Looking to buy a Dual Sport to use on a hitch mount for the Airstream

[Heloflyboy]

I'm not sure. Guessing most of the hitch haulers aren't going to come out and say it's ok to run and extension. Because some dipsheet somewhere will build a 48" long extension then wonder why his goldwing ripped the hitch off his rusty 89 F150

How long of an extension do you think you would need to run?

That is hilarious cant stop laughing. So true.

 

[Mwilliamshs]

Hitch extensions: Reese makes a Titan hitch with 2.5" receiver for the slide-in truck camper crowd that takes along a boat, cargo trailer etc. I have such a 41" extension rated for 5,000 lbs in a weight-carrying use and 500 lbs tongue weight. These work as both an extension of the hitch and a reducer from 2.5" at the hitch to 2" at the other end so they accept normal hitch ball mounts, bike racks, etc. I've hauled my DR350 (310 lbs) on a heavy, overbuilt (and since revised/lightened) electric-lift bike carrier of my design (150 lbs) on this extension behind my Lance camper repeatedly and over some unimproved roads I probably shouldn't have. No problems to date. I realize this is not your application (no 2.5" hitches for van that I found) but I don't think you'll have any trouble hauling your bike on a reasonable extension so long as you use a sufficiently strong hitch and well made extension (Reese makes a nice 18" long 2" hitch extender rated for 4,000 lbs) and act responsibly with it. I check all my hitch pins and safety chains, tire temps, tie downs, etc etc etc a mile after departure (convenient pulloff near my house) and again at every fuel stop and only used my extension and bike lift after stress-testing them under safe conditions with a load much greater than I'll ever actually carry or tow on a public road. YMMV