Mototcycle carrier...hitch mount...

[jsb223]

Has anyone ever used one of these...

Right now I only have the one bike and it's cheaper than a trailer

My DRZ400 is 300lbs so I'm under the max weight...

What do you think?

http://store.yahoo.com/comfortforless/mambstmocafr.html

Or save money for a torsion axle trailer?

[Chirpy]

I bought one for a DRZ-SM as well. It's this one. (http://www.motojackrack.com/) I liked it, but circumstances conspired against me, and I only used it like three times

It doesn't fit on the back of the RV (spare tire and height issues) and now that the inlaws have moved running the DRZ from Montgomery into Houston isn't very appealing.

Mine's black and with the gas can carrier. $150 sound appealing? I got no place for it at the new house. Do me a favor...

--SOLD!!!--

[fastmonstr]

I bought this one from ebay:LINK (http://tinyurl.com/rxc2n).

Very impressed with it so far. I would not put a 500 pound street bike, but my dirt bikes are fine with it.

[bushwhacker]

Here is my concern. My maximum tongue weight is 300 lbs.

DRZ Dry - 291 lbs

Battery, water, oil and Gas 25 lbs

radiator guards, bash plate, rack, case guards, corbin seat, etc 15 lbs

carrier (aluminum 45 lbs) Steel (85 lbs)

Total 386-424 lbs.

Hitch, frame mounted (bolted, not welded) 1 and 1/4 inch hitch. I can use an adapter to bring it to 2 inches, lets say another 5 lbs.

What is the detrimental effect of exceeding the tongue weight by 100 lbs for an extended period of time?

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[letsride]

I use the Mototote http://www.mototote.com/ This design has zero (zilch/nada/nein) wobble at the receiver junction, highly recommended. The truck needs to have good solid rear suspension though as there is a moment arm involved. The weight of the bike + the tote times 55% should give you the actual tongue weight.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/obeknobe/IMG_1023.jpg

[Tourmeister]

Don't forget the weight of the mud :lol2:

[bushwhacker]

I use the Mototote http://www.mototote.com/ The truck needs to have good solid rear suspension though as there is a moment arm involved. The weight of the bike + the tote times 55% should give you the actual tongue weight.
[/IMG]

So if I understand you correctly, in my example, at a total of 390-430 lbs the tongue weight would be 390(.55) - 430(.55) or ~215 lbs - ~235 lbs?

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[letsride]

Mud's heavy, very heavy. Got a tip from Amber, lightly spray the bike with cooking oil (cannola preferred) when conditions are muddy. The coat of oil keeps the mud from sticking :clap: Sorry for the thread jack.

[letsride]

So if I understand you correctly, in my example, at a total of 390-430 lbs the tongue weight would be 390(.55) - 430(.55) or ~215 lbs - ~235 lbs?
-

Lets say the bike is 424lbs, the tote is 80lbs so the moment factor (torque) will be
424 + 80 x .55 = 277.2lbs
Now tongue weight = weight of bike + weight of tote + moment factor
= 424 + 80 + 277.2
= 781.2lbs

[chiricahua]

I bought one for a DRZ-SM as well. It's this one. (http://www.motojackrack.com/) I liked it, but circumstances conspired against me, and I only used it like three times

It doesn't fit on the back of the RV (spare tire and height issues) and now that the inlaws have moved running the DRZ from Montgomery into Houston isn't very appealing.

Mine's black and with the gas can carrier. $150 sound appealing? I got no place for it at the new house. Do me a favor...

I'll give you $150 for it if it's still for sale?

[Tourmeister]

:tab Faisal, just curious where you get the .55 moment arm :scratch: Never heard of that before. Is that in feet, yards? Is it the distance from the end of the receiver to the centerline of the bike? I was always under the impression that tongue weight was the max load at the ball in the hitch, usually very close to the end of the receiver.

:tab Torque loads as a result of tongue weight will act at the rear axle and tend to lift the front end of the towing vehicle (or make it feel lighter). It is much more likely that this would be a problem before the actual load of the bike and carrying rack exceed the mechanical limits of the hitch itself and caused a failure. If the towing vehicle sits noticeably nose up and rear down, then you can expect some funky handling issues.

[letsride]

You are correct Scott, therefore the need to,

1: Carry light bikes on the tote.
2: Drive a sturdy vehicle with strong rear suspension when using the tote.

If 1 and 2 are not followed the vehicle will wheelie when hitting humps on the freeway. As the tie downs need to be spread at an angle, the tote platform (where the bike sits) is roughly 2 feet away (further back) from the receiver, this becomes the moment arm and exerts torque on the receiver increasing the load to higher than the total sum of the bike + carrier weight. Therefore the increased tongue weight exerted on the receiver. When pulling a boat, this does not happen as the load is mostly on the trailer axels.

I tote a 220lb bike and hardly feel a difference in suspension and handling. With a heavier bike (or weaker suspension) it will not remain so and the suspension will be compressed to the point of bottoming out, therefore the need to beef up the rear suspension + receiver capability depending on the amount of load carried on the tote. The factor of 55% addition of tongue weight is what I calculated for my vehicle.

[bushwhacker]

I have been thinking.

It would seem to me that if some sort of spring action, leaf or coil, were inserted between the carrier and the hitch this would substantially lessen or even completely negate the additional stress on the hitch caused by uneven pavement.

Does anyone know if they make this type of carrier with some sort of spring suspension between the carrier and the hitch connector.

Inquiring minds want to know.

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[Chirpy]

No.

You really don't want 350 lbs flopping around on the end of your hitch. Spring loading would actually increase the peak load if/when it hit the stops.

[DANNYROTH]

bushwacker, you could attach your bike to a channel rail type carrier by bracing and tying the wheels down to the rail, allowing the bike's suspension to move and absorb some of the shock transferred up through the carrier. You still would have some of the effect Chirpy pointed out, but not as extreme. Some trailers have a gizmo sticking up at the end of the rail that the front tire fits into, allowing this method to secure the bike. Look at the item at the very bottom of this page. http://www.motorcycletrailer.com/mag1/bigt1.htm

[bushwhacker]

I think I did not make myself clear.

I do not mean something with light enough springs that would make the bike bounce around like a car with bad shocks.

I mean something like a heavy leaf or short coil that would allow the bike to move maybe a quarter inch on a bad bump, just enough to absorb the primary impact energy.

Additionally, something between the bike and the hitch such as a double rail with the two rails attached one on top of the other with in such a way that they could not be seperated with the leaf mounted between the two rails and the bike strapped down to the first one.

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[VFRJohn]

Got a tip from Amber, lightly spray the bike with cooking oil (cannola preferred) when conditions are muddy. The coat of oil keeps the mud from sticking

PLUS, you'll give off a delicious french-fries smell when you ride!

:clap: Doubly sorry for the thread jack, jack.

[XR650Rocketman]

Or....Maybe we should all just ride Dual Sport bikes and get where we are going that way......On a serious note.....I have several friends that use carriers attached to receiver hitches....Thay all make me nervous just looking at them....But....Even the home made ones have worked well for years....Nobody has ever lost a bike....Yet...Unlike me who dragged his XR650R down the highway after it fell off my trailer....

Oh yeah....Most of them are using SUVs of one type or another.....Nobody complains about the ride....

steve

[budzrex]

I have hauled my ZRX1100 from Georgia to Texas and from Texas to Arkansas on a hitch carrier it is rated for 600lbs and both the Tahoe and the Truck have had high load rated hitches and towing packages no problems with either. It is easier than putting it in the back of the truck as my Dodge sits so high. I will post up the brand later as it is under the house and I dont feel like crawing down there tonight.

[redrider4life]

Here is a picture of the one I made. I cant find a picture with the bike on it. But the front tire locks in the front and I would put a strap on the frame beside either footpeg ran under the frame of the tote. It was on a custom bumper. So instead of just attaching at one point like on a class 3, it had two. Its kinda a bad picture. If anyone wants a better one I still have the tote I can get some better pictures.
Ron
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/redrider4life/RC3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/redrider4life/RC1.jpg

[Loyd]

I use the Mototote http://www.mototote.com/
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a201/obeknobe/IMG_1023.jpg
"Mototote, hauling your bike on one garauntees a win!":mrgreen:

[chiricahua]

I'll give you $150 for it if it's still for sale?

Hey Mang, thanks for the great deal on the MotoJack Rack. It fits great and it the Exploder handles well.

For those who are interested, I carried an R1 on a Joe Hauler rack and never had a problem with wieght or wheelies or bottoming out.

Buy one and haul your bike and ride.:sun: