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/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Transporting on a carrier /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1468260636 Message started by JPSavage on 07/11/16 at 11:10:35 |
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Title: Transporting on a carrier Post by JPSavage on 07/11/16 at 11:10:35 Hey gang, I was wondering if anyone has done this... Purchased a hitch mount mc carrier. Transported my bike about 75 miles for the first time yesterday. All worked out fine, but one thing I'd like to change is that I had to strap the back of the bike down by the rear fender (before anyone freaks out, I plan to paint it in the winter anyway and it didn't get scratched anyway). The tops of the shock towers do not work b/c the straps end up sliding down. As you can see the swingarm is just too low for the ratchet straps that I have. Anyone have any better ideas? Or better yet a picture of the last time you trailered your bike? |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by JPSavage on 07/11/16 at 12:21:43 not sure why the picture didn't show up last time |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by verslagen1 on 07/11/16 at 13:31:52 http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1398339308 http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1467002690 |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by stewmills on 07/11/16 at 14:42:56 This isn't the best image of the full system in action, but I built this little jig that doubles as a workshop support as well as carrier. When I haul the bike, I place it in the jig just like this at an angle in the bed of my truck along with tie downs on the front and back tire going to the truck itself (so it doesn't slide out!!!) and it works great. All I need is a little incline to back up to, unhook the tires from the truck (still strapped in the jig), slide the tail of the jig out until it touches land, and then unhook the bike from the jig and back it down. So far (knock on wood) I have loaded and unloaded it single-handedly every time. |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by gizzo on 07/11/16 at 17:06:05 How about something like this http://kyaracing.com.au/Images/Bike%20Pics/Road/IMG_6662.jpg There's other versions available. some soft webbing ones. I havent used one bet they seem to work. Otherwise, try strapping it from the bottom of the rim instead. |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by Srotag on 07/12/16 at 16:16:20 Too many straps... I use a strap around front and rear rim/tire, two soft straps through the frame by the horn with about 1/2 compression on front fork tubes. Daytona to Yellowstone and back three times, no issues. I did start out with a bunch like you have though. See pic in signature. Happy Trails 8-) 8-) Edit: just blew up my sig picture and that was an early shot with straps on the shock towers...no longer used, having suspension travel leads to straps possibly coming loose. Also got rid of that ugly stock seat. ;D |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by batman on 07/14/16 at 19:05:40 my better idea,75mi.,RIDE IT! |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by JPSavage on 07/14/16 at 21:22:47 Batman - that was just the test ride. The carrier is going to be used for a 300 mile trip just to get to where I'll riding. |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by batman on 07/15/16 at 05:23:31 JP,just messin' with you. Ican understand wanting to take a bike with you on an extended trip etc. but I've got a lot of Harley guys up here in snow country that load their bikes on trailers to go to bike week in Daytona and I have to tease them about their 'trailer queens" they had three nice ones in a covered trailer last trip,until one got loose! it wasn't pretty! at least you can keep an eye on yours.If I were you I'd just strap the rear rim to the carrier and let the shocks move,they only compress about 1/2-3/4 of an inch when you sit on the bike ,there not going to move much hitting bumps in the road. the excess strap can be cut off and the raw end melt with a bic lighter to keep from fraying. |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by JPSavage on 07/15/16 at 05:49:44 Funny you say that. That's the route I decided to go with. I'll make the straps "custom" length so I don't have to deal with all the extra slack. Reason I was asking everyone here was to see if there was an alternative to soft loops and I finally ordered the loops last night. Batman - my buddies used to call me McGyver. Quite funny. |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by Dave on 07/15/16 at 05:57:12 To trailer or ride to your destination.....that is most certainly a "personal" decision. I trailer my bike the 5 hour trip to the rides in NC. I don't enjoy the ride on the interstate, or sitting in traffic jams in Knoxville when it is 90 degrees, and my bike is not really set up for hauling the camping gear. Most often I don't get to leave until after an evening meeting, and my drive begins at dark and continues until 2 AM. I much prefer to haul my bike on the trailer, my camping gear in the car, and spend the interstate time in my car with the AC on and the CD player going. Once I get to the riding area.....I will ride as many miles in a day as daylight will allow! I have hauled bikes for thousands of miles, and I did learn that when you hit a really big bump, the bike suspension can compress and the strap hooks can come out of the eyelets/loops on the trailer. Some tie down straps have snaps or keepers that prevent this....but mine do not, and not all hooks are the same: http://i42.tinypic.com/r8i2wh.jpg I have tried to find a way to make my hooks with keepers that would prevent them from dropping out....and for a while I just used masking tape to close off the open end, and I had to re-tape it every time I use the hooks. I think I have come up with a better fix. I cut a piece of rubber tube and slid it over the hook: http://i39.tinypic.com/jz8e83.jpg Then after you have attached the hook to the eyelet on the trailer - you just slip the rubber tube through the ring on the hook where the strap attaches. http://i40.tinypic.com/2mqknxs.jpg Since I have started using these modified hooks......I no longer have to worry about the strap coming unhooked. |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by gizzo on 07/15/16 at 06:32:24 Dave, don't you put a chock between the tyre and the bottom triple clamp? Like the things the dirt bike crowd use (or an oil container or block of wood). So you can pull the straps down dead tight and lock out the suspension without the straps flapping about or blowing the fork seals. It's how I do it, anyway. Only drama, you have to take the front fender off. No biggie. That hook mod is brilliant. I'm stealing that. Last time I sent a bike on a transporter, the guy strapped it from the front axle. big, heavy duty straps, cramped down super tight. He said he'd never had a problem and the bike's suspension works during the journey. |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by Dave on 07/15/16 at 06:58:11 No, I don't put a chock in the front forks as my fender is not stock, and is a lot of work to remove, and there is no place to install any kind of chock to keep the forks from compressing a bit more. I do pull the bike down pretty snug against the fork springs and the bike doesn't move during normal bumps - but every once in a while you hit a genorumous pothole and the bike can bounce down a bit. When I hauled my ST1100 I made a small foam block that I put under the frame to help reduce the bouncing, and it did help. |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by gizzo on 07/15/16 at 15:57:00 That's clever. Thinking outside the box. |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by DaveLKN on 07/15/16 at 20:25:42 455F5C3C3A380F0 wrote:
We got twins! :D :D |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by Jeff Jopling on 07/21/16 at 20:02:05 What is the weight limit of those hitch hauls? |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by JPSavage on 07/22/16 at 06:28:55 The carrier itself has a max weight of 600lb. I got it from discountramps.com It's built nicely and performed well for the 75 miles I have traveled with it so far. I'm not an expert on the subject, but there are a few things to consider (and I did a LOT of considering). 1 - Tongue weight of your vehicle (the one w/ 4 wheels). 2 - You almost certainly need a Class III hitch with a capacity of 750 lb. 3 - There's a whole mathematical formula to this and I'll give it my best shot, but I"m sure someone on here can shed more light. There's a rule of thumb where, for ever 12" of space between the throat of the hitch back toward where the bulk of the weight will be carried, you need to subtract 20% of the hitch's capacity. i.e.: 750lb hitch, carrier is 18" back so... 750 x .8 = 600, then 600 x .9 = 540lb Carrier (100lb) + Savage (350) + oil and gas (40) shouldn't be more than 500 lb. I hope this all makes sense, but remember to look all this up b/c I'm about 51% sure that it's accurate. haha ;D ;D ;D |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/22/16 at 07:11:52 The G forces of a bump should be considered in the driving style. |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by stewmills on 07/22/16 at 07:32:04 495350303634030 wrote:
If you're only 51% correct, I recalculated your figures for you ;D ;D ;D ;D |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by JPSavage on 07/22/16 at 07:33:38 I have to say, you scared (confused) me there a bit! hahaha |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by batman on 07/22/16 at 09:33:03 JP< batman returned, guess what new show coming this fall......yes you guessed it MCGYVER! |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by Jeff Jopling on 07/22/16 at 18:21:52 0C1615757371460 wrote:
Sine I see you have a jeep I'm gonna ask you because I'm lazy. I have a class 3 hitch on my 06 Grand Cherokee. I have thought about using one of these haulers but never thought there would be enough space between the back of the jeep and where the bike rolls up. Are these carriers designed to ensure there is proper space? |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by Dave on 07/25/16 at 06:53:02 The weight rating of hitches is based on a normal/standard/reasonable length of the insert that holds the hitch ball. When you start making that distance really long.....like those carrier racks or even a bike hauler - the leverage on the hitch could exceed the strength of the hitch even if the load is under the hitch rating. A 600 pound load a trailer ball 6" from the receiver creates less force than applying 600 pounds of weight 24" from the receiver. |
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Title: Re: Transporting on a carrier Post by verslagen1 on 07/25/16 at 07:50:05 When I bought my hitch for the truck, had this in mind... in case. 8-) It's a class III, attaches to the frame with double tubes which will handle the bending moments better. And it attaches to the bumper. |
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