# Hitch Mount Moto carrier?



## Jfizzle1 (Oct 9, 2015)

Curious if anyone has a good option for carrying your Moto on a hitch mount tray that can also tow your raft trailer? The tongue on my trailer is too short to put a tray there which would be preferable.


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## Amoon (Jun 5, 2018)

Just an idea that I’ve been toying with, but haven’t done anything yet....

Most/all hitch carriers are too weak to support the trailer as well. So I’m suggesting you reverse order (again this is what I’ve considered, but haven’t done yet). Weld another receiver to the back of the trailer and put the hitch carrier in it. 

I know it changes the weight dist of the trailer and could make your tongue too lite. But then again, if you need this than the trailer is presumably full and weight distribution isn’t an issue. The only real downside I see is you have ensure your trailer is strong enough and that the hitch carrier will be high enough that it won’t drag when you go over bumps or pull out of a dip etc.

Just an idea.


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## MontanaLaz (Feb 15, 2018)

https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Adap...MI8JzvrorM5AIVCKrsCh2-3AuLEAQYBSABEgIZ2vD_BwE

You could do a hitch extension and then mount the moto carrier to that. Not inline, but bolted to the top. There would be several ways to skin that cat.


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## jonseim (May 27, 2006)

I welded about 5 feet onto my tongue and then bolted a motorcycle tray from harbor freight onto it. Took some rigging to get it right, cut two plates to bolt to the tongue to make it wide enough to bolt the tray down.
Let me know if you want any pictures, I'll be glad to send some over of what we did.


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## Jfizzle1 (Oct 9, 2015)

Interesting ideas, I like the extension idea best but worry about too much weight back there. Was hoping for an out of the box solution.


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## cuzin (Oct 4, 2007)

jonseim said:


> I welded about 5 feet onto my tongue and then bolted a motorcycle tray from harbor freight onto it. Took some rigging to get it right, cut two plates to bolt to the tongue to make it wide enough to bolt the tray down.
> Let me know if you want any pictures, I'll be glad to send some over of what we did.


Hey jonseim - i'd be interested in seeing some pics of what you did. I'm looking for a similar solution.


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## bschoms (Feb 12, 2015)

I use the Versahaul:

| Versahaul

Not cheap, but super solid.

Here's one in Colo Springs:

https://cosprings.craigslist.org/mpo/d/colorado-springs-versahaul-motorcycle/6956428525.html


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

Two things to remember in your design. Too much tail weight and you end up with trailer swaying back and forth. Too much tongue weight and you lose steering control whenever you hit a bump.


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## Jfizzle1 (Oct 9, 2015)

https://www.discountramps.com/motor...aXX36jon2B9br-8qtYVH7bM8qUbJIzPBoCmtAQAvD_BwE

Any thoughts on this looks like it could do a hitch for a trailer and of course the bike would be a lot smaller?


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## flagstaff1 (Jan 7, 2015)

Front mounted hitch. Moto on front, trailer on rear.


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## idaho_h2o (May 5, 2005)

What vehicle and what bike?

If it's a full size, front mounted hitch is by far the safest/ best idea. Either that or take all the money you would spend on hitches and carriers and trade your old trailer off for one that does what you want it to.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

jonseim said:


> I welded about 5 feet onto my tongue and then bolted a motorcycle tray from harbor freight onto it. Took some rigging to get it right, cut two plates to bolt to the tongue to make it wide enough to bolt the tray down.
> Let me know if you want any pictures, I'll be glad to send some over of what we did.


That's a good idea. Carrier on the bumper puts ALL the MC weight on the bumper. Extending the tongue and mounting it there puts part of the MC weight on the trailer/axle.


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## Amoon (Jun 5, 2018)

Jfizzle1 said:


> https://www.discountramps.com/motor...aXX36jon2B9br-8qtYVH7bM8qUbJIzPBoCmtAQAvD_BwE
> 
> Any thoughts on this looks like it could do a hitch for a trailer and of course the bike would be a lot smaller?


Shortened response: drop this idea and get a longer tandem axle trailer.

Longer response:
Check the weight rating of your current hitch (ie the truck, and not towing weight, but actual weight supported by the hitch). Most standard truck hitch’s are only rated to hold about 600 pounds (I think). If you use a system like this, remember that the motorcycle (dirt bike) will be 250 pounds. Anything bigger will be more. My smallish ATV trailer empty has a tongue weight of about 80 pounds (it’s a heavy small trailer). Fully loaded with two 600 pound plus atv’s it can easily produce a tongue weight of 300 pounds. I might be off base here, and you might know better (and a rafting set up may never be heavy enough to worry about anyway). I’m just suggesting that these weights add up and it’s worth doing the math. Also, I think tandem axle trailers do a much better job of carrying their load on their wheels and keeping tongue weight appropriate, which is one reason why you don’t see set ups like this and one of several reasons why longer/heavier trailers use two axles rather than just one really heavy duty one. 

All that is to say, your real solution might be to get a longer trailer with tandem axles. Simpler. Readily available. Usable for a ton of stuff outside this specific application. And significantly increases your total weight capacity and gear stacking options (for this adventure or other endeavors).


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## ColoradoDave (Jun 3, 2010)

I remember seeing a thread somewhere RE : the Front hitch idea. People were worrying about it blocking the airflow through the radiator at high speeds/ engine RPM's. Especially if they had a cover on it to keep it cleaner.


Not sure if that is the case, or not. Probably depends on how much fairings, etc. are on the motorcycle.


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## jonseim (May 27, 2006)

Everybody I talked to about a front tray said don't do it. Too much weight up front added to the engine, strains shocks, air flow is impacted significantly no matter the bike and visibility is often a concern. I put a front receiver on my 4runner and love having it to pull things, push trailers around tight spaces with better visibility, but won't put the bike up there.
I'll try and take some pics later this weekend of the extended tongue and motorcycle tray attachment


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## Jfizzle1 (Oct 9, 2015)

jonseim said:


> Everybody I talked to about a front tray said don't do it. Too much weight up front added to the engine, strains shocks, air flow is impacted significantly no matter the bike and visibility is often a concern. I put a front receiver on my 4runner and love having it to pull things, push trailers around tight spaces with better visibility, but won't put the bike up there.
> I'll try and take some pics later this weekend of the extended tongue and motorcycle tray attachment


Please do post a photo, I’m thinking the extension is prolly the best of the menu of options.


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## jonseim (May 27, 2006)

I'm in Erie off hwy 7, not far from you if you want to come check it out, driveway is a mess with a water service line leak, but I'll show it to you for sure if you want to take some measurements or whatever.
I'll try and get some pics and try and post them here.


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## Infidien (May 27, 2013)

Thanks for the inspiration Buzzards! As a result of this thread I bought an older Craigslist moto and a HF carrier, which I bolted to a step hitch extension I had laying around (which I beefed up with a couple gussets). Was planning to use it on the front receiver but chickened out - just looked too whimpy. Just got back from a short Ruby/Horsethief trip and it worked great.


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## Jfizzle1 (Oct 9, 2015)

Infidien said:


> Thanks for the inspiration Buzzards! As a result of this thread I bought an older Craigslist moto and a HF carrier, which I bolted to a step hitch extension I had laying around (which I beefed up with a couple gussets). Was planning to use it on the front receiver but chickened out - just looked too whimpy. Just got back from a short Ruby/Horsethief trip and it worked great.


Excellent, thanks for the photos. Which tray mount did you go with. Send the link if you can. Sweet rig!


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## Infidien (May 27, 2013)

Jfizzle1 said:


> Excellent, thanks for the photos. Which tray mount did you go with. Send the link if you can. Sweet rig!


https://www.harborfreight.com/400-lbs-receiver-mount-motorcycle-carrier-62837.html?


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## OMGitsCasey (Mar 31, 2016)

Infidien said:


> Thanks for the inspiration Buzzards! As a result of this thread I bought an older Craigslist moto and a HF carrier, which I bolted to a step hitch extension I had laying around (which I beefed up with a couple gussets). Was planning to use it on the front receiver but chickened out - just looked too whimpy. Just got back from a short Ruby/Horsethief trip and it worked great.


This is brilliant, exactly what I'm wanting to do. Do you have any additional photos? Does this setup still work well for you? I know you're supposed to de-rate your tongue capacity by half with using these hitch extenders but I'm wondering if it seems necessary.


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## joshfromdc (Mar 11, 2006)

I tried a bunch of configurations and landed on putting the bike on the trailer. I had a tray in the front and tried it on on the back of the trailer. The front wasn't too bad but it obstructed my view. The hitch on the back of my trailer caused a little too much sway. I ended up building it into the trailer. This was the best solution so far. My two cents.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Nice setup!


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## joshfromdc (Mar 11, 2006)

MNichols said:


> Nice setup!


Thanks! It was a custom build I designed and worked with Josh Spoon (Whitewater Spoon) to build.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

joshfromdc said:


> Thanks! It was a custom build I designed and worked with Josh Spoon (Whitewater Spoon) to build.


He sure does some outstanding work...


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## Infidien (May 27, 2013)

OMGitsCasey said:


> This is brilliant, exactly what I'm wanting to do. Do you have any additional photos? Does this setup still work well for you? I know you're supposed to de-rate your tongue capacity by half with using these hitch extenders but I'm wondering if it seems necessary.










It does work well (except for falling off a couple times trying to drive it up - I push it now). My boats are light so haven't worried about tongue capacity. You will probably need drill press, welder and other tools to make a plate for the extender to match the mounting holes, or have it fabricated.


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## jw841 (Aug 16, 2011)

jonseim said:


> I welded about 5 feet onto my tongue and then bolted a motorcycle tray from harbor freight onto it. Took some rigging to get it right, cut two plates to bolt to the tongue to make it wide enough to bolt the tray down.
> Let me know if you want any pictures, I'll be glad to send some over of what we did.


[email protected]. be stoked to see your rig


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## jonseim (May 27, 2006)

jw841 said:


> [email protected]. be stoked to see your rig


Email sent


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