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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Motorcycle carrier /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1357812787 Message started by tizzyfit on 01/10/13 at 02:13:07 |
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Title: Motorcycle carrier Post by tizzyfit on 01/10/13 at 02:13:07 Anyone have any experience with an AMC-400 aluminum motorcycle carrier? The max weight limit is 400 lbs and their photo's shows a Yamaha XT Enduro 500 strapped to their carrier, which should be about the same weight and size of the S40/LS650. www.discountramps.com For $160 including shipping is way cheaper than buying a trailer. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/10/13 at 05:33:35 IDK hoot about that particular make/model. Ive seen stuff like that goin down the road, no drama/.I have a hard time seeing myself poke a square pipe in another square pipe & run a pin thru it & then run my bike up on it & go drive around, but, if I had to, I guess I would. TRailers can be had for little $$ at Harbor Freight. Get the kit, build it. Its a small cargo hauler or a bike hauler, or both. Put tie downs in the floor & Violins ,, ya got it..,They sell tie downs, too, IIRC. I know Ive got some in mine, Get to diggin in the plywood stack at Lowes. I found some 3/4 Oak ply that was scraped up & got it 50% off. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by Charon on 01/10/13 at 07:00:23 When you use a motorcycle carrier plugged into a hitch receiver, you also have to consider the weight limits on the receiver and your vehicle. A load like that might also have adverse effects on the base vehicle's handling. On the other hand, unlike a trailer, there is no registration and tag requirement, nor does it present much in the way of problems in parking or backing. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/10/13 at 07:15:49 My HF trailer costs $6.00 a year to register, no state inspection required. If you have a long wheel base car, backing a trailer that small is tuff. What do you drive, anyway? Will it handle such a setup? |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by ZAR on 01/10/13 at 07:17:12 tizzy out here in the country I see variations of the hitch carrier all the time. Heck.we even get customers that bring their riding mowers to the shop on those things! Personally I'd be ok hauling feed and small building supplies on one but a bike???? What happens if something does break and you're 100 miles from home? I'll stand with JOG on this one....Get a trailer kit or even rent a trailer. One less thing to worry about while you're on the road. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by Dave on 01/10/13 at 07:42:03 I don't own a trailer hitch hauler - and I have never used one. I do have trailers and use them. For years I have loaded up my Trials bike and it loads easily - I can even do it without a ramp by just lifting the front of the bike up and placing that tire on the trailer, then pushing the bike forward and lifting the back of the bike up on th trailer.....it weighs 165 pounds. When I first loaded the 350 pound Savage onto a trailer......I was really surprised how much more work it was. The Savage weighs twice what my trials bike does.....and it requires a lot more strength and definitely requires a ramp. I found out that the ground clearance of the Savage also caused a problem - as the normal length trailer ramp would not work on flat ground - the bottom of the frame and engine hit the angle point of the ramp. I had to back my trailer up to my porch and load the Savage from the porch. The reason I am bringing this up is that if you are using an SUV or truck with a high hitch, it may be difficult to load the Savage up a steep ramp - and the bottom of the frame may hit the loading ramp. The Cruiser bikes have much less ground clearance than the dual sports or dirt bikes. Savage on Cheng Shin Harbor Freight style 40"x48" trailer. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by WD on 01/10/13 at 07:48:28 I'll try to get some pics of the set up we have. Bumper mounted bike rack for the motorhome. It's all made out of structural grade steel. But if you have a modern vehicle it won't work... Buy a mini truck. Savage fits in my 108" wheel base Ranger if the tailgate is left open. Or buy a mower trailer with the expanded mesh floor/load gate. Drop the gate, pull the front pin, deck tilts for loading. No hanging up like you get with a standard bike ramp. What's this about licensing a trailer? Here you don't need a plate or lights... :o |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by ZAR on 01/10/13 at 07:53:08 1407430 wrote:
WD many states now require licensing of trailers. I live in Kentucky but go across the river into Indiana a good bit and always catch flack for no plates! It's just another revenue gathering gimmick. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by WD on 01/10/13 at 08:05:32 I need them if I tow into MS with a TN tagged tow rig, but not if I take a vehicle w/MS plates. But I can get popped by TN for no trailer plate with a MS tow rig... There's a reason I have 5 pickups big enough to hold motorcycles... ;) |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by Dave on 01/10/13 at 08:08:56 4655110 wrote:
Kentucky does not require plates bn a trailer - but you can register your trailer if you want to. I have been stopped in Ohio for not having trailer plates....and sometimes it goes well....sometimes it doesn't. The first time I was stopped the OH Highway patrol office said.....I stopped you for not having trailer plates.....but since you are from Kentucky you don't need them. The second fellow from Ohio told me he stopped me for not having plates, and I explained I was from Kentucky....to which he responded......You are not in Kentucky you are in Ohio. I thought about telling him that Kentucky doesn't require a license plate on the front of my car, and I don't stop at the Ohio state line and bolt on a front license plate whenver I leave Kentucky....but I just kept my big mouth shut and he gave me a warning. On my enclosed trailer that I use when traveling longer distances - I got a KY trailer plate just to avoid confrontation. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/10/13 at 08:11:32 Must Bow Down & Comply Must avoid confrontation from the ignorant. Suxdontit? |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by verslagen1 on 01/10/13 at 08:49:46 1 thing about hitch mount rails is there is no other support, so it'll rock. If this were for a truck, I'd mount 2x2 tube to the bed for extra tie points. strap each tire to the bottom rail and the upper bar. that'll solve the rocking, plus provide extra support during heavy bumps. A car or SUV, can't do this so I wouldn't. I have a hitch mount tow bar that works ok, don't like how much the savage leans in turns though. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by Paraquat on 01/10/13 at 09:28:22 I made one out of steel. It held up the Savage just fine but I wouldn't want to risk the C50 on it. It does rock a little (front to back of the bike) but with a canyon dancer bar it wouldn't rock side to side (fall off the back) Where do you live? I could post pictures if you're far away? I need to get out to the garage for some pictures soon anyway. I could be interested in parting ways with it. I'd rather have a trailer for my C50. --Steve |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by Charon on 01/10/13 at 09:37:14 Rules on trailers can get bizarre. Here in Nebraska a pickup pulling a trailer is required to stop at weigh stations - except for recreational vehicles (campers). I asked, and was told that a boat on a trailer is a recreational vehicle and doesn't have to stop. But a motorcycle trailer with a motorcycle isn't an RV, so has to stop. A car pulling the same bike trailer doesn't have to stop. By the way, trailers are titled, registered, and tagged here. There is no state inspection for anything until you get into commercial vehicles. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/10/13 at 14:45:28 Yep, Charon,, I read that twice & it was bizarre both times. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by tizzyfit on 01/11/13 at 01:00:30 233E2D2D2E313E23570 wrote:
Some additional information I failed to mention initially. The "plan" is to use this carrier on the back of my diesel pusher motor home. Dave's trailer looks GREAT and would be a viable solution EXCEPT trying to back-up a small trailer with a 40' motorhome is a non-starter. The hitch on the M/H is a class V, so the combined weight of the carrier and S40 would be well under the maximum tongue weight limit. Further, there are a number of fairly inexpensive products available which eliminate the side-to-side and up and down movement "issues" when inserting things like this carrier into the hitch. The comment about pushing the S40 UP a ramp to load it is certainly valid and I'm not sure I want to experiment with this task and find the S40 pinning me to the ground. Maybe a longer ramp would reduce the angle enough to make it less of a potential issue. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/11/13 at 07:21:46 If youve got a motor home to hang it off of, youre golden,,& dont be shy to build what ya need to get that bike on & off. Be a pretty crummy vacation to have that thing layin on ya,, You can mount 2 receivers & use a long ramp. Get the bike on the ramp & lift it into position, then pin it in the second spot. Jacks lift, come-alongs lift, lots of ways to win this safely. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by Dave on 01/11/13 at 07:32:48 Yep.....Motorhome changes my thoughts and suggestions entirely. My tiny trailer works great behind my Vibe.....behind a motorhome it would be a disastor and backing it up would be impossible. That tiny trailer is for use behind a small car - not any SUV or truck or RV. I believe the weight capacity is not an issue - but finding a way to load and unload safelly is the new challenge. You can't ride it up on that hauler - and once you get a couple of feet off the ground your ability to push while holding the handlebars to steer becomes difficult. If you can find some able and willing bodies to help push the bike up and down, then it would be doable. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by thumperclone on 01/11/13 at 08:39:27 i had the local spring/trailer shop fab me a carrier for thumperclone (165# wet)when they were bending the leaf springs on my 97 2.4l tacoma it fits into the class 2 reciever and has a reciever for the pop up trailer hitch had trouble with the tipping till i bought a collar that straddles the reciever and the ball bar,has a series of 16 set screws and loknuts no tippies nomore.. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/11/13 at 09:39:01 Now,, Picture this. 2 receivers, round pipe. 2 gizmos that you can roll the bike onto. Raise them into position & pin the internal pipe so it cant rotate. Yes, theres more, No, Im not gonna try to explain it all.,.I think thats a good starting point, |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by Charon on 01/11/13 at 09:51:19 I haven't actually tried this, because I haven't needed to. My idea for single-handed loading a bike up a ramp into a pickup, was an electric winch such as the ones used on ATVs. Acquire a suitable winch with a remote control long enough to reach from the winch to the front of the motorcycle, with the motorcycle on the ground at the end of the ramp. The winch can be mounted to the front of the box, or somewhere else with a pulley so the cable runs straight along the ramp. Spool the cable to the bike and attach it thereunto. Holding the remote in one hand (or attaching it with hook-and-loop tape to the bar), use the winch to pull the bike up the ramp. You should only have to balance the bike and walk alongside it. For unloading, park so the bed of the truck slopes slightly downward, then use the winch to control the bike as it rolls out of the truck and down the ramp. The same general idea ought to be workable for a trailer, or even sideways loading such as a bike carrier on the rear of a motorhome. |
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Title: Re: Motorcycle carrier Post by tizzyfit on 01/13/13 at 01:04:13 4E5157504D4A7B4B7B43515D16240 wrote:
I've looked at the products offered by Fast Master products, Inc. One of their single wheel trailers has a duel receiver hitch system. www.cruiserlift.com/swivelwheel58.html |
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