Long Distance with Motorcycle Hitch Carrier?

[Kanger]

I'm thinking about doing a long road trip next year from Alaska to the east coast and back. Plan would be to take my Kawasaki KLX300 dual sport with me and check out some BDR trails along the way. I would like to keep the truck bed free, so I can load gear back there and leave space for some heavy items to bring back to Alaska (since shipping costs so much for heavier items).

So I'm considering taking the bike that weighs about 320 lbs on a hitch mount motorcycle carrier. Anyone have experience with using these long distance? Wondering how the hitch and JT will hold up. I've seen posts of people using them, but not any reports specifically for long distance (I'm talking like 10,000 miles). My JT is a stock rubicon x.

The bike in question:

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[Labswine]

Well, as long as your carry rack isn't too bouncy in the receiver, (there will be some bounce just from having it on the rear of the vehicle, as that is typically the most bouncy part) then it should be fine. Most tongue ratings are between 600 and 650 lbs so your scoot falls well below the tongue rating.

 

[rharr]

Get a quality one, skip the harbor freight temptation. Maybe buy a trailer and sell it once you get back to AK?

 

[HorsesRear]

That is a gorgeous photo. I sure would not want to leave there to go to the east coast.

 

[Swegian]

Used that type of MC carry for years. My dad built one that hinged down at the center around the 2" bar insert. (No need for a ramp or to lift bike on carrier) Back in them ol days most dirt bikes (scramblers) had hard flip down bike stands besids the kickdown type. "U" Bolts were positioned over the stand base to the carrier and standard handle bar tiedowns. Thousands of miles behind my 69 Nomad and 72 k5 boazer.

 

[629]

Well, as long as your carry rack isn't too bouncy in the receiver, (there will be some bounce just from having it on the rear of the vehicle, as that is typically the most bouncy part) then it should be fine. Most tongue ratings are between 600 and 650 lbs so your scoot falls well below the tongue rating.

100%. If you look on Amazon etc they sell various stabilizers/anti rattle hitch devices for them. As for the carriers… I have two one is cheap (steel) from who knows where and another is all aluminum probably expensive (came with a dr650 I had). The cheap steel one works better to be honest. The metal one kinda flexes when loaded which is nice. I would run frequently 4 hours between my house and cabin before I permanently moved.

 

[Kanger]

Thanks for all the feedback. I have the same rack as 629 and it works fine, but don’t like that the base is 2 separate pieces. I’ll probably get a different one with a 1 piece base for this long trip. I do use a hitch stabilizer. Just wanted to make sure carrying a bike this way wouldn’t be too much stress on the JT. I’ve read some posts about frames cracking, etc. I’m coming from a full size, so just checking.

The full size Tundra I sold for the JT:

 

[Kanger]

That is a gorgeous photo. I sure would not want to leave there to go to the east coast.

Alaska is quite beautiful. Planning this drive to the east coast to visit my little nephew. He REALLY likes Jeeps and trucks...which is what prompted me to buy this "Jeep truck" lol. I want to show it to him...and do some adventures along the way.

 

[Supazuk]

Thanks for all the feedback. I have the same rack as 629 and it works fine, but don’t like that the base is 2 separate pieces. I’ll probably get a different one with a 1 piece base for this long trip. I do use a hitch stabilizer. Just wanted to make sure carrying a bike this way wouldn’t be too much stress on the JT. I’ve read some posts about frames cracking, etc. I’m coming from a full size, so just checking.

The full size Tundra I sold for the JT:

I used that same rack to carry my DR650 on the back of my old astro van and my suburban worked great easier then trying to load in the bed

 

[OVERLORD]

Why not just put it in the bed, strapped down?

That's what the Easter Egg grid in the bed is for.

A picture of my Priceless Red Ruby, with two bikes in the bed.

Sounds like a loaded bed, with a bike hanging off its bumper, is asking a lot for a lil truck.

 

[VladtheGlad]

Zero DSR at 500lbs on bike carrier hitched to my Sprinter for thousands of miles and hauled my Africa Twin at 535lbs for hundreds of miles on my Gladiator hitch. I now have a trailer for a safer experience at my age . I gave the carrier to a friend but I believe it was a Black Widow brand.

 

[Badunit]

Those carriers may work perfectly fine (I have never tried one) but with some of those bikes it sure looks like a lot of weight hanging off a long lever arm, and torsionally it is such a small square tube to resist rotational movement. Static load no problem, I'm thinking about the possible dynamic loads. Not saying they can't take it, people use them so I guess they can, just saying it makes me cringe.

Isn't the rated tongue weight based on a point-source weight on the ball. If the weight is placed further back than that, wouldn't the rating be lower due to the added leverage?

 

[Kanger]

Zero DSR at 500lbs on bike carrier hitched to my Sprinter for thousands of miles and hauled my Africa Twin at 535lbs for hundreds of miles on my Gladiator hitch. I now have a trailer for a safer experience at my age . I gave the carrier to a friend but I believe it was a Black Widow brand.

This long distance feedback was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.

Sweet AT btw. I was strongly considering an AT, but ended up with a Yamaha Tenere 700 instead. I’ll likely go AT next if I ever get ride of the Tenere.

 

[Andy29847]

Moto tote makes the best moto tote. My donkey vehicle is a little bigger than yours, but I've carried my bike for thousands of miles.

 

[VladtheGlad]

Just make sure to use a hitch brace to stop bounce and make sure to use tied down straps with hook locks - learned that last 1 the $$$ way.

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