Trailer hitch motorcycle carriers, Anyone use them?
- Thread starter rc51kid
- Start date
1stDeuce
Explorer
I guess I could look it up by application of OME spring p/n's, but I'm lazy so I'll ask... what kind of vehicle do you have? 
I have a HF aluminum rack. That steel rack from Northern looks exactly like the steel one HF sells too... Either one will work, but they're a little hokey, and the aluminum rack looks pretty loaded with my 300lb XR400 on it.
Having been to Yellowstone area many times, I can say you really should consider getting a dual sport of some sort for your stay there!! There are so many places to explore around the park (Not in the park.) that a dual sport would be "priceless" to an extended stay. Even if it's a smaller bike, it'll take you lots of places. Off both your current bikes and look for a plated dirt bike or factory dual sport. Something simple, like a DR200 or an old XR250l would be the hot ticket!! And then you can for sure carry it on a HF rack.
What will you be doing in Yellowstone for six months anyway? Living in West Yellowstone, or somewhere else?
I have a HF aluminum rack. That steel rack from Northern looks exactly like the steel one HF sells too... Either one will work, but they're a little hokey, and the aluminum rack looks pretty loaded with my 300lb XR400 on it.
Having been to Yellowstone area many times, I can say you really should consider getting a dual sport of some sort for your stay there!! There are so many places to explore around the park (Not in the park.) that a dual sport would be "priceless" to an extended stay. Even if it's a smaller bike, it'll take you lots of places. Off both your current bikes and look for a plated dirt bike or factory dual sport. Something simple, like a DR200 or an old XR250l would be the hot ticket!! And then you can for sure carry it on a HF rack.
What will you be doing in Yellowstone for six months anyway? Living in West Yellowstone, or somewhere else?
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
Re-evaluate the trailer. A little enclosed lawn care trailer hauls sportbikes in safety, and plenty of room for more gear.
It doesn't get annoying until you've reached your destination, then unhitch. The freeway is a snooze. No worries about a trailer there, so I don't get why that was crossed off so quickly.
It doesn't get annoying until you've reached your destination, then unhitch. The freeway is a snooze. No worries about a trailer there, so I don't get why that was crossed off so quickly.
ihatemybike
Explorer
Friday, June 5th in the afternoon I rode my KE solo across Illinois to Savanna, IL, my wife met me there in her Jeep Liberty after she got off from work and we camped. Saturday, using both vehicles, we tooled around the area taking back roads and gravel roads, swapping lead based on road surface type. Really didn't like eating her dust the first time we hit an unpaved road. Since the forecast had thunderstorms for Sunday, we loaded the KE on the aluminum HF rack before we went to sleep that night. First time transporting my bike with her Jeep and a test for a longer trip to the PNW we are planning for September. The Jeep's rear mounted spare had to be removed for the bike to stand upright. Drive home went well. J said the only difference she felt with the bike on the back was a bit of increase in stopping distance. My bike to outside corner of the vehicle anti-sway ratchet strap did it's job well.
There are a few reasons I went with the hitch rack over a trailer. They take up much less storage space, can't become catch-all / storage space for stuff that have nothing to do with riding, don't require being taxed, titled or licensed and have vastly less maintenance. The support vehicle is easily reversed, no change in mileage unloaded, barely any mileage change loaded, can still be parked in a normal parking space and (most important to my wife) still be fully trail capable.
There are a few reasons I went with the hitch rack over a trailer. They take up much less storage space, can't become catch-all / storage space for stuff that have nothing to do with riding, don't require being taxed, titled or licensed and have vastly less maintenance. The support vehicle is easily reversed, no change in mileage unloaded, barely any mileage change loaded, can still be parked in a normal parking space and (most important to my wife) still be fully trail capable.
chaos616
Adventurer
I agree, those ratings are so people don't go and load up a trailer or anything like those rack carriers with 1000+ lbs of junk and then the whole deal falls apart on the highway. Look how many bolts hold that unit on to your vehicle, (probably 6 minimum). Those bolts even at grade 5 are rated to 10's of thousands of pounds tensile and 10's of thousands of pounds shear strength. I have lifted my 7000 lbs truck off my hitch once, didn't deflect at all (as in nothing). a 450 lbs bike is no problem for it so long as it doesn't stick out too far. I hauled a 1996 KLR 650 on the back of a 2001 buick ranier and it had very little to no trouble with it (also built my own motorbike carrier which weighs about 100 lbs, probably a total of 500+ lbs on the hitch reciever)
good luck with whatever you decide on and trailers are not that bad of an idea either if you have the means.
good luck with whatever you decide on and trailers are not that bad of an idea either if you have the means.