Motorcycle hitch

ftp2leta · Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:56 pm Post subject: Motorcycle hitch

Hey, I'm not sure how to call those but i guess I'm close.

Anyone here have experience with those, any feedback? Handling of the van, ease of use? Comments? I have seen one today and they are very light, i'm impress. So Bike + hitch should be around 250+ pounds.

Don't worry, i have a very solid 600pds 2in van hitch.

I just sold my big race bike SV1000S and i will buy a small 225 pound 200-250cc dual bike and if possible i don't want to pull a trailer in the back.

No way I'm going back to Mexico next year without a toy bike.

Here some pic:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Thanks for any input. Or even if you have other solution???

Ben
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Working with rust, grease, dirt and dust is a sad truth.
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dobryan · Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 6:10 pm Post subject:

Ben,

I have no experience with the bike hitch setup but I have used one of the hitch platforms to cary 250 to 300 lbs on the back of my '87 Westy (new springs and shocks and a 2002 EJ25). It rode just fine. You can tell the weight is back there but the handling was fine. It is good to have upgraded brakes of course. Go for it.
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'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

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mblotz · Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 6:58 pm Post subject:

I'm looking to do the same thing, only i want to do front and rear, probably 250lbs in rear and 175lbs up front (his and her plated dirt bikes) so i can do trips and be fully self contained. towing a trailer can really limit you sometimes as to where you can go, esp in someplace like baja.

i think the van can handle it, but do look forward to some responces with experience

ben--you should look at the kawasaki KLX250S, great bike for the size, out of the box street legal and easily modded for tons of power. or the yamaha XT225 is nice to (my wife has one for a dual sport). me, i will be putting a KTM400mxc rear and klx140L front, both made street legal enough to have a blast offroad, but can "legally" be ridden to the next trailhead.

Steelhead · Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 7:09 pm Post subject:

presslab uses a jack-rack with airbags. This is the route I've considered (I have the jackrack, but no airbags). need to beef up my hitch for improved tongue weight.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=322182&highlight=motorcycle

some discussion of tongue weights and airbags in this thread:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=316840&highlight=jackrack
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Sodo · Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 11:11 pm Post subject:

Home made (still not painted, sorry for the ugly rust) I've been carrying 300 lbs on back of Vanagons for a long time, maybe 13 years, and it has never been any problem, (compared to a trailer).

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2497718#2497718

Tom
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'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w ~~47k~~ 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
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ftp2leta · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 5:12 am Post subject:

fusername · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 5:25 am Post subject:

I was gonna say be carefull about adding all the extra wegith to the back of a car that is already back heavy, but all these kind folks seem to already have proven me wrong. I would still load all your heavy gear in the front for the tip to keep more weight over the steering wheels, but I guess its not a big deal. Those vanagons are heavier beasts than my 77, who does not appreciate such a loading. Highway you can just barely feel the difference in handling when I have too much junk in my trunk and passengers on the rear seats.
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mblotz · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:30 am Post subject:

ben

the klx250s came out in 06, so i am starting to see them pop up used, just yesterday saw one for $2500. definately kind of a rare bike to find, but patience will yield one. i used to have DR350, it was a great bike, or its more modern brother the DRZ400. one of my personal pics is KLX250S with the 330 kit installed

I also have a KLR650, i can tell you for sure it would be to heavy on the back of a vanagon, to heavy for any serious offroading as well, if you want one though, i may put mine for sale soon.

of course up there in canada you have had street legal husqvarnas for several years now (we just got them in the US recently again) and they are REAL nice

ftp2leta · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 7:58 am Post subject:

presslab · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:12 pm Post subject:

Yeah you can see my XR650L in the link above. It's a big heavy bike but stone reliable.

The WR250R is the bike I lust after. Light, 30 HP - more than enough, but $$$.

My air bags are like the big trucks have, not like air lift. I do not have coil springs in the rear.

Handling with the bike is really no issue but I do take it a bit easier around the corners. The front end is lighter for sure but not dangerously so. The carrier works very well, very easy to load and unload the bike.
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1986 Vanagon Westfalia EJ25
1988 Subaru GL-10 EJ20G --- 2000 Honda XR650L
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djbside · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:37 pm Post subject:

With the passing of my father in Dec. I just recently inherited this...

I am planning on building a front and rear bumper with receivers on them... and then either build or buy a carrier to haul it. And it only weighs 265 "wet".

This is an awesome topic!!

Happy St. Pat's Day!
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Brandon...'83 Westy "Rose"

presslab · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:09 pm Post subject:

That Big Wheel looks sweet. Perfect for Baja beach cruising.

My van:

My rack is like this one:
http://www.ultimatemxhauler.com/

_________________
1986 Vanagon Westfalia EJ25
1988 Subaru GL-10 EJ20G --- 2000 Honda XR650L
2010 Titus El Guapo --- 2011 On-One 456 Ti

ftp2leta · Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 5:06 am Post subject:

presslab · Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:54 am Post subject:

djbside · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:01 am Post subject:

Presslab...

That Hauler is pretty slick... but at $380... I think I will try to build one instead. It doesn't look too difficult at all really.

But thanks for the slick idea! Wink

_________________
Brandon...'83 Westy "Rose"

ftp2leta · Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 5:10 am Post subject:

I found me a small cool little bike, but cosmetically it was not looking that good, not that a dirt bike need to but still. I didn't know which color is should painted. I had many left over color but i also had some from my van.... he he he.

The tornado red bike...... he he he, so i spend all day doing that yesterday, 9 hours later:
http://www.benplace.com/moto2.htm

Now i need to find a hitch.

Ben
_________________
Working with rust, grease, dirt and dust is a sad truth.
------------------------------------------------------
FI part for sale: http://www.benplace.com/parts_sale1.htm
My site: http://www.benplace.com/vw2.htm
Subi conversion: http://www.benplace.com/vanaru_eng.htm
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/ftp2leta

carterzest · Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:04 am Post subject:

From the PDX Westravaganza thread and a meetup at Catherdral Park Oregon, this is a custom made trailer that backs up like a dream,. the wheel pivots and it makes the trailer an extension of the back of the van, thus, no jackknifing.

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Happiness=Portland, Oregon in the rearview mirror!

presslab · Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:40 am Post subject:

jackbombay · Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:52 am Post subject:

campism · Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:00 pm Post subject:

Ben,
The Super Sherpa is a popular little bike on the advrider.com site. Go to the Bikes area, Thumpers forum and do a search. There are several threads. I vote for keeping the paint original unless it is totally wasted.


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