Honda CT70 the perfect Syncro companion?

[Californio]

Not a lot of progress on my end. I bought a couple of bucket bike carriers off Amazon and yes they do mount to the front bumper but no they won't support the weight, not even worth trying. They will tear my bumper off. My welder friend looked at it and said WAY too many hours involved in trying to fab one up from scratch.

Because of the tire carrier I don't think you could mount a hitch receiver there.

So back to either bumper mount or frame mount.

Rocky Mountain Westy, Burley, you there? Maybe a new product?

I even posted to lilhonda.com, no responses.

[climberjohn]

Here is a possible solution to front bumper mounting of heavy things. Yes, it's $$$, but I have GW bumpers and I love them!

1) Get Gowesty bumpers, or at least a front one. (Note that a set is on sale in Feb:)
http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4141

2) Get a "Front Mounted 2" Hitch Receiver for GoWesty Plate Steel Bumper":
http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4335

3) Attach whatever sort of front mount rack you like to this setup. I am pretty sure this is what Lucas (the GW owner) has on his Syncro Westy to carry the Honda CT70 motorcycle.

Call up GW and ask. I'm sure they will tell you more on this setup. I have seen a photo on the Samba of a motorcycle on the front bumper of Lucas' van, but cannot find it just now.

-CJ
_________________
'86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often.

[Californio]

Yes, sounds like that is the way to go. Thanks for the tip.

[skivan]

[campism]

Just this morning an saw an ad in the back of Car and Driver for these guys:

http://www.discountramps.com

Good luck!

[Californio]

I already have the steel bumpers so that shouldn't be a problem. The GW bolt on hitch receiver looks like the easiest way to go. But I am still concerned about the huge stress that driving 40 miles of washboard roads with 175lbs cantilevered out like that would put on the front frame member and the hitch receiver itself. Tell me I'm wrong! because this really looks like the easy way to do it. If you've done those roads you know what I mean. For street/ highway use, no problem.

[RGS Paul]

Why not just put it on a trailer? Way easier then hauling it around on the front of the van and you can store other stuff back there too (spare water, tools, parts, kayak…). There are a couple of nice small trailer options out there that should work nicely, you could even setup a load distributing hitch so you help your Westy sag.

Paul
_________________
'87 Syncro 7-Pass. Adventure Touring Vehicle
"Simplicate, then add lightness." Colin Chapman

[Californio]

This is for moderate to severe 4WD offroad use, trailers won't work, trust me.

[BC Westie]

Glad to see other Westy owners appreciating the original mini bike. I have the Honda Z50 so that way the kids or me can ride it.

The Sunagon Hot Wheels has the motor bike on the back. Right now I keep my z50 mini trail inside but it would be nice to have an outer fixed solution.
_________________
1980 Vanagon Cali Import 86,000Miles
1981 Vanagon (Auto) 219,000kms
1981 Westfalia (Auto) Cali Import 169,000Miles
1981 Westfalia 300,000kms
1982 Westfalia Cali Import 193,000Miles
1982 Westfalia (Auto) 205,000Kms
1984 Vanagon 306,000kms
1987 Vanagon GL 300,000Kms

[climberjohn]

[IdahoDoug]

Californio,

Don't quickly rule out trailers because they can't keep up in severe 4WD, as there are a lot of serious offroad trailers that CAN keep up. It has been a rapidly growing area of new products. I'd be surprised if a Syncro can go places a modern offroad trailer cannot. The nice thing about the trailer is it adds huge functionality to any other vehicles you own and also functionality to use for lumber, group camping trips, etc.

Lots of stuff will come up on Google.

DougM
_________________
1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[Californio]

Well...I've been up trails in Saline Valley that forced me to go over boulders as high as your coffee table, barely made it at all with both lockers engaged and in G gear. In that particular situation, which is pretty extreme, there is no way any kind of a trailer would have made it up. But I will see what's out there. Maybe just for getting to camp.

The GW link shows a mount (for the green bike, coincidentally on a rig that looks exactly like mine) that does not seem to involve a center hitch receiver. How it is actually done is impossible to see but it looks like there are two frame mounts and a center stabilizer coming out near the bottom of the radiator.

I have a call in to GW, waiting to hear back.

I do think there would be some niche market for these.

Vendors?

[Team WorldTour]

Hey, Alaric.H, you need to stop posting pics of your shop. Every time I see one, I hate you just a little bit more.....









...actually, I'm just fucking jealous!
_________________
1990 Feldjäger Syncro AAZ
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[joetiger]

Californio,

Have you seen this build-up from Brent's site?

http://www.weidefamily.net/vanagon/Files/Kevin_Jakeys_vw_hitch.pdf
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

[ddye]

[Californio]

Thanks for the link, I hadn't seen that one before and there is a lot of useful info on the site. It looks like whoever made that hitch receiver is a real craftsman.

I see there are some photos of a CT90 on the back, indicating that the owner feels the cantilevered weight isn't a problem. Whether or not this would be true in offroad situations I don't know. Maybe I am paranoid? just want to avoid weld failures etc. way out there.

In any case this receiver is for the back not front.

[Californio]

Yeah nice garage, looks like the maid visits a bit more often than mine.