SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> The Cafe >> Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1601405769

Message started by philthymike on 09/29/20 at 11:56:09

Title: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by philthymike on 09/29/20 at 11:56:09

After such a long time since my car got totalled parked in front of my house I finally gave in and bought another. This time I decided on a Mercury Mountaineer with a V8 engine.
Went with a truck so I can tow my bikes and there's a hitch on this truck and 7000 lbs towing capacity.

So what's the better choice for this task, the hitch carrier or a motorcycle trailer?

I'll be using it to move Thumpy and my Ducati which tips the scales at 465 lbs.

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/29/20 at 13:03:05

WHATS RECOMMENDED MAX TONGUE WEIGHT?
Crap, sorry, cap lock button..

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by philthymike on 09/29/20 at 13:22:10

No idea. I better pull the book out of the glovebox and take a gander.

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by verslagen1 on 09/29/20 at 14:45:53

typically you have 500 lb limit.
if you have a standard receiver, it can be rather tipsy.
I'd rather attach 2 bars, 1 to each frame member.
Now you can load both bikes, just take it easy on the wheelies. :-?

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by philthymike on 09/29/20 at 16:52:39

Don't need to carry both bikes but then again I might like to do that after I get a trailbike. Then when I go camping I can ride the mountain roads and trails. Hmmmm...

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/29/20 at 17:43:38

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nT6kOzlQjG0/X3Jv73hnnGI/AAAAAAAApiU/OHpy65skSBYnIOxh_TWa7d9SrwcC5vtfACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/501.jpg

http://https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nT6kOzlQjG0/X3Jv73hnnGI/AAAAAAAApiU/OHpy65skSBYnIOxh_TWa7d9SrwcC5vtfACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/501.jpg

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by MMRanch on 09/29/20 at 19:26:38

Looks like a "Bernie Supporter" :)
...........................................
I'd go with the bed of a truck to haul the bike , but a hitch carrier would be second best . Pulling a trailer runs your fuel bill way up !

Mine only has 1/2 of the ramp left , to resist catching so much wind. So my van is high and so is the front of the trailer.
Pulling a two wheel trailer with the Guzzi cut my Astro-van fuel millage from 22 to 17 mpg. :(

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by philthymike on 09/30/20 at 06:29:31

That actually looks like something a greeny might come up with

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by Serowbot on 09/30/20 at 08:48:13

No politics in the Cafe please...

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/30/20 at 09:18:54

Its well designed, it has a place for safety chains,,

I dint even see the sticker,, I was laffin at the hitch,,

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by Serowbot on 09/30/20 at 09:30:26

Fair 'nuff... 8-)
let the other commenters take note.

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by MMRanch on 09/30/20 at 16:00:26

Hay , let me know how this works out , I might want to revisit my bike carrying . ???

600 pounds would be good ! :)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/600-LBS-Motorcycle-Dirt-Bike-Carrier-Truck-Hauler-Hitch-Rack-Trailer-Cargo-Ramp/183690782706?epid=3029204257&hash=item2ac4d2e7f2:g:ntwAAOSwC4lcajpi

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by philthymike on 09/30/20 at 19:13:24

736173616C7F707D763E0 wrote:

Do not exceed 55 MPH while the Carrier is attached

Seriously?

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/30/20 at 19:57:43

Do not exceed 55 MPH while the Carrier is attached..

So?
You're free to accelerate as soon as it falls off..

I wonder if the speed limit is about the smashing G forces a bump or dip could generate...

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by MMRanch on 09/30/20 at 21:36:13

Maybe , the bed of the truck might be the best idea ? At least till its time for a 300 pound Old Person Bike !

My 5 x 8 two wheel trailer w/ramp works good , and is easy ...

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by Dave on 10/01/20 at 03:17:35

If you have limited storage space - the hitch mount hauler takes up the least amount of room. I have seen them used for 250 pound dirt bikes and they are easy to load......start getting up toward 400 pounds and I think it would be scary to load. When you get the bike up to the height of the hauler the handlebars are going to be up at head level!

An open trailer doesn't have to be horrible on fuel mileage - if you get one that doesn't have the large ramp that raises up like a sail. I had a small open trailer and you really didn't know the trailer was back there.
Little trailers like this are for sale on Craigslist frequently......this one is a bit rusty - but is a good example of what they look like.
https://cincinnati.craigslist.org/mpo/d/sardinia-motorcycle-trailer/7198133286.html

I have a small enclosed trailer that also functions as my room while camping. I like being able to haul a bike and have it secure and dry - it is nice driving through the rain on the way to the mountains with my bike out of the weather. I also like having the bike locked up on those nights when I have to stop at a hotel while on the way somewhere........I use this trailer a lot. I haul it with my little 4 cylinder Pontiac Vibe and I get 32 mpg without the trailer, and it drops to 25mpg when I haul the trailer.....the convenience is well worth the extra cost of fuel. The trailer is 8' long and 4' tall inside, and the rear door opening is 45" tall - most standard motorcycles fit inside and with a Savage you only need to remove the mirrors to let it fit. On the F800BMW I have to remove the windshield......I have bar end mirrors on my Savage Cafe and it fits without removing anything.

I hauled my Savage back from Long Island New York to Kentucky, been to TN/NC/GA countless times. My wife and I have used it for weekend camping trips, I have hauled furniture, lawn mowers, and other stuff in the trailer.......when it won't fit in my car. I bought the trailer used from a fellow who hauled rabbits all over the country in it - he installed the windows to keep the rabbits cool in the summer.

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by philthymike on 10/01/20 at 04:58:46

After reading some experiences from people who've use hitch carriers to move 400+ lbs motorcycles I'm starting to lean towards a trailer. Especially considering the Duck is the one that needs towing the most with how often it breaks down.
Started looking into folding trailers but they're pricey.
The driveway isn't large enough for a car and a regular trailer and the fencing prevents using the back yard to park a trailer as my neighbors have done. But a folding one would fit in the driveway with the car just fine. And the extra capacity for camping gear is a nice bonus.

Not sure how often folding trailers turn up used but I'm gonna keep watch for one.

If it was just Thumpy I'm sure a carrier would be fine. But loading a bike as tall as my Duck is onto a carrier will probably kill me or make my bad back very upset.
There's a fella on the Hyperstrada forum who uses a carrier for his bike and swears by it too. I'm not so sure after having loaded the bike. Into the back of a pickup one time. It was a painful and scary experience.
Thinking back on that also pushes me to a trailer. Loading her onto a trailer was easy peasy.

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/01/20 at 05:00:54

HF has a 4X8 trailer frame. I have one, I added staked and pinned walls I can take off and put down 3/4" plywood with pocket tie downs in places for a bike,, Ive had it full to the top of the 2'tall walls with compost. It held up fine,,
They are designed to fold up and roll away, like a ping pong table,, I didnt cut the floor or add the wheels for rolling away,,

The lights are cheesy,, you might wanna get a better set..

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by Dave on 10/03/20 at 04:44:55

The Harbor Freight trailers can make decent bike haulers, and they are light enough you can lean them up against a wall for storage.

I had a "Coleman" trailer that was the same design, and it had a single metal ramp. I will look around as I have photos somewhere. The version had the small 8" wheels/tires, and it worked fine and the fellow I bought it from hauled his Sportster back from New Jersey to Cincinnati with it. The small tires and bearings are durable and nto has much of a problem as some folks believe. Most tire problems you see on the road are from tires that are too old (trailer that sit outside should have the tires replaced every 5-6 years according to the industry folks) or run with too low of air pressure. The bearing problems that are so common on trailers come from the fact that you get the wheel bearings warm while hauling on the highway - then when you put your boat/jet ski in the cold water the air inside the wheel hubs contracts and creates a vacuum - and it pulls water inside the hub. Boat trailers now use "Bearing Buddy" that has a spring loaded piston that creates a constant positive pressure to keep the water out (it is not necessary on a trailer that isn't dunked into the water. I think 12" wheels are better - but they do create a bit higher deck height.....which not only makes the trailer taller, it also can create a problem with the bottom of the bike bottoming out on the ramp/trailer angle point while loading. (Often the short ramp provided with the motorcycle rail kits are too short and too steep for anything other than a dirt bike with a lot of ground clearance).

Rail for attaching to Harbor Freight Trailer:
https://www.etrailer.com/comparison.aspx?pc=CE26110PG&pc2=CE26151PG

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by philthymike on 10/03/20 at 05:40:50

I have been checking out the HF trailers. They are attractive price wise but look to be a project to get them usable. Not sure I have time for another project.
Lots of trailers on Craigslist too but again with the projects.

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by Dave on 10/03/20 at 12:58:17

Maybe you could by a hitch carrier........and if it doesn't work as well as you want you could watch for a bargain on a HF trailer - then bolt the hitch carrier onto the trailer!

You would want to be sure the hitch carrier you buy adapts to the HF trailer.....you would want one with a flat bottom surface.

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by philthymike on 10/03/20 at 16:27:53

162D2037262A31372C242936450 wrote:

I think I'll just start saving up and once I'm ready I'll see what's available in my price range. So far I'm really interested in a two bike foldup job. It will be ideal when I relocate to a new area.

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/03/20 at 17:17:25

If you use wood for the floor you can put pocket tie downs in the floor.
Put a bike in forward and one backwards, handlebars don't collide.
I welded a pipe across the end, a piece of angle on plywood makes a ramp.
Half the trailer width is enough for loading a bike, small enough to go on the floor with bikes loaded.
Or, across the front, as a wall, possibly tilted back,,
I dunno where I got the pockets I used to make putting walls up easy..

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by Papa Bear on 10/08/20 at 13:36:33

I like the tow dolly
https://rokiotoex.com/shop/portable-motorcycle-trailer-hitch-carrier-tow-dolly-800lbs/

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by MMRanch on 10/08/20 at 20:35:33

I think that tow dolly would be the best thing if you don't need to back up ???

Do ya think the bike might stay in neutral without any problem ?

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by Oldfeller--FSO on 10/08/20 at 20:59:06

I built a front tire holding tow dolly from a Harbor Freight front wheel holder.

Worked fine until I took a not so sharp turn in my front yard to get out on the street. The bike tilted more and more over to its side as I turned the car until it folded over using the steering stem as the bend point. I stopped and removed the bike before the damage got any worse.

Front forks had compressed the rest of the way, making enough tie down slack to allow the rig to tilt over.

Front tire and rim took the brunt of the bending damage with the entire length of the bike acting as a sideways bending lever against the front tire and wheel holder.

Took me 3 attempts to re-true my front rim and tire from the leveraged bending and twisting it got from only 20 feet of towing.

I threw away the front tire gripping tow dolly rig, putting it inside the trash can so nobody would pick it up out of my trash and damage their bike with it.

I bought a Harbor Freight trailer kit, built it with a 4x8 sheet of plywood and some 2x4s and used it for the rest of my riding career. Worked great and was cheap enough to suit me.

Still got the trailer ...... haul leaf mulch with it.

===================================================

Note on HF trailer -- the HF wheel lugs get loose over time, tighten them periodically.

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/08/20 at 21:34:08

That is a story I wasn't expecting.
Certainly wasn't something I would have written as a potential answer to that famous question
What could go wrong?

What a mess!

Title: Re: Hitch Carrier or Trailer?
Post by BobH on 10/09/20 at 17:00:56

I use a HF trailer. Works great. First thing I did though was replace the wheel bearings from China with Timken wheel bearings. Searched the web until I found a discussion about which bearings match the originals.