Long Distance with Motorcycle Hitch Carrier?

[RudeJeepin]

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.

I'd second the safety hooks on the straps and the anti rattle hitch thingy.

By the way, do you have a link or something for yours? It looks like a good one.

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[VladtheGlad]

I'd second the safety hooks on the straps and the anti rattle hitch thingy.

By the way, do you have a link or something for yours? It looks like a good one.

You are correct, the Trimax THC100 hitch brace I bought on Amazon is a good one - every other hitch brace I bought and tried was crap!!!

 

[VladtheGlad]

From years of experience with a hitch mounted carrier, I can honestly say my new motorcycle trailer is much easier and safer to use by myself. A word to those

using the carrier - take your time, lay everything out in advance and get a helping hand if you can. Good luck.

 

[rharr]

my rule is dirt bikes go on hitch carriers, big bikes go on trailers.

I'll throw this out there, I have been using a motojack rack (https://motojackrack.com/shop/) for my dirt bikes and it's been great, keeps the bike well fixed to the truck. No twisting like the ramp stuff.

 

[unsocbl]

I sold my motorcycle last year along with the trailer I bought for carrying it around. Did several years of hitch mount and I'd never go back after using the trailer. To me (YMMV), the trailer was just so much smoother and simpler to use.
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[MacNobody]

my rule is dirt bikes go on hitch carriers, big bikes go on trailers.

I'll throw this out there, I have been using a motojack rack (https://motojackrack.com/shop/) for my dirt bikes and it's been great, keeps the bike well fixed to the truck. No twisting like the ramp stuff.

I have been looking at the MotoJack Rack and it's tempting me. I have a DR650 that I'd be carrying longer distances (I'll just ride my BMW R1200GSA if I'm going on a trip).

Did you order the extra 2" drop version? I have a lift on my Gladiator and I think that the extra drop should get the platform low enough to get under my bike's frame.

 

[Chaos Theory]

My beemer is 400lbs and I carry using a high-quality hitch rack. While I've never had reason to not trust this setup, I don't trust this setup... It's going to bounce and twist, no matter how much you crank it down or what brace you use. Seeing all of that in the rearview innately induces anxiety. I find these very easy to load/unload with 1 person, though.

I've also never had issues with normal hook ratchet straps. You need to torque it down and collapse the suspension a bit (don't store it that way). Instead, I use an extra strap on the truck side, so if something fails, it fails against the tailgate vs hockey-pucking down the road.

 

[rharr]

I have been looking at the MotoJack Rack and it's tempting me. I have a DR650 that I'd be carrying longer distances (I'll just ride my BMW R1200GSA if I'm going on a trip).

Did you order the extra 2" drop version? I have a lift on my Gladiator and I think that the extra drop should get the platform low enough to get under my bike's frame.

I did, but the drop throws off the geometry of the jack and with the lift fully dropped the geometry kind of locks itself together and has trouble lifting a 300cc 2stroke, if I keep the lift not fully dropped with about a 2" gap between the vertical bars then it lifts the bike no problem.

If you are thinking 650 then get the normal lift so it's less of a issue and get use to lifting the bike up a bit.

 

[MacNobody]

I did, but the drop throws off the geometry of the jack and with the lift fully dropped the geometry kind of locks itself together and has trouble lifting a 300cc 2stroke, if I keep the lift not fully dropped with about a 2" gap between the vertical bars then it lifts the bike no problem.

If you are thinking 650 then get the normal lift so it's less of a issue and get use to lifting the bike up a bit.

Good info thank you!

 

[rharr]

Good info thank you!

In case you care.

 

[A 2]

A couple thousand but not tens of thousands with this set up. Yamaha XT 250 with a black widow hitch rack. I used a hitch clamp to take some of the slop out. Bed full of camping gear.
Frankly, it was not ideal. Too much rack movement and rear bounce. I recently installed a set of airlift 1000. Haven’t tried it with the rack/moto yet. I expect the improvement to be marginal.
Like others, I think a small trailer would be better,

 

[NCYoopicon]

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:

I have a Black Widow for a 450 pound street bike I have. I got the idea from these folks that have a 350 pound small bike/scooter that they've dragged all over the US and Mexico. .

For my experience, I've gone an hour and a half away to the Blue Ridge Pkwy and back home... I gradually got used to the bouncy play...(there is a bolt that tightens on the hitch receiver itself to minimize the play/bounce). As you drive a bit... stop, re-tighten the bolt...it'll dig into your receiver some...bedding it into there better and better). I rely on how well it was tied down with ratchet straps...the hitch receiver would have to pull off the vehicle to fall off. If you have a heavy duty carrier, your 350 pounder will probably ride on there fine.

After all of that said...I plan on getting a trailer this spring, but it's not a bad plan ($350 for the carrier vs $3000 for an enclosed trailer).

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