikes are meant to be ridden and that means they get dirty.
crankcall said:
for those towing on an open trailer, maybe go to an auto upholstery place, or somebody doing boat/rv canvas and get an apron made from decent heavy vinyl or sunbbrella fabric, about the width of the front tire and triangle shaped out to the handle bars, have some grommets put in so you can tie to the trailer or the bike itself. Big enough to protect the bike but not oversized so it doesnt flap in the wind, all the crap hits the spray cover.
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Shrink wrap
 
daisoman said:
Meh... Overkill. My bikes are meant to be ridden and that means they get dirty.

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Mine also, I just dont like trailering south in the winter and the 2" of ice/salt/sand I collect before I'm below the snow belt
 
I have one from Princess Auto, power fist brand if I'm not mistaken. It is rated for 500lbs and the 2" receiver on my Caravan is rated for 400lbs. I used it to carry my Sachs MadAss around to the Ride for Sight or to the shop when it needed service. It is very handy. Bought it for $120ish if I remember correctly. I've kept it even though the MadAss is gone as I never know when it'll come in handy or what toys might follow me home. It wouldn't work on a car or SUV with a 1.25" receiver though. When I had the bike back there it did block the break lights some and if I were using it more often I would have sprang for a set of lights I could clamp onto the rack and plug into my hitch for better safety/visibility. I'd be comfortable carrying a dirt bike or small dual sport on it but I wouldn't want to push that 400lb max load on my hitch. I think the MadAss and the rack totaled 275-280lbs.
 
Sorry for the threadjack, but I just saw a hitch product that puts these carriers to shame :)

https://www.amazon.ca/Torklift-E153...ocphy=9000795&hvtargid=pla-559627048068&psc=1

Its rated to safely tow up to 14,000 lbs. and 1,400 lbs. tongue weight on a 21 inch extension and 12,000 lbs. and 1,200 lbs. tongue weight on a 48 inch extension.

1,200 lbs tongue weight at 48" from the receiver. That's 7 or 8' from the rear wheels on most vehicles. Yeah, that sounds like it will work. :/

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