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Hitch Bike Carriers

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Calgary-Yogi

Calgary-Yogi

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First Name
Graeme
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Craigon
I am looking to get a hitch mounted bike carrier to carry a bike weighing about 260lbs (already have a 2 bike trailer).
I have found a couple of small threads about hitch mounted bike carriers but they are relatively old and do not provide a bunch of info.

So, what does everybody recommend

Thanks
 
I don't know who makes it, but the one Scott (M38A1) has will hold about 500 lbs of Yamaha street bike on the back of a Yukon. :sun:
 
I have a MotoJackRack. It's a platform type for bikes with flat bottomed frames. It locks the bike on using the footpegs. You roll the bike over to the back of the truck and if you are lucky the bike is higher than the platform (close on the WR) and then I slight lift and heave and it is on. Then a hydraulic jack raises the bike up the rest of the way. I've used it for my old DRZ and the WR. It's rated for 300lbs. Newer ones similar to it are rated for more weight.

One downside to mine (and another brand I saw fixes it) is that the post the jack is on is too high for my to lower my tailgate. Just an FYI.
 
After kicking this around I finally purchased one off e-bay.

While I like it,it's used for my ktm[200lbs] and very confident.
Even though there is some movement in the receiver area[normal].

Don't think I would haul my 650r[300lbs] any long distance.
Sure it would do well,Just paranoid I guess!

Mine is aluminum,the steel one's can get pretty heavy.
 
Helps if you have a long wheelbase vehicle too. Less of the wheelie effect...
 
I also use a MotoJackRack. Like stated above, you just push the bike up to the rack and lift it a bit like you would put it on a stand. (I have to lift it anyway, others might not. I replaced the bottle jack once and it doesn't go down as far as it used to.) Then you just pump up the bottle jack and it raises the bike up. There's a locking pin that mechanically holds the rack in the raised position. The bike is locked down to the rack through the footpegs. The heaviest bike I've ever put on it was my XL600R which was 375 lbs wet. Carried it everywhere over many thousands of miles. I still use it for my 100 lb less CRF. Still works fine.

The company doesn't exist anymore. However, the Ultimate MX Hauler is the equivalent out there. They're about $400 from what I've seen at the local Honda dealer.
183256537_bKpZe-L.jpg

183255499_4xf9R-L.jpg
 
X1Glider said:
I also use a MotoJackRack. The bike is locked down to the rack through the footpegs. The heaviest bike I've ever put on it was my XL600R which was 375 lbs wet. Carried it everywhere over many thousands of miles. I still use it for my 100 lb less CRF. Still works fine.

The company doesn't exist anymore. However, the Ultimate MX Hauler is the equivalent out there. They're about $400 from what I've seen at the local Honda dealer.
183256537_bKpZe-L.jpg

183255499_4xf9R-L.jpg
Click to expand...

Must admit I would like to spend only a couple of hundred bucks on a carrier but the cheap ones look so unstable.

Like you I will be carryong a CRF, I got a case of Kurt syndrome [had not bought a bike in 3 weeks] (okay in my case 12 mouths) so now I have a CRF to haul around.

I like the idea of locking a bike by the foot pegs rather than compressing the suspension but one question for you and Randy, how secure do you think the bike is with that butterfly bolts ?
Do you secure the bike with addition points ?
Did you change out the butterfly bolts ?

Looking for words of wisdom before I invest $400 on an utilimate carrier
 
you bought the CRF to further torture some of us at katy bike night didn't you? :lol2:
 
poser said:
you bought the CRF to further torture some of us at katy bike night didn't you? :lol2:
Click to expand...

I could buy a pair of MX gloves and torture you. :rofl: :rofl:

I'm not saying anything :nono:

Just remember those that teach can't..... those that pose buy $30 MX pants. Those that ride ED29's bikes...:doh:
 
Just a comment after seeing Bob's carrier.

Do any of you worry about covering up the plate as well as brake and turn signal lights? From the looks of that picture, some cars would be hard pressed to see a brake light or turn sig.
 
jar675 said:
You interested in an XR with motard wheels?
Click to expand...

most certainly out of my price range, but I'll test ride it :trust:

Calgary-Yogi said:
I could buy a pair of MX gloves and torture you. :rofl: :rofl:

I'm not saying anything :nono:

Just remember those that teach can't..... those that pose buy $30 MX pants. Those that ride ED29's bikes...:doh:
Click to expand...

I'm working on it :doh: :giveup: :lol2:

Calgary-Yogi said:
now back to the original question please
Click to expand...

Back when I worked as a tech at an RV dealership, I rememeber seeing one that advertised several hundred pounds [they had a Harley lifted up on it in the pic] it had two conection points at one on the frame on each side so it looked realy stable, but it was way pricey.

or you could just buy a truck
 
I don't worry about the footpeg lockdowns. I use the jack handle as a cheater bar and give them an extra tightening.

I use a single tie down to hold the bars locked to the side and run a bungy cord from the the skid plate through the front wheel so the front tire doesn't spin as I head down the road. Neither are necessary, but I don't like the front end swinging around, and the wheel spinning just adds miles to the odometer.
 
In order to be completely stable, it is desirable to secure something by 3 points. The footpegs only count as 2. Because of where the foot pegs on the CRF are, the bike is weighted more to the rear than is desirable, so taking a left turn will want to tilt the front of the bike up off the platform with the pegs taking all of the stress. I use a single ratchet strap through my bark busters anchored at the platform base to keep the front from tipping up in a left turn or when jostling around on a rutted out dirt road. My strap is not tied down in the pic BTW.

Also note the 3 o'clock position of the front wheel. The rack comes with a wishbone shaped rod that keeps the front wheel from turning while traveling.

Depending on the bike, the pegs may be better centered over the platform than the CRF and not need the strap. That was the case for my XL600R.

As for not seeing the licese plate or brake lights... I have yet to be pulled over for not seeing the plate. I actually considered relocating the plate to the platform during traveling but several LEOs said it needs to be physically attached to the vehicle, not the rack. Same with those hitch baskets. The brake lights are easily seen through the spokes and the space between the fenders and tires. I bought a trailer harness and some lights to attach in the manner that a tow truck driver would stick to a towed vehicle but haven't done anything with them.

I have no worries of people not seeing the lights. I'm more worried of people tailgating (unbeknownst to them) because they are target fixated on my bike.
 
Yeah, I thought about adding a little light assembly, but haven't gotten around to it. The high middle brake light is always visible and people seem to see the other brake lights and turn signals just fine.

I saw it as an advantage that my rear plate was hidden when I was out in AZ a while back...
 
I've hauled my KLR like this (towed behind the motorhome) for thousands of trouble-free miles. The rack (steel and heavy) is a Versa-Haul.

HitchRack002.jpg
 
WoodButcher said:
I saw it as an advantage that my rear plate was hidden when I was out in AZ a while back...
Click to expand...
:mrgreen:

I was in AZ in July and didn't get any grief about either. I got pulled over when one of my headlights burnt out. The LEO said nothing about not seeing the plate hidden behind my CRF engine.

I saw a flash go off at the Willowbrook mall intersection one day. Wasn't me that ran a red light but some other schmuck squeezing through. Then I wondered how much of my plate is blocked from that red light camera.
 
I've got a Moto Tote and highly recommend it. It's very stout. I've hauled my 400 lb SV650 on it. With a class 4 hitch, you have 650 lb capacity. I've got a class 3 hitch, so the SV was pushing it, but it worked fine. Normally, I have a little 250 lb 250cc DP bike on it, like it ain't even there.

http://www.mototote.com/default.aspx?ProductID=44

mts_xterra.gif
 
Thanks for all the advice folks. It looks like I will be getting a Utilimate MX hauler, since it as about the same price some of the better looking racks.

Thanks Again
 
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