Transportation Options

[HughiusMaximus]

Evening gents,

I'm looking at doing more track days this year and want to try to sort a way to transport the bike so I don't have to ride there and back....

I'm tempted to get this:

https://www.discountramps.com/hitch-mounted-steel-...

It wouldn't take up much space (I'm renting an apartment in chicago) and it would probably work out cheaper than renting a uhaul trailer multiple times.

I'm also considering getting this too to aid transportation:

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/canyon-dancer-...

What's the thinking around securing the front using the handlebars as the contact point?

Is it ok or considered a bad idea?

[MotorsportTom]

Not sure what vehicle you have or the laws in the US, but here in the UK you can't use that type of carrier with a big motorbike as they are generally to heavy for vehicle to carry on the tow hitch.

Maximum for the common vehicles is around 100kg (trials bike or a 2 stroke off road bike is typical), where as most 600's will easily be 180kg with fuel etc.

The tie downs for the bars work well for trailers or in the back of vans but I have no idea about using them on a carry rack

[poo at Paul's]

The straps work well. But if you fit the MotoGP style lever protectors, (attached at bar end) you will have to remove them each time you strap it down, so remember that.
Your bike is obviously very visible and could be an easy target if seen or followed, but that is a risk of any open carrying of a bike.

Since you are in the US, get tooled up, then if anyone checks out the bike and looks a bit dodgy, you can shoot their face off! ! It's the safest way.

Edited by poo at Paul's on Monday 19th February 09:11

[doggydog33]

Don't know how much room you have in your apartment, but I've got a moto-lug trailer which breaks down quite nicely in to it's component parts in about 10mins.
Regards, Doggydog.

[HughiusMaximus]

Just wanted to give a quick update - took my first trip with the bike on the carrier over the weekend.

All in all worked very well... once the paranoia of the bloody dropping off the back passed...!

Edited by HughiusMaximus on Monday 7th May 13:13

Edited by HughiusMaximus on Monday 7th May 13:15

[dern]

Looks good but you've got 250kg sitting on your tow bar there! I'm sure you've checked whether the car and tow bar is up to it but don't fancy it myself.

[ZesPak]

That looks practical on first glance, but actually raises a lot of concerns on second:

• How do you get it up there?
• Impossible to get in the boot of the car now?
• Isn't that bike significantly wider than the car?
• And as the poster above, that's over 200kg on your rear axle and twobar

[HughiusMaximus]

Yup I'm very conscious of that alright!

I'm at the upper levels of the manufacturer communicated tolerances, but know that for safety critical parts in the automotive industry they build in an extra safety margin of +50% just to cover themselves.

It should be fine.. I still empty the fuel tank before loading though to lighten it a bit!

[HughiusMaximus]

ZesPak said:

That looks practical on first glance, but actually raises a lot of concerns on second:

• How do you get it up there?
• Impossible to get in the boot of the car now?
• Isn't that bike significantly wider than the car?
• And as the poster above, that's over 200kg on your rear axle and twobar

There is a detachable ramp that you use to load / unload. I just stick it in the car when done so I'm carrying less weight on the carrier itself.
Cant open the boot door, but can still access the boot via the rear doors / seats.
Scales are skewed in the picture - the bike looks way bigger in relation to the car than it actually is. Its all pretty much the same width of the car (maybe extends around 4 inches past the rear wheel well on the left hand side). Car is a Ford Explorer - its a 7 seater SUV bigger than an Audi Q7 / Q8 so its a big unit in its own right.

Edited by HughiusMaximus on Monday 7th May 14:22

[The Moose]

Never seen one of those actually in use but have always wondered!

Does it feel strong/robust? If you know what I mean - not flapping/bouncing around etc?

[Gavia]

HughiusMaximus said:

Just wanted to give a quick update - took my first trip with the bike on the carrier over the weekend.

All in all worked very well... once the paranoia of the bloody dropping off the back passed...!

Edited by HughiusMaximus on Monday 7th May 13:13

Edited by HughiusMaximus on Monday 7th May 13:15

Bloody hell. A mate on here uses that set up for his enduro bike and that scares me. I’m amazed you can still steer the car, it must be so light at the front and nearly wheelying.

[HughiusMaximus]

The Moose said:

Never seen one of those actually in use but have always wondered!

Does it feel strong/robust? If you know what I mean - not flapping/bouncing around etc?

It was fine.

Some slight motion when I hit bumps but just all in all it was very stable....

[HughiusMaximus]

Gavia said:

Bloody hell. A mate on here uses that set up for his enduro bike and that scares me. I’m amazed you can still steer the car, it must be so light at the front and nearly wheelying.

Ha, the car weighs around 2100 kgs to begin with so it was always a bit of a barge.

What was worse than the handling was the engine.

They hate diesel over here so it has a 3.5L V6 petrol engine.

It makes around 280 bhp which is decent but it has zero torque so you need to rev it to get it do anything.

All in all though it was pretty drama free.

Only problem was when I loaded it to head home.. and then realised I had forgotten to close the boot.
Had to unload it, close the boot and then reload it.

I won't be making that mistake again.....

[The Moose]

HughiusMaximus said:

The Moose said:

Never seen one of those actually in use but have always wondered!

Does it feel strong/robust? If you know what I mean - not flapping/bouncing around etc?

It was fine.

Some slight motion when I hit bumps but just all in all it was very stable....

I presume straight into the 2” receiver hitch?

[HughiusMaximus]

The Moose said:

I presume straight into the 2” receiver hitch?

Yup, then secured with a locking hitch bolt.

[Prof Prolapse]

Gavia said:

Bloody hell. A mate on here uses that set up for his enduro bike and that scares me. I’m amazed you can still steer the car, it must be so light at the front and nearly wheelying.

I don't think it's that much of an effect to be honest. I'm sure someone more experienced would know better, but I think the "moment" is quite small as well given how close the bike is is to the CoM, and that bike is probably less than 10% of the laden vehicle's total weight. Bearing in mind once some (presumably) enormous North American sits in the front seat if will offset the weight distribution further.

As terrifying as it looks (I agree), I think if you can get it up there, and the hitch can take the weight then it's fine personally. It's quite a neat solution.

As an lay person though, my concern is that hitch though, saying "they build 50% extra tolerance", really isn't a sound rationale. Any tolerance is (again, presumably) built in to allow for a number of factors including the movement of the load. A 200kg load that moves even slightly can produce a significant amount of additional force far beyond what the load would if it was stationary, If you're already exceeding the weight rating, that would concern me.

[Krikkit]

I think what he meant was that the car is rated for a tow hitch weight over the total weight (maybe?)

A quick Google shows it as a 500lb "tongue" weight (as the Americans call them) on some versions of that explorer... = 227kg.

There will be a significant dynamic tolerance built into that as well, so it should be safe, although watching out for the handling is no doubt a good idea...

[Prof Prolapse]

I'm sure it'll be fine. I didn't mean to be a doomsayer. Just thought it was an interesting solution.

[catso]

I had one of those type of carrier many years ago, fitted to a Ford Sierra. Carried a 500cc MX bike, it worked OK but made the front of the car feel a bit light.

Suppose it depends on the vehicle it's fitted to but I wouldn't want to have carried anything heavier...