motorcycle carrier

bcunning · 05-02-2012, 09:54 AM

I installed a Rage Powersports SMC-600 Sport Motorcycle Carrier on our new Solera. It has a 600 pound carrying capacity so it is not for cruisers. My bike is a '79 Triumph Bonneville that weighs 450. I loaded the bike on it and added my own 155 pounds to check it out - jumping around and stressing it as much as I could and it felt very secure.

It's nice having the camera back there to keep an eye on it. It doesn't seem to wiggle around at all on the dirt roads near our home which are a little rough this time of year. It will be nice to have it as a dingy and for recreation as we travel.

18CrewDually · 05-02-2012, 11:20 AM

A picture would tell a lot, if possible. Is it a single receiver mount or did you install 2 receivers off of the frame beams?

bcunning · 05-02-2012, 11:45 AM

It mounts in a single receiver. You can see details including a video at The SMC-600 Motorcycle Hauler

Also note that the weight on your hitch will include 99 pounds for the carrier itself. I was told by the dealer that the tongue weight capacity for the hitch on the Solera is 600 pounds so that allows for a 500 pound bike.

reinerka · 05-02-2012, 02:17 PM

The towing is 3500lbs and hitch weight limit is 350lbs.

It would be safer to use a small MC trailer.

Reiner

bcunning · 05-02-2012, 03:57 PM

Albany RV sales told me the tongue weight capacity was 600 pounds but I just made contact with the factory service tech who confirms that it is in fact 350 pounds. So - don't do this at home.

I'm going to talk to a welder friend of mine about reinforcing the hitch - but then FR will probably threaten me with warranty violation.

Pulling a trailer without being able to see it except with a wide angle TV camera does not seem like a good idea to me. Actually, pulling would not be the problem - it's the pushing it backwards that I don't want to do.

Poppy Bill · 05-02-2012, 06:59 PM

I haul a 2011 Harley TriGlide Trike on a trailer also and not at the same time haul a golfcart when we go to the nascar races. I can see them real good with my camera. I think i would haul a bike on a trailer not hanging on the hitch

edman87k5 · 05-02-2012, 07:09 PM

While I was camoing in hot springs, ar last summer, the guy next to me had a trick carrier on his motorhome to carry his big harley bagger. We talked about it and I had never seen anything like it. Cant remember the maker, but it was a factory unit that basicly slid into 2x 2' receivers on the rear of the rv. It had 1 big caster on the unit with a suspension similar to an old 3 wheeled golf cart front setup and was rated for 1500 or so pounds. I do remember it being expensive ($200 sound right) but they guy loved it and said you had no worries when backing up or towing and he goes all over the country with it. He added a couple of fold away jacks on the front of it and after unloading his bike would just jack it up and slide it out of the receivers.
I helped him load his bike as he was leery of riding it up the ramp and we discussed the unit in detail. It is the only one I have ever seen. Any one have an idea of what it was? It was definateely the ticket for a big bike without dealong with a trailer.

OldCoot · 05-02-2012, 07:14 PM

Have seen a couple of these in FL last yr.

SWIVELWHEEL-58

JamesR · 05-02-2012, 07:26 PM

Saw this single wheel trailer and thought it made sense:

http://www.cruiserlift.com/swivelwheel.html

oops, same as above.

**bclemens** · 05-03-2012, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcunning

Albany RV sales told me the tongue weight capacity was 600 pounds but I just made contact with the factory service tech who confirms that it is in fact 350 pounds. So - don't do this at home.

I'm going to talk to a welder friend of mine about reinforcing the hitch - but then FR will probably threaten me with warranty violation.

Pulling a trailer without being able to see it except with a wide angle TV camera does not seem like a good idea to me. Actually, pulling would not be the problem - it's the pushing it backwards that I don't want to do.

At one time we were actually installing (and still may be) 5000 lbs hitches (so 500lbs tongue weight). Instead of stocking (2) different hitches, we put on the 5k and then put on a 3500 lbs sticker. Check the hitch! Either way, I would be more concerned about the GVWR. The weight of that bike is not a "towing weight" it is a dead weight that goes against the GVWR which is not a huge amount on the Sprinter anyway. We use Azdel in place of wood to save some weight over our competitors...but it only saves a few hundred lbs.

GVWR of the Sprinter is 11,030lbs. Combined is 15,250...but that is if you are towing...which it appears you are not. So 11,030 is your concern.

papap · 05-03-2012, 06:32 PM

I see the tongue weight would be 500 lbs with a fat boy Harley on the swivelwheel. I think I'll go with a small enclosed trailer

bcunning · 05-04-2012, 07:48 PM

When I picked up my bike from the shop yesterday, one of my friends at the shop joined me (combined weight of 400 pounds) on the bike carrier and we swimultaneously jumped up qnd down to stress the hitch as much as we could. That's 450 p0unds of bike + 100 pounds of carrier + 400 pounds of us for a total of 950 pounds plus the G forces of our bouncing and we could not see any flexing of the receiver hitch. My welder friend is still going to look at it for reinforcement possibilities.

I also had another hole drilled in the square tube on the carrier to position the carrier 5 3/4 inches closer to the hitch to reduce the torque. There is now about 1/4" clearance between the carrier rails and the rear bumper.

Even though it is technically exceeding the stated rating for the hitch, I'm feeling pretty confident that the rating is significantly pessimistic and the risk is tolerable.

edman87k5 · 05-05-2012, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunnnc

Have seen a couple of these in FL last yr.

SWIVELWHEEL-58

Thats what I was talking about and my memory served me well except for the weight limit.

bcunning · 05-06-2012, 05:23 PM

I'm puzzeled by "Check the hitch!".

If it has a 3,500 lb. sticker, how do I determine whether it is really a 5,000 lb hitch?

Thanks.

**bclemens** · 05-07-2012, 08:08 AM

It will typically be stamped on the hitch...or the sticker can show 5000 when the brochure shows 3500.

reinerka · 05-07-2012, 11:11 AM

If you read the manual for the Sprinter carefully you will note some items:

5000lbs maximum towing capacity - and it contineus if you use that capacity you will be over the maximum permissible weight.

It does have a 5000lbs hitch but maximum rating for the vehicle is 3500lbs.

The maximum weight is as well about the lift this produces to the front of the vehicle as the rear overhange is huge on the Sprinter. 350lbs on the hitch will increase your weight on the rear axle by ~500-600lbs and reduce the front axle weight as well. This can have adverse effects on steering ability as well as the overall handling of your vehicle.

Jumping up and down on the hitch is meaningless. During normal driving conditions when towing a trailer (or anything else) it will provides forces up to 10times the
static weight.

Reiner

bcunning · 05-07-2012, 02:43 PM

According to the local Sprinter dealer (Freightliner), the 1-ton frame which is the larger Sprinter frame has a towing capacity of 7,500 pounds. Of course FR adds about 3 feet of frame to the truck frame to get to 24' so the ultimate towing capacity would depend on the strength of that extension.

The center of gravity of the motorbike is 16" to the rear of the hitch and my friend and I were bouncing on the rails for the tie-downs about 24" out so that should be more than the maximum downward torque that would happen when the vehicle is moving.

My welder friend is going to inspect it and advise me further regarding strength and possible reinforcement. In the meantime, I will keep an eye on it and continue stress testing it occasionally.

I'll let you know if there are any signs of fatigue - such as the bike hitting the pavement.

**bclemens** · 05-07-2012, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcunning

Of course FR adds about 3 feet of frame to the truck frame to get to 24' so the ultimate towing capacity would depend on the strength of that extension.

That is one of the few chassis we don't stretch. Mercedes does not allow us to weld onto their frame.

bcunning · 05-07-2012, 03:21 PM

Oh - so it sounds like the 5,000 lb. hitch is fastened to a chassis rated for 7,500 lb. towing and the hitch tongue weight capacity (lower than the truck's) is therefore 500 pounds and if reinforced, could get up to 750 pounds.

Since rupture or stress fracture on a hitch rated for 500 lb. would likely only occur significantly above 500 lb, the total weight of 550 lb. hanging 16" from the hitch is reasonable. I'll get it strengthened if possible for added security.

(of course the warranty would not cover it but that's not my concern)

**bclemens** · 05-07-2012, 03:23 PM

remember that truck versions (cargo) and RV versions are (2) different animals. The chassis is probably designed for it...but there is not weight for it.

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