Vanagon front motorcycle carrier

[Sodo]

For folks who want to carry a small motorcycle on the front of a Vanagon, here is a rack that I have built. I've been using it for a couple years to carry a 160 lb "Trials" motorcycle. (~80 lbs per wheel). If I step on this rack, with all of my weight on one of the support (~160 lbs) it does not flex. 160 lbs on one support is 2X the load of the motorcycle that I normally carry.

Here is what the support structure looks like on each side. It's bolted to the flange of the Vanagon frame. If you remove the Vanagon bumper, it gets much easier to attach structure to the Vanagon frame. This doubled steel structure is incredibly strong. You can see farther down the line mine is bent. Anyone whose tried to straighten this flange will know how strong this flange is. Don't drill your holes thru the spotwelds.

The rectangular tube is 2" X 1" X .065" thick steel. The part bolted to the VW crimp edge is 3/8" thick, and the strap going rearward is a 1" x 1/4" steel. But in any case it's been tested for over 2 years carrying a 160 lb motorcycle. It's lightweight but evidently strong enough. It would be easy to make it stronger. For example using a doubled-1" square for the 2x1 rectangle, or use a thicker wall would be about 2X stronger.

The 'platform' is built of 1 x 1 x .065 square tubing.

The front motorcycle carrier needs an upright. I started with it on the Driver's side as in this photo but moved it to the passenger side (as the arrow suggests). The clamp joint in the picture is sufficient but I will rebuild it with a stronger, wider clamp soon.

The motorcycle is tied to the rack, and to the upright using TWO ratcheting cargo straps in an X pattern, wrapped around the upright.

The little bike in this photo is only 55 lbs. and does not need another strap at the top. Look again at the TOP photo of this post. There is a single BLUE strap to the Westfalia top that pulls the bike "back" lightly. It does not pull very hard on the camper fiberglas top, only steadies the motorcycle to prevent oscillation.

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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
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[peasant]

very nice looking, thanks for the write-up. first I have to find a small/light enduro
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89 wolfsberg weekender carat
89 Westfalia

[Summers420us]

Thanks a bunch. Do you find any cooling issues hanging a bike up in front of your radiator?

I think a set up like this will fit the bill perfectly for my CT70.

[Californio]

There is also...

http://home.earthlink.net/~johndolsen/index.html

but his pics aren't as clear, and he doesn't answer email.

[Sodo]

Havent noticed any cooling issues, even towing the trailer. But I'm in WA not AZ. FYI the CT-70 weighs 144 lbs.
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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
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb

[Zanza]

Great idea (but I'm afraid that in Europa it'll not be allowed to do this).

It makes a long time that I have the idea to put a same stuff on my Westfalia California
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'92 Westfalia California full camper - 2.5l gasoline - 5 speed - 223'600 km

Moderator on Buspirit, the french speaking Eurovan forum

Visit my website, dedicated to the Westfalia California

[kevtherev]

Yeah summat to do with maiming and killing pedestrians..

[danfromsyr]

you Europeans probably shouldn't be hitting them in the 1st place. ;-p

maybe the pedestrians should wear safety gear and colors..
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[kevtherev]

[CaptTurbo]

Sodo, that sure is a sweet BMW you have on the trailer. I have a '93 R100GSPD and a 2001 R1150GS in mt shed. sweet bikes but yours is over the top! I haven't even set my Syncro up to tow from the rear yet. I guess I should look into some mods!

[Sodo]

[zeekiel]

you have all the goodies have fun.
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85' Westy GL /w 2.1L Swap